Since 2015, Italy has been at the forefront of the European refugee crisis, receiving asylum seekers from around the world who have travelled through North Africa in order to cross the Mediterranean Sea. The Diaspora team in Milan works alongside the Italian Church to respond to both the challenge and opportunity presented by new reality. With asylum seekers, refugees, and immigrants coming from across the world, many come from places that are difficult for missionaries to access, providing an amazing opportunity to see them impacted by the Gospel. Working in collaboration with Italian refugee ministries our team seeks to be a catalyst in outreach to these language communities.
This work can range from building relationships in the immigrant and refugee community, to doing survey work to develop a richer picture of the linguistic diversity now in Milan, to supporting the programming of our refugee ministry center partners.
Focus:
Refugee outreach, promoting access to and engagement with translated Bibles and Scripture portions, community development, multicultural ministry collaboration, language survey and mapping, relationship building, language and culture learning
Potential Opportunities: In addition to the aforementioned internship, the team is open to hosting an intern with interest in the Bible Translation process and Exegetical Checking, as well as someone with a background in ESL teaching.
What kind of students are we looking for?
- Heart for refugees and immigrants
- Humble, teachable, servant leaders
- Disciple makers
- Patient and have a passion for learning
- Flexible and adaptable
- Willing to be stretched in a multi-cultural context
- Background in ESL would be beneficial