International (MNN) — An intern is not much different from the apprentices of old, where an
adult took a young person under wing and provided on-the-job training.
That's exactly what's happening with the Orphan Outreach
internship program. Amy Norton says,
"They're really trying to explore what the opportunities are for them, what the
world is like. They're eager for
learning experiences. Many of them, I
think, are just eager to have something outside of just going to school, and
they're trying to think of their future and what they want to do."
Total immersion into a different culture for a month can be
life changing. "It's something that may
really give them a different perspective on what they want to do in their
future. "
An Orphan Outreach internship is about learning that the
world is bigger than your backyard, breaking out of comfort zones…and seeing
what the Gospel can do firsthand. Orphan Outreach interns are "over there for almost a month, so the exposure they have to
this different country and culture and Christians in that country is also just
an opportunity in any other type of ‘typical' mission trip."
Interns work closely with Orphan
Outreach in-country staff on projects and programs, explains Norton. "They
will mainly be spending their time with the children ages 4 on up to 18 in
these orphanages, and they also have some special needs children."
For 2011, Norton says, "We
hope to have 8-10 interns for next summer. That's our group that we'd
love to have; you can apply right now online. We have all the information online, and we'll start doing interviews
right now."
An ideal team would also include young men, too.
"We are so thrilled when we have some young men go, because these boys in
orphanages so rarely have any sort of male role model or male figure that they
can talk to."
This program has caught the attention of government official
who wants to expand it. It's all about
the relationships he saw forming between the kids and the Orphan Outreach
interns. "To us, that was just a huge
thing that somebody from the secular government was there and saw that these
kids were spending time with our interns and hearing the Gospel, and that they
were open to it being in other orphanages."
If you're interested in missions, kids, social work or just testing
your wings, Norton says, "Our internship goes from June 27 through July 22,
and it is to Russia. There's a time where you have a lot of preparation, and
there's also a debriefing at the end. "
