EM’s 3 Focuses
Engaging People to Serve
Connecting people of all ages and backgrounds to meaningful service and learning experiences that make an impact.
We desire to bring people together from diverse cultures and backgrounds to serve in partnership toward a common goal. We accomplish this primarily through our short-term mission trips for groups, where volunteer teams help with practical projects to serve people while building real relationships and learning more about other cultures. We've found when people step outside of their comfort zone to focus on others 3 great things can happen.
Relationships
When people work together to complete a project, they naturally connect with others in meaningful ways. We can become so focused on accomplishing a task that we view human interaction as an unnecessary distraction, but at EM we've found these interactions can be the most meaningful outcome of a mission trip.
Yes, we seek to offer practical assistance, but entering into someone's struggle and listening to their story brings hope in ways that go beyond repairing a roof or painting a house. In fact, more than anything else, volunteers on EM mission trips often come away feeling that they learned something from the people they're serving. This mutual giving and receiving can lead to incredible impact while upholding the dignity of everyone involved.
Realizations
As volunteers serve and build relationships in a culture and environment totally different from their daily lives, they begin to see the world through new eyes. We witness this time and again, as we walk alongside thousands of people going through this journey. People grow closer to God as he works in their hearts and enables them to see the world through the lens of others.
When you enter into a mission trip as a listener and learner, instead of as a "savior", it will revolutionize the way you see the world around you and renew your vision to live your mission at home.
Resources
There are a lack of resources in every community where EM volunteers serve, and by giving generously of your time and money on a mission trip, you help fulfill this need. A portion of the money raised by each volunteer goes directly toward completing local projects and employing local people. And it doesn't end there.
Volunteers often continue to support communities through financial contributions long after they leave. Over time, we've seen how communities where we serve are improved immensely by access to resources gained through the help of volunteer teams.
Get Involved
1-Week Group Mission Trips 1-9 Month IMMERSION Trips
Developing Leaders
Providing growth and leadership opportunities for young adults who are passionate about their faith, justice, and living their mission in the world.
From our families to our local communities and the world as a whole, there's no denying that our future is shaped by our leaders. So as much we are committed to engaging people to serve today, we are equally committed to raising up leaders for tomorrow.
And we're not just talking about those who naturally take charge or lead a group. We're talking about teaching young people around the world to use whatever influence they have to love and serve others and promote positive change in the world. We believe everyone is capable of growing into this kind of leader.
Human Worth
Because our goal is to train people to lead in a way that benefits others, we begin with the assumption that every single person has value and an innate need to understand their own self-worth. All EM programs are designed to help people see the value in those around them, regardless of race, culture, or socio-economic background. Our goal is to instill a sense of the value of all human beings in every future leader.
Responsibility
Leadership is not a one-time gift that some people get and others don't; rather it's a learned habit cultivated over time. We've found when we give people real responsibility and equip them for success, they often surprise us with their ingenuity and resolve, and in the process, they grow and mature into outstanding leaders who make the world around them a better place. Our interns and IMMERSION team members are required to work hard, make tough decisions, overcome challenges, and partner with people from a wide variety of backgrounds. Many EM alumni consider their time in these programs as some of the most challenging and rewarding of their lives thus far.
Get Involved
1-9 Month IMMERSION Summer Missions Internship
Empowering Communities
Building up people around the world by coming alongside local visions and working together to discover and provide much-needed opportunities to grow and thrive.
Sustainable change occurs when there is a realistic awareness of the local struggles and a homegrown vision for the future. When the community recognizes the barriers that stand in their way and finds ownership in solutions.
There are terrific challenges in each of the often-overlooked communities where we work: poverty, economic turmoil, and government corruption to name a few. In the face of these challenges, many people are unfairly oppressed. The "haves" control the "have-nots" and perpetuate cycles of injustice that promote inequity. We're not talking about people who are lazy or inept. We're talking about ordinary, hard-working people who find themselves in need, not because of anything they've done, but simply because of the situation into which they were born.
It's a long process, but we've found that connecting local leaders with relationships and resources is a great place to start, and we've seen how these connections have helped to empower the communities where we serve.
Meaningful Work
EM staff and community partners constantly come face to face with people living in poverty who feel powerless to change their lives for the better. Ultimately, our goal is to empower them to take control of their own lives. Everyone should have the opportunity for meaningful work to build a decent life for themselves and their families, and our vision for Empowering Communities is to help real people gain the resources and relational support they need to move into a place of strength.
Local Vision
The truth is that, in every under-served community, poverty and the challenges that come with it are extremely complex. There aren't easy solutions. So our strategy is always to connect with local leaders who know the community firsthand and are striving to help those around them. We work with them to understand their vision for their own community, and we seek to utilize our network to help as we can.
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