At Experience Mission, we are passionate about seeing people make missions a lifestyle, not just a one-week or six-month experience. Our IMMERSION program gives young adults the chance to go, but also the challenge to come back and make a difference in their home context.
We’re proud of our growing network of young adults who are choosing to live boldly. If you're considering joining an IMMERSION team, we challenge you to ask the question, “Who will I become?
Meet A.J.! He’s one of our IMMERSION alumni from The Annex, a young adult ministry in Boulder, Colorado. As part of the Annex's Messenger program, A.J. applied for a summer abroad with no real idea of where he would end up. The staff who oversee Messenger interviewed him, prayed, and ultimately placed him on an Experience Mission IMMERSION team to Namibia. And without hesitation, A.J. went all-in from the very beginning.
His summer in Namibia wasn’t always easy. As the first 3-month team to serve at J.P. Brand School, there were cross-cultural challenges to overcome, rural living conditions in the desert, a language barrier and chaos in the classroom. But the team embraced the slower pace of life and the people around them, laying a foundation for future IMMERSION teams to return to Namibia.
Looking back, A.J. says, “On my IMMERSION trip, I really discovered Jesus. I was surrounded by his presence every day in Namibia and fell in love with who He is. I became passionate about living out my life as a Jesus follower being His hands and feet here on earth. I have become a happier more well-rounded person because of my experiences.”
After returning from IMMERSION, A.J. graduated from the University of Colorado and got a job in college ministry with The Annex—the same ministry that sent him on his Namibian adventure. His goal is for CU students to know real life in Jesus as they experience the best of college. The ministry creates opportunities for students to be in community with one another and hear about Jesus. A.J. loves what he does through the Annex and says,
“After IMMERSION I took my passion for people and turned it into a job focused on giving college students an opportunity to learn more about themselves and discover Jesus. I've been able to mentor students, lead mission trips, preach to a large crowd, and learn what full-time ministry looks like.”
Several years later, A.J. is continuing to make missions a lifestyle beyond volunteer opportunities, mission trips, or even campus life. A.J. is taking his passions with him into the field of emergency health care. As he pursues a career as a firefighter and paramedic, he hopes he’ll have the chance to serve people in practical ways. He says, “I really believe that for me to live out being a Jesus follower means providing care for those who may be experiencing the worst day of their life. It’s an awesome way to be His hands and feet.”
We’re proud of you, A.J., and know God will use you where you serve next.
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Who will you become on IMMERSION?
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