Greetings from Doha! I am traveling with three of our Hope Haven Rwanda interns, along with Lindsay and Jack, and have been reflecting on this question:
Why would these super talented young people be willing to give up part of their summer to serve in Rwanda?
Etymologically, “intern” can be understood as someone working within limits. A further way to define it is “one working under supervision as part of professional training.”
While many consider an internship as a way to serve, it is also intentionally submitting oneself to broader exposure and learning.
At Hope Haven Rwanda our interns are taught that they are not coming from America to help Rwandans.
They are coming to learn.
They learn in a few ways:
– Interns learn from Rwandans. Our US team is regularly blown away by the wisdom of our Rwandan leaders! It is standard practice for our team to consult directly with our Rwandan executive team when making any significant decisions.
– Interns learn from seasoned international development professionals, innovative educators and caring social workers.
– Most importantly, interns learn from God. We firmly believe that spiritual development is at the heart of everything we do within our organization. To accomplish this, we set aside times for interns to reflect, journal, study, and to deepen their faith. Our prayer is that they will leave with a renewed vision for expressing God’s glory among the nations: “Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples” (1 Chronicles 16:24).
These opportunities are not just for interns.
How could we posture ourselves more as learners?
We are enthusiastic about what God has in store for our 2021 interns! It is clear that God has led them to Rwanda for this season and we look forward to growing together. Will you join us in prayer for Bethany, Gabby, Will and Daniel as they serve together this summer?