Texas-born world traveler and storyteller, Steve Dyer, a.k.a. Stevie the Guide, is offering a specialized brand of Christian-centered travel this year.  Beginning with a trip to Oaxaca, Mexico from July 31 thru August 7, 2004, the trips will be conducted in association with Campbell Travel of Dallas and will visit missionaries serving with Commission To Every Nation of Kerrville.  This trip differs significantly from the traditional missionary trip in that its purpose is to meet and learn from a variety of committed Christians serving outside the United States, from the context of a vacation, rather than personally working on a given project.


textarea: The level of accommodations differs as well.  Dyer explains, "I've been on several mission trips in Mexico, Ecuador, Honduras and El Salvador where we lived at the local level with our host community.   To me they were wonderful and valuable experiences, but I also realize this type of trip is not for everyone, especially the older and the younger.  Many people require a level of comfort, cleanliness and predictability that the traditional mission trip simply cannot provide."

The Camino Real, a five star Hotel, located near the city of Oaxaca's magnificent town square and historic district will be the base of operations for the trip.  Missionaries and humanitarian aide workers from the surrounding area will give presentations at the hotel.  Small groups will also accompany them to visit village projects such as clinics, schools, and orphanages.  These visits will be interspersed with stops at historical churches and museums, Indian ruin sites, weavers, potters, wood carvers, shopping and other tourist areas, which will give the journey colorful variety of activities with a focus on history and culture.

Oaxaca is a large center of artisan activity of all kinds and has one of the largest open air markets in the world.   It has also been called the culinary center of Mexico, so the food and cooking schools are outstanding.  Located 4000 feet up in the mountains, the city enjoys a cool, spring-like climate year round.  Many Americans have retirement and vacation homes there.

When asked why he chose this combination of activities for his tours, Dyer responds in some detail, "This idea struck me some years ago when I was guiding exclusive wildlife adventure tours and deluxe trips for real estate clients in Central and South America.  Our destinations in a given country would only be tourist areas, and our guests required a high level of comfort and safety.  While we were passing by some of the more impoverished areas, we rarely stopped or had much direct contact with these communities.  Many of the people I guided were genuinely concerned and asked questions about what was being done to help and wanted to see more of the local life, but I was not free to change my company's itinerary.  Now I am."

"More and more, people want to know exactly where their charitable donations are going and what problems they are helping to solve. They want to be personally involved.  Many of the "baby boomers" will be arriving on the retirement scene in the next 20 years and will begin actively investigating their options on how they can "directly" make a positive impact on the world with their time, resources, education and expertise.  Our tours will be a fun way to facilitate that investigation.  They will also be a great opportunity for families with children and people of all ages to understand together the work of Christian Missionaries while having a very exciting adventure."

"When they return from one of Stevie the Guide's  "Adventures with a Purpose', these guests and their children and/or grandchildren will have had a very high quality vacation experience.  They will have been able to see more of the reality of life in that country and perhaps formed a number of personal relationships that they can take home with them."

For the August 2004 Oaxaca "Adventure with a Purpose" price and booking information, please call Jean Kibler, Director of Ministry and Mission Travel Services, at Campbell Travel in Dallas at 800-853-4652 or email: Jkibler@campbelltravell.com. A maximum 40 spaces are available.