Newfound Family

When I traveled with Wonder Voyage on my first cross-cultural experience to Ireland in 2002, I had no idea that it would change the trajectory of my life. It led me to the streets of New York city, to rural parts of Africa, to Middle Eastern deserts, and even to the Earth’s edge in Papua New Guinea. It also led me into a whole new family.

While I was in Ireland, I was given the opportunity to tap into an inner curiosity and deep passion to discover new territory and push my limits beyond what I had ever known before. It captured me with its wild landscapes and warmth of its people in the same way I am drawn to the wildness of the wide-open sands of Jordan’s southern deserts and the lavish hospitality of its Bedouin people. Ireland allowed me to explore my desire to experience the heart of God and the mystery of how He made Himself known to people in both the beauty and pain of life.

During my college years I continued being a part of the Wonder Voyage community assisting in leading several trips around the world. I was no longer just a participant. I was an active member in the Wonder Voyage tribe.

I have recently returned from living for over two years amongst Syrian refugees in the Middle East. They have fled an ongoing civil war in their country that has left marks in more than just the physical infrastructure of their land. They have left marks in my own heart, which is what happens when you embrace the vulnerability of being known by others.

Participating in and leading Wonder Voyage trips became more than just an experience for me. It became a door into a family of fellow seekers of God around the world and introduced me to people who saw what was in me when I didn’t see it myself. It’s been fifteen years since my first mission trip with Wonder Voyage and I remain involved in the community. My newfound family continues to remind me to chase after mystery and to fondly remember the journey, especially with laughter that begets tears.