My name is Zachariah Jose, and for years, my life’s mission has been to reach people where they are. Growing up in Roseville and serving as a Staff Associate for the ministry of Young Life, I have been privileged to walk alongside middle school and high school students, sharing the gospel in places where Jesus often wasn’t being talked about. From starting new clubs at local middle schools to mentoring leaders, God has used my time in California to teach me that ministry is about showing up, being present, and earning the right to be heard.
Now, I feel the Lord calling me to take that same heart for “incarnational” ministry across the world to Estonia.
Estonia is known as one of the most secular nations on earth. I learned about Estonia and ministry there last year through one of Converge’s newest workers, Hannah Sapigao! Since then I have realized a deep, personal pull toward Estonia and its people. This summer, I will be serving with Converge, specifically focusing on youth-outreach through summer camps. In a culture where many families struggle with the absence of fathers, I hear a specific call to be a consistent, positive male presence, and to show young people that they are seen and deeply loved by their Heavenly Father.
My prayer for this internship is that God would open both my ears to listen and my mouth to speak His truth. I am going to Estonia to find how He wants to use me in long-term missionary work, and I hope that through my time there, the name of Jesus becomes known and comfortable to those who have never heard it. Thank you for partnering with me and praying for me as I follow Him into this new chapter.