Journey Corps

Everything will change. A Ministry of WorldVenture.

Journey Corps West Africa (JCWA)

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Côte d'Ivoire is wealthy in beauty, culture, and history. The Ivorian people are kind, welcoming, and peaceful but marked by the extreme poverty and pain the comes from a long lasting and recent civil war. Even though these people have many needs, they also have much to offer your Journey. Work alongside church communities who have not only remained faithful through the midst of trials but have been bold to preach the gospel through them. Relationship is the foundation to all effective outreach, relief work, and preaching. We invite you to serve these beautiful people with your friendship and your skills.

One of the cool parts of this program is the fact that it is multi-cultural. We see the global church being strengthened as Journeyers mix with young Germans and Ivorians. God does amazing things when the global church begins to work side by side.

Unique Learning Context

Each world area represents a unique learning context, a specific perspective of God's mission. Journey Corps will make several of these learning contexts available to young adults. We believe that as we humbly follow Jesus across cultural barriers He will teach us and transform us for His mission

Relational

Most of Africa, Côte d'Ivoire included, is highly relational. Journeyers who participate in JCWA will learn about the value of people over projects or tasks. America's obsession with time is challenged in West Africa. It is not uncommon for people to show up hours late to events because they met a friend on the way. Which is better, time orientation or event orientation? In many ways this culture is more similar to Jesus' day then western culture.

Life as a Minority

Most white Americans have never felt the pressures of being a minority. In Côte d'Ivoire Journeyers will be a minority within a minority. Christians there already battle the stigma of the culture but Journeyers will also be foreigners. What does it look like to serve from within a minority? Learn from local pastors who have been living and working effectively for Christ in spite of these challenges.

Majority World

Just under 50% of the world's population live on less then $2.00 per day. Journey Corps West Africa exposes Journeyers to that majority world as they observe and learn from national pastors who serve in that environment. Journeyers learn the futility of money as they see it's detrimental effects on poverty if used incorrectly. Money does not solve everything. In this context relationships are the foundation to poverty relief.

Treatable Diseases: Diseases that are easily treated in the United States are often deadly in a third world context. Journeyers will observe the effects of these diseases on ministry. It becomes very difficult to offer people the gospel in word only, inevitably missionaries have to learn what it means to offer the gospel in word and deed.

Folk Islam

Côte d'Ivoire is consistent with much of West Africa in that it is marked by folk Islam. Journeyers will be exposed to animistic Islamic culture that is often strongly opposed to the gospel. Learn from missionaries and nationals who have dedicated their lives to understanding and communicating to Muslims.

Training

All Journeyers will participate in a training called PDX (Partner Development Express) several months before their intended departure date. This training is located in Colorado. Each team meets again in Colorado for pre-field training the week of their departure. They will all travel together to the field.

STAGE 1: Six to Eight Week Integration

The first six to eight weeks on the field will be spent living on the Journey Corps Training Center Campus. During this integration time, the team will be preparing for the remainder of the year. That preparation includes:

French classes
Building relationships with nationals on campus and in the local church
Getting to know each other as teammates
Attending the different weekly ministry and culture seminars
Meeting missionaries and nationals for future projects

During the integration period, the focus is on language and cultural learning. Along with language and culture, there will be weekly seminars on various subjects that will help Journeyers prepare for ministry in West Africa. Although the order and availability of some of these sessions will change depending on the availability of the teachers, here is a sample outline for the first few weeks:

STAGE 2: Immersion and Ministry

Journey Corps has partnered with the national church in Côte d'Ivoire. Pastors and leaders in this flourishing church have agreed to adopt the Journey Corps program into their ministry. After the Integration period, Journeyers will be placed two by two into in villages, living with national families and exploring various ministry opportunities. The location and type of ministry that these small teams will participate in will depend on their skills and interests. Some projects will be current missionary projects and others will be will be grassroot projects through the local church. Journeyers will work alongside their project each day and then return to their Ivorian courtyard in the evenings.

STAGE 3: Debriefing and Evaluation

During this off campus season, the Journey Corps staff will be traveling to visit each Journeyer team for debriefing, encouragement, and continued training. After several weeks living with their host family, Journeyers will return to the Journey Corps Training Center for retreat and debriefing. They will then return to their host family or be placed in another family to observe a different type of ministry. This cycle, 2-4 weeks out 4-7 days back, will continue until the last two weeks of the the first year.

Final Reflections

During the last two weeks on the field Journeyers will return to the JC Training Center for a final debrief and reflection. Each Journeyer will write a small paper reflecting on the lessons they learned and casting vision for their future ministry in the states or abroad.

Second Year

Journey Corps program. The second year is a year of leadership and ministry exploration. This year may include visiting ministries in other countries in West Africa or possibly other Journey Corps locations. Also, second year students will be helping orient and lead first year Journeyers while they explore the type of ministry they feel called to. The second year program will be designed by the Journeyer and his or her field mentor.

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