one APU student's story
Former APU student Seth Zomermaand credits the G.A.P. Years program with leading him to full-time service with CMF in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
In my senior year at APU, I joined the G.A.P. Years program with the intent of serving overseas for two years. Through the guidance of the program, discussions with Karen Rouggly, and lots of prayer, I had onboarded with a missionary organization with plans to serve in East Asia. The year was 2020 and COVID had just begun to spread around the world, creating significant delays in my timeline for serving overseas. Through the guidance of GoCorps, I had raised support and reached 100% of my support goal but could not go abroad due to COVID restrictions.
After 2 years of waiting, I felt the Lord call me to explore other options in ministry locations and began searching within and outside of the missionary organization that I was onboarded with. Eventually, I discovered Christian Missionary Fellowship (CMF) with an opportunity to join a team serving in Chiang Mai, Thailand. I had always felt God calling me back to Thailand ever since my time serving on an action team with APU but never came across any options to do so. Through lots of discussions with CMF staff members and Thailand field members, I switched organizations and onboarded with CMF to go serve in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
I’m very grateful to the G.A.P. Years program of APU, GoCorps, and CMF for their guidance, equipping, and support to be able to reach the point of serving full-time overseas. Despite the difficulties and challenges that came along the way to onboard, support raise, and launch overseas, the different organizations and groups allowed me to overcome all of that and feel well supported and fully able to take on the mission of serving overseas.
serve with one of these CMF teams
England
Home to over 185 nationalities and diaspora people groups, the sociologically, super-diverse city of Birmingham is a doorway to the nations. This team focuses on urban, post-secular disciple making movements and connecting with their unreached neighbors through relationships, discipleship, and people of peace who are receptive to the Gospel message through Scripture. Through training and mentorship, this team focuses on equipping others for future ministry with all unreached people groups around the world.
Ethiopia
Located in western Ethiopia, this team works directly with the Gumuz people group in Assosa, a rural town in an unreached area of the country. Ministry opportunities include outreach through English programs, working with college students, connecting with local churches, and participating in a growing and dynamic prison ministry in the community.
North Africa*
Located in a Muslim majority city, this team serves at an international church as an entry point into a community with deep ties to Islam. As a team, there is a heavy focus on Discovery Bible Studies, disciple making movements, college ministry, worship arts, and outreach to international students in their city from around the world.
* This field is a country closed to missionaries, so we cannot publish exact locations. For more information, please reach out to mobilization@cmfi.org.
Thailand (Bangkok)
In a primarily Buddhist context, this team serves through Grapevine, a campus ministry near Thammasat University, home to more than 25,000 college students. Most students are Thai Buddhists from middle class families, but others are Muslim or from other religious backgrounds outside Thailand. The primary focus of this team is relational evangelism: being and making disciples in authentic community to transform the lives of Thammasat students and beyond.
Thailand (Chiang Mai)
In an overwhelmingly Buddhist city, this team focuses on empowering Thai people and communities to experience the fullness of life in Christ. This is creatively done through holistic community-development, focusing on disciple making movements in the city and surrounding villages, serving adolescent and young adults in the foster care system, and demonstrating the love of God to children and families of children with disabilities.
Tanzania
In the heart of East Africa, this team serves through innovative church planting and worship ministry. The ministry focuses on equipping national leaders to plant churches in their own cultural context. The whole family – husband, wife, and children – are trained and equipped for ministry where they learn about the Bible, Community Health Evangelism, farming, literacy, and much more. Through this approach, national church planters disperse to unreached areas of Tanzania and beyond. This team also utilizes worship ministry to connect people to Christ through music in a uniquely Tanzanian way.
South Asia*
Home to a country that is less than 1% Protestant Christian, this team is focused on disciple making movements, Community Health Evangelism, and strategic opportunities to connect with university students and working adults through innovative small businesses and community development. Through communal worship nights with local churches and believers, this team is passionate about a unified vision for reaching the entire nation with the Gospel message.
* This field is a country closed to missionaries, so we cannot publish exact locations. For more information, please reach out to mobilization@cmfi.org.
Southeast Asia*
In the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation, this team focuses on highly relational ministry to create deep connections with families and children of the Muslim world. This team utilizes tools such as teaching ESL and educational outreach, working with children and refugee families, and disciple-making projects in the community to impact their neighbors with the love of Christ.
* This field is a country closed to missionaries, so we cannot publish exact locations. For more information, please reach out to mobilization@cmfi.org.
Uruguay
In one of the most agnostic and secular countries in Latin America, this team serves through La Ruta, a campus ministry near La Universidad de la República, the most prestigious university in Uruguay. To welcome students into community, this team uses a campus house as an entry point for ministry and outreach into the community. They are passionate about providing a space where students can be impacted by God’s love through experience a loving, Christian community for the first time.
ready for the first step with CMF and G.A.P. Years?
Why serve with CMF through G.A.P. Years? You won’t do it alone! Being part of a CMF team includes:
- Assessment of your best fit for the field
- Training and personal coaching for support raising
- Medical benefits
- Assistance with visas, work permits and other documents
- Personalized print and digital media resources
- Financial accounting services
- Team support and accountability on the field
- Continuing education
- Personal development training
- And much more!
Ready for the first step with CMF and G.A.P. Years? Click the button below to fill out a simple interest form.
For more information or for questions about CMF and G.A.P. Years, please contact Bethany Rivera, CMF’s Director of Mobilization at BethanyRivera@cmfi.org or 317-578-2700.