Every year, Comfort International supporters travel to spend time with our partners and projects members. We do this because it changes lives. Comfort International began because of a visit to Rwanda which put us in relationship with remarkable partners and, ever since then, we have maintained our focus on helping supporters and donors connect relationally, emotionally, spiritually and practically with our partners and the members of the projects. Those deep connections impact our hearts and shape our thinking for the rest of our lives.
The visits also bring great joy to those we visit. It assures them of our love, our interest and of how special they are to us. It opens our eyes to their struggles and challenges but also to their skills, commitment, grace and love, dedication and resilience.
We also deeply hope that the visit impacts members of the group in a way that helps them to know they can make a difference and bring love, justice and compassion to bear on those our partners work with. Many of those who visit become volunteers, sponsors, Foundation Makers and pray-ers.
For those who consider themselves Christians it is also an opportunity to grow in faith and to take the many opportunities to minister God’s word and love to those we meet. The visits are always a time of growing faith and personal discipleship development.
Some of our supporters who have travelled to Rwanda and DRC previously have shared some thoughts to encourage you as you think and pray about joining us on a visit.
Iona Senew:
Travelling to Rwanda with Comfort is by far one of the best decisions I have ever made. I first travelled to Rwanda in 2024 and after the first few days I knew I’d be back. The following summer I returned and along with my best friend we extended our trip to stay on and work with Comfort Rwanda for an extra month. For the duration of both of these trips I was surrounded by so much love and kindness. Chatting, playing, laughing, crafting and worshipping with an amazing group of people is the best way I could describe a Comfort trip so if these are things that you enjoy I would really encourage you to consider travelling with Comfort to Africa next summer!
You can read more about Iona’s experiences on her visit here.
Ann Dunsire:
Visiting Comfort’s partners and projects is one of the best things I’ve ever been part of in my whole life, and opened my eyes in new ways, to so many things.
My anxiety levels before going on this trip were huge and I came to be part of it very late on in the process, only attending the very last of the team’s on-line planning meetings, after which I had to decide whether I was going or not. My son-in-law Chris Hoskins, works for Comfort International as its Creative Manager and had let me know that someone had dropped out of this year’s trip, and asked whether I’d consider going in their place. This was around six weeks before the trip was due to take place. My husband and myself were due to go off on holiday to Italy for ten days at the start of June, so I really needed to make my decision before that. After lots of questions to Chris(!) and attending the meeting, even although I felt completely inadequate for the trip and that there were so many experienced people going, there was something in me that just kept telling me I needed to go, so I said ‘yes’ and everything then just went from there!
Really, from the moment that Chris asked me if I’d go, I received confirmations from God pretty much every single day, in the form of Bible verses, encouraging words, posters, texts and songs. There are too many to list here but it was as though God was shouting at me to go!
This two week trip for me was definitely one of the most challenging but most rewarding things I’ve ever done in my life. I’m not sure if I’ll be going back again or not but plan to share the experience whenever I get the opportunity and pass on to encourage others to get involved, go on a trip, and don’t let fear and anxiety hold them back. If I can do it, then anyone who has those same fears definitely can, without doubt!
You can read more about Ann’s experiences on the trip here.
Shannon Sinclair:
Visiting Congo has been a lifelong dream for me. I was around 10 or 12 when I first learned about the country’s struggles—wars, atrocities, and the stories of survivors. Those early encounters with injustice sparked my desire to become a human rights lawyer. Though my career path took a different turn, volunteering with Comfort International has allowed me to honour that promise I made to my younger self: to do something that matters.
Crossing into Goma felt surreal. With the conflict earlier this year, I was cautious, unsure of what awaited us. But what I found was breathtaking beauty. Goma is one of the most stunning places I’ve ever seen. It is clear however, that the infrastructure remains underdeveloped, the roads, the buildings, the schools and hospitals.
In just five days, we visited schools, hospitals, orphanages, street children rescue centres, Comfort Mums & Babies, and more. Each place told a story—of pain, resilience, and hope.
I finished the trip inspired. Inspired by the people. Inspired to act. Inspired to play my part, however small, in building a better future for Congo. The Comfort Congo team do an amazing job in the toughest of circumstances and I trust that working alongside the team we will continue to have a massive impact.
You can read more about Shannon’s experiences on the trip here.
Iain Mathie:
Have you ever run with a boy, a quarter of your age, down steep hills and through dusty streets to buy bananas and a huge water melon for a hungry family, only to fall headlong on the Main Street, squashing a quarter of the bananas and skinning your knees and elbow? I had met Baby Kesia and big sister Jessica the previous day, at a malnutrition clinic. The family was so poor, Mum couldn’t afford the time to attend with her baby – she was begging on the streets.
This is just one highlight of my trip with Comfort Babies Kigali, 2025. The photo shows the family smiling at me, and I think it is as much from the fact that I am covered in sweat, blood and orange road dust, as it was from the provision of bruised bananas! The news that both girls were to be sponsored (by me and my brother), was a deeper source of happiness, relief and hope. I think you can tell that in Mum’s eyes, if you look closely. Can you imagine how much I am looking forward to meeting them again, this year?!
You can read more about Iain’s experience in 2025 here.Â
We hope that these trip testimonies have given you some insight and inspiration about coming to visit our partners and projects. We’d love to hear from you if you are interested in going on a trip in 2027, and you can join us for our information meeting on Monday the 15th of June at 7:30pm. If you would like to attend the meeting and hear more, please get in touch with us for an invite at rebeccandomde@comfortinternational.org.
Looking forward to seeing you there!