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Author: IFI Columbus

  • The Developer

    Student digs deep to develop his relationship with God.

    Life involves inevitable change. Often, this change is quick and can catch one off guard.

    For *Izzy, this reality unfolded before his eyes at a young age.

    “I grew up in Kumasi, the second-largest economic city in Ghana. When I was growing up, Kumasi was actually covered with a lot of vegetation. During the British colonial period, Kumasi was actually referred to as the Garden City of West Africa due to how beautiful it was. By the time I graduated from High School, what we call “development” had led to natural habitats being replaced by buildings and mechanic shops.”

    The change and loss that Izzy perceived as his home developed around him made a life-long impression on him. He wanted to learn why and how this was happening. But processing the complexities that are involved in industrial and land development can seem overwhelming. Not for a mind like his, though.

    “In academics, I have always been very critical in thinking and I like to analyze things. I used to be very good at a local game called ‘Oware’. It is more technical and involves a lot of calculation and building good strategies to win.”

    Izzy’s capacity and passion for unwrapping the layers of an issue led him to study International Development in the States, focusing on geopolitical and economic imbalances in the world. His goal is to earn his PHD, and actively contribute to efforts that help developing countries establish a solid understanding of the methods that governmental authorities use to affect the lives of people every day.

    “Everything around us is about international developments. You need to know why things are going on in order to help communities understand how to move forward.

    These issues are difficult to tackle, but Izzy’s desire to create positive change helps him keep going. Maybe, this desire comes from the change he experienced at the hands of God.

    “When I received Christ back in High School, I stopped getting involved in bad behaviors. I saw God as a father, there to give me things. I prayed to Him, but only when I needed something.”

    This perception did not change until after he graduated High School. Izzy’s pastor, after two years of watching him grow, gave him the role of Prayer and  Bible Discussion Leader for his church. There was just one problem: Izzy hadn’t read much of the Bible. He began doing so to prepare for his new role, and suddenly found that he was understanding God in a new way.

    “You have that feeling when you know God is close. I started to hear His voice and he began to speak and direct me personally instead of through someone else.”

     

     

    Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you…- James 4:8

    As he continued to read the Word of God and listen to the voice of God, Izzy began to notice changes in himself. The hot temper that had followed him throughout his life was cooling. The weaknesses of his character were beginning to come to the surface and being resolved. He began praying to ask God for direction and guidance, not just things he could use. God was developing his heart.

    So when Izzy saw IFI’s advertisement for its ISEED internship program, an opportunity to gain professional experience and undergo spiritual growth, Izzy was more than willing to participate. He would recommend that other graduate students do the same: 

    “The classes and book recommendations helped me to understand the context of things in the Bible, which helps appreciate the word of God and build my trust in Him.”

    So as the world continues to develop around him, and he tries to help others keep up, Izzy can trust that the development that God is making in his heart will continue as well.

    *Name is changed for the privacy and safety of the student

  • At the Table

    Volunteers answer the call, the questions of a Muslim student.

    Sometimes difficult conversations happen when people are discussing a religious or cultural topic, but they don’t share the same beliefs. Those moments can feel uncomfortable and tense, and may quickly devolve into debate. But what happens when the conversation is taken from the debate desk, to the dinner table?

    *Eria, an MD research assistant returning to the U.S. in search of a residency, was surprised to see a man and woman holding a sign with her name as she exited the baggage claim. She had signed up for IFI’s Temporary Housing program because the apartment she had leased was delayed in availability. Still, she wasn’t expecting to be picked up.

    “She had taken an Uber the last time she was here,” says Jim Drake*, the IFI volunteer who hosted Eria. “It was funny, she actually walked right past us at first.”

    After getting Eria settled at home, Jim and his wife invited her to shop with them for dinner that night. They intended to cook her Chicken Curry, and went to two different shops to buy the halal meat for the dish. That night, they cooked two meals, one with each brand of meat. Jim invited Eria to judge which dish was better. That was the first of many meals they would prepare and share together.

    As they lived together, Jim began to notice many things about Eria, a practicing Muslim whose parents had warned her to only live and interact with other Muslims.

    “She was very disciplined to pray on time, but also had very liberal views on life. She wanted to explore and understand what others believed.”

    She also loved tea, which helped to calm her as she adjusted to the time difference in the States. To help, Jim prepared tea for her everyday. One day, he offered her some cardamom for her tea, but she refused. At first Jim thought nothing of it. Later, he asked her why she didn’t like cardamom (a common spice in her country) in her tea. “I thought it was a pork product,” she said as they laughed.

    As she continued her stay with Jim and his wife, Eria became more impressed and comfortable with the hospitality and friendship extended to her, despite the reservations of her parents, who were contacting her from back home. “I would choose them,” she told her mom and dad, even going as far to claim that her Christian hosts acted how she thought Muslims should act.

    So the hosting continued, and the friendship between Eria and the Drakes developed. One evening, after dinner, Eria asked the Drakes to sit with her: she had questions.

    “She wanted to learn about what we believed as Christians and why we believed it. We were happy to share.”

    The questions ranged over a variety of topics, including the Christian perspective of Prophet Muhammed and Quran, and the Bible’s message. This conversation, which lasted until midnight, could have easily turned into a theological dispute, an epic battle of argumentative logic and passionate rebuttals. But this was different, because the table had been set by friends, not enemies.

    “Muslim people tend to shut down quickly and become enrage because they feel threatened by Christians beliefs. We wanted her to know that we weren’t rejecting her, but bringing her another perspective.”

    Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. Revelation 3:20

    Soon after that conversation, Eria found a more permanent residence and her stay with the Drakes ended. However, her relationship with them and IFI did not. She attended the IFI welcome Picnic and met Jay, a campus minister who offered to drive her and two friends home as the event was ending. Jay and Eria later met for breakfast, where Eria described how she felt safe and cared for while staying with the Drakes. 

    The conversation again shifted to the topic of faith, with Jay expressing curiosity about Eria’s experience of practicing Islam in the States. “I’m always curious about how that works in a new environment; I also wanted to gauge how devoted she was. She is very thoughtful and comparative, and ultimately wants unity between people.”

    Eria also disclosed her interest in religions with holy books, and committed to attending a Bible Discussion to learn more about Christian beliefs. 

    So what happens when the conversation is taken from the debate desk, to the dinner table? What happens when someone’s voice is heard and they are invited inside to sit and share as friends?

    Simple: the potential for remarkable change.

     

    *Names of the student and volunteer are changed for privacy and safety

  • Because I am Helped

    Student serves with IFI in appreciation for being served.

    “I’m called to love on students, but I don’t always expect them to love us back.”

    For Xia, an Ohio State campus minister for IFI, it can be very draining when the love and service she extends to students is not reciprocated. Though her head knows that the reason that she and her fellow ministers extend this love is to reflect Jesus, her heart can feel discouraged sometimes.

    So it’s always nice when God responds with an encouraging surprise.

    One evening, Xia received an unexpected call from Harden, an Indian student she met during IFI’s trip to Washington D.C. She had noticed that Harden was a fairly quiet and independent student, so she didn’t develop much of a relationship with him during the trip. However, through a mutual friend and regular attendance to other IFI events and trips, they developed a solid friendship.

    Still, he rarely called.

    Xia answered the phone with a sweet hello and was greeted the same way. Harden then got to the point: 

    “I need a favor,” he said. One of his friends, who had just arrived in the States from India, had been stuck at the Dayton airport since that morning. He needed a ride to reach his host residence.

    Xia’s reply: “Let me have dinner first.”

    After a quick meal, Xia and her roommate (who had actually just returned from a conference in Dayton) picked up Harden and drove to the Dayton airport to meet his friend. The friend was overjoyed and so thankful that they all took the time to help him. He bought them all food and expressed how much stress he was experiencing throughout the day.

    After dropping off Harden and his friend at their respective homes, Xia and her roommate went home, feeling equally tired and fulfilled. They went above and beyond to help a student

    with whom they connected, and there was a still, small joy in that fact.

    A few days later, Xia received another call from Harden and his friend, this time with a peculiar question.

    “What is the make and model of your car?” Harden asked. He then asked if he could come to her apartment.

    Xia was unsure of what to think, other than Harden might need help again. She was curious when he arrived with a big box in his arms. He opened it to present a bike carrier for her car . After installing it for her, Harden and his friend suggested the best ways to test its viability. This gift has been very crucial to Xia’s ministry with other students, as she can now offer to transport their bikes while taking them shopping for necessities or on trips to build relationships. Xia couldn’t believe their kindness, and could only offer a warm thank you in response.

    But Harden wasn’t done.

    A few days before IFI’s 2021 Welcome Picnic, Harden called Xia again, letting her know that he had signed up for the event as a volunteer, not a guest. When asked why, he had a simple, but profound answer:

     “I would like to help because I am helped. You and IFI have touched my heart with your hospitality. Most people think that 2020 was a horrible year, but for me it was great because of all of the friendships I’ve made. So I’m proud to be a volunteer.”

    That day, Harden essentially worked a ten hour shift. He helped serve food, direct traffic, tear down displays and clean up. But before any of that, he assisted Xia in helping another student get settled in her apartment, assembling her bedframe and fixing her broken table. What. A. Day!

     

     

    I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. -Romans 15:13

    The most encouraging surprises tend to be the ones that produce hope. For Xia, the hope of her calling to love students, and for that love to point them to Christ, is being renewed. Harden is one example that God has offered her of how going above and beyond can inspire others to do the same. And though Harden is not currently attending Bible Discussion and they don’t typically have spiritual conversations, Xia is excited to see how God will use their friendship as a blessing.

    “It’s exciting to have opportunities to bless students. It’s beautiful to see those students bless others as well. Now I feel blessed!”

    If only every blessing started with a call.

    Then again, maybe they all do.

  • Newsletter – Oct. 2021: A Diverse Focus

    “Even with so many fish, the nets did not break.”  (John 21:11)

    After a busy August, the Columbus Campus staff used September to get down to business running weekly Bible discussion groups and meeting with students one-on-one.  We have 20 Bible discussion groups that have started, with over 120 students attending and 40 volunteers helping.  Since the school year started, we have heard of at least four International students putting their faith in Christ: two from China, one from the Middle East and one from India.  Praise God!

    So far this school year, we have connected with 948 International students, with the help of 336 volunteers.  These images show where the students come from (the grayscale background helps identify where the students are from).  It is always exciting to see so many areas of the world connecting with IFI.  

    Wen Cao, our OSU Campus Ministry Director, recently completed a review of the student demographic data we receive from OSU and determined that 89% of the international students at OSU come from unreached or hard to reach countries.  This fall, we have had fewer Chinese students engaging with IFI, which has made the diversity much more apparent at our activities and events and confirms the direction God had given me over the summer to launch some ethnic focused teams.

    IFI held its first African Night Party on September 12.  We had about 20 students participate. It was fun for me to meet students from so many countries and to try African foods and dances.  We laughed a lot and made some great new friends.

    Through the years, our Columbus location has had periods where there were more African students engaging in our activities.  It appears that time has come again. Over the summer, several former students from Africa that work in Columbus approached us and asked if they could get involved in serving students again.  We also have two interns in our ISEED program who are helping us reach out to African students, along with two of the IFI National team staff who are from Africa. I was also excited to help launch a Hispanic Team with a kickoff barbeque hosted by Columbus Team minister, Fabiola Jara!

    The hands of Jesus are being extended to students from a wide range of backgrounds. And though I’m excited and grateful for the progress we’ve made and maintained in establishing these focus teams, there is more work to be done. That means more hands are needed.

    I ask you to consider taking the opportunity to get involved with what God is doing through these teams, especially if He is leading you to pray. Here the a few needs to focus your prayers:

    • Chinese Friendship Team
      • This is the most fully functioning ethnic team.  We have 6+ Chinese staff on the Columbus team who have been helping us serve this large population at OSU.
      • Pray for the wisdom and favor that are needed for this team to engage with the Chinese students.  New pressure from the Chinese government has many students concerned and fearful about participating in religious activities.
    • Loving Indians Friendship Team
      • The Indian Friendship team has had one part-time staff person facilitating for two years.  We just hired a second part-time staff person from a Hindu background to begin raising funds to start her position.  We are looking for six more staff members and dozens of volunteers for this team.
      • This team has a growing impact and very positive reputation with the Indian community at OSU. Read about a powerful experience had by Danny Walker, staff leader for the Loving Indians Team in Columbus.
    • Muslim Friendship Team
      • The Muslim Friendship team has been around a while but we have had challenges with changes in the volunteer leadership team.
      • Pray for God to bring several staff people to this team so that we can see more consistency in serving this vitally important community.
    • African Friendship Team
      • This is one of the newest teams.  It has been 10 years since we have had a functioning team.  We thank God for the two ISEED interns helping this year.  Please pray and ask God to provide some staff and key volunteers to keep this team engaged.
    • Hispanic Friendship Team
      • We have had dreams for about 15 years to have a Spanish speaking outreach team and Bible discussion groups.   Please pray and ask God to provide some staff and key volunteers to keep this team engaged.
    • European Friendship Team 
      • As I was praying about various teams, I remembered that we have had students from Europe engage with IFI through the years. But because so many Americans are immigrants from Europe, those students can get lost.  I believe God wants us to have a team that would focus on identifying and engaging these European students.

    Get more information about joining one of these Ethnic friendship teams here!

  • OSU Update: “Reverse Hospitality”

    IFI OSU Campus Ministry Director, Wen Cao, provides an update on what she sees God doing on campus!

    I have had the privilege of developing a good friendship with a visiting scholar recently. When Jesus directed my attention to this woman, my first thought was to plan how I would minister to her. But Jesus was very clear: “Be her friend.” This removed a lot of the pressure from my heart, and I am excited about how God will lead.

    We have met frequently to run errands and share meals. One meal in particular was such a blessing to me. One day while we were talking, I shared that I would love to have someone cook for me. Not long after, she invited me to her apartment. I arrived to find that she had prepared a beautiful and delicious spread of culturally authentic dishes for me! I was surprised and excited because I had not had this kind of opportunity in a long time: to be a guest.

    We sat on the floor of the apartment to eat, eye-to-eye and heart-heart. It was then that I was reminded how wonderful it felt to be a guest at someone’s table, instead of always setting my own for others. I also saw how much joy it brought my friend to see me enjoy her kindness and hospitality. 

    We laughed and talked about many things, and she listened as I shared some of my spiritual experiences. As it turns out, accepting her invitation of “reverse-hospitality” opened her up to share what was on her heart, and to hear what Jesus put in mine. We were exchanging stories.

    The principle of this story is that healthy friendship is just as much about receiving and it is giving. So when a student offers you the chance to be a guest, take it. It might be the first step for them to accept Jesus’s invitation, through you.

    Bible Study Group Update:

    As our group discipleship efforts continue, we praise God that He is connecting us with students who want to learn and experience Him more. One-on-one discipleship has increased despite the constraints of the pandemic, as up to 100 internationals are being discipled by our staff and volunteers!

    Partners in Prayer:

    We ask that you pray with us for more Chinese student engagement with IFI activities and events. We believe that one possible reason for the decrease of engagement is that students are still very cautious about meeting in large group settings.

    We also are hiring a full-time Assistant Campus Ministry Director to help push our impact forward. Please pray that God would send the right person for the assignment.

  • Troubling the Water

    Minister sees a prayer answered by the heart of a friend.

    “Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.” (John 5:3-5)

    The wait is always the hardest part.

    “I’ve been praying for over a year to find someone who was eager to make time and learn the scriptures and the life of a believer,” says Danny Walker, one of the leaders of IFI’s Indian Friendship Team.

    Danny, a missionary’s son and former church minister, has a special desire to see the Great Commission fulfilled in the lives of people from predominantly Hindu nations. Because of this, he does whatever he can to meet and invite his Indian friends into the life of a follower of Jesus, to see what it’s really about.

    “For anyone who is serious about befriending Hindu students…do not get into a competition between Christianity and Hinduism (or Sikh, or Jain, or whatever faith they have). Have a living, everyday relationship with God and talk about your personal growth and learning on a regular basis. Promote Jesus and the positives. Tell stories of Jesus and keep them to a few minutes. Be interested in them (the students) and their faith.”

    Still, with as many events as he’s attended and conversations that he’s had, Danny was still searching for someone who was willing to go into deeper waters: beyond a friendship with him, into a friendship with Jesus.

    Then he met *Sam.

    “When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?’” (John 5:6)

    “Sam is employed by the OSU Agriculture Department and studies the water quality of Lake Erie. He has been in Columbus for 15 months. He got on the IFI website searching for opportunities to get involved. I emailed him and gave him several options. He was interested in Bible study already so I took him to my group and we started a friendship from that point. Now, we’ve been reading scripture and doing some memorizing together. On top of that we’ve been spending Tuesday night’s one-on-one.”

    As their friendship grew, Sam shared his desire to learn more about the Bible and the Christian lifestyle. He also shared more about his personal and work life with Danny, including a surprising detail about his experience in the States. Despite living and working in Ohio for over a year, studying Lake Erie, he never visited the actual lake! Upon hearing this, Danny committed to helping his friend find the opportunity to see the site of his work firsthand.

    Then they found it: Labor day weekend.

    Danny and his wife, Cheryl, invited Sam to join them on a day trip to Lake Erie, along with an Indian couple whom they had befriended at IFI’s Indian Independence Day Party. The couple, Octavtian and Marian, were new to Columbus and eager to experience some fun activities in their new home.

    “‘Sir,’ the invalid replied, ‘I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.’” (John 5:7)

    The drive to the Lake included sightseeing and engaging conversation. But the fun was just getting started. Upon arriving, the five travellers took a ferry to Kelleys Island and enjoyed eating local food. They also toured a park with a very old lighthouse, connecting and bonding as they took in the scenes by the lake.

    But Danny is not one to miss an opportunity. So during conversation, when Octavian was expressing his views on religion and the similarities between faiths in the world, Danny offered the difference that Jesus makes:

    “The good news, or Gospel, is that when we fall short of the works-based approach found in most religions, we can turn to God’s mercy found in Jesus. In fact, the cross of Jesus is the only way to cover our shortcomings. So God’s mercy is actually a different path than all other religions.”

    Just then, Sam, who had taken a break from the group to read a portion of a book he brought, rejoined the conversation. He had just finished reading a page in the book, recommended to him by Danny, focusing on the path to God. Then he quoted Ephesians 2:8-9: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”

    Danny felt a wide smile unfold across his face. Though Octavian might not have accepted the path of Jesus, Sam seemed to be well on his way.

    “Then Jesus said to him, ‘Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.’” (John 5:8)

    The wait is often the hardest part; but afterwards, when the opportunity arises, we can’t afford to let it wash away. Danny was given the opportunity to pour into Sam, and in one moment, he saw the work that God was doing all along.

    And just like the man who was waiting at the Pool of Bethesda for another angel to trouble the water, Danny received his desire. But his fulfillment didn’t come from the water; it came from the words of Jesus.

    *Name is changed for the privacy and safety of the student

  • Staff Highlight: Danny Walker

    We are blessed with an amazing staff team at IFI in Columbus!

    Each month we shine the spotlight on one of the Columbus team members, so you can meet them up close and personally. There are so many staff who work tirelessly behind the scenes to help IFI remain prepared to serve.

    Danny has served as a Campus Minister for the IFI Columbus team since the beginning of 2020. He leads the India Friendship ministry while building relationships with students. His desire is to inspire vision in students in order to further spread the gospel message. 

    Before joining the IFI team, Danny grew up as a missionary’s kid, living in Japan for nine years.

    As an adult, he worked as a missionary in central Ohio to immigrant Bhutanese refugees. He later began serving in various pastoral and leadership positions at a local church. 

    Danny volunteered with IFI for years before joining the team. After retiring from his church, IFI staff members encouraged Danny to apply for a position. With a need for Indian ministry leadership and Danny’s experience, he found himself as a Campus Minister, submerged in the mission once again. 

    Danny’s work extends from his heart’s mission to serve the Lord; he is especially passionate about the unreached people groups of Nepal. He sees IFI as an avenue to serve this mission. 

    “God’s finishing up His missionary work and this is one way that I can contribute to an area of great need,” says Danny.  

    One of Danny’s favorite memories is from a trip with a student to Kentucky. The student was curious about the stories in the Bible and Jesus. Danny told him the stories of Abraham and Moses and their parallel to the gospel story. Danny loved the intersection of his greatest passion and getting to know the heart and questions of the student. 

    Danny would one day love to visit the Indian Himalayas where he can hike and engage with the indigenous people. 

    He asks for prayer to receive wisdom from God to help his team succeed and raise up leaders and disciples. He also asks for prayer that IFI would accumulate more student leadership. 

  • The Explorer

    Student discovers acceptance and community.

    *Rob, the first son of ten siblings, grew up in an Iranian farming village that always seemed too small. “I would spend most of my time in the new library that opened, reading as many fantasy and folklore books as I could. Each book was a new world to explore.”

    Rob’s desire to explore also extended to academics, where he excelled, but not without challenges. After he completed elementary school, his father’s expectation was that Rob would come to work on the farm and help train his younger brothers. However, Rob wanted to complete high school, which required him to travel into the nearest city. Despite his father’s disapproval, Rob attended high school in the city at age 14, where he experienced his first battle with culture shock.

    “I grew up speaking Turkish; in the city they spoke Persian. Life in the city was so different, and I was really shy.” So shy, in fact, that when one of his teachers asked him to retrieve a dry-erase marker from another classroom, Rob felt so much pressure that he ran into the classroom, snatched the marker, and ran back.

    His shyness and insecurities, however, did not stifle Rob’s desire to explore and achieve his academic potential. When he encountered the opportunity to attend the Sharif University of Technology, the most prestigious university in his country, the 200 question entrance exam didn’t phase him. “Why wouldn’t I be able to make it in?” he thought. So he locked himself in his bedroom for 450 days, studying for 12 hours each day. When he emerged from his fortress of solitude, he faced the exam, and passed. In fact, his score ranked 9th out of 1 million applicants. He received a full scholarship to Sharif University and later earned the opportunity to study abroad at the Ohio State University in the United States. Still, the exciting opportunity came with challenges.

    “My first day in this country was very discouraging,” Rob says sadly. “I felt like I was being targeted by airport officials, who also made it clear that I could not return home to see my family because of nationwide travel restrictions. I also could not open a bank account with a certain institution, because they could not open accounts for Iranians. I was starting to believe what people back home were saying about Americans.”

    Sitting outside of that bank, feeling dejected and rejected, Rob looked up and saw a few college students playing frisbee. One of them seemed to notice him and invited him to play. Eventually that same group became his only friends for his first semester in the United States. But as he began to feel more comfortable in his new environment, tragedy struck his family.

    “My father died. I received a call afterward. My family said that they didn’t tell me he was dying because they knew I would try to come home and I couldn’t.”

    During his second semester, Rob battled depression, insecurity, and isolation, causing his studies to suffer. He realized he was at risk of losing his scholarship before he contacted his academic advisor to share what he was going through. Working with his advisor, he was able to pass his classes. He also made a choice.

    “I can’t live like this,” he told himself. “Life is too short.”

    So Rob began to explore again. He spent time with many student organizations, read self help books, and studied different faiths. He was searching for friendship, meaning, and peace. Christianity seemed the most accessible faith to study, and he developed a desire to experience the lifestyle of a Christian. However, Rob often found that his curiosity and questions were not always welcome. Eventually, his search led him to an IFI Bible discussion group. Rob immediately noticed that IFI volunteers and staff were just as concerned about welcoming him as they were about teaching about Jesus.

    “IFI was one of the most diverse groups, making it easier for me to feel like I belong. They celebrate different cultures and know how to respect other people, and that makes me feel comfortable.”

    As he grew more comfortable, Rob began to learn more about Jesus and how God relates to him, “I didn’t feel worth anything, always trying to achieve and succeed. But I read Matthew 6:33 and thought ‘Maybe I’m pursuing the wrong things.’ I want the peace that passes all understanding. Jesus taught me I don’t have to do anything to be good enough for God.”

    “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” Matthew 6:33 (NLT)

    Though Rob doesn’t consider himself a Christian, he desires to become more Christ-like and live out Biblical principles. He continues to attend and engage with IFI events and Bible discussion groups, making new friends and learning more each day. The prayer is that as he continues to pursue Christ, he will find the peace that he is looking for, and then begin to explore everything that God has planned for his life.

    *Name is changed for the privacy and safety of the student

  • Our Heart Language

    Minister connects students at her home.

    “It was good!”

    Fabiola Jara – The IFI Columbus team’s master-mover –  nods emphatically and clasps her hands thoughtfully as she looks back to that beautiful day.

    “It was very good!” she says, referring to her first coordinated event as the coordinator for IFI’s developing Hispanic Friendship Team. Faby had been tasked with developing an official team to reach and address the needs of spanish-speaking students, connecting with them beyond her level of service. Faby took the task and ran with it, inviting dozens of students to a BBQ hosted at her home!

    “It was the weekend after our Welcome Party, so I only had a few days to prepare. It was a great turn out, nonetheless.”

    With tables and chairs littering the grass, and balloons littering the tables, Faby and her small team of IFI staff and volunteers waited for students to arrive. They didn’t wait long. At 7:00 PM, over 30 students gathered in her backyard to meet, greet, and eat!

    “I was a little worried that we wouldn’t have enough meat. So we gave out small servings. It turned out that we had a good amount left over,” Faby says with a shrug and a smile.

    Almost all of the students in attendance had initially met Faby at the IFI Welcome Party or through her work as an outreach minister (helping students move, taking them on trips, and providing transportation to and from the airport). Some students even invited other students that Faby had the pleasure to meet for the first time. Faby was also pleasantly surprised at the amount of diversity among the students, as nearly every Hispanic country was represented. One student who had studied in the States for years even commented: “I didn’t know there were so many Latin-American students at OSU.”

    Still, what blessed Faby the most was not the sight of smiling faces, nor the smell of delicious food. It was the sounds.

    “You were able to hear Spanish all over the place, and appreciate the distinct accents. Everyone was introducing, talking, sharing, and laughing. No one had to second guess during their conversations, and this was actually the first time I gave instructions in Spanish to a large group of people since I joined IFI.”

    The sounds continued to be the focal point of the event as the group prepared a dance floor on the grass. Music from various Latin countries echoed off the roof of the house and the panels of the fence as Faby and her new friends danced until dawn (or at least 1:00 AM).

    Faby could also see connections forming. Many students who had been in the States for several years befriended newer students who shared their field of study. One student from Peru created a WhatsApp group for the Hispanic students that day, encouraging everyone in attendance to invite more. The connections seemed easy, mainly because everyone knew the right words.

    “We all just felt free to honor our heart-language,” Faby says with a soft, but joyful smile.

    And with that heart-language at the center, she could feel a sense of community developing among the students, and within herself. Long after the dancing ended, most of the students stayed to talk and continue enjoying each other’s company. When it was time to go home, many students even volunteered to help clean up. They also expressed how much fun they had and thanked Faby for bringing them together. One student asked if Faby would host another event soon, so that she could invite her mother who is coming to visit her in the States. 

    After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb…And they were shouting with a great roar, “Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!” (Revelation 7:9-10 NLT)

    Faby definitely has more events and trips planned, looking forward to the opportunity to meet more students and see in whom God is leading her to invest.

    “The point of all of this is to introduce these students to Jesus. May the Lord use this and other events to inspire more spiritual, meaningful conversations in the future.”

  • IFI Buddy Partner Program

    “I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus.” (I Corinthians 1:14)

    We are thankful for you! It has been a privilege to serve alongside you during the ever-changing COVID-19 season.

    We appreciate your flexibility and heart to serve by providing airport rides, helping with grocery trips, maintaining Virtual Conversation Partnerships and more. We look forward to partnering with you this school year in every opportunity that allows us to be the hands and feet of Jesus to international students from all over the world.

    As we have met more students who are native English speakers from India and African nations, such as Ghana and Kenya, we realize that we must be creative and think of new ways to meet students’ felt needs for friendship and help with cultural adjustment. We have had an English Conversation Partner program for over 30 years, but this opportunity would not appeal to these students.

    Our desire to connect English speaking students with IFI staff and volunteers has birthed the IFI Buddy Partner program. Being an IFI Buddy will allow you and/or your family the opportunity to be matched with a student for three months to do activities together at least twice during the month. You would also be available to assist them with practical needs: taking them shopping, answering questions about the U.S. culture, and listening to their concerns as they adjust to their new home. Just like the English Conversation Partner program has done, it is our hope that this new opportunity will help volunteers build a bridge of friendship and lay a foundation of trust so that faith can be shown and shared in natural ways.

    We will continue to offer the English Conversation Partner (ECP) activity. However, there is a growing interest from students to have an IFI Buddy. If you have contributed as an ECP in the past, we ask that you to pray about making yourself available to be used by God in a slightly different way.

    Please read the description for the Buddy Partner activity.

    If you still have questions or desire to serve in this way, contact our Volunteer Coordinator: Julie Wu (j.wu@ifipartners.org).