Tour Leader’s Blog

Our Experience South America tour, with Edgar Stoesz serving as our teacher/story teller, arrived in Brazil yesterday.

It was a joy to be able to be in Curitiba on a Sunday. This morning we attended the joint German service, with the Mennonites (MG) and the Mennonite Brethren meeting together. Our group was invited to share greetings and to sing a song. Walter Dyck led our group in a song that the Mennonite refugees sang on the boat from Europe to South America “O Have You Not Heard of that Beautiful Stream.” We sang the four verses in English and then the first verse in German. It was very moving to see the members of the congregation join on the German verse with tears streaming down their faces. We were one family hailing from three countries; Brazil, United States, and Canada. Our faith in God, as expressed in the hymn, and a common history unites us. Following the service there were many greetings and the minister let us know that we are always welcome and “please come again.”

Following our tour of Mennonite-related businesses, cemeteries and schools, we enjoyed a Faspa at Heidi Pauls’ home co-hosted by her mother Anneliese. This evening our tour members reflected on our time here.

Laverne Petersen was impressed “how you could worship and not understand a word. The spirit that was present and the facial expressions helped me have a meaningful experience.”

Marion Friesen shared that “Mrs. Fast talked to us following the service showed us the garden and education facilities. She told us with pride how happy she is that they have a Portuguese service at 11am filled with young people.”

Hedi Ratzlaff reflected that “being present, talking and hearing their story helps us to feel their energy. The church is alive as witnessed by the many daughter congregations.”

Bill Stout “was surprised how large the Mennonite church program is in Brazil.”

Tomorrow we are off to visit Iguazu Falls on the Brazilian side.

~ Wilmer Martin

Last evening, TourMagination held an open house at the Bird-in-Hand Restaurant in Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania. We had a delightful evening with approximately 75 persons participating in our event.

The enthusiasm was high as persons came wanting to talk to Janet and me about specific tours in 2008, 2009 and 2010.

This event allowed TourMagination to feature our Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, tour leaders who assist as Bible teachers and storytellers. Edgar Stoesz, who serves as our storyteller on our tours to South America will be leading a tour in 2008 and two tours in 2009 in connection with Mennonite World Conference. Susan Godshall will serve as the storyteller for our Churches and Safaris in Kenya and Tanzania tour; previously led by Don Jacobs, who introduced us to Susan and asked her to serve in this role. Also, Paul Zehr, has agreed to serve as the Bible teacher for our Following the Steps of Moses tour, November 2-14, 2008, and will be serving as storyteller for our September 2010 European Heritage tour which includes the Oberammergau passion play.

We invited these local tour leaders to share their excitement and vision for the tours that they are leading and give their vision as it relates to TourMagination’s mission of building bridges among Mennonites and other Christians and faiths around the world.

The attendees had specific questions, especially after they learned that Edgar Stoesz’s tour to Mennonite World Conference (MWC #6) is sold out and several of the other MWC tours are over one-half subscribed. They were somewhat surprised to learn that one of our fifteen tours to Oberammergau in 2010 is already sold out. One attendee, at the end of the evening, worked with Wilmer and Janet on a specific tour to Oberammergau, as he already has two-thirds of a group committed to travel in 2010.

The refreshments and conversation were enjoyable. The noise level in the room was high as persons shared stories of traveling on previous TourMagination tours, as well as anticipating traveling on one of our six tours to Mennonite World Conference in 2009.

If you are interested in traveling to the Mennonite World Conference Global Assembly or to Oberammergau, please email or call and talk to one of our staff.

~ Wilmer Martin

At 8:15 a.m. this morning, Janet and I met with the thirty-two members of the senior class of Shalom Christian Academy, the advisors and some of the parents to review their senior mission trip to the island of Jamaica.

As a requirement for graduation, the Shalom senior class must travel to a developing country and do a service project. They asked TourMagination to plan their trip this year from May 19-27 to the country of Jamaica.

The group will fly from Baltimore, Maryland, to Montego Bay, on Monday, May 19th. During the nine days, the group will stay at a private villa. Daily activities will include time for devotions and reflection, painting and helping some of the rural country churches improve their facilities, doing activities with children and, of course, having time for relaxing and swimming at one of the beaches on the Caribbean Sea.

TourMagination has been taking tours to Jamaica for more than twenty years. Our in-country guide and driver, Audley, will provide interpretation on the life, culture and country of Jamaica. On Sunday morning, the students will have the opportunity to present the morning service at the Calvary Mennonite Church in the town of Retreat and then in the afternoon, climb the Dunn’s River Falls.

The excitement was high as we reviewed the program with the senior class, their advisors and parents. The school superintendent, Mr. Swartzentruber, discussed the importance of the mission trips in developing character and understanding for their students. He looks forward to working with TourMagination in possibly developing two or three additional destinations for students in future years. Cross-cultural exchanges are life-changing events. TourMagination is delighted to work with Shalom Christian Academy in fulfilling their mission as an educational institution.

~ Wilmer Martin