By undertaking a journey, a person learns and changes. We can change emotionally, psychologically and spiritually. The traveler is first afraid, then usually goes through pain and suffering. In the end, however, this traveler comes out different than he started, with some understanding. Stephan Kumalo, James Jarvis and Absalom Kumalo undertake just that in Alan Paton's Cry, the Beloved Country. Stephan Kumalo, a priest from Ndotsheni's small hometown, takes a trip to the big city of Johannesburg. He plans to find his sick sister and his son Absalom, who has left. At first, Stephan has "fear of the unknown, fear of the big city" (44) where his loved ones have gone and have not written for months. Soon after he begins, he realizes that "it is a bitter journey" (55) upon hearing his sister's occupations and practices. He goes through more and more pain and suffering as he learns of his brother's loss of faith in the Church and the murder his son committed. But very quickly, he manages to understand this world in Johannesburg. He learns why there is so much crime and poverty. He then hopes for the success of his daughter-in-law and his nephew in Ndotsheni. He finds hope of rebuilding the tribe. Stephan Kumalo returns from his journey spiritually changed and knowing that there is “comfort in a world of desolation” (94). He changes emotionally and becomes stronger. Additionally, he changes psychologically and learns of the troubles of Johannesburg and apartheid, and their various causes. JamesJarvis undergoes vast changes during his journey. He was told that his son had been killed and he immediately left for Johannesburg. His son, Arthur, was a social activist who helped the natives of South Africa, trying to provide them with better hospitals and schools. These are topics that James Jarvis never thought much about. When he arrives at his son's house, the site of Arthur's death, he reads some of his manuscripts and books. First, James suffers greatly thinking about his son's death. However, reading some of his books and articles, he understands what a great man his son was and what he stood for. “He was smoking his pipe and lost in thought”(180) after reading a manuscript on what is permissible and what is not