the group
When two new guys came through the door, I was both surprised and pleased! We were celebrating the birthdays of two of our Asian friends who live with us, Donna and Quan. They had each invited people to drop by for grilled burgers and birthday cake, but we really didn’t know who might show up. Our Chi Alpha friends from UCLA had come along with a handful of USC students from China. We had just begun serving when our two new friends appeared in the doorway. They had come to the party by Donna’s invitation (we are amazed at how inter-connected international students are since Donna is in a music study program and both these guys are in doctoral programs in the Engineering department). They seemed a bit uneasy in their new surrounding at first but our Chi Alpha friends quickly embraced them and soon conversation was easy and flowing. Their initial uneasiness seemed to stem from their past experience. Evidently, these Middle Eastern students had limited contact with Americans and apparently received less than friendly receptions before.
Donna and Quan
That night we had a great time and since then one of them has returned to our home and brought another friend. We look forward to spending even more time with these new friends this month during Thanksgiving! It is because of your support and prayers that we are able to reach out to love and serve our international friends.
During this holiday season we will be hosting, and involved in, numerous events which will bring us into contact with many students. Please pray for these divine appointments and pray God’s blessing over those who, on occasion, feel the rejection from our society because of political or religious reasons. After all, isn’t Thanksgiving about welcoming and helping the newcomer and realizing God has blessed us all?