God’s Power at Work Reminds One Student to Rely on Him
Before coming to the US, Navya was asked by a friend to help start a monthly workshop in India with the vision of seeing young girls boldly share God’s love through their talents and service. Although Navya did see God at work in the girls’ lives, she began to feel defeated over time. Regular attendance […]
A Vision of Truth
Krishna traveled from Indonesia to the US in 1981 to study Science and Engineering. Despite much academic success, Krishna experienced relational and financial troubles after graduation that drove him to search for answers. Coming from a traditional Muslim family, Krishna prayed five times a day but became frustrated when he didn’t receive any guidance from […]
When Academics Proved Empty, God Came Through
What’s the purpose of life? Ming* thought she knew the answer: academics. She was going to college in China, working hard, and almost finished with her undergrad. But God soon orchestrated events in her life that led her down an unexpected path. Ming suddenly grew very sick and was forced to drop her classwork. “I […]
How Logical Thinking Led to Taking a Leap of Faith
Growing up in Singapore, Kenneth followed his parents to church but never really believed in Christ. “I only turned to God in times of desperation when all hope was lost,” he says. Kenneth knew only one person when he came to Ohio in 2017 for his first job. When that person invited him to an […]
Canceled Plans Led to a Conversation about Truth
Snow was coming down hard in Columbus in the winter of 2019 and church services had just been canceled. With her morning now open, Qin*, an ISEED intern at IFI, felt God asking her to call her brother back home in China. As Qin talked with her brother, she realized he was searching for something […]
A Last-Minute Decision Turned into a Life-Changing Step
Mei kept hearing how awesome the Vision Conference would be. She didn’t realize God would use it to open her heart to Him. Mei* came to the U.S. from China a year ago to double major in Sociology and International Relations. Her knowledge of God was limited. “At that time, I was just playing the […]
Involvement in IFI Gave This Student Someone to Lean on
Vinicius came to the U.S. for school and soccer, but he wouldn’t have stayed without a friend. Vinicius came to the United States from Brazil in 2017 in order to follow both his passions: to study and to play soccer. When he arrived, he attended a meeting for new international students. “I decided to get […]
Families Grow Close Through Fall Fun
What started as a conversation partner match has grown into a deep and precious friendship for a visiting Turkish family. Bora and his wife, Mine, were excited to travel to the U.S. They knew living in a new country would be hard in the beginning, but they looked forward to the challenge. They arrived from […]
Student Tastes American Culture at a Local Hog Roast
Small-town hospitality made a big impression on Nicole, coming from one of China’s largest cities. Nicole transferred from a university in one of the largest cities in the world (Beijing, China – over 21 million) to continue her bachelor’s degree in a rural Ohio town, with just less than 90,000 residents. Soon after she arrived […]
Hayrides and S’mores Help Build New Friendships
Lina met an IFI volunteer who had visited her hometown — as if God had connected them. The first months were hard for Lina. When she arrived in the U.S. in 2018, she didn’t have a car, so getting around town wasn’t easy. Meeting people was difficult too. Soon after she started her studies in […]