There are many ways to utilize your skills and serve God intentionally and internationally. We want to highlight some of these definitions and companies as they might help you understand how your current career path, whatever it may be, can be used by God in an overseas context. God is doing neat things overseas and we want to provide an opportunity for you to hear how He may be wanting to use you!

Since coming to Europe, I’ve become a bit of a runner. It began with working toward the goal of running a 10k by the end of the summer and has been used by the Father to teach me so much more. My team begins each run by reading Hebrews 12:1-2, and a few weeks ago, the phrase “fixing our eyes on Jesus Christ” struck me in a new way.

“I do not have a favorite Bible story because my favorite is the entire Bible, the old and the new. All of it speaks God’s love, every single word. How can I choose one story if every word is Him telling me how much He loves me?” – Local believer in Southeast Asia

One of the ladies from the house church we were visiting shared that in her husband's village, believers have to meet at 1 a.m., go home at 4 a.m., sleep until 7 a.m., and then be up and making breakfast by 7:30am. This is because when the government walks around on Sunday mornings, everyone will be in their homes acting normal. After the government officials leave they sleep more.

One thing the Father has been teaching me is a deeper understanding of what it means to abide in Him, to lean and trust in Him deeper and to worship Him in all things, in the good and bad.

When was the last time we were so spent and so down that we had nothing to cling to but His provision & His strength? I have been seeking joy in every circumstance this summer.

“The focus shifted off of the things God gives me and instead, to learn how to delight in God for who He is and not what He can do for me. It felt so freeing. I experienced what God has for me and who He is. My view of God got so much bigger and I looked around at these people in this hard place. Throughout the entire semester, I thought, You are way bigger than I thought. I focused on His character and His heart. He started changing my heart to more align with his. He gave me desires and dreams. I experienced so much clarity, so much freedom, and very clear next steps.”

What do you think of when you look at the mountains and valleys? As I sat on a rock, looking at the mountains and valleys of Southeast Asia, with a local believer, I gained a whole new perspective on what to think when I look at them. 

From the outside, the New Year could appear as simply a time of parties and fireworks and really good food, however there is a heaviness in the air which cannot be denied.

We want to give you a deeper look into what the program looks like and what the students are learning. We start out the semester by helping students build a “strong foundation." We start with the sustainable basics of surviving overseas, with overwhelming emphasis on abiding in Jesus Christ.

This last week I had the opportunity to participate in a homestay, which is where you spend time living with a local family. It allows you to get to know the language and culture of a place on a deeper level. I stayed with two local guys – Jay and his friend, Peter.

This past week our team traveled to the mountains and spent the week trekking through villages. About 30 years ago, a team of workers said “yes” to God’s call and brought the Word to a small minority group living in the mountains. While it was a long process filled with trials and persecution, today this people group has churches. They have pastors. They have the Bible in their own language.

A light musical alarm sounds in the background as I sit up to the small beam of sunshine poking through our window. The hot morning air, combined with the humidity, makes for an unusual awakening. As I push off my mattress to stand, I think to myself how different it feels than the air I am used to in Canada.