Category: Draw Students (Page 7 of 13)

Draw Students and Faculty to Jesus as Savior and Lord

Distant Relatives

June 19, 2017 / Howie Meloch / 0 Comments

The Central Region has an ongoing partnership with the work of SONOKO, a sister movement of InterVarsity/USA in Cambodia. Former Central Region staff, Steph Schmaltz, directs the growing movement there and recently shared about their end of the year training:

“Each May we combine both of our branches (Phnom Penh and Siem Reap) for a leadership training. Over my past five years in Cambodia I have seen this training grow tremendously. This year everything was led by our local staff. From worship, to Bible exposition, to seminar training they planned and executed it all! It was super encouraging to see and reassuring to know that our local staff are ready for more levels of responsibility.”

As a member of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students, InterVarsity/USA is privileged to work alongside national movements that share the gospel with students around the globe. Whether it is sending staff to help those movements develop or having a chance to meet with groups while on service trips or studying overseas, this worldwide network of Christian students is truly an amazing family.

Meeting the Desamparados

June 12, 2017 / Howie Meloch / 0 Comments

A team of students and staff from the Kansas area recently arrived back from two weeks of fresh fruit, amazing coffee, and learning and working along side the missionaries of Students International in Costa Rica.

The team served in the community of the “desamparados”, or forgotten ones, outside the Capital city of San Jose. This is one of the poorer communities in the area, and many people fall into drug addictions. Students International provides services in the community such as tutoring, sports camps, trade classes, bible studies, and much more free of charge. By being a positive influence in the community, and meeting their physical needs, the missionaries there are able to encourage and equip the community members to make better life choices. It is also a powerful way to share the gospel, as people who have been helped with their physical needs are drawn into community and life in Jesus Christ.

God also used this trip to greatly impact the InterVarsity students and staff who participated. Confronted with culture shock, miscommunications and the frustrations of their own limitations, God was able to reveal His powerful love to those who had gone to serve. As one student reflected, “I can see now God is so much bigger than I had ever imagined. He cannot be contained in a box or defined by the ideas in my head.”

“I Can See the Uniqueness of Jesus”

May 22, 2017 / Howie Meloch / 0 Comments

“I can see Jesus, He is reaching out his hand to me. He wants me to give him my troubles and fear,” shared one student after last week’s International Getaway. “I really enjoyed the intellectual conversations on the scriptures. Through our studies I can see the uniqueness of Jesus; no other prophet is like Him. There is something different about Him and I want to read more about Him,” explained another.

60 international students from around the region gathered near the lake of the Ozarks, May 12-16th. While there, friendships were deepened and many met with God in His word for the first time. Six students also indicated that they wanted to begin following Jesus! Praise God for His harvest work during these five days as well as all the seeds planted for the future.

Camping that Changes Lives

May 3, 2017 / Howie Meloch / 0 Comments

Every May, international students who are studying at campuses around the region make their way to a camp on the edge of the Lake of the Ozarks. Here they boat, swim, have campfires and learn about Jesus. International Getaway 2017 runs from May 12-16^th and the region is hoping to have more attendees from more schools then ever before.

Most of the students who attend this conference are not yet followers of Jesus and so the weekend is crucial for them to spend time (sometimes for the first time) in scripture, ask questions and build friendships with believers. If you would like more details as this incredible conference takes place, sign up to partner with us in prayer.

Always at Work

April 20, 2017 / Howie Meloch / 0 Comments

Sometimes it can be difficult to remember that God continues working even when we can not. InterVarsity staff, Andi Hendred, was reminded of this in a powerful way recently.

Andi first met Rachel a couple of years ago on one of the community college campuses in St Louis. She quickly got involved with the International Friends group there and attended most of their discussions on the life of Jesus. Rachel seemed very eager to learn about Jesus so Andi was surprised when she stopped attending the group and responding to her attempts to reach out.

After about eight months of not seeing or hearing from her, Andi ran into Rachel on another campus. In that time, Rachel had connected with a local church and even started hosting their prayer meetings in her home. Due to the testimonies of many from that church community, she got a glimpse of what it looks like to be from her country and follow Jesus.

This fall, Andi started meeting regularly with Rachel again to discuss the life of Jesus, pray together, and share how God is at work in their lives. At one of their meetings last month, she shared that she has started following Jesus and is planning to be baptized. Praise God for his continued work in the lives of those around us!

Photo Credit: Robert Cheaib - Theologhia.com Flickr via Compfight cc

The suffering servant

April 14, 2017 / Howie Meloch / 0 Comments

We like to cheer for the victorious, right? The one who always wins? If so, why is it important that we remember our suffering Messiah?

Justo Gonzalez reflects on the power of the suffering Jesus in Manana: Christian Theology from a Hispanic Perspective.

“The suffering Christ is important to Hispanics [and others who suffer] because he is the sign that God suffers with us. An emaciated Christ is the sign that God is with those who hunger. A flagellated Christ is the sign that God is with those who must bear the stripes of an unjust society.” (Gonzalez p149)

As we walk through this season of remembrance, may we lift this Jesus up to those who suffer all around us.

Can We Borrow Some Chairs?

April 3, 2017 / Howie Meloch / 0 Comments

“It started with just us three … but now there are so many coming we have to borrow more chairs from our neighbor!” exclaimed Kansas University student, Alberto, to his InterVarsity staff. After encouragement to start new things among his friends on campus, Alberto launched a Latin American prayer group. In just four weeks the group has grown from three students to twelve that meet to read scripture and pray in their native language of Spanish.

The students are internationals from many countries, including Honduras, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru and the Dominican Republic. Some are Christian while others are not or have become distant in their relationship with Jesus. It is exciting to see student leadership creating a place for Spanish-speaking international students to connect with God.

When Jesus Walks in the Room

March 23, 2017 / Howie Meloch / 0 Comments

Putting himself and students into more risky situations is what InterVarsity Staff, Brenden Graczak, felt called to do as he prayed in January. In response to this invitation, Brenden decided to trust Jesus by leading his international student chapters through a form of listening prayer. Brenden guided 27 students in St Louis through questions that helped them visualize Jesus walking into the room and conversing with them them about hurt and pain in their lives.

Many students had powerful experiences during the prayer time, especially one woman from a North African country. She has been studying the Bible and gaining trust with Jesus and during the prayer time she saw him approach her dressed in white and shining with bright light. Although she holds closely to another religion, Brenden is praying that this experience will break down some of the remaining barriers to her following Jesus.

Risky Friendship

March 13, 2017 / Howie Meloch / 0 Comments

“I took a big risk this past week! I shared the gospel with someone I know!” Haleemah, a student that InterVarsity staff Erica Li mentors at St Louis Community College, is normally very bold in sharing her faith, but mostly with people she won’t see again. After the evangelism training she attended two weeks ago, she felt challenged to share the gospel in an ongoing relationship.

Last week, she met up with a high school friend who goes to her college as well. As the conversation unfolded, she saw a clear connection between her friend’s current struggles and the healing that Jesus offers.

Haleemah shared the gospel and asked her friend to consider following Jesus. She said no, but, Haleemah courageously invited her into continued community – one of the places where she is learning to trust Jesus the most right now in her life. They plan to meet up to do an investigative Bible study on Jesus, women, and how to develop self-confidence.

Photo Credit: gianghoàng2 Flickr via Compfight cc

Questioning God

March 9, 2017 / Howie Meloch / 0 Comments

“If you go to heaven when you are a Christian, why not just kill yourself now?” David, an international student at the University of Missouri, asked God recently. Last semester, David spent time studying the Bible with InterVarsity staff, Megan Leong, and attending a local Chinese church. Lately, he has started praying to God and asking him his questions.

To his surprise, God has been answering him through people in his life. For instance, the same night David asked God why Christians don’t kill themselves to go to heaven sooner, a church friend texted him an answer without even knowing his question.

God is moving in David’s heart. While he says he doesn’t have enough confidence to say yes to believing in Jesus right now, Megan can definitely see it happening soon.