Stepping out of your comfort zone and being prepared to experience life alongside Christians from another culture can be one of the best ways to deepen your understanding of mission.
CMS Ireland encourages this is through short-term teams, called METAs.
METAs are Mission Experience Teams Abroad. They provide opportunities for Christians to visit one of our partner locations in another part of the world, to experience life and work there and to sample something of a different culture.
METAs can be a great encouragement to our partners and our hope is that they will inspire, challenge and enthuse the participants to engage more deeply in global mission.
METAs are ideal for those who want to grow in their faith, while making a contribution to the life of the world church. They are not holidays with a ‘church bit’ tagged on, nor are they ‘spiritual tourism’ – METAs are opportunities to engage in grassroots mission, to and to be transformed by that experience.
For a flavour of what a META experience looks like please click to watch a video of the ‘Ekisa’ team from summer 2007.
METAs – Summer 2012
In 2012 CMS Ireland will be sending teams to:
RWANDA
o 10 – 12 team members (all ages – must be 17+years)
o 2½ weeks in July or August
o mainly be based in Shyogwe Diocese with opportunities to visit projects, meet people and build relationships
o a varied programme, and will largely be developed to reflect the skills and passions of the team travelling with opportunities to serve the diocese in practical ways.
UGANDA
o 15 people
o All age team (Must be 17+ years by summer 2012)
o 2 weeks in late August
o Emphasis will be on supporting Kiwoko Hospital through youth and children’s ministry, alongside existing Ugandan leaders.
o There may also be opportunities for ministry amongst students studying at the university.
This META is open to all people from across Ireland, aged 17 and over. More details about the activities and ministries of the team will be involved in, as well as tentative dates, to follow soon.
How much will it cost?
The team will cost around £1500/£1600. This includes flights, insurance and other in country costs. There will be extra costs for you to cover on top of this e.g. vaccinations, team training weekend.
How will we prepare?
There will be regular team meetings prior to going to each location, for orientation purposes, including a team weekend.
How do I apply?
Application forms must be completed and returned to Gillian Maganda (Personnel Coordinator) at the Belfast office by Monday 28th November 2011. You can download a form by clicking here or contact us to receive a copy by post.
Interviews are scheduled to take place on Monday 5th December 2011 in CMS Ireland’s Belfast office. These interviews are informal and are as much about helping you with your decision as they are about us ‘selecting’ a team.
For further information, please contact Gillian Maganda in our Belfast office.
