The Human Experience

Jeffrey and his brother Clifford Azize leave home to spend a week living with the homeless in New York during one of the coldest winters on record. As children of divorced parents, they have not seen their father in 10 years and search for hope and belonging. The brothers learn to survive on the streets while forming bonds with their new companions.

During their NYC experience, the Azize brothers deepen their bonds with the people they meet on the streets and witness a resilience that contrasts with their fractured family life. They learn practical survival skills and how to rely on each other and their new friends. These moments begin shaping a broader sense of hope beyond their own struggles.

Jeffrey and Clifford join Surf For The Cause on a journey to Peru. They visit a hospital for abandoned children in the foothills of the Andes and are moved by the children and caretakers despite serious medical problems. The encounter broadens their sense of joy, resilience, and the power of community.

In the Peruvian hospital, the children’s courage and the staff’s dedication leave a lasting impression on Jeffrey and Clifford. They witness how care and community can bring light into grim circumstances. The experience deepens the brothers' empathy and sense of responsibility toward others.

Throughout the film, voices from science, religion, and civil rights provide context, with William B. Hurlbut, M.D.; Rabbi Simon Jacobson; Dr. Alveda King; and Rev. Richard Neuhaus offering reflections on love, suffering, and meaning. Their perspectives invite viewers to consider compassion and the human condition beyond the brothers' personal journey. The interviews were filmed over many years, including Neuhaus before his death in 2009.

The brothers travel to Africa with friends Michael Campo and Matthew Sanchez, intending to visit a leper colony in rural Ghana. On the way, they meet victims of AIDS and families who are affected by the disease, gaining a deeper view of illness, stigma, and resilience. The journey exposes them to new horizons of suffering and humanity.

During the Africa journey, the group encounters people affected by AIDS and their families, bearing witness to hardship and dignity. These encounters challenge the boys’ assumptions and broaden their empathy toward those living with disease. The experiences contribute to a growing sense of global solidarity.

Arriving at the leper colony, the brothers befriend residents who have been disfigured by the disease and exiled from their villages. They learn about courage, community, and the ways people support one another across stigmatizing barriers. The visit leaves a lasting impact on their understanding of compassion.

Returning to their life in New York, Jeffrey and Clifford carry a transformed view of the human condition. They see hope and suffering in a new light and approach their daily lives with greater empathy. The trip fuels a renewed sense of responsibility toward others.

In a surprise ending, the brothers reconnect with their father, whom they have not seen for ten years. The reunion reinforces love, forgiveness, and the possibility of reconciliation within their family. It seals their personal growth and hopeful outlook.