Who we are
Whole Spirit was founded by Lisa Crow and Kristen Bendich, two passionate educators committed to service, stewardship, and exploring the wonders of our world. We specialize in creating transformative experiences for students, taking care of every trip detail—from flights and immigration forms to transportation and daily service activities that nurture the mind, body, and whole spirit.
The health and safety of our participants is our top priority. We are on call 24/7 for Whole Spirit participants and their families—no matter where in the world we are. Over the years, we've led groups in Spain, the USA, Mexico, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic, and we look forward to growing our Whole Spirit familia as we explore even more incredible destinations.
Here’s what participants have to say
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"Whole Spirit was a life-changing experience. We got to participate in such exciting activities like surfing, self-defense classes, yoga, and kayaking, while also getting to play with the Dominican Republic boys at Inspire. The boys were such a joy to be around, and we all looked forward to seeing them everyday. Though they spoke Spanish, a lot of them knew English, and quickly we were able to form connections with them. Everyone on the trip got to connect together and bond over everything. At night, we would come together to journal, meditate, and share the positive events that had happened that day. We made the most of every single day, from morning till night. It was an eye-opening experience that will always stay close to my heart."
Olivia Gehman
Mount Carmel Academy
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"I can honestly say without a doubt that the Whole Spirit trip was the most influential experience of my life. I went on the 2024 trip to the Dominican Republic, and enjoyed every minute of it. I am very fortunate to have gone on a trip with such a special group of people. In the DR, we worked with the Mariposa Foundation, a group that works with girls of all ages to discover their full potential in a place where women’s voices are undervalued. Every day, I could not wait to go back to Mariposa, as the girls I met there were some of the sweetest, funniest, and most intelligent people I’ve ever met. Our last day at Mariposa was filled with bittersweet moments of fun, and I cannot wait to return (hopefully as an intern) Outside of Mariposa, the rest of the trip was great. We were able to explore the town of Cabarete, practice our Spanish, and eat literally some of the best fruit I’ve had in my entire life. The leaders are two of the sweetest, most thoughtful, and most intelligent people you will ever be lucky enough to encounter. The experience I had with Whole Spirit was unparalleled, and I strongly encourage anyone to give it a try!"
Hattie Paul
Little Rock Central High School
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“I will truly remember this trip for the rest of my life; I will remember the beautiful people and country La Republica Dominicana showed me in my time there; I will remember the time I saw other kids for the first time who looked just like me who were not from my country; i will remember the lessons I learned about my individual spirituality and how it is specifically my own; i will remember the indescribable free feeling I felt when i was at the beach and viewing the sky and surfing waves;i will remember the new friends I made along the way and the new foods i tried;i will remember being part of a cause and place bigger than myself. I will remember it all, because no matter how hard I try, I will never be able to truly put into words how much this trip truly impacted my life. But, I will continue to be in awe of its mission and never forget the lessons I learned along the way.”
Shayde Randolph
Academy of the Sacred Heart