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In November, summer may seem like a long way away. If you’re a college student, classes and exams are in full swing, campus is bustling with excitement, and summer plans might be the last thing on your mind. While there are tons of ways to spend your summer—traveling, working, seeing friends—summer internships present great opportunities to grow, gain experience, and try new things. We know this process can be daunting, so we asked our recent summer interns and fellows to share their insight and advice on how to go about finding your next summer internship.

What advice would you give to someone looking for a meaningful internship?

Sarah Moon: During the interview process, the organization is evaluating you, but you should also be evaluating the organization. Don’t take an internship simply because it is offered; discern whether it will be a helpful and worthwhile experience before immediately accepting.

Arna McArtney: Be open to a variety of internships and departments—the majority of the intern crew at HOPE this year ended up working in a different position than their original application, and I’ve been grateful to engage with something that I never anticipated working with.

Bailey Holway: I stressed out too much about where I was going to be this summer. I had to learn to trust that God was going to use me wherever He sent me—whether that was in my hometown, Lancaster, PA, or somewhere completely different. God is good, He is sovereign, and He knows what He’s doing, even if I don’t like waiting to see how things will end up. Continue Reading…

“I train lots of people, freely, without asking any money,” Moise said, proudly smiling. “What I have, I give.”

Sitting on white plastic chairs at Moise’s home in the Republic of Congo, I looked out at the fields of newly sprouted cabbages as I mulled over Moise’s words. The grey sky overhead mirrored the heaviness of the conversation as Moise described his considerable challenges—his wife’s deteriorating health, the immense cost of her treatment, losing his loan repayment when a fellow group member left it behind in a taxi. And after this string of hardships, he was still willing to give of his time to train farmers in his community?

by Willard Freedom Kaula

Every time people ask me what I do in life, I hesitate to respond. Not because I lack an answer—I have answered this question many times—but rather, I’m figuring out which response would best describe what I do. You see, I’m a field scientist by profession, an activist by passion, an artist by hobby, a Gospel worker by calling, and, most recently, a HOPE Malawi fellow by day. Of all the things I do with my time, it never occurred to me, not even once, that I would work with savings and credit associations (SCAs).

When I enrolled at the University of Malawi, I thought I would end up building a career in field sciences as an environmental expert. While in college, I served as chairperson for the Environmental Club and delighted in doing a good job there. However, it wasn’t until I joined the HOPE Malawi family as an SCA programs fellow that I began to realize the full potential I have in my God-given talents.

At first, I had a mixture of fear for the tasks ahead and also excitement for a new career opportunity. My fear was that my skills—accumulated in the domain of science—would not blend in with the work that HOPE and its partners do. But through prayer and mentorship, I’ve learned in my role that I can use all my talents to achieve the mission of investing in the dreams of families in the world’s underserved communities!

Through my involvement with HOPE, I have come to know that there are four relationships that must be maintained—with God, with myself, with others, and with God’s creation. Learning from Romans 1:20, we see the invisible qualities of God—His divine nature and eternal power—through things created by Him. I’m grateful that my studies in environmental sciences have improved my knowledge of God in this way. However, I would not appreciate the full ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:11-21) entrusted to me if God did not give me a chance to serve others around me. I was made for stewardship of valuable things, to care for nature, people, and the spiritual needs of myself and others around me.

I took my teaching job—and paycheck—for granted

by Luke Harbaugh, Church and Community Liaison

In just a few weeks, American schools will prepare to return from summer vacation. As a former public school teacher, I remember the anticipation of preparing to return to school.

In my two years of teaching in American public schools, I had many frustrations. There were the regular fights with the copier, the occasional disciplinary measures that needed to be handed out, the fear I experienced before my first parent-teacher conferences, and, of course, the hobgoblin of all new teachers: keeping law and order in a classroom full of middle schoolers. But even as I fought through the trials that all new teachers endure, one thought never crossed my mind: “What if I don’t get paid this week?”

How I learned that poverty isn’t just about lacking things

by Jess Bauer, California Development Intern

Last summer, I spent three months in Haiti learning about poverty in a hands-on and often heart-wrenching way. I listened to the stories of new friends and experienced the heartbreaking reality of material poverty.

One afternoon, I met an elderly man in Leveque, a village where families resettled after their homes were destroyed by the 2010 earthquake. A relief agency had distributed blue tarps to Leveque after the earthquake to be used as a temporary shelter. The tarps were designed for only a few months of inhabitance—any longer and the extreme heat could cause eye damage. After living in his tarp home for five years, this man was completely blind.

At HOPE International, we appreciate everything that each member of our team does to invest in the dreams of families living in poverty. This summer, we’re excited to have 17 interns and fellows—from the crew in Lancaster, PA, to individuals around the country—joining us through our GROW program, and we want to introduce them to you! To learn more about them, we asked them a few questions:

Why did you choose to intern at HOPE?

Claire Griffin, Recruitment and Retention Intern: “I was drawn to HOPE’s genuine focus on Christ-centeredness. It gives me joy to know my work is bigger than my peers, this organization, and myself.”

Jimmy Larkin, Homes for Hope Executive Intern: “I applied because I’m interested in economic development and how it can create opportunities to present the Gospel.”

Jess Bauer, California Development Intern: “Reading When Helping Hurts by Brian Fikkert and Steve Corbett strengthened my convictions about how, in our attempts to help those living in poverty, we must be careful not to inadvertently harm them. I researched HOPE and saw that it seemed to be an organization that honored both God and the dignity of families living in poverty.”

Bill Smith, Information Technology Fellow: “I was looking for an opportunity to learn about microfinance firsthand by going to the field and meeting with the institutions and their clients. I was also looking for a position where I could provide some value to the organization with my background.”

What does a typical week at HOPE look like for you?

Libby Tewalt, Executive Writing Intern: “Most of my work is self-directed. My mornings involve finishing up projects from the day before. After that, I make my to-do list and work on those items for the rest of the day. A couple days a week, I’ll have a meeting in between lunch and staff devotions. I reside in Intern Row, where there’s always something fun going on.”

Emily Barry, Writing and Research Intern: “I attend writing team meetings, join the entire staff for prayer or devotions, and work on projects. Projects might include working on a proposal for a grant, writing client stories, or collecting prayer requests for an e-update. There have been lots of opportunities to try different things and develop new skills.”

Arna McArtney, Listening, Monitoring, and Evaluation Fellow: “It’s been a combination of meetings at the organizational, departmental, and team level, and a crash course in data scrubbing and analysis.”

Carly Weaver, North Carolina Development Intern: “Working remotely in Durham, NC, I spend the day working on projects at our co-working space or one of my favorite coffee shops. Recently, I’ve been compiling a booklet full of information and stories about the 16 countries where we serve.”

Continue Reading…

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