Elaine Choe
sent by symphony church to over-the-rhine, ohio.
Elaine currently lives in Boston, MA serving on college staff at Symphony Church. From 2013-2017 she attended Boston University and received a B.A. in International Relations with a minor in Journalism. For fun she enjoys baking, meeting up with friends, and watching movies.
1. When did you go on your 1-yr internship?
2017-2018
2. Where do you currently attend church?
Symphony Church
3. How did you decide to devote one year to serving as an intern?
I had never been on a missions trip before, and so during my freshman year of college, I told God that I would go on missions at least once in my life–I forgot about this promise until He reminded me of it at the beginning of my senior year of college. And as I prayed, I felt God calling me to intentionally set apart one whole year for Him and be a witness of what He is doing in whatever location He would bring me to.
4. During your time as an intern, what roles did you play?
During my time as an intern, I spent a lot of time with children. This included being a craft teacher for Sunday School, teaching at our after-school program called Kids Club at two different schools, creating skits from the Bible to perform both at church and Kids Club, tutoring some of our church children, and babysitting. I also lead a Bible Study at the University of Cincinnati and helped plan events for our college ministry there. We also evangelized to the people of OTR once a week. On Saturdays we would walk the streets for about an hour or so, and sometimes on Wednesdays we would evangelize to students on the University of Cincinnati’s campus.
5. What is one realization or revelation that God showed you about Himself, people, or His kingdom as a result of your internship?
During this internship, God showed me what true love is–He showed me what Christ-like love looks like. This seems so basic, yet for some reason, this was the hardest lesson for me to learn. First He showed me my own heart and how hard it actually is for me to love. But then during the hardest season of my time there, He revealed to me what HIS love looks like through my brothers and sisters. I realized that for so many years, when I thought I was loving people, I was actually picking and choosing those who were easy to love. God showed me time and time again that love does not mean we choose who to love, nor does it mean we simply tolerate those who are hard to love. No, it’s that we walk together in the hardships; we work it out and love one another in spite of our differences and conflicts, pointing one another to Christ and being reflections of who He is.
6. How has your experience while interning influenced what you are doing now and what you hope to do in the future?
This internship has definitely humbled me and trained me for the ministry I’ve been invited into at Symphony Church. Whether I’m serving at an event or meeting up with a student, I’m constantly reminded of different lessons I’ve learned from my internship. I’m currently unemployed and not too sure where I’ll be in the future, but what I’m reminded of is that even if everything is stripped away, God still remains, and He is still sovereign over all things. Whether I have a full-time job or become a long-term missionary, I’ve learned what it means to surrender it all to the Lord and to partner with Him in however He calls me.
7. How would you advise interns to maximize their experience while they are on the field?
If you can, always say ‘yes.’ A lot of times we can be easily intimidated whether it be because of an insecurity or because of a lack of experience, but in saying ‘yes,’ we invite God to work in our lives and amaze us again and again. It’s a constant reminder that it’s not about what we can do, but what HE can do. This internship is an amazing experience, and a great opportunity for trial, error, and growth.