Category: Partner Stories

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.”

Bible study leader finds hope in an unexpected surprise.

David Albright – affectionately known as “the man who keeps going” – was worried.

A new fall semester was approaching, which meant it was almost time for one of his favorite opportunities as an Ohio State campus minister with International Friendships Inc.: hosting a Bible discussion group. But would there be anyone to discuss with? Limited public interactions  had limited students’ attendance to the groups during previous semesters. The online discussions weren’t much better. So David, understandably, was very worried that this semester would be much of the same.

“I was beginning to lose hope.” says David, shrugging his shoulders. “So I went to God and asked Him, ‘what do you have in store?’”

The reply:

“You have no idea.”

David got a taste of what God meant when he arrived at the Columbus Airport to pick up a student from India arriving from Mumbai. He expected the typical agenda: find the student, greet the student, drive the student where he needed to go. This time, this was a key step missing: he couldn’t find the student!

“I stood at the baggage claim with my sign waiting for the student to see it. After a while, there is no more luggage, and the conveyor belt just stops!”

So David, instead of shrugging and going home, walked to the terminal’s  information desk and asked the attendant to page for the student, hoping he had just missed him. The student still did not come; he must have missed the flight.

Now it was time to go home, right? Maybe not.

As David was leaving the terminal, to go home, he noticed two Chinese students leaving as well. He greeted them and asked if they were studying at the Ohio State University. They said yes. He shared IFI’s heart for international students and invited them to the annual student Welcome Party, as well as his bible discussion group. They graciously accepted and went to catch their bus.

Now it was time to go home, right? Definitely not.

David soon encountered another student from Thailand, carrying two big luggage pieces, with a backpack almost as big. “The man who keeps going” couldn’t resist greeting this young man who seemed like he needed some help. He greeted the student, asked where he was studying (OSU), and shared IFI’s heart for internationals. The student related the busy day he had planned, including a trip to the bank, his apartment’s office and a phone store. He planned to take a taxi everywhere, leaving his luggage in the taxi while he ran his errands.

David’s jaw dropped. He explained that this plan would cost the student hundreds of dollars. So David offered an alternative: he could drive the student to run his errands and drop him off at his apartment.

The student accepted the offer and they got started. So what could have been a wasted trip to the airport, turned into a very long day of little adventures, the most notable being a lunch where the student had the first turkey sandwich of his life, and loved every bite. David and his new friend also had multiple conversations about American and Thai culture, realizing one distinct similarity: “everyone is in a hurry, going nowhere.” 

After the student accomplished everything he needed for the day, he and David exchanged contact information. David invited this student to the IFI Welcome Party, as well as to his Bible discussion group. With a smile, the student replied, “I’m looking forward to coming!”

David smiled back, and kept his smile as he got back into his car to go home. Then it clicked. He had invited this Thai student and the two Chinese students to his discussion group. His wife had also been serving a Muslim student who expressed interest in studying the Bible. As it turns out, God had been slowly building his group all along; he just had to keep going. David remembered God’s reply to his prayer: “You have no idea.” So without a clue, David is ready to see what else God has planned, believing the words of his namesake:

Those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing. (Psalm 34:10)

We are blessed with an amazing staff team at IFI in Columbus! Each month we shine the spotlight on one of the IFI team members, so you can meet them up close and personal.

There are so many staff who work tirelessly to reach out to internationals and support the efforts of staff and volunteers.  Phil Foell, IFI City Director in Columbus, is a servant leader who provides direction to and cares for the staff team. Phil has served in this position since 2018, but has been with IFI in various roles since 2010… 

In addition to leading a Bible discussion group and befriending internationals, he wears many hats, such as, overseeing a team of more than 30 people, establishing connections with campus and ministry leaders and churches, and raising funds. 

Before joining the IFI team, Phil earned his undergraduate degree in Management and Computer Science from Case Western Reserve and worked for Xerox for 15 years. He then transitioned into ministry where he served as a pastor at a local church for five years until officially joining IFI. 

Phil started as a Campus Minister and slowly took on more responsibilities, such as the ISEED coordinator and event coordinator, until full time positions were established for those roles. He has brought a spirit of organization, structure, and process to the IFI team. Phil values IFI’s strategic approach to mission and reaching the nations as they come into our nation.

Phil frequently says, “Jesus’ last command should be our first concern.” 

He has seen God move through the lives of students and felt God’s presence while serving international students. He remembers a time when a student asked him, “What should we say when we pray to God?” In taking a moment to pray for help in answering the question, the Lord reminded Phil that Jesus’ disciples asked the very same question. Phil was able to tell this student about the Lord’s prayer, the disciples and Jesus. 

Phil would love to one day visit the underground church in the Muslim world and an effective India church that ministers to Hindus. 

He asks for prayer that he would be able to effectively keep up with the size of IFI ministry as it continues to grow. He also asks that the Columbus team be focused on balanced ministry and aligned in their approach to mission.

More help is needed–have you considered filling a staff position as a volunteer or paid worker?  See https://www.ifipartners.org/careers or contact Phil at phil@ifiusa.org for more information on job opportunities.

 

We are blessed with an amazing staff team at IFI in Columbus! Each month we shine the spotlight on one of the IFI team members, so you can meet them up close and personal.

There are so many staff who work tirelessly behind the scenes to help IFI staff and volunteers be prepared to serve. One of them is Julie Wu, IFI Volunteer Coordinator, since January 2020. Her primary role is to match volunteers with students to help meet their needs. Before joining the IFI team, Julie worked as an administrator at the Columbus Chinese Christian Church for over 25 years. IFI had partnered with her church for many years, and she and her husband volunteered during the summer months. Julie was very pleased to join the IFI staff team and be able to spend more time serving international students.  

Julie was drawn to IFI’s mission, because she was a former international student at Ohio State. IFI’s goal of reaching the nations and equipping students to spread their faith was a vision she wanted to be a part of. Her joyful spirit grew as she got to know her co-workers and learned how selfless and passionate they are. 

“When I came to IFI, I saw people serving the Lord so simply and so wholeheartedly. It’s a privilege to serve the Lord sacrificially and be willing to live a simple life,” says Julie.  

Her favorite memories have been the times she’s seen volunteers care and sacrifice for the benefit of students. One story that sticks out is when a volunteer helped four students to transport one month’s worth of groceries in the back of a volunteer’s pickup truck. 

She asks for prayer that she would be of more use for IFI’s ministry. She also asks for prayer over the impact of ministry this school year; that God would open doors for the team and volunteers to serve new students.

More help is needed–have you considered filling a staff position as a volunteer or paid worker?  See https://www.ifipartners.org/careers or contact Phil at phil@ifiusa.org for more information on job opportunities.

 

There are so many staff who work tirelessly behind the scenes to help ministry happen.  One of them is Tish Krajnak.   She has been serving as the Mobilization Administrative Assistant for the IFI Columbus team since 2017.  She describes her role as “a jack of all trades”, helping wherever she’s needed most.  Before joining the IFI team, Tish worked in similar positions at other organizations where she could use her gifts of organization, research and initiative.

Tish and her husband, Mike, first learned about international student ministry when they went through the adoption process of their daughter.  Shortly after, Tish began helping with her church’s international ministry.  In 2011, she began volunteering with IFI as a Conversation Partner and assisting the International Mother’s group.  Eventually, there was a need in the office where she volunteered for three years before officially joining the Columbus Staff team. 

“I started helping out because there was a need,” says Tish. “Just put me where you need me.”

Tish is a helper and servant for IFI and those around her.  While she doesn’t usually have the spotlight, she enjoys utilizing the gifts God has given her to help others do their job more effectively and will take any opportunity to relieve others of their burdens. 

Her greatest rewards of working for IFI have been learning from the different experiences of staff and students around her, and witnessing a student come to Christ.  She has seen God work in the hearts of students and move through the connections of families.  Tish looks forward to visiting China one day, where she can show her daughter her country of origin and visit past students that have left a mark on her life! 

 Tish asks for prayer over her work with volunteers and the continual improvement of effectiveness and efficiency within IFI’s ministry.

 

More help is needed–have you considered filling a staff position as a volunteer or paid worker?  See https://www.ifipartners.org/careers or contact Phil at phil@ifiusa.org for more information on job opportunities.

 

Wen has served as the Ohio State Campus Ministry Director since 2018. She provides pastoral care and leadership to the multicultural campus ministry team who connect and disciple international students for Christ.

Before joining the IFI team, Wen served in cross-cultural missions.  She moved from China to the United States when she was 12 and later earned her chemical engineering degree from Lafayette College.  She served international students as a volunteer for several years at Cornell University.  Wen worked in the science and engineering industry for ten years until she felt the call to mission.  She then served in Taiwan for seven years where she discipled young multicultural believers and earned a Master of Divinity degree.

While serving in Taiwan she met several leaders in the church and workplace, who were once international students in the United States and were now reaching their own people.  This experience drew Wen to explore missions reaching international students.   When her assignment was completed, Wen  returned to the U.S. and was introduced to IFI.  It seemed like a good fit, since their core values and heart for the lost were aligned with her own passions! 

Wen believes the biggest reward of working for IFI has been engaging a diverse team with a shared passion of reaching students and seeing returnees reaching their own people or wherever God calls them.  

“I want to be a part of my heavenly Father’s Kingdom work.  It gives me purpose.  It gives meaning,” says Wen.  “If I don’t join in, he’ll still move–So why not join in?”  

Wen has seen God open doors to impact the lives of different ethnic groups and work directly in the hearts of students.  One of her favorite memories was from a Bible Discussion group where a student was exposed to scripture and received freedom from its truth (John 8:32).

Wen asks for prayer for wisdom in leading the team to connect and disciple students in relevant ways in this changing world.  She also asks for prayer that her time at IFI would be strategically and effectively used.

More help is needed–have you considered filling a staff position as a volunteer or paid worker?  See https://www.ifipartners.org/careers or contact Phil at phil@ifiusa.org for more information on job opportunities.

Leila has served as the Volunteer Relations Manager for the IFI Columbus team since 2005.  She organizes and mobilizes IFI volunteers and church partners so they can minister to students.  Her desire to have a career working with international students started back when she was a student at The Ohio State University.  While pursuing graduate work in International Politics, Leila had an internship in the International Students Office.  This eventually led her to working for many years as an International Admissions Counselor at OSU, until joining the IFI team! 

Leila first heard about IFI and began volunteering with them while she was a student at OSU.  One of the things Leila loves about outreach to internationals is that we can continue to reach out through our various life situations–after she married and had kids she created and led the Wives’ Group English Class and then the International Mom’s Group.

Leila’s childhood dream was to be an ambassador for the US to a foreign country.  One of her biggest rewards in working for IFI has been experiencing the ways God uses her as an ambassador for Him! 

“[2 Corinthians 5] talks about being ambassadors for Christ; Him making His appeal through us. This was really something God showed me that He wanted me to do, to tell internationals, everyone, but internationals in particular, about Him,” says Leila.  

Over the 16 years she has worked for IFI, Leila has seen God prepare IFI to serve international students by raising up laborers in countless ways.  One summer an unusually large number of new volunteers were recruited and trained–while Leila did not know where all these new volunteers would be able to serve–God knew!  That year, OSU received twice as many international students than ever before, and the army of new volunteers were called into action to do airport pickup and provide temporary housing for over 600 new students!

Time and time again, Leila’s faith has been strengthened as she has seen God call His people to give generously so that IFI’s ministry would thrive and even grow to other campuses in Central Ohio and elsewhere.  The IFI annual fundraising banquet has been one of the important ways He has done this.  Leila has been involved with the Banquet from the beginning and plays a key role in recruiting group hosts who invite their friends to attend.  Check out the article in this newsletter about hosting a virtual table for the April 24th event or contact Leila directly at l.gardner@ifiusa.org.

More help is needed–have you considered filling a staff position as a volunteer or paid worker?  One position just recently posted is for Campus Liaison!

See https://www.ifipartners.org/careers or contact Phil at phil@ifiusa.org for more information on job opportunities.