God of Many Chances
Mark’s* first time in the United States was in 2014 when he received an opportunity to do a one-year transfer program. He was the first in his family and small village in Asia to attend university. Not only that, but he was the first to encounter the love of God, to attend church, and to […]
Road to Freedom
In 2019, Montserrat moved to the U.S. from Mexico in hopes of finding a better life. However, her physical disability, disconnect with American culture, and the struggle to make ends meet made her feel like a burden. The land of the free didn’t feel so free, after all. Things began to change when a new […]
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 […]
Cultural Humility (pt. 2)
Cultural Humility In Personal Interactions & Spiritual Conversations Last post, we learned about cultural humility – what it is and how to develop it through the cultural humility wheel. This month, we want to give you some practical tips on how to make use of cultural humility in your personal interactions and in spiritual conversations. […]
New Home, New Friends, New Perspective
Unlike most international students, Juan Pablo never experienced culture shock. “I have loved the U.S. since the very first moment I arrived,” he says, “and my feelings have not gone down.” However, this didn’t mean the transition was seamless. A PhD student in theoretical mathematics, Juan Pablo left his home country of Argentina and arrived […]
How Covid Started A Virtual Bible Discussion that Never Stopped
“Mike is my Bible teacher,” says Allen. “I’ve learned a lot in his class and grown up quickly.” This alone is notable, but what’s more interesting is that Mike and Allen have never met in person. Although Allen knew about Jesus through his grandmother, he didn’t originally believe in him. He thought even if Jesus […]
A Beautiful Experience
When asked what life is like in Italy, Ilaria says, “Beautiful, it’s my birthplace and home of all my family and friends.” This contrasts sharply with her first experiences in America. Ilaria came as an exchange student pursuing her PhD late in 2021. “At first only bad things happened,” she said. “It was a shock, […]
How God Drew One Couple Closer to Him through ISEED
Ricardo and Mariana came to the US from Brazil in March 2021 with much anticipation: Ricardo was excited to pursue his Soil Science PhD and Mariana looked forward to advancing her career with an abundance of American opportunities. Soon after arrival, they got involved with a Brazilian bible discussion led by Mark and Sally, volunteers […]
Indian Friendship Team Loves in Culturally Relevant Ways
IFI seeks to offer cultural activities specific to the students it serves, whether Chinese, African, Middle Eastern, Indian, Latin, or a variety of others. For Indian and Nepalese students in Columbus, IFI has formed the IFI Indian Friendship team. This team is especially important because U.S. universities have seen an influx of Indian students compared […]
Yelling Turned to Rejoicing: A Family’s Healing
Emily* grew up listening to a lot of yelling in her family, mainly due to her brother’s gambling addiction. Even though Emily’s family loved each other, she could sense the division among them. After immigrating from Asia to the US with her parents, Emily developed severe depression and ended up moving to the Midwest for […]