Block Four: Cross-Cultural Exposure Trip
Dates: 28th July to 13rd October
Block Description: This is the offshore component of the programme where the team spends nine and a half weeks working alongside our partners in Thailand, in both rural and urban settings. During this time the gappers will have a period of learning Thai language and culture before starting to teach English in schools and other community groups. A truly spectacular experience which will test the teams’ ability to step out of their comfort zone. During this time, we hope to use these opportunities to share God’s love through word and deed. The team begins together, then divides into two smaller teams in order to visit more locations. Teams then come back together to do a time of debrief before returning to New Zealand.
Prayer Points
- That God would have His hand of protection over the team.
- Especially pray for God’s wisdom and guidance for the leaders and interns as situations arise.
- For logistics, as it can be difficult organising the team in a busy and foreign place.
- For protection against spiritual attacks on the team as they are in a “spiritually heavy” country.
- As the team divides into two teams that, they as an entire team do not lose their unity or cohesion when they join together again.
- For the team’s physical demands, exhaustion, heat, sickness.
- For the team’s ability to connect with the Thai, Karen and Mong people, to show them the true heart of God and His love for them.
- That language and cultural differences would not prove to be a barrier to show God’s love and for the Thai people to receive it