Challenges Ahead

In the last 2 months of 2009 Richard became aware that our data base on the computer was malfunctioning. Not all of the email letters sent were received. Not all the snail mail letters were sent because the data base wasn't responding corrrectly to the request for addresses. With XP being abandonned in 3 years; the need for a new data base; and an email sending server required, we are feeling ____overwhelmed____! Please pray for us as we seek to respond the best way possible through this messy situation, while still keeping you all informed.

In the first quarter of 2010 we have " plans" to travel locally to churches interested in international student ministry in CT, MA, NY, VT and NH. Timing, weather, and taxes are issues as we look to "hitting the road." Please pray for safety, and our ability to stay flexible as we go. Like Paul said he learned to be all things to all people, we wear many hats as we meet people from different backgrounds. We are always asking for God's wisdom and discernment.

We will be traveling to PA early in March, after our Northeast Regional Staff Conference in New York City, to teach our Friendship Partner Program. We are excited about this church that is stepping up to reach out to international students in their area. Please join us in praying for good soil for the seed God has given us to sow.

Thank you for your prayers!!!!! They are changing the world!!!!!

Looking Back to Look Forward!

"Blessed be God, who did not reject my prayer or turn His grace away from me." Psalm 66:20

For many years, even as we labored at UCONN, we sought the Lord for the students at ECSU in Willimantic. We prayed: occasionally trying to stir local churches and trying to connect into the student body there. Even with student and professor connections nothing happened. Then one day a UCONN /ICF volunteer Ruth Hartunian-Alumbaugh (an ISI ministry rep.) attended an ECSU international student function. She offered her assistance to do "anything to help" and in a short time of faithful service Ruth befriended the director of Intercultural Affairs. We now have the opportunity to touch 25 or more under-grad students through this amazing open door. If you are in the Willimantic region and are willing to reach out to one of these students please contact us. They are fun to know and you get to impact the world from your own living room.

We have kept on keeping on in Groton/NewLondon. Our small group remains to encourage and support our international student leader. His small group has grown some and continues in Bible study and prayer at/for Avery Point campus. If you live in this southeast region, there are opportunities to befriend international students and international Coast Guard cadets and impact the world for Jesus! Just let us know if you are interested in joining the World Changers!

The door is open at the Univeristy of Bridgeport. Black Rock Congregational Church spear-headed the outreach there and has received favor from the university. They need help from other churches to meet the need/opportunity! They could use your help in reaching out to the many students interested in friends and activities. Calvary E.Free of Trumbull has gotten involved, how about you? If you live in the greater Bridgeport area and are interested please contact us and we'll get you connected.

We are seeing new interest in New Haven and Waterbury among the churches. We will be working in these areas in the coming year to warm and water the good seeds of The Word that have fallen there. The small colleges and university extensions in the Waterbury area have many internationals. There are new open doors at Yale! God willing, we hope to see these seeds prosper and grow into fruitful vines for His Kingdom.

After so many years, it is a blessing to see life growing from the prayer seeds. We thank God for all He is doing here in Ct.!

News you won't see in National Media

Recently the president of ISI, Doug Shaw, shared some unique happenings with staff. Although shared with designed vagueness to protect lives, a couple of them caught my heart and I wanted to share them with you.

There is a small US city that averages 3 Asian students receiving salvation in Jesus Christ every month!

An international student who has returned home is helping recraft religious freedom laws at home!

One of our partners (not staff) led a terrorist to Jesus!

It takes my breath away to see the enormity of the opportunity that comes from being a friend to an international student! Won't you join us?

December Life

Returning home after weeks of traveling required a season of re-adjusting and catching up on many different fronts. Household chores, winter snow, bill paying, fighting the computer, and writing/printing/mailing newsletter updates don't make for exciting stories but are the "as you go" stuff of life.

In the midst of this God blessed us by including us in some holiday activities with international students. Richard joined the Indian Christmas Celebration held in West Hartford at the Univerisity of Hartford. This outreach to Indian and other international students by a group of Indian families allowed Richard to share words of life and encouragement in unexpected and fun ways. Carol drove to Willimantic to join a key volunteer's family in Christmas caroling in their neighborhood. Some internationals joined us for the cultural experience and got to learn our carols that tell all about Jesus. It was exciting to see neighbors receive with joy and students put good seed in their hearts. All around us God was networking and connecting people!

Faces and Places

Northeast, Maryland

Pastors in Dundalk, MD and Mechanicsburg, PA

Ambler, PA and Northville, NY

Traveling to share and encourage the Vision

In C.S.Lewis' "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" after the children arrived in Narnia they saw the snow melting, Father Christmas appear in the wood, and early spring flowers appear because Aslan was on the move. Like the children, as we go we are seeing signs everywhere that God is on the move.

Someone who really caught the vision we have at ISI funded a mailing to get this word out to the churches. In our north-east region we have already had about 50 churches respond where there is no staff. Our Regional Field Director asked us to visit these churches. So we have begun traveling from here in CT to Wash D.C., VA, MD, PA, NY, NJ, DE and other New England states. It is a blessing to meet brothers and sisters in Christ, see God drawing churches together to reach communities, encourage the weary. We get to share, pray, and plan together.

Pray for me that whenever I open my mouth the words will be given to me to be bold in making known the secret of the Good News. Eph 6:19 (The Jewish Bible)

Include prayer for us, too, that God may open a door for us to proclaim the message about the secret of the Messiah ... and that I may speak as I should, in a way that makes the message clear. Col 4: 3,4 (The Jewish Bible)

ISI exists to share Christ's love with international students and to equip them for effective service in cooperation with the local church and others.

"Look at all the Lord has done through you already__Look at my life!

Saturday was a beautiful day for the visit to Buell's Apple Orchard with UConn's ICF. The predicted rain never materialized but many international students did! We piled into cars and enjoyed good fellowship during our scenic half hour drive to Eastford. Then we dispersed to enjoy cider and donuts; hayrides and applepicking; watching candyapple making and listening to great music. It was fun to rub elbows with international students again.

Our travels these days bring us into many new churches. It is exciting to find fellowship in so many places in the northeast with like minds and hearts. These family members are catching the vision to reach out to international students and impact the world for the kingdom.

We are leaving again soon to meet with churches in New Jersey; Delaware; Philadelphia and Harrisburg, PA; and Baltimore, MD. to encourage and make disciples. We will be blessed to visit with former students as well, and get caught up on lives. These friends serve as reminders to us that this ministry is valuable and effective in saving lives and reaching the world. As one former student recently reminded me "Look at all that has been done through you already__Look at my life!"

Please keep us in your prayers as we seek to follow God to the connections He has for us.