CrossRoads Missions has always valued our internship program not just because of the extra hands we get on the field, but for the discipleship and character growth that comes through serving as an intern. The internship program as well as our mission trips are designed to show how missions can be a lifestyle, an outlook that you can put into action wherever you are.
For the Mexico interns, that outlook got put to the test while serving in new locations and in new ways. At the end of the summer, the team split up to go on two different mission trips: to our CrossRoads Appalachia field and Proem in Poland.
“My work at Crossroads really helps prepare me for this kind of trip,” explained Abisai. “I usually support the ministry by serving in various areas, which taught me that serving God happens everywhere and is a form of worship.”
Emi shared how through CrossRoads she has learned to see and trust God in everything, “God is faithful at all times, He takes care of us and loves us in such a great and beautiful way. God is in all our decisions and that we must always leave things in his hands.”
“CrossRoads has taught me a lot,” shared Joana, “to enjoy every single day of my life, my present, to stop worrying about the future and that sometimes things don’t go the way we wanted but the way the Lord intended, and that’s for the best.”
Each of these trips was a unique experience, and the interns had a variety of opportunities to serve in their strengths and out of their comfort zones. Emi saw this reflected in the teams she served alongside on the trip to Poland, “I think one of the things that impressed me the most about this trip was seeing the way people serve, how they have so much energy and desire to serve in anything that is asked of them.”
For Abisai the mission trip to Poland was a new experience in cross-cultural missions, “I love serving, but serving in Poland was different; the language barrier made it more challenging, yet—thankfully—many people there speak English. It was a huge help that CrossRoads has already helped me improve my own English skills.”
Later in the trip to Poland, the team got to participate in a multi-language worship night, which made a big impact on Abisai, “One of my favorite moments was the weekly Thursday gathering where the entire staff would come together for worship, followed by pizza and ice cream. Thank God, I was able to participate in the worship one week, and it was amazing; singing to God in three languages—English, Spanish, and Polish—was truly beautiful.”
In Appalachia Joana was moved by time spent in nature, “having the opportunity to go hiking and enjoying nature, and how perfect God is and everything He does, it was an amazing experience.”
During the trip the team in Appalachia got to know their fellow CrossRoads staff and interns at that field, work on construction projects, and help with the day camps programs. Joana shared, “I had the opportunity to serve with the kids, play with them, listen to their stories and see their progress during those 2 weeks, seeing how they understood what ‘Be the Light’ means and they could be the light for their families and friends.”
Coming back from these mission trips, the interns have a renewed drive to continue serving through their everyday actions as well as in their roles with CrossRoads. Emi explained her new outlook, “I think this trip made me see that I have to give much more than I give today, that God always wants the best for us so we also have to give the best of us when it comes to serving him.”
“Something that left a deep impression on me and changed my way of thinking and living is the realization that serving God is a blessing,” reflected Abisai. “I met many people who had endured difficult lives due to war, yet I saw them serving God with grateful hearts. We often fail to appreciate the blessings we have; God is always with us and loves us so much that He never lets go. We may face very difficult circumstances, but with His help, we can get through anything.”
Joana feels inspired to live missionally every moment, “to reflect God through our lives, our actions, what we are and what we do. Our life itself could be a mission, we can work with our own community, or friends, we don’t have to go further to start doing all those things.”
Each of these trips was a unique experience for these interns to expand their understanding of missions and meet more missionaries serving in a variety of capacities and locations across the globe. We always hope that serving with CrossRoads is just the beginning of a mission-minded lifestyle, and these stories show that Joana, Abisai, and Emi have learned that valuable message.
Ready to live missionally? We are currently booking for 2027 in all of our fields and internship applications are open for seasonal and year-long opportunities in Mexico, Appalachia, and New Orleans!
