International Challenge Week 2012

The International Student Committee has selected the first full week of October to be International Challenge Week. This special week will encourage Baptist churches and their Baptist campus ministries to place a unique emphasis on outreach to international students and scholars and their friends and family living on or near a college campus. There are over 700,000 internationals living on American college campuses and over 180,000 on Canadian campuses. It is our hope that at least half of our ministries will participate in this challenge.

For more information go to the link here.

Mark Lydecker

Love Loud, Team Leader

North American Mission Board

4200 North Point Parkway

Alpharetta, GA 30022

(770) 410-6380 office

(813) 732-0888 cell

Mlydecker@namb.net

Needing Resources for Working with International Students?

Here's an Annotated Resource List which includes sections for:
"How To" Articles
Conferences
Language Materials
World Religions
Information on Other Countries
Information on Internationals in the United States
Books
Resources to Share With Your International Friend
Helps for Teaching English
Helps for Teaching the Bible

Ideas for Using Soularium Cards with International Students

Soularium is a packet of fifty 4 x 6 original photographic images that spark conversation. They come in a plastic carrying case with suggestions for initiating spiritual conversations. They sell for around $12 and may be ordered from www.campuscrusade.com.

Ideas for Using Soularium Cards with International Students

1. In an English experience, discuss a topic using the photos. For example, I asked my class to select an image that represented something true in their country in a lesson on values. We then

compared cultural values.

2. Give an image to an International and ask them to tell you what they think is happening in the image. Groups can create entire stories about it.

3. Ask them to select images showing things that confuse them about America. Discuss what causes confusion.

4. Develop or use a set of questions for each image to create meaningful conversations.

5. Ask students to identify any images that they really like/dislike. Ask them why they like/dislike those images.

6. Allow them to select three images which represent their hopes for the future. Ask them to tell

you why they chose the images they did and what they represent about their future hopes.

7. Identify any images which show changes happening in a person’s life. Ask them what changes

they are experiencing.

A suggested set of questions to use with individual Soularium images

Scripture verses that highlight the images on the Soularium Cards

(One suggestion is to print the verse on a label and put it on the back of the card.)

These suggestions developed by:

Beth Smith

International Student Ministry Specialist

Texas Baptist Student Ministry

beth@utdallasbsm.org

972 567 2853

Welcome Booklets for International Students

Providing welcome booklets is a great way to introduce your ministry and the Scripture to new international students. It can also build favor with the international office.
We use a small (4” x 6”) photo album, the kind that some stores provide free when you have photos developed. Check with international student friends or someone in the international office for suggestions about what to include. Our booklet contains:

• Welcome page
• Contents page
• Conversational English information
• How to address an envelope
• Sample envelope
• How to write a check
• Sample check
• How to write a phone number and use phone books
• City bus information
• Measurement conversions (temperature, distance, weight)
• Where to find health care
• Where to buy international foods
• Where to find laundromats
• Where to find parks
• Where to find the public library
• Map of U.S. showing states
• Map of U.S. showing time zones (and explanation of daylight savings time)
• Holidays
• Bible introduction page, which says:
• More than half of the people in the U.S. are not Christians, but American history and culture have been greatly influenced by Christian values.
• The Bible was a textbook in American’s earliest schools, and much of the British and American literature of previous centuries was written with the assumption that readers were familiar with the Bible. BCM would be happy to give you a free Bible, whether in English or in your own language. If you would like to have one, contact….
• The rest of this booklet contains some of the well-known passages from the Bible.
• The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:3-17)
• The First Psalm
• The Twenty-third Psalm
• Prophecy of the Suffering Servant (Isaiah 53:3-6)
• The Sermon on the Mount ( Matthew 5:3-12)
• Roman Road of Salvation (Romans 3:23, 5:8, 6:23, 10:9-10)
• Advice for Life (Philippians 4:4-8)
• The Love Chapter (I Corinthians 13:1-8)
• BCM information page

Ask God if He wants you to provide these booklets. Pray for favor with the international office to allow you to do this. Pray for BCM students who have a heart for internationals to assemble the booklets. (It is very time-consuming!) Pray for the students who will receive the booklets. Claim God’s promise that his Word never returns void but always accomplishes the purpose that He intends.

Rose Bear
BCM, Indiana State University

Welcome Bags for International Students

Providing welcome bags is a great way to introduce your ministry and the Gospel to new international students. It can also build favor with the international office. We’ve found that churches love to help us collect the gift items through VBS, WMU, and other missions organizations.


We use quart size Zip Loc bags and fill them with:

• BCM pen
• Highlighter
• Post It notes
• Christian bookmark with BCM sticker on the back.
• (We use the Names of Jesus bookmark from www.lifewaystores.com
• ISBN: 0805436693 Product No.: 001148223)
• Small notebook or memo pad with BCM sticker on the back
• Pocket size package of tissues
• Gum
• 2 snack size candy bars
• Gospel tract with a sticker on the front that says:
• Over half of the people in the U.S. are not Christians, but American history and culture have been greatly influenced by Christian values. This pamphlet describes the central message of Christianity.
• (We use a tract called “Knowing God Personally” available at www.isionline.org)
• Small envelope containing four quarters with this sticker on the front:
• It’s a good idea to save your quarters to use in vending machines and other coin- operated machines. Enclosed are four quarters that you can use to do your first load of laundry.
• An insert welcoming the student to Conversational English and other BCM events.

We state that we are a Christian student organization, and that we welcome all people and you don’t have to be a Christian to attend. We also offer to provide a free Bible and arrange a ride to church.

Ask God if He wants you to provide these bags. Pray for favor with the international office to allow you to do this. Pray for the items you need. Pray for BCM students who have a heart for internationals to assemble the bags. Pray for the students who will receive the bags. Pray for God to produce great spiritual fruit that will remain.

Learn how to make a "WELCOME BOOKLET" for International students as well.

Rose Bear
BCM, Indiana State University

Conversation Partners for International Students

Looking for a way to develop relationships with international students? Do you have a few committed students that would love to build a relationship with an international student for the purpose of sharing the gospel?

What is a Conversation Partner?
A Conversation Partner is an American student or adult that agrees to meet regularly with an international student and help them with their English and their understanding of American culture. How should the program be set-up? A Conversation Partner program is not difficult to begin. Here are a few helpful hints for beginning a program from scratch:

1. Before you begin a program, check with the university and see if there is a real need for this at your university. Some universities provide international students with Conversation Partners as part of their study.

2. Determine your parameters for volunteer Conversation Partners. What are your levels of expectation for a Conversation Partner? Do you need to provide orientation or would you prefer to keep it informal?

3. Determine how you will recruit American volunteers for your program. Are you a campus minister with instant access to students or do you serve or work in a local church with people interested in ministering to international students. Make sure that you have enough volunteers to meet the possible demand. Campus Ministers can easily recruit college students on campus to serve in this ministry role.

4. Determine how you will inform/recruit international students for the Conversation Partner program. Publicity for and recruitment of international students is different than American students. Publicity should be in simple and clear English and/or in additional languages. If you have a large number of students that speak a particular language you might want to have part of a flier translated into that language. Contact the Baptist Collegiate Minister on the campus where you are interested in ministering and ask for their advice and help for publicity to international students. Be creative with publicity and make sure to abide by university regulations. You will catch more bees with honey than vinegar!

5. Begin to pray in advance for open doors and interest among international students.

6. Set a start date for your Conversation Partner program that is near the beginning of the semester. Fall and Spring semesters will probably work better than Summer semesters.

7. Assign students with a partner and contact both partners quickly and ask the American partner to arrange a meeting with the international student within one week.

8. Set up a central e-mail account and phone number that can be used on all publicity. If you have a web page, you can allow students to sign up and get information from your page.

9. Train American Conversation Partners. Holding a training session will allow you to clearly explain expectations for Conversation Partners and also allow the Conversation Partners time to ask questions. It is good to have Conversation Partners sign a contract for their ministry time that outlines expectations and information in the event of a problem with their partner.

10. Get resourced!

Click here >>>>Conversation_Partner_Agreement.pdf to view a sample Conversation Partner Agreement.

Click here >>>>>>>Creative_Ideas_for_Conversation_Partners.pdf to view a sample list of creative ideas of things to do with their Conversation Partner.

Click here for web resources on witnessing to people from different religions.

Conversation Partner ministry is an excellent ministry that allows Christians to spend one-on-one time with international students in the hopes of meeting a felt need of the international student and also opening a door for an opportunity to share the love of Christ.