homemade missions Day #16

Do you remember those days of university?  The days when a home cooked meal could make you cry?  When sometimes all you wanted was to get off campus and hang out with a real family (and they didn't have to be yours!)? 

Now add to that feeling of homesickness, intensity, culture-shock, and english as their second (third, or fourth) language, .  And you'll get a pretty good picture of how international students feel when they enter an American university. 

Here in Uganda, Josh and I work with university students from all over East Africa.  They are part of our ministry.  And I would like to pose the possibility that they be part of your ministry too!  Do you live near a university or college?  If you do, then there is a good chance that there are some international students there.  In 2011 there were 723,277 international students studying in the United States.  These men and women will influence their home countries in some way in the near future.  They could potentially be the newest missionaries for this generation. 

So, would you be willing to invite an international student into your home for Christmas?  Perhaps you could invite an international student to your church and lunch afterwards.  THIS ONE is how to discover and grow your relationship with an international student.  And HERE are some tips for building friendships with international students.  And finally, HERE are some tips on hosting an international student (whether for a meal or a semester break).