About Us
Message from the Owner
Hello, my name is Marvin Mast, owner of Golden Rule, and I would like to welcome you to our web site! Golden Rule began in 1985 as a part time hobby around our kitchen table and has since grown to 4 locations and 18 full time employees. Our Christian travel agents are our most valuable asset!
Our name is taken from Matthew 7:12 "doing unto others as we would have them do to us." Our tagline, "We Go The Second Mile" is drawn from Matthew 5:41. We specialize in travel arrangements for missionary and non-profit organizations and work extra hard to find lower fares that will stretch your dollars. Our aim is that this same concern carries over in "finding the best deal" for individuals as well.
We feel the internet and email are great tools for communication but we have yet to see a computer that can replicate the human mind and personal touch. We suggest you email us your travel requests and we will respond by email or phone.
Why buy your tickets from Golden Rule rather than "online" through a booking engine? Let me give you a real example. Dr. Paul Stoltzfus, his wife, and 2 small children purchased tickets from us to attend his missionary brother's wedding in Costa Rica. I received a call on my cell phone (this number is available to customers for emergency customer service) from Paul in the Dallas-Fort Worth airport on their return leg, telling me that the flight from Dallas to Portland, Oregon was just cancelled and his wife was holding their place near the back of a very long line of unhappy customers trying to be placed on "sold out" alternate flights by the airline. The next day was Christmas and the family was tired and anxious to be home. I quickly scanned my computer, seeing that seats from Dallas to Portland were almost non-existent for that day. I did spot the last 4 seats on a Delta flight leaving in 30 minutes, quickly booked them, and advised Paul to take his family and run for the Delta gate. I did not know whether Delta would accept tickets from another airline, but knew there was a chance that they might. Paul's family hailed a taxi to the other side of the airport, Delta accepted the tickets and they made the flight.
Had the tickets been booked through an online booking engine, the only choice would have been staying in line for several more hours followed by another night in a strange hotel with the family rather than the familiar cozy beds of home. Of course, it doesn't always work this well, but it's good to know that we are only a phone call away, 24/7. Such customer service is unparalleled in the travel industry.
The staff at Golden Rule is here to help others through the gift of service. We appreciate your business and want to hear from you!