What Past Discovery Tour Participants Have Said

Eye-opening

“The Discovery Tour opened my world to the vitality and resilience of people living much differently than I, in a different culture with few resources, and of the important role that CRWRC and partner organizations can play in bringing programs that nurture health, income-generation, values and hope. It was a life-changing experience, one I plan to build upon as God leads.”

- Grace Kreulen, Child Survival Exchange Program

Finding Hope

“We hadn’t expected to find hope there [in a slum] but we did.  Hope seems to be placed into our hearts by our possessions, our abilities, our pride.  The people we met that day and those two weeks had hope placed in their hearts by God.”

- Nancy Visser, HIV/AIDS Tour

Experiencing the Miracles of Creation

“God did a great miracle, and I am in awe of what He did.  En route to visit a partner, we were going to pass Mount Chimborazo and I was so looking forward to seeing it for the last time.  Since I am 87, I felt this was my “farewell.”  When we got there, the whole mountain was covered by a very large white cloud and could not be seen.  I said a small prayer that God, who can still storms, would lift the cloud.  You wouldn’t believe it, but the cloud started slowly lifting!  Eventually we could see the Chimborazo completely.  The sun was out, we stopped the bus and walked around and took pictures.  When we stepped in the bus to go on, the cloud came back!  I’m in awe that God, who has Darfur, Iraq, Afghanistan, Sudan, and Somalia in His hands, lifted the cloud for a half hour for me!”

- Diet Eman, Ecuador Tour

Changing my Life

“I would definitely encourage people to take a Discovery Tour and especially all board members in their first two years.  I have been to Bangladesh and Uganda and both were informative and life changing.  I have a much better appreciation of what CRWRC does, what missionaries do and especially how God loves people no matter where they live.” 

- Gloria Ranney,  Bangladesh/India 2004, Uganda

Seeing how CRWRC Empowers Others

“One of the things that really impressed me on the tour of Niger was how the CRWRC and CRWM staff there worked to empower the local Christians.  The local Christians were part of each step--identifying the problems, developing a solution, implementing the solution, and taking responsibility for the results.  This was clearly illustrated in a visit we made to a village where CRWRC had assisted in the installation of a water pump for the village. We also observed this process in the micro-loan programs encouraged and supported by CRWRC, but implemented by the same steps mentioned above.”

- Trena Boonstra, Niger

Changing my Worldview

“Every morning I wake up and see things differently:  I see our community and my church differently.  I see my family and friends differently.  I read my Bible differently.  All through eyes and a soul that has seen and felt poverty, disease, hunger, dying and death—but with hope.” 

- Nancy Visser, HIV/AIDS

Visiting Missionaries

“The tour also helped give an understanding of the experiences of missionaries--how they live, worship, and work in multi-cultural and multi-lingual situations. We also had opportunity to interact with local Christians, government agencies, and others in the community.”   

- Trena Boonstra, Niger

Experiencing the Global Church

“One of my favorite verses in the Bible is where it says in Isaiah that my name is written on the palm of God's hand.  When I was in Bangladesh and Uganda I realized that the names of people who look different from me and speak a different language and live in a vastly different culture are also written on God's palm and we are all alike to Him.  Seeing the beauty of another country through the eyes of the people living there and working there is far better than staying in some 5-star hotel and never meeting the people.  It's eating with and praying with the people that makes these trips so memorable.”

- Gloria Ranney, Bangladesh and India, Uganda

Increasing Cultural Sensitivity

“It’s important that we work with the people who are already there. Sometimes it’s easy to think we have all the answers and want to go in and do everything our way, but that doesn’t have lasting results and it’s not sensitive to the culture.”

- Nancy Visser, HIV/AIDS

Seeing the Work of CRWRC First Hand

“My wife and I had been on many tours all over the world but this one was different.  It was great to see firsthand all that CRWRC was doing in helping so many people in so many different ways, including nutrition and education and a chance for a better life.  Now when I support CRWRC I feel as if I'm really helping someone somewhere.  I am so glad that I had a chance to go on this tour.”

- Grant Vogel, Bangladesh and India

Transforming my Prayer Life

“I now pray specifically for the people we met, for indigenous people everywhere, and for the work of CRWRC and agencies like CRWRC.”

- Barbara Hayes, Ecuador