In the Holiday Spirit

Holidays are a special time for most people, but for Disney interns, holidays typically mean working hard while everyone else enjoys their vacation.  Most Disney interns work long hours on the holiday shifts when the full-time cast members don't want to work.  So getting an opportunity to celebrate holidays is special for a Disney intern.
 
Our ministry team members in Florida have begun hosting holiday outreach activities at times when the interns can attend to provide opportunities for Disney interns to get to celebrate holidays together while hearing the gospel.

For many American interns who are away from family and friends, this is the only time they will get to celebrate holidays.  For many international interns, this is one of their only experiences of American culture and may be the only time they are invited into an American home.

Disney Interns at Halloween Outreach

Recently, the team hosted a Halloween Party Outreach where interns were invited to dress up, carve pumpkins, go "trunk-or-treating" and have a discussion about ghosts, God and the Bible.  More than 30 interns came and here is what one student from Morocco had to say about the experience:

 "I do not have words to express how I felt last night.  As soon as I walked into your apartment I knew I was glad I was there.  I really liked the trick-or-treating and the questions you asked in the group discussion.  It was one of the best moments of my life."  - A Disney intern from Morocco

Thanksgiving Feast

And just two weeks ago the team hosted a Thanksgiving Feast Outreach where more than 50 interns representing 15 different countries on 5 continents attended.  They cooked four turkeys and all the trimmings, shared the story of Thanksgiving, and had an intern named Jenne Lee from South Africa share her testimony.  It was the first time she had ever shared in front of a group.  There were also some amazing responses from the interns at that event:

"From the moment I walked into the door I felt loved."  - A Disney intern from Mexico

“I've been in the US 9 months and this is the first time I've been in an American home.  I wasn't sure I would ever been in an American home while I was here, until tonight."   - A Disney intern from Morocco

Interns from Mexico

"My friends asked me, 'Don't you think that this is weird that they are hosting an event like this for all the interns?' and I answered, 'Well, don’t you think it’s a little weird that people stand in front of our housing at night and hand out free alcoholic drink coupons to get on a Party Bus?  But at least the people hosting the Thanksgiving Feast are trying to do something good and loving.'"   - A Disney intern from Mexico

A girl who Jenne Lee invited from Uganda had said that she had been hurt by Christians before and now refers to herself as a Muslim.  Despite these hurts, she decided to come to Thanksgiving and had a great night.

With such a large response to the Halloween and Thanksgiving outreach activities, the team is searching for a larger venue for their Christmas outreach.  Please pray that God would lead them to the perfect location to serve the interns and host a wonderful outreach event to celebrate Christ in Christmas.  It is obvious to see that God is moving at Walt Disney World, and we feel so blessed to be a part of it!