Just the Beginning

When Nat arrived in Ohio from Thailand as an international student, he held excitement and nerves in both hands. Like many students new to the U.S., he wondered how he would adjust to life in a new country. “I was nervous about making friends and finding my way,” Nat remembered. Those worries began to ease […]
Leaning on Love

Priscilla* arrived in Cleveland from South Asia in August of 2024 to begin her master’s degree in Information Systems. While she had traveled internationally before, this move felt different. Those first days were hard. Most students hadn’t arrived yet, classes hadn’t started, and the loneliness set in quickly. “I remember calling my dad and crying,” […]
Accepting Being Chosen

In her final days in the U.S., international student Janet*, originally from a closed country, joined IFI staff members in the fall of 2025 to watch a showing of The Chosen: The Last Supper. But her questions about faith had actually begun long before that night. For months, she had been attending a small-group Bible […]
From Strangers, to Neighbors, to Family: Opportunities & Challenges for IFI South Korea

IFI began in the United States, but its mission and vision have never been bound by geography. As IFI expands beyond the U.S., it remains the same: to welcome international students, befriend them, and show them God’s love. Lindsey, serving in Daejeon, is living out that vision as the leader of IFI’s very first location […]