This fall I will be attending the Bridge Street Mission School, or BSMS for short. This is an 8 month discipleship program in which myself and 12 other student will be living together in an apartment complex off of Bridge street, affectioantely called The Lincoln House. We will be diving into the westside community and learning what it means to serve in all aspects of life, as we continue to learn ourselves what our role is as followers of Jesus. 

The school starts September 12th and goes until the end of April. Our time there will be divided into 3 core phases:

Phase 1) Formation: We will be spending the first 4 months studying scripture, the character of God, urban and global ministry, community, spiritual warfare, worship, prayer, and more. This phase is primarily focused on spiritual development. We will spend our mornings in lessons and prayer and our afternoons and evenings serving the community around Bridge Street. A few of the ways we will be serving is through helping out with different after school programs, organizing VBS’s, and volunteering at The Pavilion, a coffee shop run by the Bridge Street House of Prayer committed to offering fellowship, prayer, bagels, and a great cup of joe, completely free of charge!


Phase 2) Global Mission: This phase is 2 months long and is from January until March. The students will be split into two mission teams and sent to support and advance the work of long term native missionaries, already doing amazing things to advance the kingdom of God. We will primarily be helping in schools; whether that’s with arts and crafts, english lessons, or bible studies, we are there to help and learn.


Phase 3) Sending: The final phase is a time of debriefing all we learned in the first 6 months, and spending time in intentional prayer figuring out what is next for each student and how to use the gifts God has given us to glorify Him and advance the kingdom of heaven here on earth.

I am so excited to embark on this journey, but I need your help! Throughout this year myself and the other students will need tremendous amounts of prayer as we are stretched and challenged in new ways, learn to share a living space with one another, and share the gospel on our street corners.
Another way I will be needing help thi year is financially. Although the cost for the school is quite grand, every dollar is a huge help and another step towards the goal.

Tuition: 7,800 (Due November 6th)
Includes: houseing, food, lessons, airfare, houseing abroad, and transportation.
Does not include: Personal necesities, activities, school books or ice cream runs. ;)

There is a lot more I could share with you about the school and my decision to go, so please feel free to ask as many questions as you want!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and for any support you are able to give. 

With love and appreciation,
~Kaitlyn Zittel~

Checks payable to: 1054 Bridge Street NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504 (Please attach a note with my name on it, but do not write my name on the check)

“And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there.” - Acts 20:22