IMMERSION is an opportunity for young adults to step outside of the normal cadence of their lives in order to gain a broader picture of: 1) the world around you, 2) the way God works in that world, and 3) the value of relationships and quality service alongside people whose lives are just as valuable as your own.

Simply put, IMMERSION is about focusing on the “how we do it” of international ministry and service rather than just “what we do.” Our central focus is on the importance of authentic relationships as the keystone to healthy ministry, and engaging in what it means to truly “love our neighbor” as people of privilege in the 21st century.

Teams spend their time equally split between service opportunities, cultural immersion in the community, and relationship building with community partners and host families. This means there is plenty of space to give your time and attention to others—a necessary part of doing missions well—prioritizing people over the simply seeking out projects to complete.

What to Expect:

*Please note: IMMERSION team members are stepping into a different culture, where schedules and plans are likely to change. We expect all participants to come with flexibility and a willingness to embrace last-minute changes to schedules, ministry opportunities, and projects. That said, here are some examples of things past team members have done in this community:

• Helped on farms
• Helped students with homework
• Cooked and served meals at schools
• Taken part in construction, painting, and landscaping projects
• Packed food parcels
• Sorted storage units
• Attended church in multiple languages (depending on host family)
• Hosted a kids club (similar to VBS)
• Played sports with locals
• Played games with students
• Shared messages at local churches
• Participated in activities with host families
• Explored and experienced live in the local community

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Ideal 3-Month South Africa IMMERSION Candidate:

• Between age 18-30
• Interested in pursuing the intersections of faith and serving others
• Willing to engage in various projects and serve the local community
• Able to adapt to a flexible schedule
• Eager to participate in conversations with locals and build relationships
• Able to do engage in physical labor (construction, farm work, painting)
• Willing to adjust and abide by the norms of a different culture
• Able to work through conflict and problem-solve well
• Willing to follow and abide by safety guidelines and expectations

3-Month South Africa IMMERSION teams serve under the direction of local partners and EM Africa Directors, Hein & Helene van Wyk, and EM Africa support staff, Danieko & Megan van Wyk.

The van Wyk's are native Namibians, but they have lived and served in South Africa for more than 20 years, holding dual citizenship. They have been working with Experience Mission since 2011, since the very beginning of the IMMERSION program, and now also lead trips for two-week mission teams in South Africa and Namibia.

Over the years, Hein and Helene have made incredible partnerships all over Southern Africa.

Team members stay with local host families in Centurion. All families have been vetted by EM Africa staff, and most have hosted participants for 10+ years. Housing accommodations are comfortable, with a bed and a shared bathroom and shower. You may be in a host home with another team member or by yourself.

Teams in Darling stay on the property of EM's local ministry partners, Jeria Sending. There is space in the church as well as a guest house. Beds are provided, and there is a full kitchen for teams to prepare meals, with bathrooms and showers on-site. Breakfast and dinner are typically prepared as a team and lunches are packed or served at your ministry area.

Teams in Vastfontein stay in a hostel on school property, along with some of the teachers and students. Beds are provided and bathroom facilities are shared but separate for men and women. Wifi is available but can be limited at times.

*Locations visited on the South Africa term are subject to change as trips get closer

Safety is a huge priority for the IMMERSION program! We are up to date on all potential safety concerns in the countries where teams volunteer and would never send a team to a location where we have active concerns about their safety and well-being.

Experience Mission local staff and partners are experienced residents or welcome guests in the communities you are serving in, and they communicate to all team members the safest way to move about during their time on the program. Regular communication is also established between partners, team leaders, and EM U.S. Staff, allowing for quick responses to any emergencies should they arise.

For medical issues, IMMERSION team leaders are CPR/First Aid certified, and carry trauma medical kits equipped to deal with a wide range of injuries and ailments.

In the case of a larger emergency, EM staff members will support team members by helping them communicate with home and making sure they get to a place to receive care.

Often, local medical clinics are a short distance from where team members are staying. However, outside of big cities, large hospitals can often be several hours away by vehicle. Team members would not be left to do this on their own.

To ensure medical care is readily accessible, EM secures travel medical/evacuation insurance for all team members. Participants are also required to come with a Personal Emergency Fund—a debit or credit card with $1,500 available and $300 of reserve cash—in case they were to have a medical issue requiring upfront payment or need to travel home from the program unexpectedly. This amount may seem high, but it's purely a precaution. Most team members do not touch their emergency funds while on the trip.

Preventatively, during initial training, all team members are encouraged to enroll with STEP (Safe Traveler Enrollment Program) through the U.S. State Department. This allows team members and staff to receive official travel alerts if there is an issue in the region including political protests, civil unrest, increased crime, weather alerts, natural disasters, terrorism, or specific threats for foreign travelers.

An EM emergency phone line is also available to all emergency contacts.