Description
During this 2-3 month programme participants will: • Serve in our Ministry Center sorting & packing books. Other service opportunities are available on an individual basis depending on the person’s expertise. • Participate in the OM Ships Florence team life and interact with our international OM missionary staff • Experience the American culture and have the opportunity to visit one or two nearby cities (Charleston, Myrtle Beach, Charlotte) • The missions and mobilisation awareness weekly class provide provides fundamental knowledge that will help the participant to better understand missions and to engage better with different cultures. • Improve their English (if appropriate) • Visit local churches and/or participate in a local church.
Ministry details
Participants will serve daily at the OM Ships Ministry Center. The team receive, sort, pack and ship Bibles and other Christian literature that will be sold in the Logos Hope Book fair, via the internet or to book stores around the world. Participants will be involved in practical service from Mondays – Fridays from 8:00am – 4pm. They will also be fully involved in OM team life including weekly team devotions, prayer meetings and other occasional team events. Participants will join the Thursday Missions & mobilisation Awareness class where they will learn to be more effective in multicultural environments. Participants have opportunities for growth through shared cross-cultural living arrangements, they should expect to share a house or apartment, bedroom (not a bed) and bathroom with others of the same gender. Houses and apartments are fully equipped . Evenings and weekends are usually free but there are many opportunities for church involvement and social activities.
Purpose
The Florence STEP (Short Term Exposure Programme) is a unique opportunity for individuals to serve God in Florence, SC, USA at the OM Ships International campus. It is ideal for those with little, or no, missions experience and those looking to improve their English. Our desire is that participants learn and grow in their Christian walk and have their eyes and hearts opened to what God is doing through OM Ships. It also provides an environment to increase the participant's cultural intelligence and to gain a better understanding about missions and church mobilisation. We hope that each participant will leave with a better understanding of ministry and the part they can play on it.
Participant profile
Participants should come with a love for Jesus and a desire to serve Him in a practical way. They need to be sufficiently fit to be on their feet all day every day and, preferably, able to lift boxes of books. They should be able to take care of themselves without supervision.
Notes
We can take participants at any time, for any length of time, depending on their individual situation. Cost – US$500/month/person. Couples are welcome if both spouses are planning to engage with the ministry. We are unable to have families unless the children are either home-schooled or on vacation. There would need to be a willingness for the whole family to engage with the ministry to some extent.