The Magic of Hospitality and Friendship
This article is by one of our IFI students, Amita* from South Asia. Read how an IFI volunteer, Ms. Jenny, made all the difference to Amita’s journey to the US. My time at Ms. Jenny’s was nothing but magical. Her warmth and kindness enveloped me when she greeted me at the airport. Her home gave […]
Caring Through Cars
About 30 international students gathered at the Car Care Workshop hosted by Hope Church and IFI Cincy. This wasn’t your typical IFI life group or sharing a meal… but teaching and helping students to change a tire and all things car-related. Mike Millard, IFI donor and volunteer, set a specific goal when he retired: to be […]
One Year Later: A Student’s Journey to Finding Purpose
It was January of 2022 when Varun* left his home in South Asia to pursue his Master’s in the US. He was oblivious to the culture shock he would experience. The overall American lifestyle confused him. “It was not at all easy,” Varun* said. Above all else, he didn’t have a good community of friends […]
Treated as Their Own: A Family’s Embodiment of God’s Love
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A Newfound Family
Though Kush arrived in the U.S. in August 2021, it didn’t feel like he had left his home country of India. Living in Manhattan, New York he was still surrounded by his uncle’s family. It wasn’t until he decided to transfer to the University of Dayton in Ohio that fears began to creep in. Who […]
The Hospitality-Mobile
Why on earth would you buy a seven-passenger van?, Randy thought to himself, as his dad purchased a red 2013 Chrysler Town and Country. Granted, it was in really good shape, but what was the need? Fast-forward some years, and Randy is now involved with serving international students alongside his wife, volunteering with the IFI […]
Heart for the Nations in the Sunshine State: Florida Location Update
On a small island far, far away, an unlikely partnership was soon to be born between two individuals with hearts for the nations. “I met him this summer and he invited us over and their church members hosted us for one night,” shared Craig Olive, Director of IFI Florida in an IFI staff meeting “They […]
The Support She Needed When Family Was Far Away
In September 2021, Mary* arrived in the United States from Ghana to pursue her PhD in biochemistry. However, within one week of her arrival, she found herself in the hospital facing life-altering news: she had Leukemia. “It was a difficult moment for me,” Mary remembers. “I felt so scared and abandoned, especially because I had […]
Home, Sweet Home at the Lighthouse: Dayton IFI Location Update
Who would have known that running late to a church service could end up paving the way for the accomplishment of a God-sized dream? Esther Chan, Campus Minister in Dayton, OH, certainly did not know when she first moved to the area in March of last year. Moving meant finding a new church. As she […]
Hospitality Adds a New Family Member
Eric and Rebecca Vaas had entered a season of life that many empty nesters find themselves in. Recently retired with their children grown and moved out, they were looking for ways to steward their time and resources well. This led them to get involved with IFI. “We enjoy meeting new people,” the Vaases explain, “and […]