Any group of people from a church or community group that is interested in working in partnership with International Teams Canada to serve the poor with programs that meet needs for shelter, food, clothing, clean water, education, medical care, sustainability, friendship, encouragement, spiritual counsel, and hope. We desire to see Canadian churches, schools, and other communities develop lasting relationships with churches around the world. One of the best ways to explore partnership and to engage in a relationship is to go and spend time on the ground.
Joining an Impact Team is an opportunity to contribute to the important on-going community transformation work of International Teams, make new friendships, and to share — and gain — knowledge and skills.
Each trip is 1-2 weeks long, depending on the location. Team members work to support the on-going work of the program they are visiting. This means different things depending on the location: at Kenya-PACE, this may mean running a kids’ camp or VBS program, or helping with pastoral training. In Dominican Republic, it may mean helping to do construction on the new water treatment plant. In Guatemala, the team may help install a stove in a family’s home, or serve a meal at the feeding centre. At CFPC in Burkina Faso, the team might work on construction-related projects. In many cases, tradespeople have the opportunity to pass on their specific knowledge.
The team will meet the community, work alongside them, learn from them, share time and resources with them, and see the impact God is making in the community. The team then returns to Canada to share stories of transformation and to be advocates for the ongoing work of the program.
Each trip is also an opportunity for cross-cultural learning. Team members work hard while abroad, but they also play hard — there is time to meet and chat with local families (especially kids), play sports (especially soccer) and do other activities to really engage with the people and culture. Teams will have the chance to try new food, pick up small bits of a new language, experience local customs, and perhaps even live with local families.
If you have any questions about Impact Teams & Interns, or if you prefer to make your donation by phone, please call International Teams Canada Inc at 519-669-8844 or toll free at 1-800-465-7601, Monday to Thursday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm EST.
