International Friendship Partners
In the beginning we started just with this but found out that
having a Friday International Gathering was a more natural
way for Christians to meet internationals and develop
friendships. From this the following can happen:
International Friendship Partners who simply will
invite an international student or refugee (your choice)
over at least once a month and keep in touch at least twice
a month (or for refugees, visit them during the month too).
Interested? Read on...
The International Friendship Partner (IFP) program involves pairing international
students from Harrisburg Area Community College - Lancaster (HACC-Lancaster),
Millersville University, or Franklin & Marshall Collegewith American Christian
families or same-gender individuals. The Christians who volunteer must simply
invite their international student over at least once a month and keep in touch twice
a month to show they care. If you chose to be paired with a refugee, once a month
inviting out or over and once a month visiting the refugee are the minimum.
This idea has worked well in cities across North America. To
literally hear more about this, Scott was interviewed by WJTL Thursday
August 28 about Int'l Friendship Partners, so if you'd like to hear these two
3 minute interviews go to:
http://www.wjtl.com/WJTLcasts/ (Find & click August 28 International
Friendship Association Part 1 and Part 2.)
Adapted from our church bulletin insert that can be gladly emailed:
“Adopt” an international student monthly to
share God’s love with the world He's brought here.
70% of international students never see the inside of an American home and many
do not know the Gospel. Most are more open spiritually here, and many will be in
leadership positions when they return home. So we have a great opportunity to
share Christ’s love with the nations that God has brought here by making them
feel at home! International Friendship Partners (IFPs) is a simple yet effective way
used in cities across the States to make internationals feel at home. To be an IFP
there are just 2 things you need to do:
1. Invite the international student to your home
(or together some place) at least once a month.
2. Keep in touch in the intervening weeks at least two times
by email, phone,... to show you care.
We’ll have one training session on intercultural skills and evangelism guidelines
that will enable us keep good relations with the secular institutions where the
students attend. There is also the opportunity to similarly befriend a refugee
individual or family, since the need has far surpassed the current volunteers.
Interested? Please Contact :
Scott & Taeko Bronner at
Email: scottinchrist[at]gmail[dot]com
Tel/Fax/Voice: 717-390-9089
Leviticus 19:34 “Foreigners living among you will be like your own
people. Love them as you love yourself. “ (GWT)
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