This summer, I had the privilege of spending a month, on the World Horizons Impact programme. I grew a lot through it, developing in gifting and leadership skills as part of the team. What struck me as I reflected on the month was how varied and practical the training was.

Starting in Wales, adventure was central: we foraged on a beach, wild-camped in the Brecon Beacons, explored caves and cliff-jumped in a canyon. These experiences taught us about survival and reliance upon each other as a team. Back at the centre, we heard from experienced mission workers on cultural adaptation, biblical contextualisation (which I particularly enjoyed) and prayer.

Something which challenged me, but was also very exciting, were the practical classes which covered electricals, motorbike mechanics and emergency medicine. We got our hands dirty from wiring working circuits with lightbulbs and solar panels, to pulling apart a miniature motorbike. We even got out into the ‘wild places’ of London to help with a (pretend) case of hypothermia. All of these experiences really taught me that doing things outside of your comfort zone isn’t scary, but is in fact a wonderful way to grow in confidence.

After our time in Wales, we moved on to Luton, where we joined with the church in street evangelism and their ministry to the community. An introduction to the beliefs of various religions meant I felt more knowledgeable when visiting a mosque and a Sikh temple. This teaching also helped me to engage more empathetically in conversations we had on the street. A highlight of the whole month was the community café we helped with: I felt honoured to serve, share a meal and connect with the people who came.

In London, we enjoyed the teaching by the pastor of an Arab church, and two days of medical training. Something which particularly touched me were the testimonies we heard, which widened my perspective and heart for the global church.

We took the Eurostar to Northern France and were blessed by the hospitality we received. Joining in with a French church service and helping with gardening, I appreciated how rooted in the local community we were, even for a short time. To end off the month, we had a precious goodbye party, eating delicious French food, and watching a recap video of our month together.

Living as a team for a month was a massive joy: I laughed a lot, and got to know people from different cultures on a deep level. This made it very hard to leave. Seeing the white cliffs of Dover on our ferry home, I was grateful for all I had learnt, who I was growing to become, and all the people who I was with over this month.

If you are looking for an in-depth, wide-ranging, adventurous and practical introduction to mission, I couldn’t recommend it more.