NEXT INTERNSHIP EXTENSION
Bleary-eyed with a cup of coffee in hand, I was positioned at my standing desk for the beginning of a weekly marathon Zoom three-week training. Nervous and excited, I woke before my 5 a.m. alarm wondering if everyone would actually show. As each participant popped up on the screen, I felt relief. All the preparation and the shifting plans were worth it. We had cancelled the planned in-person NEXT Site Leader Training twice before. To use an overused word, we pivoted to offer the training virtually.
Thirteen participants in nine time zones are being trained to host NEXT interns in the future. Some sites, the Lord willing, will host interns this summer; some are dreaming about becoming sites in the future. We are building the foundation for further expansion and impact.
NEXT is a mentored cross-cultural immersion experience for young adults. They will gain exposure to the global church and develop relationships with people who are different than themselves. Our trained NEXT site leaders are ready to walk with interns as they increase their self-awareness and understand their place in God’s kingdom work.
David Whyte, the United Kingdom site leader shared, “The training is helping me to think more acutely and to be more aware of the needs of the intern for when they come to our site. They will be coming to a different country, and so ensuring that we ourselves are prepared to receive them has given me the confidence of how we need to do that.”
Our site leader for the Turkic-Arabic: Karis site added, “NEXT Site Leader Training is a unique opportunity to experience the scope and depth of the NEXT program vision. The training includes practical tools and helpful insights to empower site leaders to strive to create the best possible program for NEXT interns. It is also extremely valuable to network with other site leaders and gain enthusiasm for the global potential of NEXT.”
NEXT Site Leader Training not only gives us hope for the future sites of NEXT, but it gives us hope for the kingdom impact that is to come. Our past interns have joined NEXT because someone like you presented the opportunity to them. We will be ready to offer a development opportunity whenever global travel is available. Will you help us spread the word? For current opportunities, visit the NEXT website at gponline.org/next.
