This Gap Year combines 3 distinct IMMERSION trips into one, year-long experience: 1-Month Cuba, 3-Month Peru and 6-Month Africa.
—
Grow in your understanding of God, yourself, and the world on a 10-Month IMMERSION Gap Year to Cuba, Belize, South Africa, Namibia and more!
Begin your Christian Gap Year program with a 1-month trip to to Cuba, where you will discover entire communities of people who are living out their faith through tight-knit relationships, authentic worship and meeting the needs of their neighbors.
On the second leg, spend your Fall (late August - November) on a 3-month IMMERSION program in the South American country of Peru and will walk away with an understanding of what life and faith look like in a different part of the world. Commit to living the local way and being open to opportunities that arise (and brush up on your Spanish!), and this trip will forever change the way you view life and faith.
In the second half of your year, spend six months in southern Africa (January-June), serving alongside a team of young adults in South Africa, Lesotho, and Namibia. Work alongside local ministries and become a part of your host families, you'll be challenged to see the world through a new set of lenses. Experience a variety of ministry opportunities like teaching at schools in townships and squatter camps, working on the farm, connecting with host families across racial, social and language barriers, or sharing your faith with children and youth.
If you're not sure where life is taking you, this Gap Year program is an incredible opportunity to grow personally and find clarity and purpose, as you serve in simple yet profound ways and build real, authentic relationships with people around the world.
Ideal Candidate:
- 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
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
LESS