Our greatest hope for our interns is that they experience meaningful relationships that help them discover the beauty and value of international development work. We are committed to equipping them to thrive in diverse cultural contexts, whether serving overseas or engaging in stateside cross-cultural work. Additionally, we provide job-specific training within the U.S. to help them develop practical skills for the field. We are honored to journey alongside our interns as they explore opportunities for their future.
To ignite a passion for seeing lives transformed in marginalized language communities through literacy and development and inspire a new generation of future development workers through cross-cultural experiences and exposure to a myriad of essential support roles to accelerate human flourishing in mind, body, and spirit.
To provide transformative opportunities that immerse individuals in both cross-cultural experiences and job-specific vocations that foster spiritual growth, cultural understanding, and practical skills essential for thriving in international development work.
We prioritize deepening one’s understanding of what motivates them to serve others and how to connect that motivation with spiritual growth.
We value the importance of learning from deep relationships and understanding, engaging effectively and empathetically with diverse communities.
We are committed to providing practical, hands-on learning opportunities that equip interns with essential skills for cross-cultural work on a team.
We foster a supportive environment in which interns receive guidance from certified life-coaches who walk with them to explore opportunities in their lives.
International Literacy and Development works in conjunction with our strategic partner, Pioneer Bible Translators, to prepare interns for their internship. This training takes place on the Pioneer Bible/ILAD Campus in Dallas, TX.
Duration: 2 Weeks
Purpose: To equip interns for their time on the field.
• Interns receive hands-on training in language acquisition, team formation, cultural anthropology, spiritual formation, and conflict resolution.
• They participate in interactive team-building activities under the direction and mentorship of the Formation Team.
• In addition, interns get to participate in a myriad of learning opportunities – Translation demonstrations, literacy equipping sessions, community development, and support roles.
• They attend the Discovery conference where they meet many of our teammates and catch our vision to see lives transformed in marginalized language communities through literacy and development.
Duration: 6–7 Weeks
Purpose: To help interns acquire a broader vision of cross-cultural work, gain further insight into what it means to truly flourish, and to explore what the future may hold for their lives.
Duration: Approximately 1 Week
Purpose: To help interns process their experiences and allow them to reconnect with other intern teams.
To be eligible for a summer internship, you should:
We’ve designed the process to fit around college finals and holiday breaks, so you won’t be juggling too much at once. The process has two parts, plus a short interview:
Phase 1: This is your chance to tell us who you are, which internship you’re applying for, and what you hope to learn.
Due: November 28, 2025
Interview (30 minutes): A brief conversation with either your prospective program host or supervisor, or one of our strategic partner mobilizers.
Interview Window #1: December 15-19, 2025
Interview Window #2: January 5-9, 2026
Phase 2: Standard forms and documentation required for all internships.
Due: January 10, 2025.
Final Decisions: All applicants will be notified by Friday, January 17, 2026.
These funds cover your entire internship, including your pre-field orientation and debriefing in Dallas, flights and visa (if applicable), lodging, meals, extra expenses, etc.
Yes! In fact, our strategic partner, Pioneer Bible Translators, we will equip you with biblical perspectives and basic skills to raise both prayer and financial support.
Most likely. International Literacy and Development has worked alongside universities to meet the academic and hands-on requirements each respective institution requires to receive college credit. We are happy to have a conversation with you about this.
We love that you have people in your life who care deeply about you, and we’d be happy to chat with them about this opportunity. They can email our Communications Director at Mandy.chankin@ilad.ngo
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