Most international students have good English skills, but some students, as well as spouses and children, need practice conversing in English. Consider being that conversation partner that they need. Meeting once a week for an hour or two can quickly build a friendship and open up opportune moments to naturally share about life and faith. Internationals are eager to talk about culture, holidays, hobbies, travel destinations and even the weather! Conversation can take place in person or even online. A coffee shop is a great setting for this! IFI can supply resources to help facilitate your times together.

Conversation Partner Tips

Incoming students sometimes have a need for a temporary place to live for just a few days. They may have arrived a bit before their lease begins. Sometimes, a tired student arrives to an unfurnished apartment and just needs a place sleep until they can obtain a bed and get their apartment set up. Offering the hospitality of a temporary stay in your home can be a life-changing event in an international student’s life. They can experience God’s love through you in their time of need and they will never forget your kindness!

IFI offers one or two larger fun events each month to initiate friendships with international students. Day trips to state parks, area festivals, sporting events, museums, zoos, and other interesting places, provide a way to gather students, along with their family members, in hopes of getting them involved in other IFI activities. We need volunteers who are willing to drive, visit with the students, prepare food, hike, etc. Church vans, private vehicles, and willing drivers make these activities possible. You can help with these larger events as an individual, a couple, or even as a small group. Your church might even consider organizing some of their own friendship events with the help of IFI’s input.

Transportation can be a limiting factor in how IFI is able to reach out to internationals on our campus. Most students do not have cars and the city bus routes often can’t provide the answer. Drivers, using their own vehicles, are needed. We also need drivers for church vans. Most churches do not require a special license to drive their vans. We greatly appreciate the willingness of area churches in providing the use of their large vans! Also, IFI’s outreach efforts sometimes involve the need for a pickup truck to haul certain items. Individuals and churches with an available pickup truck can really help out whenever the need for hauling larger items for students comes along.

Providing food for IFI activities is a great way to be a part of IFI’s outreach efforts. We will let you know when our activities are going to be needing certain food items. Some of these foods are familiar American fare. IFI will supply instructions for various ethnic foods if you are wanting to be a bit adventurous. Many of our students are vegetarians and we provide some options for them at most activities as well. From small gatherings, to large events, food is an essential friendship-building ingredient! Your kitchen can be your ministry and a great way to serve the Lord!

Join with other Christian women from this area in facilitating a once-a-month food, crafts, fun and friendship gathering for international women. These evening gatherings are typically held in a local church dining area. A short presentation of Biblical truth is sensitively shared as well. Help is needed with planning, setup, food, craft presentations and simply visiting with international women to develop friendship. This is a very popular monthly event and a highlight of their experience here for many international women. 

Many graduate students and visiting scholars come here with their families and live in tiny apartments with their young children. There are many ways to host fun activities for these children that will be greatly appreciated by their parents. Wonderful friendships can develop through offering fun times enjoying creative crafts, games, sports, and more. These activities are best suited to occur on the weekends. They can take place in homes, area activity centers, baseball fields, local church gyms, and even at the YMCA.

Consider opening your home for a small Bible discussion group or for other occasional activities. Hosting doesn’t require leading the activity. Having volunteers who are willing to offer their home to meet is an incredible blessing and is really needed for outreach! IFI is also looking for other venues in which to meet, such as community centers, churches, rooms at restaurants, etc. Outdoor spaces offer warm-weather potential for group activities as well. Rural homes and farm settings can facilitate some enjoyable activities.

Bible discussion facilitators are a vitally needed link in reaching students for Christ. Most Bible groups use the Discovery Bible Study method. This approach encourages students to search for life’s answers themselves, through discussion of a series of selected DBS scriptural passages. Facilitators guide that discovery process by asking a few basic questions, rather than preparing involved teachings. The atmosphere for these gatherings must be welcoming and non-condemning. Food, fun and friendship should always be a part of the evening. A weekly or bi-weekly gathering is most productive.

Prayer partners are essential to IFI’s effectiveness. Do you feel called to pray for the hearts of international students to become open to Christ on this campus and others? Do you have a desire to pray for individual students and their family members? Are you willing to pray for IFI’s outreach efforts and for the volunteers performing them? Would you pray for IFI’s leadership? We really need your involvement! Prayer partners will be kept informed of the various prayer needs and will meet online or in person periodically.

As the number of international students that IFI connects with on our campus continues to grow, so does the need for the ongoing growth of resources to express Christ’s love to them in many tangible ways. Partnering financially is a tremendous way to help IFI’s ministry, even if you are located far from this campus! Join in this vital part of the ministry here at the University of Illinois by giving here!