GIP 2017/2018
(GIP) is a one to two month global issues mission experience with youth and students from across different cultures.
Global Link Afrika does this with a goal of helping students to understand holistic mission’s .This happens through giving them practical experience in relevant global issues and how they relate to the call of Christ in advancing his kingdom.
We endeavor to give participants a broader view of missions by challenging them to consider a missional life style and even long term consideration to Global missions.
We also hope that through this cross cultural experience the participants will learn how to communicate across cultures.
Click on the link below for you to apply . You can send your application and inquiries to: [email protected]
Above: Group of missionaries who participated in the June mission as part of the GIP programs 2017.
GIP 2014.
The Global Issues Program is a one month’s cross-cultural program for individuals and groups seconded by churches or evangelical organizations with the goal of helping them to understand holistic missions in a cross cultural community. The program focuses on both the global and national issues like Poverty, Politics, War and Refugees, Special needs, HIV/AIDS, Illiteracy and Disasters among others. The program also provides the challenge to participants and the organizations on how to relate the call of God in advancing His Kingdom across cultures with the opportunities to respond to such global issues for gospel centered transformation.
The Global Issues Program is an initiative that aims at providing exposure and training to Christians particularly young people on the various global issues.
Through this program we seek to bring Christians face to face with the reality of global issues such as HIV/ AIDS, poverty, war, intercultural conflicts, refugees, special needs among others, with the view to challenging them to think of ways in which these issues could be addressed from Christian perspectives. Over the last two years we have had the privilege of running the program in partnership with InterVarsity USA. We have managed the program in such a way that InterVarsity and GLA both identify students who are then teamed up to work together for a period of a month. This provides a perfect opportunity for cross cultural Interface as the two teams serve alongside each other and learn from each other.
The program is arranged in such a way that the joint teams work together in supporting the work of local organisations that are already addressing numerous global issues. The last two years have seen us work with Thread of life, Great Army School and Miles to Smiles in Kampala. All these organisations address issues of poverty and slums by empowering women with income generating skills and education for slums children in Kampala. In Gulu we worked with Child Voice International, an organisation, which is rehabilitating formerly abducted children who are now mothers. The participants in the program received cross-cultural training, training in missions and bible handling. They also participated actively in what the host organisations are doing without disrupting their normal routine, but instead support their initiatives.
The program farther encouraged the students to be part of God’s redemptive work to those who are marginalised, forgotten and broken. They were involved in community services such as cleaning homes and re-thatching huts of vulnerable elders in Gulu. They responded positively to the communities through providing their basic needs and outstandingly rebuilt a hut for an 83 year old blind man. This was one of the six homesteads that the team rehabilitated. Many of the students did not come out of the mission the same. They have not only learnt to live a holistic life of compassion and love but also to love and serve the communities.
The program The following is an article from the September 2014 edition of “The Link”, a newsletter produced by Global Link Afrika. It describes the experience of some of the GIP 2014 participants.ad tremendous impact on the individual participants as can be seen from the following comments:
- “This trip has really made feel encouraged by God to pursue long term mission with seeking to provide clean drinking water and education to the marginalised, though I don’t know how when and where. In the mean time I feel encouraged to pursue meaningful relationship with God.” (David, USA)
- “I pray that God gives me the wisdom of discernment to know how to pursue and serve communities worldwide” (Petek, USA)
- “I can now use my art to tell stories of God’s work in Uganda and write to people to think about global issues. I will also use my education to create innovative solutions to social issues around me and live simply” (Wes, USA)
- “Jesus says I am the vine you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear more fruit; apart from me you can do nothing [John 15:5]. I will abide, live imply and pray for CVI women and children” (Immy,Uganda)
- “I will pursue support to o grow in leadership and ministry as I trust in the gifts God has given; I pray to make decisions for the Kingdom with clear answers and details” (Megan, USA)
- “I chose to live a low profiled kind of life in order to support God’s ministry. I will commit myself to pray for GLA staff and volunteers.” (Winnie, Ugandan)
- As for GLA, the Global Mission Program has opened a new door for community service through active mission participation and partnership. We are therefore looking forward to collaboration with our partners in promoting the understanding of Global Issues in the urban and rural communities.
SOME OF THE PICTURES FROM THE GLOBAL ISSUES PROGRAM (2016..GLA/IV TEAM)
Global Issues Program 2017
Introduction
It all started on 29th June with a briefing at Global Link Africa Offices at Ntinda by Gillian Edube, the missions and partnership director about spiritual leadership.It was followed by an Inductive Bible Study (IBS) session conducted by Barnabas Omenda on how to study the Bible texts in depth with three key points to consider; that is; observation, interpretation and application, then a movie night. The GLA team consisted of two students, Okello Innocent, Cheptoek Scovia from different social cultural and religious background and one staff Rose Tinze who led the team; while at the GLA the students had enough time to interact and to know each other before meeting the Cambridge team from United States of America. The program went up to 1st July 2017
The GLA team then headed to Banana village where they met the Cambridge team on 3rd July and the team was oriented by Gillian Edube and Grace Park.
TOPICS CONDUCTED
A)IBS/ Inductive Bible Study.
Mr. Barnabas Omenda took as through the IPS section and the new interns learnt how to approach the bible through three approaches of observation, interpretation and application. He argued the interns to adopt the approach for faithful handling of the word of God written within the biblical context in order to correctly apply it to real life, Christian community and the world in general.
- B) Quite time and journaling
Ms Grace Park introduced the team to the subject of journaling and quite time which enabled the team to understand it’s importance and how to apply it. She emphasized the need to seek God on individual basis apart from corporate time with others believers.
- C) During orientation, Mrs. Gillian Edube introduced GLA as an indigenous Evangelical mission’s agency, its origin and cause existence, the founders, the core values, the mission and vision and how one can be involved. She also explained the GIP program goals and objectives as well as setting ground rules. Team spirit was encouraged as the GLA team waited for the Cross Bridge team/USA team at Banana village. Whatever she said was helpful and understood by the team.
WELCOME OF THE USA/CROSS BRIDGE STUDENTS.
The Ugandan team traveled on 1st July 2017 to Banana village. The team arrived early eagerly expecting to meet with the cross bridge/ USA team, interact, have meals together and spend one night before setting off for Lukodi community in Gulu.
- D) Culture and Christianity
This session was a requirement in preparing the team to be ready for any adjustments in case of any need so as to contain their differences without causing disruptions of unity love and a sense of unity. This helped and equipped us to appreciate the differences the gospel appeals to in different cultures. Mrs. Gillian charged and challenges the team to recognize the diamond face the gospel has taken and hence learns that as different cultures reach out to God, their lights reflects thus calling for flexibility to learnt from each different religious and social backgrounds they come from. The common slogan was “love binds us together” which simply meant that it is neither wrong nor right but just different. This was very helpful in the entire mission trip. She further helped the team to understand the history and the current stage of the church in the two contexts of both Uganda and America and to see how they can be part of what God is doing.
- E) Survival tips
Mrs. Grace Park helped the team on how different things mean differently to different people depending on one’s background. This helped us to understand terms and signs in communication and in styles of worship. This helped the team to understand and be aware
WELCOME CEREMONY AT CHILD VOICE CENTRE
As it is the culture in the North- Gulu to show warm hospitality to visitors, the girls together with the help of the staff organized a hot cultural dance which made us so amazed at God’s given talent as some of the girls acted like men.
