After his graduation from the Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Pittsburgh, Pa., last May, Titus Martin decided he wanted to travel to Reformed Presbyterian mission sites around the world to see “if I should and where I should go—where I best fit.” Jason O’Neill and Matthew Stewart, recent graduates of Geneva College, decided to join him on this adventure.

Titus left in June. Jason joined him in July, and Matt came in August. When they returned to the U.S. in January, they had collectively traveled to 15 countries, including nine mission sites—Larnaca, Cyprus; Nantes, France; Northern Ireland; Airdrie, Scotland; two countries in the Middle East; Uganda (with the Orthodox Presbyterian Church); Australia; and Japan. Titus preached 15 times in five places. The young men didn’t go as sightseers; they participated in the work at these sites, encouraged the churches, and learned about the different ministries.

This is what the traveling trio had to say about their trip.

Titus Martin, Tusca Area (Beaver, Pa.) RPC

Of all your time circling the globe, what is the one thing that sticks out the most?

We met a man, “ Sam,” who had been broadcasting a Christian radio program in a Muslim country for many years. Sam’s father had become a Christian and begun the radio ministry from within this closed country. While Sam was growing up, the government was always looking for his father to kill him, but they never found him. Sam was continuing his father’s ministry. After some time, Sam married an American and they moved to America, but he continued to head up this ministry. Since he was not on the ground in that country anymore, he had a right-hand man along with a number of correspondents who were helping to produce these radio programs. We met Sam as he was on his way back to this country. The government had found a computer with many names on it, one of which was his right-hand man. The government martyred him. Sam was going back to pick up the pieces and to try to make contact with the correspondents, one of whom may have leaked the names to the government. Sam didn’t know if the government had his name and was ready to kill him. He didn’t know who was on his side, but he was going back, possibly to be killed, as a servant of the King.

In the middle of this conversation Sam mentioned the idea of cat-and-dog theology: Cats seek comfort and seek to be served. Dogs seek to serve and don’t worry about comfort. This idea challenged my way of thinking: Do I just seek comfort and seek to be served, or do I seek to serve? Sam was seeking to serve.

How did the trip change you?

In short, it challenged me to confidently and unconditionally seek to serve my King.

When you went on this trip you were at a crossroads in your life. Where are you headed next?

I hope to be an associate pastor in the U.S. in order to learn more about ministry while being mentored and supported by an experienced pastor and session. After that, I hope to either go into the mission field or continue as a pastor.

What were the challenges of preaching in many different countries?

We covered many areas in the world, and I preached to drastically different audiences— from unbelievers who couldn’t read and write to brilliant believers who were giving their lives in service for the Lord. I kept thinking, “I’m the new guy. I don’t know these people or the culture and I’m coming in and telling them how to live? They should be telling me how the Word of God applies to life in this place.” It was this feeling of inadequacy that humbled me and drove me to depend more upon the Spirit of God. So I preached.

What were the joys?

The joy was to be able to serve. These people, no matter who they were, needed to be ministered to and to hear the Word of God. I had the privilege to read and preach the words of life.

Who taught you the most?

My thinking was most challenged in Uganda where we faced severe poverty. The missionaries in Uganda, especially Bob Wright, challenged my thinking with these questions: What does it mean to care for the poor in an area where everyone is poor? What is poor? What does it mean to love your neighbor in the bush? If someone asks for your cloak, your food, your money, do you give it to him? How do you build a ministry without creating a dependent society? What place does food for the hungry and clothes for the naked have alongside the ministry of the Word? I used to have answers to these questions, but in Uganda and other countries, my answers didn’t hold water. I could avoid these questions unless I go back to Uganda, but the answers to these questions will have ramifications on ministry in any part of the world.

If you had to get on a plane tomorrow and go back to one of the countries you visited, where would you go?

At this point, the answer is Sudan. Although we didn’t visit there, we were in Uganda, which gave us a taste of what it would be like in Sudan. I am excited for the work starting there.

Jason O’Neill, Winchester, Kan., RPC

Of all your time circling the globe, what is the one thing that sticks out most?

I was impressed by how believers throughout the world are unified in Christ. We were welcomed with open arms by Christians in every place we stayed. An example of this was during an extended layover in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. We had planned on spending a few days in a hotel or hostel, but we got in touch with a Christian hospital near Dubai. The people there arranged beds and meals for us, and gave us a firsthand look at what their ministry was like. We met people from different cultures and languages, but everywhere we went, we found we had a common bond in Christ.

How did the trip change you?

I think I’ll be learning the answer to that question for a long time. I can start by saying that this trip has given me a much better perspective of how God is working throughout the world. It was a blessing to be able to work with pastors and missionaries in different settings, to see the challenges of the ministry, and to see where the Lord has really blessed the work. While traveling, I read that all Christians are called to be either missionaries or missionary senders. Wherever I am called, I have a better understanding of missions, the work of the church in other countries, and what opportunities are available.

When you went on this trip, you were at a crossroads in your life. Where are you headed next?

I’m still at a crossroads, just another one. Currently, I’m looking for God’s leading as I search for a job and a place to settle. As I search, I am encouraged by a verse in Jeremiah that says, “Stand by the crossroads and look; Ask for the ancient path; ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your soul” (Jer. 6:16).

What was the strangest thing you ate?

As we were traveling we got to try a number of strange dishes. One of our most memorable meals came one evening in the Middle East. We went to get dinner the restaurant closest to our hotel. It wasn’t very clean, but by then we had eaten at a lot of places that weren’t very clean. We had a hard time ordering because we had no menu, and our limited Arabic wasn’t coming across clearly. Eventually we ordered a fish dinner. They brought a platter full of brownish- looking mystery meat. It was hard to tell if it was beef or fish, so we named it “beeffish.” After one bite, Matt decided he didn’t want anything to do with it. It wasn’t long before the rest of us buried the fish under our rice and left the restaurant.

What was the scariest moment?

We are very thankful that God protected us while we were on the road, and we never felt we were in any immediate physical danger. However, traveling in so many unfamiliar places provided many nervous moments. In my first week on the road, Titus and I were traveling by train from Athens to the port city of Patras, Greece. We hadn’t used the trains before, but somehow we found our way onto the train just before it pulled out. As soon as we sat down, the conductor came onto the car and started shouting in Greek. He started checking tickets, yelled something in Greek, and about 10 people left the train. We didn’t know what was going on—if we were on the right train or sitting in the wrong car. But when he came and checked our tickets he just nodded and walked by. We still don’t know why the other people on the train had to leave, but we were glad we could stay.

Matt Stewart, Trinity (Beltsville, Md.) RPC

Of all your time circling the globe, what is the one thing that sticks out the most?

One of the highlights was our last night in the Middle East. We got together with two friends, Osama and Maged, and the missionary who hosted us. We had gotten to know Osama and Maged pretty well—they took us to their village for a hike and we also ate at Maged’s house for the feast they have after fasting for Ramadan. We were excited to introduce them to our missionary friend, so we got together that night at our hangout spot, Club Hawaii, a juice bar with ping pong, pool, and outdoor juice tables. It was a beautiful night with warm air cooled by a beautiful breeze. We sat on the deck with our frawla wa mous (strawberry banana) juice laughing at our missionary friend’s jokes. Osama and Maged were in awe over his command of the Arabic language since he was an American. It was funny to see their reactions to him. We also had the blessing of giving Osama an Arabic Bible.

How did the trip change you?

Being a foreigner was a great experience for me. The hospitality I enjoyed was a huge blessing and example I hope to follow. I was struck with both the reality and depth of sin and the holiness of God. I had intense struggles with the amount of lost people in the Middle East particularly, and I wondered if all those people really deserved to go to hell without even hearing about Jesus and His saving power. I had to remind myself of Bible verses that talk about how holy God is and how sinful we are. I was also comforted by the story of Jonah. God does care about the lost, and He does send Jonahs to preach the gospel to them, despite our complaints and resistance. I saw a quote that I liked, “God makes straight blows with crooked hammers.” God will call His sheep to Himself, from all nations, and He doesn’t fail.

When you went on this trip you were at a crossroads in your life. Where are you headed next?

I am still at the crossroads to some extent, but right now I’m working construction with my dad and substitute teaching, with the intent of going to seminary in the fall. Where God will lead from there, I don’t know.

What was the most unforgettable face?

I remember vividly a boy I met in Africa. He was between 10 and 12 and had glaucoma. His eyes were milky and constantly teary. When we were there he could still see, but he is slowly going blind. It was heartrending and extremely frustrating to be unable to help with a cure.

What was your most embarrassing moment?

We had an overnight layover in Paris, France, so we went sightseeing for the day. I had a large pack on my back and a smaller pack on the front. I started through our first subway turnstile and dropped my ticket behind me. I leaned back awkwardly to grab the ticket, and, as I was doing that, the gate in front of me closed, leaving me stuck between two gates. Another person was coming, so with no better options, I jumped over the gate behind me and ran through his gate.