WAYS TO WELCOME
Imagine you’re preparing to go to an unfamiliar place. You study the weather of the region, maybe research the most popular types of food or entertainment. You strategically plan out your wardrobe to blend into the crowd or to withstand the different temperatures and weather changes. You realize everyone you’ll meet, every place you’ll go, and everything you’ll see will be out of your comfort zone. Everything you experience will be for the very first time. There is a feeling of excitement and adventure as you arrive and adjust to your new surroundings. But amid this excitement and adventure, you also experience a feeling of being overwhelmed, and even a little anxious. You search for familiar faces but see none. You feel like a stranger.
This scenario is played out every year in the U.S. as hundreds of thousands of international students come to study at American universities. They pack their bags, say goodbye to family and friends, get on a plane and enter a new culture. They come alone and leave any sense of comfort and belongingness behind. They are now strangers in a foreign land. They have become sojourners.
Being a sojourner means more than just being alone in an unfamiliar place. It is also an appeal for help to navigate a new culture, possibly a new language, and even new relationships. As followers of Jesus, we are called to love our neighbors, near and far. We are called to welcome the strangers, the foreigners, and the sojourners. This is made clear in Leviticus 19:34, when God commands, “You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.” Just as God provides and cares for us as sojourners in this life, we are also called to embrace international students as sojourners in our country. We see this over and over in scripture (1 Kings 8:41, Deuteronomy 10: 18-19, Ezekiel 24:26-27, Hebrews 13:12). It is a clear command that we can obey and delight in.
God has graciously and sovereignly brought the nations to us and we have the privilege and opportunity to impact the world without ever hopping on an airplane. From sharing meals together to driving them to or from the airport, there are countless ways to welcome international students. We can show the love of Jesus through simple acts that can lead to an eternal impact.
51) Become a “Friendship Partner.” 80% of international students will never step foot into an American home, let alone make an American friend. As believers, there is incredible opportunity to care for international students. ISI (International Student Inc.) is an organization that exists to bridge the gap between international students and Americans. They recognize most international students are far from home, and often feel lonely and isolated.
ISI can connect you with an international student through their “Friendship Partner” program. ISI paired a family in Southern California with a student from China named Quin. They welcomed Quin into their home, hosted him for dinner, gave him rides, and celebrated holidays together.
This family built a friendship with Quin. He came from a Buddhist background and after spending quality time with Christians, he was interested in studying the Bible. Chase, the dad, met with Quin and two of his Chinese friends to study the Bible together. After months of pursuing discipleship with the students, all three of them accepted Christ and were baptized! International students are hungry for real relationships and searching for spiritual truth. Being in America gives students the freedom from their families to ask hard questions: what is true, what is the purpose of life, and why am I here?
ISI is a great way to meet and welcome international students! Check out InternationalStudents.org to learn more.
52) Be an RA in the International Dorm. Living day to day life with internationals in a dorm offers endless opportunities for interesting interactions. From answering questions about odd Americanisms, to helping them learn how to do their own laundry. One of the most surprising gospel opportunities Tanner had in college was when a Japanese student asked him, “What do Americans think about God?”
What if you could live in close proximity to international students like Tanner? Living in close proximity with someone is one of the best ways to build a meaningful relationship.
As an RA you can interact daily with internationals, throw events, and have an excuse to knock on someone’s door to check on them. If your campus has an international student dorm, or an area of campus where more international students are housed, you have an amazing opportunity to engage with them by being a genuine friend and sharing the good news of Jesus. It could be one of the most exhilarating and strategic things you do in your college years!
53) Check Out the International Student Office. Every campus has an international student office where they organize events and activities for international students. This is an easy way to get connected with international students and get to know them in a natural setting. One student visited the international student office and found out they were hosting a cultural potluck in the student union. She was able to attend and befriended a student from South America! From first day of school events to holidays, something is always going on for international students.
54) Get Involved with Your Campus Ministries International Ministry. Kate, a student at the University of Colorado, got involved with Cru’s international student ministry called Bridges. She was able to connect with a student from Asia named Ming. After a few months of being friends, Kate led Ming to Christ and was able to disciple her for a few months. Ming is now able to go back to her country as a follower of Jesus and take the gospel with her! Ask your campus minister what initiatives they are taking towards international students and get involved.
55) Be an English Language Partner. Most universities offer what is called, “the language partner program” or something similar. English speaking volunteers assist their international student partners in improving their English skills, help them find their way around campus, adjust to American culture, and become involved in social life on campus.
Zack, from Illinois State University, signed up to be an English language partner on his campus. He felt nervous, because he did not speak any other language other than English, but he wanted to help an international student and also increase his personal ministry. As he walked in to sign up, he had no idea that 118 students from 18 countries were currently looking for partners on campus.
Zack was paired with multiple students from the Middle East. Each week he met with them for an hour to talk so they could practice their English. Through normal conversation he was able to share the message of Jesus, and love them through service, conversations and prayer. Can you find an hour in your schedule each week to serve an international student through conversations like this? If so find out if your campus or community has a “language partner program” or something similar and volunteer.
56) Go Where International Students Gather. There are certain spots where international students congregate. Whether that is the student union, the library, or the bus stop. Take notice of these places and intentionally spend time there.
Macie was in the public library one day. She noticed a few Muslim women were there too. They were in the children’s section reading to their small children. She initiated a conversation with one of them, her name was Hala and she was from Iraq. They became friends and met back in the same spot of the library during the semester. Through their friendship, Macie was able to share the gospel with Hala. Macie was completely astonished when Hala shared that she and her husband had come to Christ, found a church and been baptized! This incredible life impact happened, in part, because Macie decided to go where international students gathered.
57) Sit Next to International Students in Class. It's so simple, but such a great step to build relationships with your international student classmates. Ben walked into his English class and immediately spotted an international student sitting alone. Instead of choosing to sit with his friends, he went over and sat with him. This was the start of their friendship that lasted all four years of college! Be aware of who is in your class and be intentional of where you sit, because you never know what friendships can come from this small act.
58) Team up with International Students for Class Projects. As a senior at Auburn University, Caroline took a financial analytics class where she spent the whole semester working on a group presentation. At the end of the semester each group taught a class based on their group project. She will never forget the day that four international students got up to teach. In broken English, they expressed their apologies and explained they would have loved to work with American students who could have helped them communicate better for the final presentation, but no one wanted to join their group. It was a missed opportunity to show the love of Jesus by both helping and building a friendship with those students. Offer to be in a group with international students or invite them to join your group.
59) Give Rides. Be available to give international students rides to run errands or take them to and from the airport, because most of them won’t have a car! Olivia brought her international friends along with her whenever she went to the grocery store. During the rides, Olivia would share Bible stories and ask them more about their beliefs. She was able to serve them practically and spend intentional time with them. Ask your international friends if they need a ride somewhere or invite them to come along with you. This is a great way to serve them and show the love of Jesus.
60) Download “WhatsApp.” Most of the time, international students will not have an American number. The third-party app, “WhatsApp,” is a very popular means of communications for international students. Download and use the app to communicate with internationals even when they go home across the world! Don’t let summer breaks be a barrier to communication. Continue to develop a relationship with them over breaks through apps like “WhatsApp.”
61) Join International Student Clubs. Most universities have International Student Clubs. These clubs include the Muslim Student Association, the Buddhist Student Association and even the Cricket Club where you learn to play the game of cricket. Clubs are open to any student who desires to join and learn more about that particular interest.
Mason joined the Indian Student Association on campus (though he is most definitely not Indian). He was able to meet more Indian students and learn about their culture. After a few years of involvement, the Indian students elected him to be Vice President because they loved his commitment so much! See what clubs are on your campus and join one to meet more students and learn about their culture.
62) Bring an International Student Home. Often international students won’t go home for short breaks because of the distance. School breaks are an incredible time for you to invite internationals to spend holidays with your family. Many cultures place a high value on hospitality, so this is a unique way to love them through welcoming them into your home. You will also be able to introduce them to American cultural traditions, which is usually high on an international students’ value system.
During his senior year at Ohio University, Robby invited several international students from his floor to come home with him for Thanksgiving. He ended up taking a Japanese student home with him to spend the break with his family. He enjoyed it! And what’s even crazier is his parents loved it, too. They enjoyed it so much they invited his friend to come back and stay with them for a month over Christmas break. And then he stayed over spring break…and Easter! The family became the student’s American home away from home. Robby and his family were able to share the gospel with him several times, and a few years later, he actually came to know Christ! It all started with spending a holiday with an American family.
63) Engage in Gospel Conversations. Outside of western culture, people are very open to talking about spirituality and what they believe. Many internationals are actually interested in learning about Christianity, because it is widely associated with America. Just like it says in Acts 28:31, “He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.”
Here is a great way to get started. Meet with a Muslim or a Chinese friend and ask them questions about God. Have the gospel printed in their language and ask them to translate it for you. It will lead to an unbelievable conversation.
We can have confidence through the Holy Spirit to share boldly the gospel. Your international friends four years in college might be their only opportunity to hear the gospel. Don’t miss out on this opportunity!
Download the app, GodTools, to learn how to share the Gospel in Arabic or Chinese. It is an incredible resource that will help you share the Gospel in a clear and easy way.
64) Eat Ethnic. How many restaurants are there in your town you have not been to? How many of those restaurants are Middle Eastern, Chinese, Vietnamese, or Thai? Most towns have businesses and restaurants that are owned by internationals, and, many times, international students will frequent these restaurants. These businesses are great places to meet international students and the owners—they’re also great places to get tasty food. Next time you and your friends are looking for somewhere to eat, opt for the restaurant you always drive past and never go to. You may meet a new friend and begin a new ministry.
65) Learn Key Phrases. Language speaks to the heart. When you address someone in their native language, there is an instant link. They will first be shocked that you knew a phrase, and then be honored you would learn it for them. Start with learning to say “Hello” in a few languages then add to your vocabulary.
Here is a list to start with: Chinese (Nee Haow); Arabic (Mar ha baan); Hindi (Namaste); Japanese (Kon nichi wa).
You can ask your international friends to teach you a few more short phrases and take time to develop a small vocabulary in their language. The point of this is not fluency, but connection. This is not only a fun way to engage with them and their culture, but it will show them that you are interested and invested in them. To learn starting phrases in other languages, visit RosettaStone.com.
66) Cook a Meal with Your International Friend. Ask them to make you their favorite dish from home. Molly invited her friend Sam over to make her favorite Egyptian dish one night. Molly was able to engage in conversation with Sam and learn to cook a new meal. It was a fun way to show interest and take time to learn something about Sam’s home and culture. You could even teach them one of your favorite American dishes. If you don’t have access to a kitchen, ask your friend to take you to a restaurant in town they think does the best job at making cuisine from their home country. Pro tip: let them order for you! They know what they’re doing.
67) Host an Event and Invite Your International Friends. Most of the time, international students might not celebrate the holidays in America. This is a great opportunity for you to host a Friendsgiving, Halloween party, Christmas party, or cultural potluck. It is a fun way you can celebrate the holidays together and teach them some American traditions. You can invite some of your friends and they can invite their friends. During a fall semester, Lydia, hosted a bonfire and students from India, Japan, Saudi Arabia and South Korea came! Imagine how loved and welcomed your international friends would feel if you hosted an event like this for them.
68) Buy a Bible in Their Native Language. If there is a Bible in your international friends' language, buy it for them and ask them to read it with you. As you read your Bible, they can read along with you in their native language. Reading scripture in the language they are most fluent in will be incredibly powerful. Scripture is living and active in any language, but it will resonate with them the most in their heart language. Don’t underestimate how God can use His word in someone’s native language to do incredible things!
One church decided to give a young Chinese college student a Bible in Mandarin to take back to his family in China. When he got to China, he gave the Bible to his mom and told her that it was God’s Word. She asked him what it said, and he was able to share the gospel with her—and she came to Christ! Then she led her sister to Christ, and they went and talked to their parents, and they came to Christ! After a while, his dad finally came to Christ, too. And the spark for it all was that Bible in Mandarin a church gave to an international student.
69) Visit Other Places of Worship. See if your town has any mosques, temples or other places of worship you can visit. You can meet people and be a learner through asking questions. An international student asked Will, a student at the University of Maryland, to go to the local mosque with him during Ramadan. Will sat in the back and was able to observe and pray for the people during the service. Afterwards he engaged with the people and asked them questions about what they believed. The people at the mosque felt honored to have him and his friend was even more open to spiritual conversations because he knew Will was willing to listen and love him!
70) Be a Good Host. Two girls from the University of Texas took a group of international students to a trampoline park. The students had never experienced anything like it and it quickly became their favorite experience of the year. On another campus a student sat with a group of internationals and explained the rules of football. Later in the semester, he took them to the game on campus. They joined in the with the crowd to cheer on the team, because they finally understood how the game was played. Another student took a Jordanian student golfing. His highlight was driving the golf cart. On one of the holes, he even called his family back home to tell them he made a put!
Invite internationals to do fun things around town. They may or may not have similar activities at home but it will be a whole new cultural experience doing it with you in America. Not only are they experiencing new things, but they are creating memories with you that will last a lifetime!
71) Take Part in International Neighborhood Network. Every year, thousands of internationals move to America. They are moving from the very countries where missionaries are taking the gospel! Many unreached people are in our very own neighborhoods and communities. World Team recognized this and started an International Neighborhood Network (INN) where you can take part in reaching foreigners in various cities around the U.S. There are a multitude of opportunities to use your skills to reach internationals in our own communities. Click here to see how you can get involved with INN.
72) Memorize Verses About God Reaching the Nations. How can we view the nations the way God does? One way is to memorize and meditate on scripture. What would it look like if the next time you see an international on campus or in your community you were able to pray a verse you have just memorized to become a reality in their life. It could be as simple as “Lord, Psalm 67:1-2 says, ‘You God have been gracious to us and bless us and cause your face to shine upon us, that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.’ Thank you for extending your grace to me and blessing me with knowing you, now I pray you would give me a way to share this good news with Zara the next time we meet.”
There are so many passages of scripture that show God’s heart for the nations and the futility of the false gods they worship now. Through memorizing verses your ability to pray specific passages for your international friends will began to take on a new dynamic. “Father, Jeremiah 16:19 says the nations will come from the ends of the earth and say, ‘Our fathers possessed nothing but false gods, worthless idols that did them no good.’ I pray for my Hindu friend Darsh that he would see the gods he now worships are worthless idols. They do him no good. But you alone offer life. Allow me the privilege of seeing him become a follower of you.”
Writing scripture on your heart will not only help you align your heart with God’s, but also develop a heart for all peoples.
73) Research Your International Friend’s Home Country. Most international students will keep up with what is going on at home. You can keep up with current events as well! A great resource to do this is online at the CIA world fact book. You can also regularly catch international headlines in the news or online articles. Try to pay close attention to countries your friends are from. Not only is this a great conversation starter, they will also be impressed! https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/
74) Utilize the “Welcoming Internationals Playbook”. This is an incredible tool where you can learn more about different religions, how to engage different people in spiritual conversations, and even find Bible studies to lead your international friends through. You can utilize the tools and articles on this page to help guide you in your relationship with international students. Click here to learn more.
75) Grab Coffee or Tea. Coffee and tea are a universal love language. Use that to your advantage! Many cultures place an emphasis on drinking tea or coffee during social gatherings. This will be familiar to them and something they can enjoy. Moriah wanted to engage with her international friends in a way that would be familiar and comfortable. She knew her friend from the Middle East enjoyed drinking coffee so, she invited her friend to grab some at a local shop. While drinking coffee together, they were able to deepen their friendship and engage in spiritual conversation! Invite your friends over to your house for coffee or tea, or invite them to go to a local coffee or tea shop with you.
WELCOMING MAKES A WAY
These are all things that you can do right now! Each one of us has a role and responsibility to play in reaching the nations, and welcoming is a significant and strategic way to do this. We can actively help to see the Great Commission fulfilled through loving our international friends. Ultimately, our motivation to welcome is love. Simply put, welcoming internationals is a by-product of loving Jesus. When we love Jesus, we are to love His people. And if we love His people, then we will love international students from all over the world. We can make room at our tables and in our lives for these people. We do this not only because Jesus commands us to, but because we love Him.
Most international students will go back to their home country where they may never hear the name of Jesus again. Their four or so years of studying in America, where they have an abundance of access to the gospel, might be their only opportunity to hear the good news of Jesus. Imagine the ripple effect if an international student came to know Jesus in college and took the gospel back to their unreached people. Let’s not miss this opportunity! We can be strategic and have an eternal impact on the world tomorrow by welcoming international students on campus today.
