International Ventures headed to Brazil, Caribbean in 2013-14

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Financial District, NEW YORK--Last week International Ventures announced two additional trips available to King's students this year: Brazil and the Caribbean. Led by Dr. Dru Johnson, the Brazil trip will focus on the convergence of church and culture. Students on the Brazil team will be required to partner with their local churches in New York City before and after the trip. Junior Carol Anne Ausband traveled with Dr. Johnson to Brazil last summer to explore the possibility of an International Ventures trip this spring.

(l-r): Dr. Dru Johnson, Serenity Reichardson, Elijah McCready and Carolanne Ausband in Brazil. Used with permission.

“We already have trips that focus on politics and philosophy. . . it just made more sense to look at [Brazil] from the perspective of the church as a strategic institution,” Ausband said. “I love Brazil and am excited to see King’s go to South America.”

The International Ventures team also announced a partnership trip to a closed country within the Caribbean. This will be King’s first trip geared toward Spanish-speakers, and unlike most IV trips, students traveling to the Caribbean will work closely with local churches to provide direct evangelism to the community. The Caribbean trip will occur during spring break 2014. Partnership trips usually involve roughly 3-5 King’s students, whereas IV-led trips typically bring 8-12.

Director of Global Engagement Elijah McCready will oversee the preparation for all trips this year. “I’m excited that this year we will see King’s students in every corner of the Globe,” McCready said. “I’m also excited to see the new teams emerge and come together.”

This year IV will return to Israel and Turkey, in addition to offering partnership trips to China and Central Asia during the summer of 2014.

McCready mentioned that he is working to provide long-term summer internship opportunities when trips end. For example, he hopes non-profits like the Jerusalem Institute of Justice--a political advocacy non-profit for religious minorities--might offer summer internships to those who participate in the Israel Venture.

The cost of an IV trip ranges from $3,000 to $4,000, with fundraising help and training provided. “Time and time again we see students raise the full amount in unexpected ways,” McCready said. “We’re fully confident that if a student is meant to go on this trip and if they put the effort forward in fundraising, the means will be available to go.”

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For more info on the International Ventures program or specific trips happening this spring, contact Elijah McCready (emccready@tkc.edu).