Serve as a Missionary Bridger!
Missionary Bridgers: expanding the bridge of service between missionaries and churches across the world!
SAMS’ internships — missionary bridgers’ time of ministry — meet the desire for serving longer than traditional short-term mission work of two weeks, yet shorter than missionary service of three years. Some applicants want to extend ministry for a longer period of time than a short-term mission offers while others want to discern further the Lord’s calling for long-term missionary service.
Our Missionary Bridgers are partnered with and mentored by an experienced SAMS long-term missionary. Missionary Bridgers have served with missionaries in Africa, Europe, South America, and Central America. SAMS’ Missionary Bridgers are often assigned a “Cultural Link Person” from their host country who will help them manage ordinary life experiences like going to the bank, locating a store, or navigating transportation. Some Missionary Bridgers will also have formal language lessons.
SAMS places individuals in missionary service from one month to one year. Internships are not limited to summer months. You can begin your internship any time of the year that is mutually suitable for the Missionary Bridger and the missionary mentor.
SAMS sends Missionary Bridgers from many age groups—pre-career, mid-career, and post-career. To be considered for a SAMS internship, it is necessary for the applicant to have completed high school or the equivalent of high school. You must be at least 18 years old at the beginning of your internship. Some of our applicants are college graduates, currently enrolled in college, or have no college experience at all. We look for Christians who are seeking God’s will for their lives and we consider life experiences as indicators of the applicant’s qualification to serve as a SAMS Missionary Bridger.
Accepted Missionary Bridgers will be required to attend a Missionary Bridger Training Workshop (3-day intensive conference in Ambridge, PA). The primary focus of this workshop is to build relationships with Missionary Bridger applicants so that we can better serve you as you serve Christ in your later determined host country. In the workshop we will discuss individual Missionary Bridger placement, expectations for the placement, cultural adaptation and, because Missionary Bridgers raise their own financial support like our long-term missionaries, we will develop your personal intern budget and prepare you to start raising your own support. The training will be offered periodically so that at least six months prior to your departure date, you will be prepared for your placement and to raise financial and prayer support.
If you are interested in pursuing a Missionary Bridger internship with SAMS, please contact the Short-Term Ministries Coordinator or call (724) 266-0669.