Welcoming international students into our lives — and our church
It wasn’t all that different than every other year. My plate overflowed with turkey, gravy, and stuffing, followed by pumpkin pie—and more pumpkin pie. In many ways my twenty-six previous Thanksgivings all blend together into a blur of food, family and football. But this year was different. My twenty-seventh Thanksgiving aligned with another group’s first Thanksgiving, creating a moment that was so much bigger than food or football. It was truly a unique family moment, even though I was not related to a single person in the room.
It all started during the summer when my church had the privilege to “adopt” twelve international students through a partnership with a local community college. These students were welcomed into our homes, our families and our faith community. My church — made up primarily of families from a Brazilian background — now had the opportunity to teach these students what it means to be American, and even more importantly, what it looks like to have a relationship with Jesus. What a blessing to see families in my church sharing dinners, bowling nights and birthday parties with new friends from India, Egypt, Colombia, Turkey, Indonesia and around the world!
Much to my surprise, four of the students have become active members of our collegiate Bible study. Week after week they show up, eager to study Scripture and explore their faith together with other students from my church. Slowly it became clear that the nations are coming to us, and God had strategically positioned my church in one of the world’s greatest educational centers. Now, we have the platform to share the Gospel through genuine relationships with students from all over the world!
Thanksgiving may have had the same food and traditions as past years. But this past year was different. I opened my house to a group of international students and shared in the excitement of their first-ever Thanksgiving. Only some fifty miles north of Plymouth Rock, nearly four hundred years after the Pilgrims gave thanks to God for their blessings, in a crowded little house in Lynn, we had the opportunity to share so much more than food and traditions with our new international friends. My group and I had the joy to share the love of Christ through genuine friendship, relationship and hospitality — and of course, some pumpkin pie!
(Editor’s Note: Many colleges and universities are looking for people in the community who are willing to build relationships with international students. Consider reaching out to a local college to find out how members of your church can volunteer in this capacity.)
Josh Rowley serves as the Second Generation Pastor at Celebration Church in Charlestown, Mass.