Introducing Summer 2019 Interns

Please help us welcome our 2019 Summer Interns: Logan Schmidt, Jorja Coomer, and Rebecca Rivers!

Between now and summer, these college students will be raising support for their summer of service, preparing for the Intern Retreat, studying our Team Leader Guide, and reading some recommended resources to prepare them for one of the most difficult and rewarding summers of their life. Please join us in praying that God will stretch them and use them in great ways over the coming months!

Interns serve all of our summer teams, and we want our 2019 teams to get to know each one of them! We’ve made it a habit to ask the interns a few key questions about favorite snacks and who’s most likely to kill a spider…you know, just in case one shows up! We’ve listed the snacks in BOLD below so teams can be sure to pack a few blessings for the interns when they go! ?

Logan Schmidt, Lead Intern

Hello everyone! I am from Shawnee, Kansas, which is about 40 minutes from Kansas City. I have attended the University of Kansas for the past 5 semesters (Rock Chalk!), however I will be going to Washburn University in Topeka to finish out my degree.

I am incredibly excited to have the opportunity to go back to Peredo this summer! I had a great time last year as an intern. I can’t wait to see all of the friends I made last summer, and to get to do even more for the community!

My favorite snack is definitely fruit snacks (Gushers specifically)!

I don’t really mind killing spiders, so if you find one in the dorm and need it killed, just let me know.

The thing that I am looking forward to most is just to be back in the country! I love everything about the people, the culture, and the language, so it will be nice to be back. Also, last summer I was working on teaching Marcus and Arin’s kids to say “Rock Chalk” because Marcus hates KU, and, from what I’ve heard over the last few months, the kids will randomly say it now! I hope to keep working with Maverick and Pierson on that this summer! 😉

Jorja Coomer

I’m from Fairfield, Illinois. I am currently a junior at Lincoln Christian University (Woohoo! Go LCU!), and I’m planning on graduating next spring with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a minor in Biblical studies.

When deciding to apply for the internship, it was a very easy decision for me. I’ve ALWAYS wanted to do an internship like this. Mission work has always been on my heart, and when given the opportunity to apply, I did it right away. After leaving Haiti on my last trip, I knew this is something that God was putting on my heart to do. Therefore, I’m SO EXCITED for the opportunity I have to be an intern with HCO all summer! I’m looking forward to meeting all of the teams that will spend a week with us. Getting to serve along with them will be such a humbling experience. I cannot wait to see how God is going to use me and shape my heart through this experience. Thank you to everyone for the prayers and support for this summer. I’m excited to see what God has in store for us this summer.

My favorite American snacks are Rice Crispy Treats, fruit snacks, and cookies. 😉

Also, spiders are not my favorite. I do not like them, so I will be more than willing to try to kill a spider in the dorm for a team member because I DO NOT want one in my bed! 🙂

Rebecca Rivers

Hi everyone, my name is Becca Rivers! I live in Arizona and have been here for 4.5 years, but I was born and raised in Maine, which is where my family is. I am a 22-year-old college student working towards my bachelor’s in social work while working full-time as an Assistant Manager with program for individuals with special needs. I am doing an HCO internship this summer because God has had Haiti on my heart since middle school (before I loved Jesus), and I have felt called there. During my first opportunity to go there in August 2018, I absolutely fell in love, was filled to overflowing, and had my heart broken into many pieces all at once. I learned a lot about HCO before going to Haiti, and when I was there I got to see so much of what they do and learn more about them. I love what HCO stands for and everything they do for Haiti that lasts! While there and once I got home, I felt lead to apply for a 2019 internship, so I did and here I am! God is so good and so faithful!!

When it comes to food, I am not very picky, but I prefer healthy American snacks when I’m Haiti that are filling and provide lasting energy. Some of my favorites are RX Bars (any kind!), Terra chips, and nuts (especially almonds, walnuts, and cashews).

I am would 100% kill a spider in the dorm (or in the dining room, the gazebo, a vehicle, or anywhere else) for a team member! I happen to be a sought after spider/scorpion/bug killer by those who live with me and work with me. I’m not afraid of them, have no issues killing them, and am willing to do it for others.

I’m looking forward to SO much this summer Haiti, people, and culture wise, but I would say I’m most looking forward to all the new ways I will get to know my Father better through this and grow in my relationship with Him! I know that will come through Haitian friends, the Haitian church, other interns, HCO staff, team members, time alone with the Lord, etc.

Some of my favorite memories in Haiti, besides the times where God’s hand was so clearly there protecting and providing, are the moments connecting with the Haitian people (of all ages) despite the language barrier and the world of differences between us. One time, I heard a teen playing an English worship song on her phone and told her in Creole that I know the song. She asked me to sing it, and I asked her to sing it with me. We sat there and worshiped the same awesome God together! Another time was convincing three young adult women in Belle Anse to dance with me after they were watching me dance with the kids. And of course, my favorite was playing with all the kids and telling them how much Jesus loves them. I can’t wait for many more of these moments this summer!