Almost nothing energizes me as a professor more than meeting new people, seeing new places, and learning about new cultures. One of the great blessings of being a faculty member at a research institution is the opportunity for international travel. Some people retire in order to travel. I have avoided retirement for the same reason: to travel.
One of the most noteworthy experiences of my time as an academic and my time with Faculty Commons/Cru has been international travel.
I never saw that coming.
Uzbekistan: Offering Genuine Help in My Expertise
In my academic career, I have traveled to a lot of countries. Early on, I began to contact Cru staff in countries to which I was traveling for a conference or some other purpose. I made my first Faculty Commons international trip to Uzbekistan in 1993.
Uzbekistan had become an independent country just two years earlier, and we were surprisingly warmly welcomed. There was a Cru Short Term International Team (STINT) in the capital city of Tashkent, and they set up talks for us in the local universities there. Three of us went to Uzbekistan, and we had an educational and spiritually-fulfilling time.
What surprised me most was that being a professor opened so many doors that were closed to others. My status as a professor allowed me to go where others could not. In the largest university in Uzbekistan, I was asked to lecture—and was invited back—to do “a lecture like you do in the USA.”
That trip created a lot of great memories and was my first education on the potential impact of Christian faculty abroad. I also found how invaluable it is for professors to model how to integrate faith and vocation. Giving professional talks isn’t where a professor’s influence ends; professors can share the gospel through apologetic presentations, short life stories, and personal testimonies. Additionally, by offering genuine help in my expertise to the local people, it’s natural to talk about Jesus in that context.
Quito, Peru: Taking my Graduate Students Overseas
My most memorable experiences involved teaming up with my students for overseas trips. In 1994, I went with a graduate student to Ecuador to do some research in Quito on high-altitude training in swimmers. I contacted Cru who connected me with the Cru staff leader in Quito, Enrique Proano. Enrique took full advantage of that opportunity and booked me to give my “Evidence of God in Human Physiology” talk at a local University and set me up with speaking at a three-night sports conference. I met with the local Cru staff and had other ministry opportunities.
Since that first trip to Uzbekistan, I have served with Cru in so many countries: Italy, England, Haiti, Jamaica, Switzerland, Mexico (3 different cities), Costa Rica, Panama, Ecuador, Peru, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Botswana, Japan, and the Philippines. Inspired by the Cru trips I have been able to minister also in Afghanistan, Mongolia, Sweden, Guatemala and Cuba. Altogether, I’ve visited about 52 countries and have specifically traveled overseas for ministry 25 times.
Years ago, my grandpa reminded me of two things Jesus said:
- “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). When you serve others, you become more like Christ.
- “To whom much has been given, much is required” (Luke 12:48). As a professor, I have been given much—and I have so many incredible opportunities that others do not—that I must use my gifts to leverage learning in the classroom and also around the world.
Phil Bishop
University of Alabama