One Step at a Time...

Written by: Amanda

I don't think it will come as a surprise to any of you that I'm a planner. I LOVE a good list, clear instructions, and straight path forward.

So when I started at US headquarters for OMS and took over the summer internship program that has been running for years I was excited. You see, thanks to those that were in charge before me, the program has plenty of checklists and calendars associated with it.

Enter stage right: humans.

But also

Enter stage left: God.

I've started referring to the process of hiring the interns as a "telenovela" (you know, those amazing Spanish soap operas where the people are always miraculously coming back from the dead and also somehow all related?)

In the process I have been tempted to get stressed and just white knuckle grip to the RULES and the SCHEDULE. But every time I start to veer that way, God has ever-so-gently nudged my soul to just see what could happen.

And boy-oh, he has shown UP in some really cool ways! Buckle in and let's see if I can explain some of this:

We started the process of seeking interns last fall and I think we started saying we would probably have 8 interns. Since then, we have gone from 6 to 8 to 10 to 7 to what is now looking like 9 interns on campus this summer!

Let's start with Daniel: last year he supervised 2 interns to do some Ethnographic Research work (that was almost immediately used and is a story for another day), so he decided to do the same this summer. When it came time to interview, he had a lot of applicants and 3 truly stand-out candidates. He didn't want to say no to any of them but really only had enough work for 2, so we took a few days to pray about it.

In that time, Daniel had a conversation with our Missionary Care Department and she mentioned a project she had been praying about how she was going to complete. Without giving you all the details, it is in an area that almost perfectly aligned with interests and past work of one of the candidates Daniel had just spoken to.

So we were able to approach the candidate, explain the situation and have her interview with Missionary Care, and now she will be interning there instead, in a position that feels tailor made for her.

And that's just one example.

Another student who interviewed and was accepted as a perfect fit to work with Men For Missions this summer had to drop out due to some financial constraints. I just received an email from her recently (well over a month past the decision deadline) that she has been able to find work over the year that allows her to take the internship this summer.

Again, my initial response was "well, it's past the deadline, so...sorry!". But I went ahead and emailed her supervisor who quickly informed me that they had been praying about how they were going to complete the projects they had assigned for her this summer and were ecstatic to welcome her!

Finally, another candidate interviewed with our communications team and didn't have enough experience in the skills they were looking for. But our Creative Director said he wanted to connect with him personally because he couldn't get him off his heart and mind. Before even connecting with him again he had a meeting with One Mission Kids (OMK), who indicated they had some projects they needed someone with the candidates' exact skills and interests.

Even more, the duo that head up OMK typically travel over the summer for work which would have made supervising an intern a challenge, but they had been praying about handing some of their responsibilities over to those they had trained and felt like accepting an intern was the answer to that prayer of whether or not they should. Now they will be here in person over the summer to supervise and guide their intern.

I know these stories might sound a little bit small, and most definitely a bit complicated, but it's the best way I can explain how God has been moving and working.

And the interns aren't even here yet!

If you could please be praying over our 9 interns this year. It's clear God wants them here and now, and I'm excited to see what more God will do in their lives and the lives of those around them (and let's be honest, mine!) over the summer.