Meet Emily Snow coming to ISM September 2013 – internship The Well, Bangkok

Hi I am Emily Snow.

 

I am 20 years old, and am currently finishing my junior year of classes at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, studying Human Development and Family Studies.

I have a great family made up of a loving mother and father, two sisters, one brother, and four dogs. I grew up attending church, Sunday school and confirmation classes. Upon coming to college, I became immediately plugged into a campus ministry that has encouraged and emphasized a personal relationship with Jesus. My walk has been transformed since then, and I am incredibly thankful for the community of believers that He led me to on campus.

Over a year ago I attended Passion 2012, a Christian conference in Atlanta, Georgia. “Rooted in the confession of Isaiah 26:8, Passion exists to glorify God by uniting students in worship, prayer andjustice for spiritual awakening in this generation.” Their mission succeeded in my heart over those four days as my eyes were opened to the reality and extremity of modern day slavery. My heart aches at the thought of these women who are often desperate for work, who are enticed by the promise of a better future from a seemingly generous businessman or woman. At this interaction, they unknowingly enter into an industry of degradation and abuse-the sex trade.  These women are either being trafficked under the hand of a pimp, or have willingly entered the industry out of financial need and do not see a way out. Through this continual exploitation they begin to believe that they are worth nothing more than sex. This is the reality that I cannot bare to leave alone.

After my four days in Atlanta, I knew that I would eventually serve in a ministry for these women. God laid it on my heart to wait for a while, and so I did-until this past winter when I came across an opportunity to do ministry for 9 days in Bangkok. However, God had a different plan for me. After many conversations with my parents, it was clear to me that if I were to go, I needed to spend a significant amount of time there. I began researching other opportunities, and stumbled upon Impact School of Missions and their many internship opportunities. I read the curriculum, the blog, looked up all of the recommended books’ descriptions and all of the different ministries. I was hooked. About two weeks later, I excitedly (and a bit fearfully) applied.

Around this time, I had just been accepted to my major. I had an advising session the same week, and was ecstatic to find out that I have a required internship, and that any of the internships I ranked in my ISM application would be accepted! I am happy to announce that following my 4 weeks at ISM this fall, I have the opportunity to join my formal education, missions training, and God-given passion into a 2.5 month internship with The Well-Bangkok! My prayer is that God will work through me to show these women the joy of following Jesus Christ, and the worth we have in Him. I look forward to having my life changed by this incredible opportunity, whether it is slight or radical. “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”

Romans 8:28 NIV

Put Feet to your Heartbeat

Have you ever met someone who says they LOVE missions, or are passionate about human trafficking and alleviating poverty but don’t really know anything or do anything about it?  We all can be inspired by a movie or a story or a sermon, we can even be moved to  tears,  but the evidence of true passion will involve action.  Students preparing to come to do an internship in SEA have made the first huge jump toward putting feet to their heartbeat!  Way to GO!

If you are preparing for an internship or a short term missions trip there are number of things you can do to get ready!  Passion drives us to do something – so there are many things you can do to be informed and be as ready as possible.  So what can you do?

1.  Read as much as you can about the nation where you are going to serve.  There are many books and blogs giving interesting insight into the nation you are going to serve.

2.  Watch movies – anything you can find related to the nation you are serving.

3.  Read missionary biographies – VERY inspiring.

4.  Eat the food – amazing restaurants with Thai, Indian and Filipino cuisine are in most major cities.

5.  Go out for coffee with missionaries and take notes.  They love it when someone wants to hear their story. Buy their coffee

6. Throw a themed party about the nation – invite all your friends, dress up, eat curried dishes, play the music from the nation, pray about the nation and raise funds.

7.  Take a language class – and have fun with it!

8. Befriend someone from the nation and discover the beauty of their culture.

9. Read about the dos & don’ts and take them to heart.

10.  Start eating with your hands (India) or with a spoon and use your fork to guide the food to the spoon, (most other SEA nations).

As you prepare if someone asks, “so what do Thai people eat?” you don’t want to answer “I have no idea.”  Get ready!  This will help you put FEET to your HEARTBEAT.

 

 

 

In your Face! – 7 reflections of witnessing sex trafficking and exploitation.

7 Reflections From 7 Months of Witnessing Sex Trafficking & Exploitation in Bangkok, Thailand (while interning for NightLight International). 

1. GOD, WHERE IS YOUR GOODNESS? What is ‘humanity’ and at what point do people lose it? Why can’t I stop my soul from this painful grieving and sorrow?… These are the thoughts that I’ve often had to process through with God over the past seven months. Humanitarian workers across the world go through some tough, faith-testing stuff (second-hand trauma). They see some of the hardest realities of our world week after week and as these experiences compound, their deepest beliefs about life and the world are tested. Throughout my time here, God has been faithful, and loving, and true. I have seen women freed from the trap of prostitution and exploitation. I have seen God’s power and love pour over dark and disturbing areas of our world and bring freedom and hope. But that didn’t stop me from asking God, sometimes in anger or tears, why these things are happening and why it’s hurting so bad to be in the midst of it. It turns out His “refining fire” the Bible talks about HURTS really REALLY badly (but in reflection is so worth it). Please pray for those who are still enduring day after day to be a messenger of hope to exploited and broken peoples everywhere.

2. THE BLAME GAME. Yes the world’s a mess. Yes there are many hard, exhausting and painful parts in each of our lives. Yes there are things to grieve over and get angry about all around us. Yes… yes. But still, we choose how we respond to these things; how we behave and even think. We have a lot of power to choose. We can choose be angry or we can be determined to forgive. We can offer our love unconditionally, or we can withdraw that love… or we can manipulate it. We develop priorities for our time, energy and money. We choose what to say, and whether our actions match up to our words. We choose what we value most, and whether or not our financial spending actually matches what we claim to value (Is your budget spent on your kids, your education, helping a cause your “passionate” about?). We also choose what we believe in, and the degree to which our faith becomes the motivation for each and EVERY action, EVERY day. WE CHOOSE. We have the capacity to change or we can choose to stay the same. But as adults we have to admit that WE must take responsibility for the way our internal decisions affect various internal and external consequences. As for me, it’s never quite that simple or easy to change, so I turn to One who is greater: a Savior who is quick to help us and a God with endless wisdom and strength.

3. HUMILITY! OUCH. It’s awesome that so many people are so passionate about the issue of human trafficking and sexual exploitation. But the first thing I learned from NightLight is that what we read and see on TV is not always accurate, and sometimes it’s quite sensationalized. After shadowing the field workers – those who are hitting the streets week after week, walking into the hotels where trafficking happens in plain sight, sitting next to pole dancers on their breaks and listening to their stories, and offering a safe friendship to these women where few exist – I have begun to understand how sexual exploitation is as “normal” in some places as a drug dealer on the corner of an inner city street. The best way I can explain it: like the difference between watching a movie about war and actually talking to a soldier who’s just returned from combat. The work they do through this outreach is faith-testing stuff: it can be traumatizing (because it’s REAL and in front of you), there’s not nearly enough resources given to help the thousands in need around you so you sometimes battle feelings of inadequacy, frustration and stress, and the issues surrounding the sex industry are so inexplicably complicated that it tempts you to throw your hands up in the air and want to give up! These individuals have been pathing the way before us. They deserve our utmost respect and our emotional, FINANCIAL and spiritual (PRAYER) support. Ask and pray how you can SERVE them and learn from them. And DON’T THINK COMBATING THESE ISSUES WILL BE EASY, GIVE YOU SATISFACTION OR FIX ANY SELF ESTEEM PROBLEMS. IT WON’T. But together, if we endure through whatever comes, we get to watch God at work – we get to see people walk out of slavery and into freedom – and that is totally worth it.

4. I’M NOT BRAVE, I’M IN LOVE, AND THERE’S A BIG DIFFERENCE. Many people have recently told me I am brave. But I’m not that brave. I’d still ask someone to walk me home at night in the middle of South Carolina if there’s no one going with me. Why? Because I’m AFRAID. I didn’t go to intern with NightLight so I could explore Thailand (I already knew I hate being a foreigner. It’s hard!). I didn’t go to save the world (At 22, what do I truly know about the world and about all the challenges of life?). The only reason I came, the only reason I entered this journey of learning to outreach to and care for women who are being sexually exploited and trafficked, is because I am ridiculously in love with God and my Savior Jesus Christ. I have full faith in His power and desire to save all people. He’s dramatically healed, renewed and transformed me at profound levels and I am so grateful. So I went in obedience to God’s direction. And He carried me through most of it, because it was much too exhausting and heart breaking for me to handle anyways.

5. IF WE’RE NOT CAREFUL, WE ALL PLAY A ROLE IN THE CYCLE OF HURT AND ABUSE THAT FEEDS THE HORRORS FOUND IN THE SEX INDUSTRY. I remember sitting in a park before work one day when the man next to me started chatting. He started sharing about his life, as tends to happen when you hang out near Bangkok’s red-light district. He talked about how he often comes to the bars to build friendships with the women. Later in the conversation he shared that he had also participated in prostitution. He expressed frustration that the women see him as an ATM and not an opportunity for a relationship, and that they exploit him for food and other purchases. He mentioned that many men commit suicide after the connection they thought they had with one of these women turns out to be founded in fantasy… I remember on my first day interning at NightLight I walked in and saw one of my favorite women, glowing with joy and beauty. I tell her, “You look beautiful today!” She points up to the sky and says “That’s because my Father is beautiful!” Later that week, she excitedly shared her testimony with me: Just two years before, a few blocks from where we stood, she had worked as a street prostitute. She said it was a really bad time for her: men would beat her, some customers wouldn’t pay her and she thought about committing suicide. She wanted a way out. Then someone told her about NightLight…. I remember every time “N”, an African woman who’d been trafficked to Thailand, gave me a hug. So sweet, so sincere, so gentle. She had been working the streets as a prostitute when NightLight outreach workers met her and asked her if she wanted help going home. I only met her in casual settings, when we were celebrating or hanging out like friends. A few weeks ago she finally returned home. While she was in Thailand she had been raped so violently that the physical trauma never fully healed. These injuries have now turned into cervical cancer and she also tests HIV positive… People in all walks of life are holding in layers and layers of abuse, brokenness and/or humiliation. Anger and bitterness, abuse of all types and various attacks to individuals’ identities are all major contributors to the mindset shifts that fuel the sex industry. Perhaps men feel unappreciated, disrespected and taken advantage of by women. They battle feelings of loneliness, insecurity, failure, fear of rejection and unmanliness and take it out on others verbally, emotionally, physically and/or sexually. Maybe they were sexually molested or abused as a child. Maybe they confuse sex with love and are left empty when they find out the woman secretly had always seen him as just a loaf of bread. Women perhaps continue/respond with passive aggression, anger, bitterness, blame and their own forms of abusive behavior towards men. These women also experience rejection, fear, insecurity, sadness, loss of identity and abuse of all kinds. Both hold on to un-forgiveness, both blame the opposite sex, and attempt to justify their actions within themselves. Both are convinced that they are in the right; the cycle continues and perhaps even deepens. We may not feel like we should relate to issues of sexual exploitation, but we can all admit to doing at least one of these things can’t we? Not forgiving? Blaming? Generalizing? Projecting hurt? Deepening in insecurity? Holding on to self-condemnation? The stories can get a lot more horrific and complex but you get the picture, right?

6. GOD IS NOT TO BLAME. No matter what kind of insanity or pain exists in the world, God has always been in the midst of it pouring out His love, and He will continue to be there, even if we all give up. In the moments when I questioned why God wasn’t doing anything to stop the exploitation I was seeing, I was hit with the memory that HE IS THE ONE WHO SENT ME HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE. It’s definitely not the path I would have chosen for my life and the same is obviously true about most of the other outreach workers here. We’re only here because God gives us the strength to be here and because when we get disheartened He reminds us of His infinite power to do the seemingly impossible and that God has never and WILL NEVER give up on the world. He will keep fighting for all things good. The question is: will we? Do we trust Him?

7. FINALLY. I HAVE LEARNED THAT IF YOU WANT TO BE AN INSPIRATIONAL PERSON, YOU MUST SURROUND YOURSELF WITH INSPIRATIONAL PEOPLE – people who make you feel very small (in the best of ways), people who make you jump leaps and sprint miles in your level of maturity, character and faith just to catch up. Surround yourself with people who celebrate you and desire to watch you reach your highest potential, people who live for the little things as much as the big things in life and who match their actions with their words, people of integrity, passionate people motivated by love and compassion. When you reflect on these people, you have to laugh because no matter how much or how fast you grow, you never quite seem to catch up, and thus, you always stay inspired. And yet somehow, they believe that their ceiling can be your starting point and it excites and motivates you to choose the path that won’t disappoint!

Maria Gambone de Jesus

Look what Jesus is doing in the lives of ISM students!

This terms internships are almost at an end…. But God’s work is just beginning!

The month of April sees all of our ISM interns returning home to their families, jobs, and dreams, but they are returning home changed. Here are some of their final reflections…

Maria Gambone de Jesus

The last seven months were beyond description challenging. But looking back, I am so thankful for the time ISM took to prepare me before my internship began. The things I learned there and the mentorship I received were absolutely key to my success in my position at NightLight. ISM multiplied my growth in maturity of faith and character during that time. The growth in knowledge, character and faith I gained from my time at ISM has impacted my actions and thoughts in daily life, and the way I look at my life and purpose. I find myself applying the one month of ISM classes into my daily life more than I do even my four years of classes at university.

Tim Wharton

Attending Impact School of Missions was a great experience where I learned more than I ever expected to. I went in with the mindset that it would prepare me for my up coming internship which it did but in a more impact full way it opened me up to the world of missions as a whole. I learned a lot about what missions means, what opportunities and type of missions work are out there and what some of the needs are. I was challenged to think about if the missions life was for me and how missions fit into God’s plan for my life. This is definitely a great place if you think missions is for you or might be for you. I was also challenged to look closer at what my faith meant to me and saw growth in myself as the month progressed. For two and a half months I interned at Abundant Love in Ban Mai Sawan, Thailand. Working at the children’s home was a great opportunity, spending time with the children was great, along with building great relationships with the staff. The language barrier has been an interesting challenge but has also made for great fun. Even with the language barrier you can still be a great help and blessing to those around you; it just might not be how you expect it. My experiences at ISM and Ban Mai Sawan are something I will never forget and have changed my life forever.

 

Chris Lowe

I came to ISM in hope of getting a better understanding of what missions will look like in my future. I came knowing fully that I am going to be entering long term missions work at some point in my future. I came to ISM as part of education at Vanguard College. That hope that I had to better identify my role in missions was met with an answer. The teaching and relationship model that I worked with at The Centre in Chiang Mai, Thailand, matches with my missionolgy in every way. Also I have learned a lot about my self and my passion for this lost world has grown a great amount. I will leave Thailand with my questions answered and a better understanding of myself, mission, and of God.

 

Kelly Braun

I never could’ve imagined that God would do so much in my life through one step of faith. ISM has turned my world upside down. I am so grateful for everything this program is. Every challenge, every new experience, every adventure, has caused me to grow into a very different person than I was when I first stepped on that plane. I am thankful to have had an a experience that is more authentic to missionary life, and I praise God for every difficult and stretching situation He put me into. His kindness is HUGE- He is shown me how He loves the unlovable, wants to give us the smallest desires of our hearts, and more than ever, how HE is the answer to every hurt in this world. ISM provided me with such valuable training for the missions world and for entering a different culture. My internship placement was so perfect for me, and is now a place I can call a second home. Praise God for all that He has done in me, and through me. He is amazing. “I bless the holy name of God with all my heart. Yes, I will bless the Lord and not forget the glorious things He does for me.” Psalm 103:1-2

 

Bethany Nickel

My experience at ISM has been nothing short of phenomenal. It’s brought me a whole new perspective on missions; long and short term. The classes provided me with so much great information that has not only been so helpful throughout my internship, but is also something that I can take home with me and apply to my every day life. These few months have stretched me in the craziest ways and has forced me to grow immensely in my relationship with our creator. Go ISM! Whoo-hoo

 

Tanya Land

I wish the English language had words to describe the greatness of Impact School of Missions. It is so obvious that Sandra McIntosh and the ISM staff are continuously listening to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. The staff at ISM are empowering, inspirational, and full of wisdom. Everything I learnt in class at ISM helped me excel in my internship and thereby equipping me for a life of ministry and faithfulness to Christ. The 4-weeks went by so fast, during which I made lasting Christ-centred friendships. Impact School of Missions is life-changing and I STRONGLY encourage students to ‘GO’!

Excited for January 2013! – Jessica Pellowe

Well, here we are! The beginning of December… This month will see most of our September students returning home, our January students completing the final stages of preparation to come, and ISM staff thoroughly enjoying the whole process!

It’s hard to believe the first class is already finishing up their internship. I remember the weekend they all arrived, standing at Meeting Point at the airport, hoping I would recognise our students in real life from the photos we’d received, and wondering what the following month would have in store… We had everything planned out nicely on paper, but once you start adding ‘little’ things to plans like, say, people or real life, anything can happen!

 

In reflecting on this first term, both the in-class training and the internship time, one thing that really stands out is how incredibly open and embracing our students have been. They each truly have a desire to grow and learn and stretch themselves. They have thrown themselves into this experience wholeheartedly, and it has been an honour to see them grow in understanding and confidence as a result.

It is my prayer that as these students return home to their families, friends, and “normal” life situations, they will not return to who they were before they came, but will cling to what God has done and wants to continue doing in them. I pray that regardless of where they end up living and working, their relationship with God and their posture of humble service will be not only maintained, but continually fostered and nurtured.

Looking forward to January, we have another great group of young people getting ready to come, learn, and serve. I am excited to not only see the growth and changes in their lives, but to see how their personalities, thoughts and experiences contribute to making this term at ISM unique and meaningful. I know God planned for this group of students to come together at this time for a reason, and can’t wait to see what He has in store for us in 2013!

 Jessica Pellowe

Taylor Collado’s Great India Adventure

Well, I’m in India and I’ve pretty much settled into my schedule. It’s a busy one, but I love the ministry opportunities I’ll have. I’m helping out with the Kid’s Ministry, Youth Ministry and Sports Ministry. Most of the ministries they have set up are in the evening, so I’m able to take my days to prepare everything I need.

I’m preparing a drama to go along with the Bible story, and an English worship song for Kid’s Church on Sundays; and I’m preparing some games for Kid’s Club on Saturdays. I’m also going around to some of the “Life Centres” Living God Church has set up in the slums for the kids during the week.

I’m playing football (soccer in North America) with some young teens in the schools. I’ll be giving them the few tips I can (some of them are already better than me) and then sharing a little devotional with them afterwards. This ministry is an awesome way to reach the schools.

I’m getting an awesome taste of Youth ministry here also. I’m doing a few devotionals with the teens during the week at some cell groups (on rooftops, no less!). It was incredible to hear some of the salvation stories from the teens at the cell groups. Most of their families are Hindu, but they’ve been Christians for 1-2 years and have already been baptised and are living the faith. So encouraging! God is moving in Chennai!
My biggest exposure to youth ministry, however, is that I’ll be preaching in the Youth Service every Sunday. Pastor Christo has trusted me with his youth, so please pray that I’m able to say what’s on God’s heart and that I’ll be open to teaching and correction from the leaders.

Thank you so much for your continuous prayer support! Please also pray for the church leaders here. There’s still so much work to do, but everyone has so much passion to change India for God. I’m so excited to work with these guys. They’re making history in Chennai, one soul at a time.

Taylor

How Beautiful are the feet of those who bring GOOD NEWS – Intern Heidi Garrell – shares her thoughts.

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news… Isaiah 52:7

REBLOGGED from http://heidithaidtogod.wordpress.com/2012/10/07/how-beautiful-on-the-mountains-are-the-feet-of-those-who-bring-good-news-isaiah-527/

At the end of my last post I mentioned that I would tell you about a place that I went to called “Ancient Siam.” The way the park is set up is that you pick up a rickety old bike or a golf cart and ride across the expansive area to view the replicas of landmarks of ancient Thailand. It was so much fun! But let me tell you, I have never seen so many statues of Buddha in one place. The highlight of my time there was going up to Prasat Phra Wihan. I’m not sure what the exact purpose of the structure was, but it looked to me like a temple. The coolest part was that there were about a million stairs and you would walk up to one platform with a small structure, then another, then another and it never seemed to end. But when you get to the top, this is what you see:

It’s a truly fantastic view from up there. There was a very nice breeze up there as well which felt amazing after very hot and humid weather the whole day, like most days here. We’ve done a few other fun things like Canadian Thanksgiving, which is apparently today! I had no idea Canadians even had a thanksgiving until this trip (the organization I am with here is Canadian).

I’ve really been itching to tell all of you what God has been doing in my life and how He has been teaching me new things and speaking to me. So I had been living in a one room apartment with one bathroom, which is the only place you can go in the apartment to be alone. Although I had shared rooms with people in the past, this situation was different because I am with these girls 24/7. Even though I love the other students here at ISM and my roommates, I need to be completely alone for a portion of my day everyday to keep my sanity. I was not setting that time alone aside for myself everyday and sometimes not even every week. So by the end of the third week, my being couldn’t handle it. For other cultural stress reasons as well as not giving myself what I need for sanity I had a breakdown. It was not very pretty. I wasn’t really sure the exact reason for it. I just knew that all I wanted was for everyone in the world to leave me alone. The next day I was able to spend the night at one of my leader’s house and have my own room where I can be alone for the night. While there, I had a talk with my leader and the Lord revealed a few things to me. The main element to what had happened was that apparently I am still dealing with perfectionist issues. I was putting pressure on myself to be a leader when I really don’t enjoy it. I was pressuring myself to be and do what I thought others expected of me on top of the expectations I had on myself. That is why it was so exhausting to be with people all the time. I could never let my guard down 100%. Everything was beginning to make sense! I also realized that I didn’t want for people to pray for me often because I don’t want to seem like a bother. On top of that, the enemy had been using a lie that was placed in my mind to keep me from a healthy relationship with others in the body of Christ. The lie was, “Your only smart if you figure it out yourself.” That is not what God intended. He made us so that in order to grow in Him and be healthy we have to be a part of His body of believers. As part of the body, I have strengths that others don’t have and others have strengths that are my weaknesses. God designed us this was so that we can build each other up in our relationships. We are not meant to do it alone and we are not “smarter” for doing it alone, even if we could. I praise God for revealing that to me because it was hindering having relationships with friends be all that God designed them to be.

Another reason I had gotten frustrated before I broke down was because things were not going the way I wanted them to go. I am now learning what it really means to DIE TO SELF. It doesn’t sound pretty or pleasant, does it? That’s because it’s not. But sometimes, in order for God to make significant, lasting changes in your life, it has to hurt. So I was sitting in my first class on Monday, the beginning of ministry week, and the class was on serving. I’ve heard the term about a million times, but praise the Lord, He softened my heart to receive a new perspective. The teacher showed a upward trending graph and asked us what this means. We answered, “It means that we are doing well, business-wise. It means that we are successful.” She showed us another graph that was downward trending. She asked us what that meant. By earthly standards that meant that we are failing. But by God’s standards, we are becoming greater. In Matthew 23:11-12 it says, “11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Jesus is our example. He came DOWN from heaven to earth. HE HUMBLED HIMSELF. Just think about that. The King, the Creator of everything became a BABY! That in itself is a staggering thought. Then we began to read John 13, where Jesus washes His diciples’ feet. The question was posed, “Are you humble enough to let God wash your feet?” I don’t know. I honestly don’t know if I could watch the Lord of heaven and earth stoop down below me, pick up my dirty, grimy foot and touch it, no less scrub all of the nastiness off. But when you really think about it, that’s what He already does on the inside of us if we allow Him to. Wow. I guess washing any part of our physical body would be less painful for Him than cleaning us up on the inside. The grim of sin that leads to death is so much more nasty than dirt. Thank you Lord for this fresh revelation!!! It’s amazing. I have so much to be thankful for. And I am willing to let Him wash my feet so that I have a part with Him and so that I will be able to wash other people’s feet. Because by the end of the passage, John 13:14-17, Jesus says, “14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”

It was so touching. The last day at the Impact School of Missions, the teachers said, we want to commission you to go out and be foot washers. So they went to the washroom and got buckets of water and soap, and they washed our feet. I didn’t want to let them do it! And they’re not even Jesus! I honestly don’t know what’s harder, to wash someone else’s feet or to have your feet washed. That’s a close call. But I know that it was hard for me to let Avin wash my feet. She prayed for me as she did it and by the end I was bawling. It was so emotional! I couldn’t handle the blessing of that and all that it meant. God is so good! I am so thankful for this whole experience here, but especially that I was able to be a part of ISM and that I was able to be with such amazing, unbelievable men and women (mostly women haha) of God!

Next step: actually serving! I start my internship with NightLight tomorrow and am so excited for what that will hold. I am trying to ask God to continue to help me “get low.” So I would want no task to be “below” me. I want to be willing and available to help in whatever way they need me! To start, I will probably be helping a volunteer there with her class as she is teaching English to 60 Thai children this week. When I am not doing that I will most likely be making flowers because that is another business that NightLight runs and is currently on the rise! At the end of the week, we will be leaving for a retreat with the ladies at NightLight for the weekend. While there we will be helping out with the children and possibly attending some sessions as well? I haven’t gotten all of the details on that. But I am excited and you can definitely pray that the Lord continues to do this hard work in me. One thing I have discovered: God is not easier, but He is better. Praise Him!

Heidi

“I know the best is yet to come!” Guest Blog by Jessica Pellowe

Jessica at work!

Over a year ago, now, Sandra approached me with her vision for impacting and equipping young people to make a positive change in South East Asia, and less than three weeks from now, our first students will
arrive! It’s amazing to look back over the past year and remember all of the details that needed sorting, the excitement of our website going live, receiving our first application… In many ways, ISM has already
provided me with many opportunities to see God’s hand at work and to be encouraged by our hosts, teachers and students, alike – and with Opening Session on the horizon, I know the best is yet to come!

I am really looking forward to meeting our students, and engaging with them during their time at ISM. I know that it will be a life-changing experience for them; just how so, remains to be seen, and that adds to the excitement!

When I first came overseas to intern with Sandra, I knew I was doing what God wanted me to do, but really had no idea what would come from that. With God’s direction, one thing led to another, and now here I am, at a place I never would have dreamt for myself, but where I also am confidently in the Will of God.

I know that regardless of where our students end up living and serving years from now, ISM will be a part of how God continues to reveal Himself and His Will to each of our students. It is my hope and prayer that our students will come not just to experience life “as a missionary,” but life as God intended it – abundantly rich in the peace that comes from living the life you were created for!

Jessica

Check out the church planting ministries and schools that are looking for interns! YOU could serve here.

ISM is in relationship with 16 ministries. Two of them are involved in creative church planting and two in education.  You could use your gifts and passion to intern in these incredible ministries in India or Thailand.  APPLY HERE!

1.  Church of the living God – Chennai India with Christo and Sarah Emmanuel

Kids are huge part of the work here in Chennai – in fact, it was through Children’s Ministry that the now several hundred-member Church was started. Our community is packed with children – many of them living in abject con- ditions and poverty (about 20% of Chennai’s population live in slums).

Yet despite the overwhelming circumstances children face here, the Lord is truly doing something special among them! Every Saturday Living God Church hosts ‘Kid’s Club’, an outreach program that draws Children from every religion and social standing. Started in 2005, many of the kids who began faithfully attending the fun-filled, evangelistic outreach are now plugged into the church, have received Jesus as their Savior and are being trained as leaders!

As more and more children fill up the outreach programs and con- nect with the Church, we knew that they needed solid teaching and encouragement in their new walk with Jesus. So in the past year, ‘Kid’s Church’ was planted within the church campus. More than 60 children crowd the separate meeting hall each week on Sunday mornings. Furthermore, in the past months 3 Kid’s Cell Groups have been planted in different areas of the community with as many as 20 community kids attending each group. Many of the children (especially from other religious backgrounds) who would normally be forbidden to attend any sort of program within the church, freely come and witness the love of Christ. It is our goal to see these hubs of discipleship and evangelism planted in each street of our community, making a great impact on this upcoming generation!

We are so thankful for what the Lord is doing throughout the year in children’s lives! In celebration of this, Living God Church holds an annual, 7-day VBS in May that attracts more than 300 community kids. Packed with wor-ship, dance, drama, puppet shows, craft work, Gospel-oriented teachings and many more excitingactivities, VBS is one of our greatest opportunities to reach kids within the community with the good news of Jesus.

Living God Church exists to reach every place and person with the Gospel and see believers become impacting leaders. Win the lost, raise up disciples and send out leaders!

Intern Details:

Living God Church’s greatest need is for someone who can give co-leadership to youth programs/discipleship, pioneer new outreaches and small groups to reach youth, and teach in a discipleship training school. Other areas of need you could be asked to help with include: evangelism, outreach, preaching, teaching, children’s ministry, youth ministry, slum ministry, Bible college, ESL and administrative.

Living God Church has an intensive work schedule, and is hoping for an intern that is both hard-working and self-motivated. Due to this, as well as the straining environmental factors (eg. heat), the intern should be in good physical and emotional health. Although Living God Church addresses some aspects of social projects, the main focus is on preaching, teaching and training, so interns must have a good grasp on biblical and spiritual topics and be willing to lead.

2.  Rob Heyman – church planting, teaching English – Khon Khen Thailand

Rob Heyman mentors pastors and church planters, and assists them in their ministries. His goal is to assist Thai pastors in accomplishing the will of God for their ministries.

Intern Details:

Rob Heyman has a variety of needs you may be asked to fill, including: evangelism, outreach, preaching, teaching, children’s ministry, youth ministry, and teaching ESL at a school or church to ages 10-16. His main needs are for ministry support, preaching, teaching and teaching English.

3.  Bokaro Pentecostal School – Bokaro India

The Pentecostal Assembly School is a co-educational Institution established on April 4th, 1989. The School began with 30 students and two teaching staff in 1989. Presently we have classes from Std. I to Std. XII with a strength of 1700 students and a team of 85 staff.

The Mission

The Mission of the Pentecostal Assembly School is to provide an education that will meet the changes and challenges of the 21st century. Thus to create a new learning environment for a better society, the school aims and desires to obtain the following objectives :

• To provide a high standard of education under Christian leadership of “The Christian Assembly of Bihar” for children of all communities, irrespective of caste or religion, recognizing and maintaining that the guiding principal of the government, character and the discipline of the school will be based on Christian teaching.
• To prepare academically, socially, and morally, disciplined children
• To teach study and retrieval skills.
• To develop a program to provide a balance of arts (both visual arts and performing arts like music, dance, drama) and sport/physical education with the academic program.
• To help the learners improve their achievement in scholastic areas and to develop life skills and attitudes with reference to the larger context and canvas of life.
• To integrate thinking skills and process into content instruction.
• To instill values in their lives as a basic means to personal growth, spiritual strength and self-enrichment so as to make them responsible and successful citizens of India tomorrow.

In addition there are co-curricular and extra curricular activities which facilitates a holistic learning experience for students. The students are given numerous opportunities to develop their leadership and team-building qualities through various school competitions, science exhibitions, cultural programme, etc. PAS aims at creating good citizens possessing sound health, appropriate skills and desirable qualities besides academic excellence such that our students are able to meet the challenges of life with confidence and success.

Intern Details:

The Pentecostal Assembly School’s greatest need is for short-term teachers in the Bible school, and someone to provide music and worship training for students in the Bible college. Expertise in audio-visuals would be an asset. Other areas you could be asked to help out in are: children’s ministry, youth ministry, worship, Bible college, and ESL.

The Pentecostal Assembly School is centred around ministry to children and youth. They also minister to women through a ladies’ group that meets twice a month. They are based in a small city in Eastern India where people are very conservative. It would be wise to ask or find out the best way of approaching a situation or problem before handling something on your own.

4.  Prem Sewa Boys and Girls Home and Education – Nagpur India

The Society, Prem Sewa Shikshan Sangh, was established in October 1981, by  Rev. Frank M. Juelich.  The hostel, “Kalpana Bhavan” (House of Imagination) had its beginning in the small hut pictured below which initially housed the ten students,  but now has over 630 boys.

What they provide:

Accommodation

We provide accommodation for our boys in two dormitories and other rooms. At our girls’ hostel there is one dormitory and we are currently constructing a second.

Education

We are also running two schools, one in the Nagpur compound, at Gorewada Basti, and one at Manjri. The schools accept children from the surrounding area as well. In both schools the medium of instruction is Marathi, the state language. The Nagpur school has permission to run classes from grade 1 to grade 12. The school at Manjri, at present has permission only from grade 5 to grade 10. Both schools have a computer institute for the children. The Nagpur home/school has at present 50 computers. The number of students in the Nagpur school – both primary and secondary is 900. Our college students go to colleges in the city.

Food

Our children all receive three meals a day plus early morning tea.

Medical Care

Basic care is provided at the hostel. Really sick kids are taken to local hospitals. At our Nagpur compound we also  have an ambulance available.

In 1987 we started our primary school.

Girl’s Hostel

Our girls’ hostel was established in 1992. It now cares for around 500 girls from nearby villages. It is located 650 kilometers from the boys home in the district of Dhule. The compound contains an office, water tower, a building which is both dorm and school for the girls and a second dorm building is now under construction.

Intern Details:

Prem Sewa is looking for interns to be involved in youth ministry, children’s ministry, Evangelize outside compound, social work, English, music, computer and sports.  To intern at Prem Sewa you should be experienced in missions  and able to work well on your  own.

Love working with Kids? Introducing the childrens’ homes in South East Asia that are looking for interns.

ISM is in partnership with 16 ministries looking for interns.  Four of those ministries are Childrens’ Homes.   Love working with kids? Start practicing making balloon animals!  Apply here!

1.  Noah’s Ark – Banaue Philippines (full for 2012, and January 2013 – space available May 2013)

Noah’s Ark

Noah’s Ark Home for children  is located in the  picturesque  mountain town of Banaue, 10 hours from the capital of Manila.

Noah’s Ark Ministries exists to provide a children’s home which is a safe haven for children who have suffered many hardships. Their goal is to provide every necessary means of support to ensure that the children grow mentally, socially, emotionally, physically and spiritually. The overall purpose is that each child will come into a personal relationship with Jesus.

Noah’s Art’s passion is ministering the love of Christ, bringing people to faith in Him and equipping them to live successfully, through mercy ministries of caring compassion, transforming love and personal development.

Noah’s Ark’s main needs are for interns to work alongside of the present staff to give them support, to love and care for each child in the home, to demonstrate through their lives the love of Christ and be an example of what a Christian really is.

More specifically, their needs are:

1. To help our daycare teacher with her classes.

Held Monday – Friday AM

2. To lead daily devotions with the children – Monday – Thursday 7:00 PM

3. To play with and love younger children

4. To help elementary and high school students with their assignments

5. To help in household chores. (Cleaning, cooking)

6. Teach Values Education in the schools

7. Can suggest any work that they would be interested in doing with the Administrators

You could also be asked to fill needs in the following areas: evangelism, outreach, teaching, children’s ministry, youth ministry, and children’s home.

2.  Abundant Love Children’s Home – Chiang Mai, Thailand

Ministry of Love is a ministry that includes ESL, children’s homes, children’s ministries and church planting. They have been in service for thirty years and are affiliated with the PAOC and the Full Gospel Assemblies of Thailand. It is located in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Purpose

Ministry of Love exists to bring and disciple those whom God has called to become disciples of Jesus Christ, training them and equipping them so that they are empowered to disciple others in the local community and reaching out throughout the ends of the world.

Intern Details

Ministry of Love has needs you could be asked to fill in the following areas: evangelism, outreach, preaching, teaching, children’s ministry, youth ministry, worship, ESL, children’s home and social justice.Ministry of Love wants you to be aware that the standard wage in the area is approximately $100CAD per month, and the highest paid pastor makes less than $300.

Objectives:
1. To provide opportunity to underprivileged children to receive education to grade 12 according to the government policy, by providing the essentials of life for example food, lodgings, and school supplies.
2. To give opportunity for the children to hear and understand the Word of God, so that they will have a solid base for life.
3. To evangelize with children so that they will be given opportunity to decide for Jesus, grow spiritually and use their spiritually giftings to build the church.
4. So that children can have a safe and healthy place to live, study and grow, that they will be instructed in the basics for health care and able to instruct others.
5. To develop the child’s personality so that he is ready to cross cultural differences, and control himself as he enters society among the people of the plains.
6. To develop life skills by providing a variety of vocational experiences.

 3.  At the Well – Childrens Home – Kolkata, India (part time with At the Well, part time with Jewels in a Crown a ministry to sexually exploited women)

At the Well is a children’s home that ministers to drug addicted children. They have been in service for eight years. There are approximately 11 staff members.  Most of the children living at At the Well  have run away from abusive situations in their home & community.   They minister to them through Bible stories, songs and prayer. They have the opportunity to draw, paint, go to school  and live in a safe and loving environment.  

Purpose

At the Well is a ministry that reaches out to abused marginalized girls and boys trapped in addiction.

Intern Details

Your weekly schedule will be as follows: Monday – 9:00am to 5:00pm Tuesday – 9:00am to 5:00pm

Wednesday – 9:00am to 5:00pm Thursday – 9:00am to 5:00pm Friday – 9:00am to 5:00pm Saturday – offS unday – attend church

At the Well has a variety of needs you may be asked to fill, including: outreach, teaching, children’s ministry, slum ministry, administrative and children’s home. The biggest need is for counseling for addicts, and a spirit-filled servant heart. Be prepared to witness extreme poverty, and be aware that the kids are often high.

4.  Hope for the Children – Chennai, India

Healing Gospel Churches (together with the other ministries) minister to people through church planting, evangelism, children’s home, widows’ ministry, women, and youth training. They have been in service for six years. There are eight staff members. It is located in Chennai, India.

Purpose

Healing Gospel Churches exists to reach the people of India with the good news that Jesus loves and died for them.

Intern Details

Healing Gospel Churches’ main need is for administration, Sunday school, and help at the children’s home. You could also be asked to fill needs in the following areas: evangelism, outreach, preaching, teaching, children’s ministry, youth ministry, worship, slum ministry, and ESL.