Ecclesiastes 3:1-5 (NIV)
There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing
During the pandemic our Muslim Friendship Team has been experiencing consistent student interest in activities and regular growth in participation. The WhatsApp group chat has 76 people connected, including 15 volunteers. They have been hiking, bowling, biking and spending time building relationships. While many of the students have had both vaccine shots, masks are still a common sight at the events, before and after the meal. (We try to observe the current recommendations for Covid19 safety at all our meetings.) A year ago, we saw students withdrawing from participation, but now it seems like it is a time for reconnecting. Please pray for God to open doors for spiritual conversations as we connect with more students!
What is Ramadan?
Ramadan is a period of fasting and spiritual growth, and is one of the five “pillars of Islam.” The others being the declaration of faith, daily prayer, alms-giving, and the pilgrimage to Mecca. Able-bodied Muslims are expected to abstain from eating, drinking and sexual relations from dawn to sunset each day of the month. Many practicing Muslims also perform additional prayers, especially at night, and attempt to recite the entire Qur’an. The prevailing belief among Muslims is that it was in the final 10 nights of Ramadan that the Qur’an was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad.
This year, Ramadan was April 13 through May 12. Since Ramadan is a period when many Muslims are seeking spiritual renewal and growth, many Christians have started to pray during Ramadan for true spiritual awakening among Muslims.
At least one student experienced a dream about Jesus! One of our volunteers was awakened at 2am thinking about this student, so she prayed as the Holy Spirit directed her. Later in the week, she found out that the student was awakened at the very time she was praying for her! Since that dream, several volunteers have had opportunities to share about faith in Jesus. A significant number of the conversations have been about forgiving people who have wronged her. Before the dream, this student was not open to forgiving others–After the dream, she has forgiven many people who have wronged her. This has also led her to ask about Jesus’ power to forgive, since she is seeing it at work in her own life. Please pray for this student “E” to experience the true power of faith in Christ!
Part of the Ramadan tradition is fasting during the day. The IFI Muslim Friendship Team has been meeting with their Muslim friends every evening after sunset to connect, share food, and extend hospitality to them. Can you imagine eating breakfast at 9pm? If you haven’t eaten all day, then breakfast at any time is a great idea! Both students and volunteers have brought some amazing meals to share. The students have been eager to get together at the IFI offices to socialize and eat, staying to play games after dinner, sometimes until midnight! At the end of April, Phil brought out the flags from every nation and gave them an opportunity to share their nationality with each other. It was exciting to see their joy when they were able to take photos carrying their flags. Enjoy these photos of the fun times:
Several Muslim students have come to Christ this semester! It was great to see the amount of joy released into their hearts and the smiles on their faces as they were baptized in the church that they have connected with here in Columbus. Altogether, we have documented at least 18 internationals who have come to faith in this school year. Praise the Lord! It is a time for the angels to rejoice in the presence of the Lord.
By the way, as you become aware of international students who decide to follow Jesus, please send an email to salvations@ifiusa.org to help us keep track and ensure that they are in growing discipleship relationships.
A time to celebrate color
IFI recently hosted an Indian Holi party – the celebration of color. This holiday occurs in March, but it is too cold in Ohio to celebrate the festival. Imagine a Color 5K run, minus the 5k, but add a water balloon fight! That is the environment for the Holi party.
One of the key volunteers, Somita, shared about how she celebrates the Holi festival as a follower of Jesus. We had approximately 60 people participate, most of whom stayed for the whole event. We shared a spicy rice biryani dish, samosas and other treats.
A Time for Graduation
It is also a time for rejoicing! Graduations were held on May 9 in the Ohio Stadium. It was time to return to in-person graduation, but between having 2 sessions for social distancing and rain during the ceremony, the stadium seemed pretty empty. However, the overall mood was still exciting as students celebrated the end of their studies and beginning the next phase of their lives. Please pray with us that students will be able to find jobs and connect with churches as they relocate to search for, or begin, new jobs.
—Phil (IFI Columbus Area Director)
