Each year in June, Brandon Maxwell English and AVID teacher accompanied by his wife and students will go on a trip to Tanzania. This year, the trip will include more stops, juniors Rachel Bernath and Faythe Hendry will visit Tanzania along with other countries over the summer. They will visit multiple countries including: France, Tanzania and Egypt.

Maxwell, Bernath and Hendry leave at the end of June and will stay for three weeks. During the trip they will help medical clinics, preschools and coach soccer camps.

Maxwell lived in East Africa with his family lived for three years. This year, Maxwell and his family will move to Guayaquil in Ecuador after their trip.

Maxwell said, “This move is an opportunity to show our kids the world and go and serve in a different place for a while.”

Bernath and Hendry got involved with going through having Maxwell as a teacher. Students in the past have gotten in involved with going to Tanzania through connections with soccer.

Bernath said, “I was just talking to Maxwell and I knew that he used to live there and he took trips back. I just asked him about it and he said they are going back this summer and things fell into place.”

Bernath and Hendry attend the same church, St. Peter Church. Together they fundraised through their church. During their trip they will be working and volunteering with a church.

Hendry said, “I worked two jobs and sold my car. We also fundraised through our church,” Bernath added, “I will be able to grow my faith through this trip because we will be involved with a church.”

On the trip, they will first go to France. In France they will get to watch the Women’s World Cup. Next they will visit Egypt for a week then stay in Tanzania for a week and a half. In addition to France, Tanzania and Egypt, they will also stop in Dubai for a short layover and visit Greece.

Maxwell hopes that the trip will benefit the students, “It helps them get a much broader perspective of life outside of Stillwater. It is a real eye opener to go where we go and see what we see, because they are immersed in a completely different culture.”

The goal of the trip is to expand the student’s view on the world and allow them to travel and gain perspective. They also have the opportunity to help others in different countries and learn about other cultures.

Maxwell said, “It’s not just a vacation, it is an opportunity to meet people to work with them to build friendships and relationships through that. It ends up being a really cool experience that student that have came in the past say they see the world through new eyes because of it.”