Some cities, towns and countries have a special day when they recognize Volunteers. The Short-Term Mission team at International Ministries is grateful to have many volunteers serving annually in cross-cultural global opportunities. Young teenagers and young at hearts (70+) adults respond to God’s call for two weeks, thirty days or two hundred days. They respond with hands open and this question in their hearts: “How can I be of service?”

This past year, STM has seen over 900 volunteers register through our office to go and serve along side global servants in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and The Caribbean. We have provided pre-trip orientation sessions, sent reading materials, conducted Skype and Conference call training sessions, lifted the teams up in prayer at our weekly chapel service, connected with many while they were serving and facilitated de-briefing sessions with hosts and the volunteers themselves, and provided free travel insurance to all who registered.

Volunteers met Jesus along the way. It may have happened while learning how to build a water filtration device or a class on pastoral healing after political trauma, or sitting and praying with a young woman in a refugee camp, or visiting ministry sites to learn more about the plight of girls, boys, women and men being trafficked. Where ever and how ever the Holy Spirit touched volunteers, we know it was transformative.

The Short-Term Mission team thanks all our volunteers for their hearts of compassion, their hands and feet of service and their desire to be the light of Christ where God sends them. We celebrate “Volunteer Day” every day. Thank you for responding to the call to serve and give 110% in the name of Jesus. Thank you for living and embracing Matthew 25:35 “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat…I was a stranger and you invited me in.” You are all a blessing and we appreciate YOU.

For more information about short-term mission opportunities, please contact: volunteers@internationalministries.org