The HELM Leadership Fellows Program is for undergraduate students who are part of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). The Program aims to develop leaders through an intentional focus on four major areas. The first year of the program focuses on Community and students reflect on what it means to be Christian community. The them for the second year is Transformation and it gives students a chance to reflect on how Christian communities engage in transforming church, society, and world. In the third year, students focus on Global Awareness and the interconnectedness of Christian communities around the world. The fourth and final year focuses on mentoring and spiritual vocational discernment.
In the third year, HELM partners with the Division of Overseas Missions/Global Ministries to take the students on an international trip to see how we engage in ministries of accompaniment in a particular part of the world. This year, the students traveled to Colombia where they learned about the Colombian peace accords and the successes and struggles in realizing peace in the country; heard from partner organizations working on issues of human rights and reconciliation; visited locations where Internally Displaced Peoples (IDPs) have fled to find safety; and had a first-hand experience of the rich culture and history of Colombia.
Click on the name of each student to read their reflections on what they experienced during their time in Colombia!