This summer, WoodsEdge is privileged to have four Missions & Mobilization interns on our team. With so many events taking place over the next few months, these interns will be a huge help in our day-to-day ministry, and we pray that their spiritual development will be even more profound. Get to know the stories of two of our Bring Hope interns:
Berhanesh Portilla
Hey! My name is Berhanesh (ber-HAHN-ish), and I am honored to share a brief testimony of how the Lord has been working in my life over the past year.
I am originally from Ethiopia, Africa and graduated from high school in 2024. This past fall, I had the incredible opportunity to take part in a missions internship with an organization called Global Gates. They are a ministry focused on reaching the nations both locally and globally.
During the internship, I was involved in a variety of outreaches. Locally, I led Quran and Bible studies, supported refugee families with clothing, and helped many individuals learn English. These experiences deepened my understanding of cross-cultural ministry and strengthened my heart for serving those in need.
Internationally, God opened doors for me to serve in several countries:
- In Rome, Italy, I had the privilege of sharing the gospel with Bengali refugee women. Which then later resulted in a Bible study through zoom every week.
- In Dubai, I worked alongside a network of Ethiopian women known as "Lighthouses." These ladies are faithful nannies who serve as evangelists within the Emirati homes where they are employed.
- In Nepal, our team encouraged and equipped former Muslims by teaching them gospel tools and helping them grow in their faith.
- And in Amritsar, India, I met with a Punjabi pastor, visited the local church of the pastor. One morning I got the honor to participate in their beautiful time of worship and morning prayer with the women of the Punjab church.
Each location was a powerful reminder that the gospel is alive and active around the world, and I am humbled to have experienced that journey.
After completing the internship, I returned home and spent some time working. I am now currently involved in another enriching internship with WoodsEdge Community Church, where I continue to grow in leadership and deepen my walk with the Lord.
This upcoming fall, I will begin my college journey at Blinn College in Bryan, trusting God with every step ahead.
When I am not doing work, I enjoy exploring about diverse cultures and learning the history behind them. I also enjoy spending time outdoors and love a good cup of coffee as well as Ethiopian food!
I am deeply grateful to be a part of a church family that values missions, discipleship, and the next generation. I look forward to the ways the Lord will continue to lead and use me in the seasons to come.
"After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: 'Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.'" -Revelation 7:9-10
Jubilee Harris
Hi! My name is Jubilee, and I am the youngest of eight kids. I grew up in a Christian household and have always lived in Texas. I'm incredibly thankful for my family, but I wouldn't say I truly began following Jesus until about four years ago.
At that time, I was in a dark place. My dad had recently passed away, and I wasn't pursuing a relationship with Jesus. I felt alone, unsatisfied, and constantly searching for something to fill the emptiness inside me.
I remember one time when my sister came home from a summer camp—she had a glow in her eyes that I had never seen before. The joy she had as she described her experience was clearly from Jesus, and I knew I wanted that too. That moment marked a turning point in my life. Of course, there have been ups and downs since then, but Jesus has been my only constant, and I've experienced so much of His grace and mercy.
It was shortly after that conversation with my sister that my heart for missions first began to grow. I was surrounded by incredible mentors and leaders at WoodsEdge and heard about the Great Commission for the first time. I was given the opportunity to go on several mission trips, including one to Los Angeles, California. During that trip, God placed India on my heart, and I was eventually able to go there for a month-long outreach during my time with Youth With a Mission (YWAM). I hope to return someday.
I recently returned from a six-month Discipleship Training School with YWAM in Brisbane, Australia. During my last two weeks there, the Lord gave me the idea to start a neighborhood coffee shop—by donation—where I could love my neighbors in a practical way. When the idea came to me, I knew I needed to start as soon as I got home. My family and I renovated our garage, and the coffee shop, Cuppa, officially opened in the first week of June. I don't know what the long-term future holds for Cuppa—whether it's just for this season or something more permanent—but I'm expectant and ready for whatever God has in store. I keep hearing Him say to simply be available and obedient.
This summer, I'll be serving as a missions intern with WoodsEdge alongside a few other young adults. We'll be focusing on local missions, as well as participating in some short-term mission trips. I am incredibly excited for what God has in store, both locally and internationally.
Although I've had a desire for long-term overseas missions for years, I also deeply love Houston and am committed to being content wherever God plants me. He is faithful and trustworthy!
We are excited and expectant for the work that Berhanesh and Jubilee will do this summer. If you see them around campus, be sure to introduce yourself, find out what they've been learning, and ask how you can pray for them!