JESSICA YI
sent by grace covenant church to singapore.
Jessie is a third year medical student at home in Wisconsin who loves jam sessions and watching movies.
1. When did you go on your 1-yr internship?
2014-2015
2. How did you decide to devote one year to serving as an intern?
We were having a prayer meeting at a missions FNL and I felt a small nudging in my heart to pray about being a one-year intern. At the time, I had not planned on taking another year off but I started to pray about it over the next few weeks. As I prayed, I began to feel that there was something special God had in store for me if I would step out in faith. There were many logistic obstacles but as God faithfully provided for each one, I received more confirmation that this is where He was leading me.
3. During your time as an intern, what roles did you play?
I was privileged to be part of the Singapore church plant when it started as a house church with just a handful of people, so I played many different roles as an intern because our team was small. I did administrative tasks like printing the weekly bulletin, creating a Facebook page, and helping to host visiting pastors. I was a part of the worship team, attended weekly bible study, and helped lead worship for bible study. I helped out the Liu family with anything they needed and I took classes full time at a theology school.
4. What is one realization or revelation that God showed you about Himself, people, and/or His kingdom as a result of your internship?
God showed me His faithfulness in ways I’ve never experienced. Because I was part of the church planting team, I had to figure out how to get a visa and housing in a country no one had gone to before. I had to raise a lot of financial support because Singapore is expensive, and I needed to be accepted to a med school program that would allow deferred matriculation. These were overwhelming challenges but God miraculously provided for each one. I learned so many other things about God’s character during my one year, but the thing I learned most experientially was His unending faithfulness.
5. How has your experience while interning influenced what you are doing now and what you hope to do in the future?
I am currently a third year medical student. Outwardly it seems like a very different path than the one I was walking during my one year, but inwardly I am still growing in many of the same ways that I was in Singapore. The lessons I learned have changed the way I see and interact with my classmates, family, and patients. The lessons I learned have also led me to hope that I can do medical missions in the future.
6. How would you advise interns to maximize their experience while they are on the field?
My advice to future interns would be to embrace your whole experience. There may be times when you feel lonely or stressed or when the things you’re doing seem unimportant, but God is honored by the ordinary and hidden things you do, not just the “exciting” and visible things. God is the one who has brought you on this journey and He will be with you every moment of it, so my advice would be to go with a heart that is eager to learn and serve.