Annie Ponstein participated in a 9-month gap year program with Bridge Street Ministries (44:32), an organization based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, that focuses on urban youth ministry (45:32).
As part of this year-long experience, she and her team traveled to Guatemala for two months (48:40), where they served in the following ways:
- Community Engagement: She worked with middle school programs in North Side, West Side, and Burton Heights during the school year (45:48).
- La Manada Slums: While in Guatemala, Annie and her team visited schools known as Planus to serve children of gang members and leaders (50:26-50:41). They led activities such as coloring, dancing, and playing games like Duck Duck Goose (50:51-51:27).
- Sego Vivo Church: She supported the Sego Vivo church, a ministry dedicated to serving homeless individuals in Guatemala (52:55-53:14).
Annie described her overall experience as one rooted in intentional community living and silent servitude (47:03, 49:06).
The KCC mission team to Africa worked closely with Ann and Todd (the Ziems) and the Son-International Ministries (1:02:43). Their experience involved several key service efforts:
- Community and Connection: The team spent time building relationships with local people, including serving at a workshop (1:02:41) and trekking up a mountain as a group, which the members cited as a major team-building experience (1:03:55-1:04:58).
- Cultural Immersion: The team visited a Maasai village (1:08:44), where they experienced local living conditions and were given the honor of naming newborn babies (1:09:59-1:10:40).
- Challenges and Trust: The trip was marked by various logistical hurdles—including customs and immigration difficulties (1:13:03-1:13:58)—which the team used as opportunities to practice fully trusting in God’s plan rather than relying on their own control (1:11:15, 1:14:06).
The team emphasized that despite the lack of material wealth, the people they met in Africa shared a profound sense of gratitude, family, and courage, which left a lasting impact on the group members (1:06:32-1:07:35).