Cross Cultural Team Internships 2026 Reflection

 

During the recent school break, three teams of EAST students travelled overseas to minister through Cross Cultural Team Internships (CCTI). Here are their reflections as they look back on their experiences and impact made at their mission fields. As one of the teams went to a creative access country, we will only be reporting on the teams that went to Mongolia and Thailand.

 

Team Mongolia

The multi-cultural four-member Team Mongolia consisted of Achan (India), Joel (Philippines), Lily (India), and Sebastian (Germany). It was our first visit to the capital Ulaanbaatar, the city of Darkhan, and the countryside of Mongolia. We spent three weeks there during the past months of May and June. We ministered to the young leaders in “Young Life” youth ministry by conducting English Workshop. We also ministered to people with disabilities in “Capernaum Ministry” through home visitation and prayer ministry. We had opportunities to visit a nomadic family in the countryside, enjoyed their hospitality and learned of the nomadic way of life. Our ministry included taking the initiative to share God’s love through the gospel, our testimonies, and equipping a local church in evangelism and follow-up.

In terms of impact made, our team had the opportunity to do the following:

• Outreach through English language workshop: 40 university students.
• Outreach through personal and group evangelism: 140 people, out of which 6 responded to the gospel and received Christ as their Saviour.
• Preaching and prayer ministry: 113 people.
• Training believers in evangelism and discipleship: 115 church members.

The team is grateful for opportunities to minister in a cross-cultural context in urban cities and rural countryside. We continue to pray for these dear ones who have heard the gospel to be faithfully followed-up by Christians and for church members to apply their training in evangelism and discipleship. We also experienced the dynamics of multi-cultural adjustments within our team as we learn what are norms in “other” cultures and how best to minister and work together with understanding leading to greater effectiveness all around.

 

Team Thailand

The Team Thailand was led by Zaw (Myanmar), with members Sorei (India), Ruth and Sone (both from Myanmar), and Off and Sila (both Thais). We ministered mainly in Chiang Mai, the northern part of Thailand. During the three weeks there, we served in both Lawa and Iu Mien churches where we led worship and music, preached, taught Sunday School, conducted workshops on prayer and salvation, and built relationships through sports and fellowship. We learnt from the Mekong minority ministries about the movement of Myanmar people groups and how the platform of business as mission has led a number to experience Christ’s love.

The team has had opportunities to show God’s love to their target area through serving 213 people through various ministries, training 108 Christians in evangelism and follow-up, and sharing of the good news through conversations with 9 others.

As a multi-cultural team seeking to minister in a cross-cultural context, a key lesson learnt by each member is the practice of learning to humbly understand and serve each other before serving the region beyond. A team member shared, “Early in our internship, a song called ‘Covered’ seemed to follow us everywhere. At first, it was just a song. By the end, it became our song. We learned to serve together, carry one another’s burdens, and grow through our differences. Most importantly, we were reminded that Christ covered us first: One team. Many perspectives. One grace. Covered by God’s grace.”

 

Every EAST program student who undertake a Master of Arts or Master of Divinity program has to undergo CCTI with theory taught by faculty with missionary experience (during semester), and cross-cultural field application (during inter-term break). It is an opportunity to serve and minister in a cross cultural as a team together with members who are themselves from different cultural backgrounds and countries. Typically three weeks or more in duration, the teams are invited by partnering churches and/or alumni to minister in their locality. CCTI has been a transformative experience in the deepening of one’s faith in God and sharpening of one’s inter-cultural ministry skill sets. As in such spiritual and practical exercises, students’ lives are deeply impacted to be better equipped for cross-cultural ministry as they look ahead to their future ministry beyond graduation. These are experiential effectual learning in classrooms without walls.

For more information about EAST program of studies and student applications, please visit the Admissions page or email admissions [at] east.edu.sg.