ID Mission Trip Reports 2026

Every year, Relational Mission coordinates a year-long discipleship internship called ID:Intentional Discipleship. Students invest a year serving in a local church, increasing their biblical understanding and growing in faith. They also go on a missions trip - usually overseas - to serve churches and their communities.

This year ID students went to the Philippines, South Africa and Lesotho or the Netherlands! We reached out to three of them to hear more about their experiences.

The Philippines – Anya

“Mission is not a trip, but a mindset”

Anya: I recently went on a mission trip to the Philippines with about thirteen other ID students. I flew out with an unsettling apprehension at the idea of serving for two weeks in a completely new environment. However, my fear fled when we arrived at the House of Grace Community Church, where we were warmly welcomed by the smiling, familiar face of Eden (one of the church leaders). The HGCC team showed us God’s love through hospitality, kindness, and an eagerness to share Filipino culture, food, and parts of their language (Tagalog). We weren’t only doing church work but also learning what it means to do life in the heart of Manila.

Another beautiful thing to see was the church’s consistent care for the poor. Despite the challenges, it was a blessing to share Jesus, eat together, and play games with local young people, many of whom lack basic needs. HGCC run this outreach programme six days a week! Their steadfast love for the community kindled a similar compassion in me for those in need, and seeing the kids’ joy in the Lord – regardless of circumstance – increased my gratitude towards God.

We also partnered with the church youth team and helped with their camp ‘Newday’. There was a strong sense of unity between them all. Their eager and childlike faith radiated spiritual maturity. How they worshipped, not only in song but in all they did, was inspiring, to say the least! Having the chance to preach on the Gospel was an awesome opportunity, too!

For me, the best part was getting to know our team, especially our incredible leaders, who served us so well. It’s often easy to get so caught up in serving that we forget to look after those who serve alongside us, but this trip felt different. We all received spiritual and mental care from each other. The leaders had a massive impact on my faith by sharing encouraging words and wanting to get to know me, which led me to do likewise for my brothers and sisters. Being willing to be honest and vulnerable with each other was key. It meant we were all best equipped and fuelled for the tasks God laid before us.

Although the official mission ended, I went with my friend to another island, Cebu, for an extra week. The previous two weeks reshaped my perspective on mission, and this fresh trip solidified it. We prayed for boldness to share the gospel with everyone we spoke to. Even within 2 hours of arriving, we talked and prayed with an Emirates pilot during his layover! After experiencing many more surprising moments like this throughout the week, I flew home with the new realisation that mission is not a trip, but a mindset; the time of concentrated serving became a catalyst for leading a missionally minded life every day.

South Africa and Lesotho – Rowana

“God genuinely cared and was orchestrating it all”

Rowana: There’s so much I could say about our time in Clarens and Lesotho, but that would be more than a few paragraphs – I know, I kept a daily journal, and it is LONG. But I will try my best to give a brief overview of some of the things we got up to, experienced, and learned.

We visited Lesotho first (after a brief stop in Clarens on the way), where we got involved with River of Life Church in Maseru and some of the amazing work they’re doing there. We spent the first evening learning about Lesotho, its people, culture, and language (Sesotho) and the attitudes we needed to adopt and leave behind for effective mission. A couple of examples would be: instead of pitying people, recognising that we all need Jesus; or instead of being unwilling to take risks, adopting the attitude of coming here to grow by stepping out of our comfort zones.

The following morning, we joined their prayer meeting and church service, where some of us got involved in the kids' and youth work. Over the days we were there, we enjoyed lots of great times of feasting and fellowship with the church and the local team. We also ventured out into the mountains to visit and spend a night with their partner church. While there, we helped level the floor for their new church building, ran activities with the local kids, and went out to a nearby village to minister to the locals. We heard how one lady had been healed of diabetes 11 years prior, saw a few people respond to the gospel, and prayed for some ladies who had sought us out. We ended our time in Lesotho with a worship and prayer evening at the church, before eating more great food and fellowshipping together. We were so sad to go!

At Clarens, we continued to get involved in the projects and groups the church is running. One of the things we did a lot on this trip was to have members of the group step out and bring a word of encouragement to the groups we visited, particularly those in Clarens. Groups we got involved with and encouraged included their Elderly Project, Young Adults group, Youth Group, and Hope Restored (a domestic violence ministry). We also visited Steve and Heather Oliver at their farm and heard more about their story and the church’s history. They took us to the river that borders Lesotho, where they have baptisms and where people used to cross to come to church in the early days. We also went out in groups to pray for healing and saw someone healed of foot pain. On Sunday, we joined in with their prayer meeting and church service, and again some of us went out to work with the kids. We ended our trip on Monday by visiting the school and leading their assembly, which we followed up with visits to their classes.

I really enjoyed our final debrief and time together as the ID team on Sunday evening. After eating together, we shared some reflections from the trip, and then thanked Sarah, Dan and Maya for their leadership and loveliness, which led into a beautiful time of praising, worshipping and thanking God together, and praying for Africa. It was a beautiful evening and a perfect way to round off the trip.

The Netherlands – Issac

“Mission isn’t for the few but is the calling of every believer”

One of the first places we visited was a church plant in Eindhoven, and before arriving, I sensed that God had given me a word of encouragement for the church. Sharing that word stretched me because it required me to step out in faith and trust that I had heard God’s voice. It reminded me that God delights in using ordinary people to encourage His Church, and that obedience is often more important than feeling completely confident. Seeing the encouragement that the word brought strengthened my faith and reminded me that God still speaks today.

Later in the week we travelled to Nijmegen, where we went to a language café and spent time doing university evangelism. Meeting people from different nations and backgrounds was a powerful reminder that the gospel truly is for everyone. Conversations often began with simple acts of kindness or everyday questions but opened the door to much deeper discussions about life and faith. I learnt that evangelism isn’t necessarily about having every answer or delivering the perfect presentation of the gospel; it’s more about loving people well, listening carefully, and being willing to point them towards Jesus. God had already been at work in people’s hearts long before we met them, we simply had the privilege of joining in with what He was doing.

One of the greatest privileges of the trip was serving on the youth team at a family camp in the Netherlands, where I had the opportunity to share my testimony. As I reflected on how God has given me courage to step out in faith, particularly in sharing the gospel with my friends and trusting Him in uncomfortable situations, I realised that the message was just as much for me as it was for those listening. God reminded me that courage is choosing to obey Him despite fear, knowing that He is always with us. Throughout the week, I also learnt what it means to serve as part of the body of Christ, and that mission isn’t reserved for a select few but is the calling of every believer. I came home with a greater burden for the nations, a deeper love for the local church, and a renewed passion to share the gospel wherever God places me. This trip reminded me that when we say yes to God, He uses us to bless others and changes us in the process.