More than ever before, the world is our neighborhood. Not only are our lives connected to people around the globe by the products we consume, the environment we share, and the wars and economic systems that link us together, but tourist travel takes people to distant parts of the planet. Yet the typical tourist itinerary fails to include a look into the real lives of people in the place visited, including the struggles for peace and justice that are often a part of their daily reality.

Faith Expeditions provide this alternative perspective on the world around us. Sponsored by the Brethren Witness/Washington Office of the General Board, these trips take Brethren into places rarely visited by outsiders. They offer the opportunity to share in the lives of people who often feel the rest of the world has forgotten them. In the process, the visitors offer support and Christian friendship to these neighbors, while often finding their own lives changed and their faith renewed by the experience.

Trips generally run from 10 days to three weeks, with fees limited to the actual travel costs. Groups go to places where peace, justice or environmental concerns are evident, and where the Church of the Brethren is involved in partnership ministries of some kind.

Requirements for participation include a willingness to experience basic living conditions, respect for other cultures, and an openness to spiritual growth. The trips are open to all ages, as the intergenerational nature of the experience is one of its values.