Elzingas are Halfway Around the World

Plane, boat, rickshaw, taxi, truck, bus, motorcycle, camel, subway . . . you name it and Mike and Claudia Elzinga have probably taken it.

The Elzingas are half-way through their year-long volunteer service to Christian Reformed World Missions (CRWM). See and read their work, and learn more about them, on their website: twocameras.

Since October, they’ve visited CRWM missionaries and partners in over 10 countries. They’ve eaten new foods, learned new words, and made many new friends. In each new place, they’ve used their photography and videography skills to help missionaries share their stories.

“Ever since we got married, we knew we wanted to travel the world,” says Claudia. “We weren’t sure what that trip would look like . . . until we realized we could use our gifts, serve the Kingdom, and see the world at the same time."

"We both grew up in the CRC, and so when it came to approaching an organization about our volunteer idea, our denomination was an easy first choice.”

Mike and Claudia both graduated from Michigan’s Grand Valley State University in 2009 with degrees in communications. Since then, Claudia has done writing and graphic design work for a non-profit and Michael has developed his career as a freelance videographer. Now they’re using their story-telling gifts to share what CRWM is involved in worldwide.

Nepal is one of the first countries the Elzingas visited. Their hosts, CRWM missionaries Troy and Faith Bierma, showed them around Kathmandu, introduced them to Nepali Christians, and shared about their mission to encourage and strengthen Nepali church leaders.

“Every believer you talk to has had to fight through persecution, financial struggles, even family disownment to be a part of the Church,” says Claudia. “The struggles have developed a group of people who cannot help but share their faith with everyone they meet.”

The Elzingas have moments when the constant flood of new experiences, languages, cultures, and people feels overwhelming. Positive experiences, however, far outweigh difficult ones. They’ve seen Cambodia’s Angkor Wat, China’s Great Wall, and Egypt’s Great Pyramids. They’ve visited missionary schools that make it possible for missionaries with children to serve overseas.

They’ve met people like Myo, a taxi driver in Myanmar with a “Jesus First Loved Us” shirt, who are believers among a sea of people who don’t know Jesus. They’ve connected with pastors who earn little, but serve anyways, driven to teach others about Christ. They’ve been welcomed by strangers and become their friends. In each place, they’ve marveled at the beauty and variety of God’s creation and Church.

“It’s hard to be so far away from friends and family,” says Claudia, “But, every two weeks or so we have a new temporary family. [Meanwhile] . . . it is so comforting to know that we have a group of prayer warriors who are always thinking of us.”