The Council for World Mission (CWM) has welcomed three new interns who have begun serving across its offices in Singapore, Johannesburg, and London.
Coming from different cultural and denominational backgrounds, the interns support regional and global programmes while gaining experience in mission initiatives, cross-contextual learning, and justice-centred engagement.
The new interns are Philippa Osei from the United Reformed Church (URC), who joined the Singapore office on 6 April; Nofy Ramanamirija from the Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar (FJKM), who joined the South Africa office on 4 May; and Ye Eun Baek from the Presbyterian Church in Korea (PCK), who joined the London office on 5 February.
The six-month internship programme provides opportunities for young people to grow professionally and spiritually while contributing meaningfully to CWM’s global mission.
Osei works alongside the mission secretary for programme and partnership and the East Asia region, supporting the Mission Support Programme (MSP-V) and Partners in Mission (PIM) initiatives.
Ramanamirija works alongside the mission secretary for economy and ecology and the Africa region, contributing to ecological justice programmes and member church engagement.
Baek works alongside the mission secretary for social justice and the Caribbean region, contributing to social justice and transformation programmes.
Reflecting on her decision to join CWM, Osei said her participation in a CWM women’s leadership conference in 2022 inspired her to learn more about the organisation’s work.
“I was impressed by how CWM affirmed the empowerment of women and wanted to understand more about how women in leadership can contribute to Christ’s mission,” she said.
For Ramanamirija, the internship is an opportunity to combine Christian service with personal vocation.
“CWM supports both the spiritual dimension and the earthly welfare of God’s children. I feel that its work is about bringing God’s wisdom into the world,” she said.
Baek described CWM as a model of ecumenical mission and said she was eager to learn how churches from different traditions can participate together in God’s mission.
“Applying for an internship with CWM was an opportunity to understand mission within a wider ecumenical context,” she said.
Deepening understanding
The interns also shared their personal interests and passions, ranging from exercise and perfumery to music, photography, languages, and intercultural learning. All three expressed a desire to deepen their understanding of mission and contribute meaningfully to CWM’s global mission.
Reflecting on their experiences so far, the interns spoke of the diversity they encountered in their host contexts and the lessons they have learned from working alongside colleagues from different cultures and traditions.
Baek noted that living and working in the United Kingdom had given her a new appreciation of migration and cultural diversity.
“As a theologian, migration is something we study, but here I see it lived out as a daily reality,” she said.
Ramanamirija highlighted the opportunity to learn from Christians across different cultural settings, while Osei spoke of gaining practical experience in programme planning, coordination, and project management.
Looking ahead, the interns expressed a shared desire to grow in faith, leadership, and missional understanding while contributing their own experiences and perspectives to CWM’s work.
“I believe God has positioned each of us where we are for a purpose,” Ramanamirija reflected. “We should trust that God will work through us to be salt and light in the world.”
The full interview with the three interns is available on the CWM YouTube channel.
