
“Moses’ arms soon became so tired he could no longer hold them up. So Aaron and Hur found a stone for him to sit on. Then they stood on each side of Moses, holding up his hands. So his hands held steady until sunset,” Exodus 17:12 (NLT).
“Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble,” Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (NLT).
Not too long ago, one of our staff members asked a group of dedicated volunteers who serve faithfully with International Students, Inc. the following question: “What is your hope for the future of international student ministry?” While the volunteers never ceased to amaze this particular staff member, one of their responses really hit home. In fact, the staff member later said that the response, “… so beautifully expressed the very heart and reason for the ministry of International Students, Inc. that I wanted to share it with everyone.”
And, he did! The staff member shared the volunteer’s response with us here at the Home Office. When asked about her hope for the future of international student ministry, our ministry volunteer said the following:
“ My hope is that the church would wake up and be involved in these opportunities that the Lord has given us to reach the world through international students. Of course, with the awakening, there is a real need for training so that the evangelism is both culturally sensitive and effective. My hope and prayer is that students would come to know Jesus so that the Gospel would be brought back to their countries and have a rippling effect. Coming home from the mission field, our family was seeking the Lord about where and how to serve Him. We were delighted to see that the Lord has brought the nations to the United States, and that we can continue to be involved in reaching out to the world while we are in the States.”
What a blessing to have the support and input of our 25,000 volunteers across the country. Their hearts share the ministry’s vision and desire to reach every international student for Christ. We appreciate their going above and beyond to help our ministry—and the students we serve—to succeed. We can only do what we do because they sustain and encourage our work! We thank you, volunteers, for standing by our side and “holding up our hands” to allow us to continue our mission.
For More Information
Are you interested in reaching the world from your doorstep? Learn more about how to minister to international students through ISI’s effective Friendship Partner volunteer program.
Would you like to inspire your congregation to participate in global outreach? Learn more about ISI’s exciting Church Partners opportunity.
Visit this site to learn more about ISI’s Churches Reaching Nations campaign.