At Go International we believe in shining God’s love in the darkest of places and bringing hope to those who desperately need it most. Our heart and passion is to love people without judgement, and show them God's love in a real and relatable way. The entire Submerge program is infused with opportunities to serve in a variety of ways, both through evangelism and humanitarian projects.
Our society faces a problem that no other has faced before, they find themselves more socially connected with the world around them through things like: face-book, twitter, snapping, gramming, and texting. Yet many find themselves feeling more disconnected and uninspired with life than ever before. Disillusioned by their passions and dreams, numbed by media and entertainment, many trudge through life knowing the greatness that is on the inside of them but not knowing how to unearth it. Through the use of creative campaigns, public speaking, media initiatives and service projects we strive to bridge cultures, build community, spark conversations, and create meaningful dialogue . It is our passion to stir the hearts of people and cause them to realize the potential that lies deep within.
As a member of the Submerge team you will work with Go International on one of four “Creative Committees”. It is in these committees that your ideas to reach the city are conceived and carried out. Each day you will have the opportunity to participate in all of the activities that each of the committee's plan; and play a direct role in creating these ideas through your committee. Below is an overview of each of the committees:
CREATIVE CAMPAIGNS: We believe that sharing our faith shouldn’t be religious, but should be part of a natural dialogue. It’s a much different approach than the standard question of “If you were to die tonight where would you go?”. It is our aim to empower you with tools that will allow you to demonstrate the Love of God in an approachable, normal, and yes--even cool way. Every week you will come together with your team to dream about creative ways to reach our city. Together, we will create and implement these outreaches and creative campaigns. CLICK HERE to see some of our past campaigns.
TRAFFICKED CHILDREN: (Carpa Loca) One of the areas of emphasis for Submerge will be in Quito’s nightlife district where you will work directly with the many street children who are trafficked each weekend from surrounding villages. Many of these children are forced to sell items on the streets, steal, or are sold as sex-slaves. These children are forced to work late into the night trying to meet quotas for their traffickers. Most are sold by their families for the weekend for around $10. In response, Go International holds a weekly children’s program called Carpa Loca (The “Crazy Tent”). The format is a high-energy program designed to teach the children important, life changing values. You and your team will plan and implement these weekly programs and bring hope to these special children who desperately need it.
CHURCH PLANTING: (ONE UIO) As a ministry, we do approximately seven outreaches a week in some of the roughest parts of the city. We’ve found that often the people that we encounter don’t feel like they “fit in” within traditional churches. It is with this in mind that we launched a church plant here in Quito, ONE UIO.
ONE UIO may not look or feel like a typical church from the outside, but each impactful service proudly proclaims the transformative message of Christ. The church meets in a popular concert venue called, House of Rock, where many gather each week to hear local rock bands. Each week we give people a new reason to come to the House of Rock, to have an encounter with the living God. The ONE team is intricately involved in planning and carrying out each of the weekly church services. As a member of the committee you will play an intricate part in raising up and discipling leaders in the church through the close relationships you will form.
SOCIAL COMMITTEE: Many of the weekly outreaches that take place are through third-party organizations that we partner with here in Quito. The social committee seeks to develop new relationships as well as organize and plan each of the outreaches. If you enjoy diving into a variety of different activities then this is the committee for you. Some of the areas of focus are: food ministry to the poor, weekly program in a Juvenile detention center, and more.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: In addition to the activities listed above, the Submerge program has additional space provided for you in your weekly schedule to foster relationships with local Ecuadorians. We believe that to gain the full experience of living in another culture you must get outside of your American bubble and cultivate friendships with local people. Every week you will have time provided for you in the schedule to do just that. Whether you grab a latte with a friend at one of Quito's beautiful coffee bistros, or master the competitive challenge with the nationals in a game of Ecua-volley, the friendships you build while you live here will last a lifetime.
GO ON YOUR OWN: One of the objectives of the Submerge program is to give you the tools you need to thrive outside of the program. It is with this in mind that we have included in the schedule of all Submerge members an initiative that we like to call “Go On Your Own.” (Which over the years has been hijacked by our team and renamed “Go Yo” for short.) Created several years ago on one of our short term trips, Go Yo allows team members to peer into what it is like to live as a full term missionary. When a missionary first arrives to a nation they are not given a to-do list; they must simply assess the needs they are presented with and ask themselves, “What can I do to help?” This is the essence of Go On Your Own. Team members work together for a few hours each week finding needs and together helping to meet them. Many of the activities that our team members have created during Go Yo have fostered long term programs and initiatives of Submerge.