Local Family Takes Unique Vacation Halfway Around The World

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – Taking a family trip for a vacation or holiday weekend is not unusual, but for one Northeast Mississippi family, their summer vacation was not only unique, but potentially life changing.

The entire family spent nearly one month in a country in Western Asia.

Every Sunday,  Trey and Courtney Wilemon lead the college and career class at Tupelo’s West Jackson Street Baptist Church.

They also have two children,  nine year old Mac and six year old Clara Frances.

When they are not at church, or taking their kids to various activities, they are busy.  Trey helps run his family’s building supply company, and Courtney is an elementary school teacher.

Earlier this year,  Trey went to Nepal on a mission trip, and stopped in Jordan on his way back.  He met with a pastor, and other missionaries and learned of some needs his family could help out with.

“There was lots of talk while we were there about needs for people to come over there and teach English and it’s better for English speaking people to teach, mostly these Syrian refugees English, so I thought what a great opportunity to come there as a family,” Trey said.

This summer, the Wilemons spent three and a half weeks in Jordan, where they worked with Christian missionaries, helped lead sports and ballet camps, and taught English.

Trey says he knew his kids would adapt well to the long trip, and the new culture.

“They’re very resilient, they’ve always gone with the flow, they don’t typically complain, they typically are down with it no matter where the ride leads, Clara Frances was a little nervous about getting on the plane,” Trey said.

“It was my first time on a plane, I felt kind of sick before the plane,” Clara Frances said.

Clara Frances enjoyed her first plane ride, and once the Wilemons got to Jordan, they stayed busy and experienced the hospitality from another culture.

“They value relationships, is one thing I would say about Jordanians, we were there to serve them , they served us, we were invited into homes of refugee families who had nothing, and I can’t think of one home we went to where they didn’t bend over backwards to make us feel comfortable,” Courtney said.

Clara Frances was baptized , by her Dad, in the Jordan River.

Mom, Dad, brother and sister are ready for a return trip.

“I’m the one who wants to go back a lot.  I miss the missionary kids, and I liked it, the food, there,” Mac said.

Nine year old Mac tells us he also learned that he can share his faith wherever he is, whether it’s at his school, or halfway around the world.