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REACH Summer Internships

June 1–August 4, 2023

REACH is an 8-week intercultural internship program that connects young adults with hands-on ministry opportunities all across the world.  We have unique service opportunities for young adults with interests or skills in ministry, nursing, community health, social work, business, veterinary care, agriculture, children and youth ministry, music, media and more!  Join a team of like-minded young adults and spend a summer with us helping transform the world by connecting with God's mission!

CMF is no longer receiving Reach applications for the 2023 summer.  If you are interested in serving with CMF for a summer, please check September 1 for application opportunities.

You’re invited!

As the world becomes more connected and intercultural, missions continues to be redefined as an opportunity to learn and encounter global Christianity in a new way. God is active all over the world, and you’re invited to experience the ways He’s working this summer. REACH is an invitation to engage in the global task of being a witness “to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

Endless possibilities!

Our teams will serve in a variety of countries across the map. Your experience will be eye-opening, transformational and challenging, whether you serve in a medical clinic in Ivory Coast, a youth ministry in Asia, or in a university campus ministry in a European city. No matter where you serve, you will gain experience in intercultural ministry, use your unique skills and gifts to encourage missionaries and ministry staff and serve others while building relationships.

Expand your world!

As God calls and sends people from everywhere to everywhere, will you become a part of that story? Joining a REACH internship team will connect you with like-minded young adults, open your eyes to the beauty of the global nature of Christianity, and give you a broader perspective of yourself, other cultures and God. Join the team that’s been sending REACH interns abroad safely since 1992 and experience what it means to be engaged in the global work of missions that goes from everywhere to everywhere!

Places you can serve as a 2023 REACH intern!

Questions? reach@cmfi.org

What you can do as a 2023 REACH intern!

Asia #1:

Ministry opportunities may include teaching ESL and/or computer skills, taking care of infants at an adoption center, working with street children or coaching/working with young people in a sports ministry. Interns will have the opportunity to serve in multiple cities, working with skills training programs and children’s centers.

Asia #2:

Interns will work in a closed Muslim country and will be empowered to use relationships, education, and outreach to pursue ministry in a unique context. Interns will have the opportunity to work with refugee children assisting with special education classrooms, social work, as well as agriculture and fishing ministries if desired.  

Asia #3:

Interns that choose this unique opportunity will get to help be a part of a growing and dynamic ministry.  They will have the opportunity to involve in Community Health projects, Bible studies, and to work with local children and youth.  Skills and interests in outreach, music, tech/media, and more are welcome and encouraged.

Brisbane, Australia

Interns will participate in the final few weeks of the semester that include helping to host faith-based events, serving community meals, and encouraging students in the exam block. During the university break, interns will plan and host events at The Garden while the staff is traveling. Interns will be able to get creative and host social events, faith-based events, camping trips, beach trips... you name it!

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia:

Interns will serve with the church planting team in Ethiopia and have a unique opportunity to work in different contexts throughout the country.  Interns will get the opportunity to teach and use their unique skills to benefit the growing and dynamic work with CMF missionaries and Ethiopian leaders.  In addition to getting ministry experience in an urban setting, interns will also get to experience church planting work in other rural locations across Ethiopia.

Abengourou, Ivory Coast:

Interns will serve with a local clinic in either medical and community health or child sponsorship. They will be able to immerse themselves in the local community while growing in their French language skills. They will also have the opportunity to grow the local outreach and holistic ministry in a small town in rural West Africa. 

Nairobi, Kenya:

Interns will work in the slums of Mathare Valley and engage in numerous forms of holistic ministry. Interns will have opportunities to work in community health, serve in a local clinic, use business development to work with entrepreneurs, shadow social workers and serve in homes, work alongside local pastors and church planters, and work in a classroom for children with special needs.

Puebla, Mexico:

Interns in Puebla will have the unique opportunity to spend half of their summers with a dynamic campus ministry and the other half serving with a local church. Interns will engage in outreach with students at a local university and be involved in things like VBS and classes for students in the city of Puebla. Interns will also have the opportunity to help put on a weekly event for college students while serving with missionaries in a local church context. 

Mexico City, Mexico: 

Interns will serve in urban ministries among the poor and middle class, focusing on VBS, teaching English, working with youth in the church, and other team ministry. They will especially be working with children, leading VBS and day camps, and will also have opportunities to teach English and be involved in outreach ministry. 

ALSO, in Mexico City, interns can serve with a newly started business-as-mission ministry which seeks to train and equip entrepreneurs.  Interns will get to work with CMF missionaries, partners, and local entrepreneurs in learning business skills, engaging in discipleship groups, and empowering local business people. 

Bangkok, Thailand:

 Interns will serve in this dynamic, urban international campus ministry by using their skills to meet new students and help build up the community. Interns will help lead small groups, use sports for outreach, cook for weekly events, teach and share life with Thai college students. 

Chiang Mai, Thailand:

Interns will have the opportunity to partner with a local school in Chiang Mai to teach English. Interns will serve with a local missionary family and partner with nationals to use teaching English as a second language (ESL) and Community Health Evangelism (CHE) to learn and grow as they experience Thai culture.  

Arusha, Tanzania

Interns that serve in Tanzania will have an amazing opportunity to work with local missionaries, church leaders, and young adults to help with various media projects.  Join a talented group of Tanzanian young adults who are serving alongside local churches to help with areas like worship music, photography, videography, social media development, podcast production, and more!  Interns will get to incorporate their passions and gifts through performing worship services, assisting with summer camp programs, and developing relationships with mentors and peers serving in and around Arusha.  The ministry has a vision to reach the next generation (ages 15-30) by sharing the message of Christ through media.  If you have any skills or interests in media, communications, or music, this might be the perfect opportunity for you!

Montevideo, Uruguay:

Interns will serve in a dynamic campus ministry reaching out to university students. They will use their skills to meet new students and help to build up the community within the unique campus ministry called La Ruta. Interns will help with leading small groups, coordinating worship services, cooking for a weekly gathering, giving talks to the students, and more!

The average cost

of an internship is $4,500-$6,500

Is REACH right for me?

For more than 25 years, REACH interns have served with CMF team members in many different areas of the world, from Germany to Asia, Africa to Mexico, and many points in-between. Their jobs varied widely, but they all worked hard, had adventures, faced many challenges, and developed lifelong relationships. You are invited to participate in REACH and experience what God is doing across the world. Here are just a few of the hundreds of things you might get to do to serve God’s Kingdom across the world:

  • Participate in home visits to families in the slums of Nairobi, Kenya.
  • Work with at-risk children in major cities across Asia.
  • Spend time building relationships with college students in Bangkok, Thailand.
  • Join ministry in a detention center in Chiang Mai, Thailand
  • Help plan and lead VBS and youth camps for children and families in Mexico.
  • Use media and music to serve churches in Kenya.
  • Work in a clinic and use medical training in the Ivory Coast.
  • Use media and music to impact college students in Valencia, Spain.
  • Shadow a social worker or business leader around the slums in Kenya.

Along the way you may find yourself riding an elephant, on a safari, navigating the streets of big cities and tiny villages, living in homes with national families, learning to cook over open fires, climbing mountains, praying with and for other Christians, using your skills to point others to Jesus, and so much more. Check out your options and come join us for REACH!

REACH FAQs

Dates and locations subject to change due to travel restrictions. Interns and applicants will be notified as necessary. Regularly check the CMF website for updates.

Q: What is REACH?

A: REACH is an eight-week summer internship experience for young adults. Teams of interns travel to countries where experienced CMF team members live and work and join them in hands-on field ministry.

Q: What is the schedule for 2023?

A: June 1-August 4, 2023


Pre-Departure Orientation
Indianapolis: June 1-6, 2023

On the field:
June 7–July 31, 2023

Debrief:
August 1-4, 2023

Q: How old do I need to be to participate in REACH?

A: Internships are for college students and young adults, typically ages 18-30. You must complete at least your freshman year of college before the internship.

Q: Is this a paid internship?

A: No, but we will assist you in raising your own support and provide tax-exempt receipts from CMF for your donors. The average cost is $4,500–$6,500 per person.

Q: What other services does CMF provide for its interns?

A: CMF will assist you with passport and visa procurement, travel arrangements, medical requirements and packing.

Q: Will I receive any training before I leave?

A: CMF provides extensive training through a required six-day Pre-Departure Orientation (PDO) in Indianapolis. Interns learn skills in team building, language learning, cross-cultural adaptation, and building relationships, and receive spiritual preparation and specific pre-field training.

Q: Who will supervise my activities on the field?

A: You’ll receive guidance and oversight on the field from veteran CMF team members and their partners.

Q: My parents have a lot of questions about REACH. Where can they find some more information?

A: In addition to this page, ask your parents to look at our parents’comment page for further information.

Q: What happens when I return to the US after my internship?

A: Before you return home, you’ll complete your internship with a three-day Debrief that will prepare you for re-entry and help you process, maximize and bring closure to your mission experience.

Connect with us

Questions? reach@cmfi.org