Wonder Voyage Blog
News, Stories, and Tips from Our Journeys.
Building Transformational Mission Trips and Pilgrimages: 3 Keys For Church Leaders
| By Jamie A Richardson | Travel Tips
Building Transformational Mission Trips and Pilgrimages: 3 Keys For Church Leaders
| By Jamie A Richardson | Travel Tips
An Alaskan Wonder Voyage
I like to think of Alaska as a place where wild meets peace. The unique smell when you walk off the plane will lure you to find adventure in both body and spirit. The peaceful sound of the ocean, the cry of eagles, and the stillness of the woods will send you on a pilgrimage of the heart. Are you ready for an Alaskan Wonder Voyage?!
A School Trip as Pilgrimage
By weaving together what they had been learning in class and the essential questions of life in Christ, our students tread a well-worn path set forth by the saints of old, and they saw the face of our risen Lord along the way – not only in the historical artifacts but also in each other.
If You Seek Christ, Together We Will Find Him
On pilgrimage with Wonder Voyage, we approach each day with open hearts and minds, and every day is a new adventure and experience in God’s great creation. It is hard to pick a favorite destination Wonder Voyage has taken us to since I have grown closer to God at each one. One thing all of us who have travelled with Wonder Voyage know is, “if you seek Christ, together we will find him.”
Why Missions?
We are on a co-mission with Jesus to impact the world and share the good news. A mission trip can awaken hearts to serve, be the means to recognize the call of God, build lasting relationships, and provide the adventure and excitement your congregation longs for.
Be Still and Know
Just then, the wind picked up and swirled around us, rustling the leaves in the trees, and our hair and clothes. In that moment, we all understood exactly what the Wonder Voyage pilgrim was talking about. We heard, saw, and felt God’s presence among us.
Walking Borders Abbeys Way
The Borders Abbeys Way, located in the Borders of Scotland, is perfect for those who love temperate hiking, relish encountering locals, and for those who can sit amongst an abbey ruin and feel the resonance of the holy.
TAPS
As I began to reflect with the team on the nature of sacrifice, we were suddenly and boldly interrupted by the piercing cry of a trumpet playing TAPS. Stunned into silence, emotions arose and tears stained our cheeks as the horn’s song echoed in our ears and moved our hearts. Intimately connected, we stood in quiet reflection.
Should I Take My Child On Pilgrimage?
This summer, my eight-year-old daughter asked to join me and 17 members of our church on a Wonder Voyage pilgrimage to South Africa. At first I hesitated to bring her because I was focused on the ways she might impede the goals of the experience. In hindsight she did alter the trip, but in a beautiful way. Are you considering taking your child on pilgrimage with you?
Adventure and A Stowaway
As a Wonder Voyage director, I love to spark curiosity. During a break I led the kids on a hike to explore a nearby park. A raft, and island, coconuts, and an eight-legged stowaway….These are the Wonder Voyage moments that I love and live for, for our students always find adventure where its least expected.