Travel With Travis

Catch You Up to Speed

I'm going to post pics and journals entries from my travels. I leave for Poland in two days. That's when I'll start posting new stuff. But to catch you up to speed on my past mission trips, I thought I'd offer a brief history.

1993: Monterey Mexico
I went with a team from Naperville IL and Mattoon, IL to build a school and medical facility. It was my first trip. I'd just rededicated my life to Jesus 6 months before we loaded that bus. It was a life-changing trip for my personal spiritual journey.

1996: Atlanta GA--The Olympics
I went with a team from Joliet, IL to do ministry in the streets during the Olympics. We worked in a neighboring community. We slept at a church, showered in a parking lot in a makeshift stall with garden hoses (very cold). We did ministry at the church and in a parking lot of a large shopping market.

2000: East Boston
This was my first year as youth pastor in Mattoon, and wanted to get involved with leading mission trips for our students. We worked with Central Assembly of God in the heart of East Boston. It was an incredible trip. With did ministry in the parks, on the street, at a metro station, and at the church. There are people involved in that church today as a result of that trip.

2001: Managua, Nicaragua
This was our first overseas trip. Joy and I had a brief discussion as we saw the lights of Managua, Nicaragua from the plane. It went something like this. "What are we doing? We have a group of high school kids with us and we're about to land in some country we know nothing about, and we don't speak their language..." It turned out to be the turning point in our mission trips. We connected with Book of Hope International, and have had an incredible relationship with the ministry ever since.

2002: San Francisco
We worked with Joy's sister and brother-in-law at City Ministries International. It's a great outreach ministry to homeless, drug addicts, and needy children in the bay area. It was an eye opener in the area of spiritual warfare. Great trip....Great growth in my prayer life.

2003: Quito, Ecuador
This was another Book of Hope trip that wonderful. The team was excellent, and children in the schools (we do school assemblies) were awesome. I'll never forget how Sarina got mobbed by 200 little children and we couldn't get her out of the courtyard area.

2003: Slovakia
Pastor Van, myself, and Evan from Macolm went on a "Vision Trip" with Book of Hope. I took Van and Evan so they could catch the vision for Book of Hope ministry. Slovakia is a post-communist country. Very grey. But the students responded to us, and the Gospel in a wonderful way. This was my first time to Europe. It was great...even if our luggage was lost for three days!

2004: Mexico
I led an adult/student team to Rancho de sus ninos in Baja Mexico...right outside of San Diego. It was an incredible trip. The team bonded in a great way. God provided team members with incredible testimonies to share to the people. We've continued to partner with the ministry. We'll be sending Christmas gifts their way next month for all the kids in their day care.

And now I leave for Poland in two days.....

posted by travis spencer @ 8:46 AM