References
Toni Luc-Tayengo - Youth Minister
toni@epiphany-richardson.orgEpiscopal Church of the Epiphany, TX
New Orleans Mission 2006, 2007, 2008
Memphis Mission 2010
Colorado Pilgrimage 2011
New Orleans Mission 2012
I have been actively involved with youth in mission for 15+ years, and I have used a number of ministry to help facilitate those mission experiences. I have NEVER experienced the deep transformation within my students, the satisfaction in my volunteers, or the peace in my own heart that I have in the last 6 trips with Wonder Voyage. WV is not a canned program that applies a one-size-fits all model to serving in the name of Jesus. They look at your expressed needs, desires, and resources and help you design a trip best suited to your students abilities and call to serve. They allow for a partnership from beginning to end, and do all the "dirty work" (housing, meals, supplies, contacts) so that you can spend time ministering to and with your students. I know when I sign up for a Wonder Voyage trip that we are going to encounter God at work in the world and have an amazing adventure at the same time.
Rev. David Grant- Student Pastor
dgrant@irvingbible.orgIrving Bible Church, TX
San Antonio Pilgrimage 2005
Mexico and NOLA Missions 2006
NOLA Missions 2007
Dallas and Memphis Missions 2009
NYC - Memphis - NOLA 2010
Honduras – San Antonio - Memphis 2011
Honduras – NOLA – Navajo – Dallas 2012
Short term missions has been a strategic part of my student ministry for over 20 years. Being responsible for all the planning, preparing and then implementation of the trip is so much work, many times I wasn't able to pastor the students the way I wanted. Wonder Voyage has become vital in creating opportunities that fit the uniqueness of our middle school and high school ministries. Wonder Voyage directors work seamlessly with our staff to create the perfect atmosphere for our students to understand what it means to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Not only did they make the administration of the trips easier, they truly enhanced the overall experience for the students. They are professional, in touch with the unique needs of student ministries, team players, and lovers of the world around them. I can't imagine doing short term missions again without the partnership of Wonder Voyage.
Rev. Rachel Nyback- Pastor
rnyback@stcross.org
St. Cross by-the-Sea - Hermosa Beach, CA
Wales J2A Pilgrimage 2009
England Boundless Expeditions 2010 and Ireland Pilgrimage 2011
Asking me about pilgrimage with Wonder Voyage, it is like opening a fire hydrant. It will be difficult to get the flow of praise to stop. Wonder Voyage met the needs of our youth and the leaders, sometimes before we even realized what we needed. The spiritual development was just right for teens. I especially appreciated the local contacts that we seemed to have or find in every place we went. Truly our pilgrimage was a voyage full of the wonder of God’s presence. Wonder Voyage so surpassed any of my high expectations for travel, spiritual support, local knowledge, flexibility, meeting the needs of the group (including the leaders). Wonder Voyage is the ONLY company that I will ever use for pilgrimage, for both adults and youth. There is no comparison.
Steffy Sabino - Director of Youth & Family Ministry
steffygs@aol.comHoly Comforter- Maryland
Oregon J2A Pilgrimage 2008
Grand Tetons J2A Pilgrimage 2009
Colorado J2A Pilgrimage 2011
I'm not sure how we would have ever made it on our trip had it not been for Wonder Voyage leading the way. Their ability to build a trip based on the needs and goals of our group as well as incorporate their knowledge, spirituality, and experience of the location we chose was amazing. The leaders from Wonder Voyage had the incredible ability to be able to spiritually connect with all our youth individually on whatever level they happen to be, yet bring them together as a cohesive group.
Bill Wallace - Director of Youth Ministry
youth@stmichaelscathedral.org St. Michael’s Episcopal Cathedral- Idaho
Honduras J2A Pilgrimage 2007
Oregon 2008
Costa Rica J2A Pilgrimage 2009
Dominican Republic J2A Pilgrimage 2011
After our original pilgrimage trip to Italy arranged by another company was aborted, I contacted Wonder Voyage to see if they could help us. The WV team arranged a voyage to Honduras for our group that was a perfect blend of mission, pilgrimage and wonder. My group, including the adult chaperones, grew in ways that I still marvel about. The evening journaling and spiritual time helped the youth focus on where they saw God in the people they met, the places they went, and things they saw each day. Upon returning home the team uniformly expressed their thankfulness that they got to have their pilgrimage in Honduras rather than Italy. I look forward to next year’s mission trip with the Wonder Voyage.
Matt Stroud – Lay Pastor for Youth Ministries
matts@stnicksonline.orgSt. Nicholas – Texas
San Antonio Mission 2006
Biloxi Mission2007
New Orleans Mission2008
Memphis Mission 2009
Nashville Mission 2010
San Antonio Mission 2011
Biloxi Mission 2012
I have also found that taking a team of individuals anywhere is a challenge. Trying to feed and shelter them in a strange location adds another level of difficulty. And still more difficult is finding ways for them to serve God in a distant location that make a difference. All of these issues led me, at the start of my first mission trip, to a develop a severe case of “Where do I begin?” paralysis. So I prayed then, I called Wonder Voyage. Realizing each trip is different because each team is different, they ask questions to maximize whatever dynamics are important to your team. Without a doubt, Wonder Voyage’s expertise in this area of ministry has been used by God to provide meaningful, life altering experiences for our church family in all kinds of locations and situations. God uses them to give you all you need. In turn, your team can focus on God and relationships and as such truly ...abound in every good work.
Rev. Gini Gerbasi – Pastor
assistant@ccpk.org
Christ Episcopal Church, MD
Costa Rica – J2A Pilgrimage 2008
Alaska – J2A Pilgrimage 2010
Nova Scotia J2A Pilgrimage 2012
There is no other company out there – not a single one – that does what Wonder Voyage does. Saying that Wonder Voyage is a tour company is like saying Jesus was a good guy – technically it’s true, but it completely misses the point! A journey with Wonder Voyage will quite literally change the way you see the world. You will see adventure, opportunities, and wonder all around you, and you will begin to see God in every leaf, every face, every drop of rain, every gesture of kindness, every happy coincidence. Your youth will be amazed and exhausted and full of life. As a leader you will be able to relax and tend even your own soul. Just Go. But buckle your seat belts and bring a helmet because you will encounter the Holy.
