By Bill Walder
We didn't need to travel to China, Bangladesh, Columbia, Ghana, India or Turkey in order to befriend international students. We merely drove to Pittsburgh (less than an hour away) in order to have the pleasure of meeting some incredibly wonderful people from many nations. My wife and I have been involved with PRISM (Pittsburgh Region International Student Ministry) for about two years. It is one of the most delightful and rewarding aspects of our ministry lives.
Our involvement began as we hosted a picnic at the home of a couple from our small group. Games, food and rich conversations were the stuff from which relationships began. Out of that day, the small group and the international students developed connections that grew during their schooling, and continued after students returned to their home countries. Several from the small group continue to be actively involved in reaching out to new international students as they arrive each year.
Most of the international students in our ministry have been on the graduate level. These highly educated, intelligent individuals are totally confounded by the abundant generosity and love shown by PRISM staff and volunteers. They come to the U.S. with few material goods. In most cases, just items of clothing and their computers. They move into unfurnished apartments and may sleep on the floor for some time until they can scavenge discarded items from others' trash.
The school year begins with PRISM's "Garage Give-Away" event. A large church near several university campuses is filled with furniture, bedding, cookware, dishes, sweepers, and decorative items. Volunteers help students gather their free goods, then drive them to their apartments. A "Welcome to Pittsburgh" night informs them of all the events and opportunities they can take advantage of through PRISM. More than three hundred students are blessed by these Christian servants. Many of the students are drawn to activities during the year, attracted by the depth of love they experience through the PRISM staff and volunteers.
Our own family has hosted international students for birthday celebrations, Thanksgiving dinner, and Christmas activities. We were able to introduce one Asian couple who were Muslims to an Amish and a Mennonite community where they saw the gospel clearly presented in the local museum, and again over an Amish dinner. My wife, our daughters, and several other women from our church developed a special bond with the Asian wife of this couple. In a going-away party in her honor, this woman confessed tearfully that she had never felt such love in her own country. She described it as "not normal" for people to love strangers and do so much for them. That night there were several discussions around God's grace in salvation, His love that motivates a Christian to good works, and the transformation of being a new person in Christ.
My family and our church friends that have volunteered with this international student ministry have been blessed beyond words. We will always have open hearts for them. Their eagerness for friendship and spiritual discussions has been a pleasant surprise and treasure.
Did you know? There are nearly 700,000 international students studying in the U.S. If your church is (or desires to be) ministering to international students, post comments or questions here.
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1 comment:
This is a great testimony, Bill, of incredible blessing through ministry to international students. Some years ago I read Phillips & Norsworthy's 1997 book, The World at Your Door, and was astounded to read 70% of international students never get invited to an American home, and 85% never get invited to an American church or have meaningful contact with genuine Christians during their years in the US (pp.30-31). Recently I asked Gary, a ReachGlobal colleague who works with internationals, if he thought that percentage has changed, and he said it's at least that high and possibly higher now. What an opportunity we have!
Roger Dorris, EFCA CONNECT
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