Winterim 2023 is a wrap! During this term, our students traveled the globe, took specialized classes, and gained professional experience in internships. As students return from their Winterim destinations and classes conclude, we invite you to look back on a few of this week’s highlights!
Israel: Following In Jesus' Footsteps
Recognizing and celebrating the uniqueness within our student body is one way we build a Kingdom Community. Winterim trips are another way to celebrate differences and take joy in honoring the diversity of God’s creation in the cultures and places we visit around the world.
This year, students traveled to nine different countries, racking up a collective 72,762 miles of travel to and from Wheaton Academy.
One of this year’s most exciting destinations was the Holy Land! Students visiting Israel had the opportunity to follow in Jesus’ footsteps as they learned to read the Bible with fresh eyes.
Students got to ride camels and get a taste of the rugged landscape surrounding the towns they visited.
On a windy day, the group took a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. They imagined the disciples watching Jesus walk across these very waves, or calming the storm that terrified the disciples.
The trip was full of history and architecture! Students got to see and experience what it would have been like to live in the first century.
Sam ’24 shared this meditation on water, “The Bible often describes Christ as a river, a well, a stream, or a spring. As we visited sites that featured water, we learned about the way people understood water in Ancient Israel. Because the environment is arid, raining scarcely throughout the year, the Israelites treasured water and saved it in cisterns for later use. As a group, we talked about the difference between living water and water from the cisterns which was especially powerful we watched water flow from the hidden, crystal clear creeks of Ein Gedi. The Israelites’ thirst for water serves as an example to us of how we should thirst for Jesus.“
At the Jordan River—the same river where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist—some students were baptized and others rededicated their lives to Christ.
You can read more reflections from our adventures in Israel on the trip blog here.
Internship Spotlight: Eva '24
In California, Eva ’24 interned with Missionary Athletes International (MAI), a ministry that reaches communities for Christ through soccer. Here are a few of her reflections on her experience:
“It is impactful to see how relationships with coaches and teammates both on and off the field can not only make you a better player technically, but also draw you daily closer to Christ.
“MAI’s international tours impact the world in amazing ways; however, it’s also important to recognize that ministry is necessary within our own cities and communities—not just on the other side of the world! That’s what made this time with the Southern California Seahorses and MAI an eye-opening experience. I definitely see sports ministry as an immediate and future part of my life.”
Hands-On Skill-Building: Woodworking
In Woodworking class, students learned new skills in the Idea Lab as they designed, crafted, and polished their projects from start to finish. Working with wood is at the core of human history, even Jesus was a carpenter! As students gained experience and confidence working tools, they were able to plan and execute their own ideas for projects.
Creativity is a skill that takes time to nurture and these students certainly spent their Winterim doing just that. Even though this class is finished, students will take the creative skills and practice into the rest of the school year and beyond.
While this is just one glimpse into the development and growth that happens each year during Winterim, all of our activities are designed with the same goal in mind. We provide opportunities for students discover how they can make a difference for Christ in the world with their skills, knowledge, and talent.
Stay tuned next week to hear about more Winterim experiences!