By Gail Buse, International Ambassador

The mantle on FCF has always been to help others fulfill the call and plan God has upon their lives. From our inception, FCF has always been a sending organization. Through the years, we have witnessed the fruit of connecting the gifts in people’s lives to the places where they can flourish and grow.

By connecting with our overseas family, internships enable young people to discover their gifts and use them to bring glory to God. In May, Alisha Coats and Hannah Jackson were sent to Ireland to work with FCF Missionaries Barry and Kimba Cunningham. The experience proved fruitful for everyone: the young women, the Cunninghams, and FCF International. I have asked Alisha and Hannah to share their experience with us.

The internship opportunities are an investment in the next generation that God is raising within our family. We look forward to many more successful stories, as we continue to develop opportunities for young men and women to fulfill the call of God in their lives. For more information about FCF’s internships, contact me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Rendering Assistance: My Internship in Ireland

By Alicia Coats, FCF church member

I spent a month in Ireland serving the Lord by serving His people. Before I left the U.S.A., I had met with Pastors Barry and Kimba Cunningham, and they had communicated with me the different areas where they needed assistance: office work, youth ministry, children's ministry, and some projects around the house. My soul purpose for going to Ireland was to serve.

I was excited because these were all areas in which God had been preparing me. For some time, I had been questioning God about my career choices: “Did I miss You, God, by taking this path or that path?” The answer was clear: No. He had been preparing me to do exactly what the Cunninghams needed. To be an answer to someone’s prayer was an answer to my prayer.

To say that everything went smoothly would be a lie. We faced a few obstacles. The computer at the church crashed a few days before I was finished with all of the projects Pastor Barry had for me. I had to switch to an older, slower-running computer to try and get caught up. Just a few days before I returned to the U.S.A., Pastor Barry had the replacement computer. I prayed for God to redeem the time, and He did. Within two days I had re-done everything that I had been working on for three and one-half weeks. I was so thankful because I did not want to leave without getting all the projects completed.

Hannah Jackson, who interned with me, contracted strep throat. The doctor gave her some antibiotics and told her that it would take three-to-five days before she would see any results. Within twenty-four hours, she had no symptoms. Praise God!

The first time I ministered to the youth, I taught on being filled with the Holy Spirit. One person was saved and filled with the Holy Spirit. Three others came up to receive their prayer language. One received it immediately. The Holy Spirit was at work.

The other two times I ministered, I taught on being yourself and on being confident in who God created you to be. God uses me in a very comical way, and everyone was grateful for my honesty and laughed at the way Satan has tried to keep me from following after God's plan for my life. The youth were very hungry for the Word, and I saw tremendous growth in their lives.

The children are just like children in America—full of energy and excited to hear the stories of Jesus. They loved learning their memory verses, especially when we made the exercise into a contest or rewarded them with special treats.

Throughout my month-long internship, God continually spoke to me through His word, His Spirit, and His people. It seemed as if every time I turned around God, was showing me a new side of Himself.

When you are out of your comfort zone and thousands of miles from home, Satan will try to hit you on every side, but he is defeated. I came back stronger, more confident in who God created me to be, and ready to take on the next chapter God has for me.

I encourage everyone to take a missions trip, whether long-term or short-term. The experience changes you and shows you the heartbeat of God: people.

I am honored for the opportunity to serve Pastors Barry and Kimba Cunningham and the people of New Life Christian Centre and Kerry Community Church.

My Amazing Internship Experience

By Hannah Jackson, FCF church member

During the summer of 2010 when I was seventeen, God placed a passion in my heart to do an internship with FCF International. In May 2011, just after my high school graduation, He fulfilled that desire. With the help of my pastors, I was placed in the home of Pastors Barry and Kimba Cunningham in Cork, Ireland, along with my good friend Alicia Coats, for a month-long internship.

Pastor Barry and Kimba were the best hosts. Anytime I had a problem or a question, they were always willing to help me. I was excited to do whatever they needed. My tasks included working on lesson plans with Pastor Kimba for the children’s church services and cleaning everything that needed it. I worked with the children of two separate churches. The kids were incredible. Being a part of their lives was so rewarding and worth the time away from my family.

My internship was full of obstacles and challenges. I had strep throat and then an infection. This all could have kept me down, but through the pain and homesickness God revealed that He is much more powerful than any attack. He healed me of all my pain. The month in Ireland was not easy, but being out of my comfort zone and experiencing the culture was amazing. I am not the same person.

Tags: challenges | Family | FCF | grow | Holy Spirit | internship | Ireland | obstacles | youth