March 1, 2012 —
This past week I was talking with a Christian professor on a local campus who wants to see students and colleagues from his home country come to know Christ.
“I was converted to Christ when I came to the United States; I want others to have that same opportunity,” he told me.
It reminded me of what had happened recently at another university in the North Texas area. Twenty Chinese graduate students were encouraged to use their time in the U.S. to explore the Bible during an evening gathering at a Christian professor’s home in Dallas last fall. The professor invited grad students at her university to view the China Bible Ministry Exhibition that was traveling through the area.
Their First Time
A delegation from the registered Protestant church of China took this exhibit of ancient Chinese Bibles and artifacts to four U.S. cities. For most of the grad students, this was the first time they had seen a Bible translated into their native language. Afterward, the professor invited students over for dinner at her home. For most of them, it was the first time to be in an American home.
Each student had been given a Chinese/English Bible at the exhibit, and she challenged them to read it and seek to discover if its words are truth.The students, though unfamiliar with the Bible, were very curious.
One asked her American friend if they could study the Bible together. Another later wrote to Dr. Smith, “The Exhibit and family salon opened a new window for me. It’s amazing experience. I really appreciate your invitation.”
How can you be a missionary? If you are living in a town with a university, consider talking to the international student office.
See if there is a way that you can show the love of Christ to these students — fixing them a meal, taking them to the local Walmart, inviting them along to an event that your family participates in.
Want more info on how to reach out to the more than 750,000 international students currently studying in the United States? Bridges International can help…