Quality Over Quantity
It all started when Henri and his wife Marguerite heard about IFI through connections at their congregation in Columbus. “This couple was picking up people from around the world,” Henri said. “We got interested because we thought what a good thing for our kids to be exposed to the nations like that!” They signed up […]
Helping as She’d Been Helped
In 2024, Trazzy, originally from Kenya, moved from her university in Turkey to attend Purdue. As she tried settling in, she was quickly faced with challenges. “As an international student, it takes time to find your place,” Trazzy explained. “Housing was an issue and I also struggled with the individualism.” Researching options, Trazzy remembered she’d […]
Beyond the Bike Trail
When Luke, an enthusiastic IFI volunteer from Columbus, proposed a bike trip to three international students in the summer of 2023—Shane, Brandon, and Aaron*—it seemed like the perfect opportunity for adventure. “The plan was simple,” Luke said. “We’d ride from London to Loveland, Ohio, and back, covering about 150 miles over two days.” Each of […]
Treated as Their Own: A Family’s Embodiment of God’s Love
[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” menu_anchor=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_position=”center center” background_repeat=”no-repeat” fade=”no” background_parallax=”none” parallax_speed=”0.3″ video_mp4=”” video_webm=”” video_ogv=”” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_loop=”yes” video_mute=”yes” overlay_color=”” video_preview_image=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” padding_top=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” padding_right=”” type=”legacy”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ layout=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” border_position=”all” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” center_content=”no” […]
The Definition of a Miracle
Daniel stepped off a plane earlier this year with a mix of emotions. He had come to pursue a Postdoc in Mechanical Engineering, but leaving his young family behind in Nigeria was hard for him. Thankfully, before his arrival in the US, Daniel had done some research. “I wanted to meet the Nigerian community here […]
A Family Welcome
“I really felt like I was another member of the family.” Leah, a Ph.D. Aerospace Engineering scholar from China, said this after staying with an IFI host family. Leah arrived in the US in August 2019, and although she lived with Chinese roommates, she felt increasingly lonely. This drove her to seek friends by joining […]
If God Says Go: Hosting Internationals in the Midst of COVID-19
Volunteers Gary and Silvia showed hospitality during COVID-19. The table was set and delicious smells wafted through the house as Silvia’s family sat down to share a table prayer with their new international friends. This dinner party probably looked very much like other IFI friendship dinners: two international students and three Americans sitting around a […]
Hosting a Halal Thanksgiving
Have you ever wondered how to share a holiday with international students in a culturally sensitive way? Some IFI volunteers in Columbus, Ohio took a step of faith last year and did just that by inviting some Muslim students to a halal Thanksgiving celebration in their home. Here are some tips that helped them create […]
3 Hints for Holiday Hosting
During school breaks and holidays, while their American peers go home to be with family, many international students will remain on campus. Being away from family and homeland can be hard enough for an international student. Breaks often serve as additional reminders that they are a foreigner in a foreign land. Leviticus 19:34 tells how […]
Trusting God for a Purpose-Driven Life
God has always shown Donna and Jerry Sauder what He has for them next, and they’ve trustingly said yes. In 2016, the Sauders moved from New York State to Columbus, Ohio, where a new job awaited Jerry, who had accepted an early retirement package from his former employer. Jerry would become the CFO of a […]