Happy Thanksgiving!

We count our blessings!

 Over the years we have counted our blessings in many ways.  There is the song, "Count your blessings, name them one by one.  Count your blessings, see what God has done.".
 When our children were young we added THE Count from Sesame St  "von, von new blessing; two, two new blessings, hahaha..." .  One year we counted 5 Thanksgiving dinners withing a 3 week period; dinners with international students at different churches, ICF, with family on the Cape and here in CT.  We had tacos for Christmas that year!

Master Carver

 We learned from a favorite radio program how to play "The God Hunt", an "I spy" like game.  Every time we saw God at work in, through or for us we called it a sighting.  It really helped improve our God eye sight and was great fun as well.

Stuffing the bird

Enjoying labor's fruit

This year we were doubly blessed, Thanksgiving in VA with Abby & Nick, and Dan & Mel and two weeks later Thanksgiving in CT with an international gang of old & new friends from Kenya, Iran, & China!  We took time between courses to share one thing each is thankful for. It was a special time for us all, and another reason to give thanks and count our blessings.

Tradition

Tradition is part of CT : Land of Steady Habits.  So every year on Columbus Day Weekend we gather the interested international students and take a ride to check out a local orchard.and enjoy the stunning fall foliage on the way!

This year was no different, except we had less co-operation from the weather.  The hearty souls that braved the weather were rewarded with delicious apple cider donuts, free cider and the opportunity to pick their own apples, right off the tree!

It is amazing how many students have never seen fruit growing on trees, or had the opportunity to pick the fruit for themselves.                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Kudos to our hearty volunteers who blessed the students with their time on this liquid sunshine day!

Back to school

 While we are waiting for our house to sell we have been blessed to visit ICF UConn and interact with the incoming students!

 The Welcome Night Ice Cream Social was a big hit with many new students and many returning students.  There were new students from Guyanna, China, Iran, Senegal, Kenya & Korea.  Returning students testified about the warmth, friendship & love they experience at ICF.  One student said "I joined this family!"  They encouraged the visitors to come back and experience the support, relax, talk and make friends.  It was a blessings to see and feel God's love flowing freely.

 It was surprising how the students loved the ice cream.  Many of the students are interested in getting help to improve their spoken English.

 Richard got to help the  ICF student leadership at the Student Activities Fair as well.  Sunny, cool and more new students!

We are so grateful for the many volunteers whose love for these students keeps this work alive and active.  Thank you Father!

Summertime

Summer is a change of pace time, but no less busy.  We have enjoyed visiting and being visited; renewing times with friends & ministry partners we have known for many years.  

We are blessed to participate in the wedding of a former UConn International Student, who was a key leader for many years

  We sent off our special Chinese friends to their new future.  They left with their new degrees, and our hearts.  We are missing them and praying for Father to hold them close.  

 

We have visited ICF a few times and enjoyed interacting with the students and volunteers.  Richard was invited to teach and Father gave him a good word to share. 

 Through all of this we have been keeping our house looking un-lived in for showings and the yard manicured.

 

National Staff Conference

 Our conference this year was encouraging, refreshing and a hallmark of changes!

 Our moving to Washington DC will put us in a sub-region called Metro NY/Mid Atlantic.  We have a good company to work with here.

 Natasha Hope, who has been our Regional Field Director for many years, felt called to move on as her particular gifts & calling had been fulfilled.  Dave Larson is stepping up to be our new Regional Field Director.  We are blessed to have him.  He is from Buffalo, NY and has been serving along side us in New York.

 We celebrated with our friends Howard & Daphne.  We joined ISI at the same time 25 years ago! 

ISI President Doug Shaw, & his wife Susan honored our 25 years with ISI .

On May 22-26, 2014  a high quality & high energy leadership retreat in the beautiful Pocono region of Pennsylvania took place.  International students & scholars who aim to grow as leaders, both professionally and personally, attended. It was a remarkable event that changed the lives of the participants.

TRUE Leadership

An International Student Leadership Conference

What is it? What do we mean by T.R.U.E?

• Trust – Authentic leadership requires a person to grow in trustworthiness.  Then others are more likely to rely on that person’s initiative or direction.  The resulting impact on productivity, teamwork and collective satisfaction, therefore, is enhanced.
• Relationships – Often overlooked, the power of a leader’s integrity can provide a vital framework for effective collaboration among staff, co-workers or even a community.  When a leader demonstrates humility, forgiveness and honesty in one’s own relationships, the effect is revolutionary, positive and potentially far-reaching.
• Understanding and wisdom – Without a deep and central understanding of one’s “true north” a leader may flounder or even fail.
• Excellence – Ancient wisdom also confirms that, “We are what we repeatedly do.” Excellence, then, is not a one-time action, but a habit.

Why Retreat?

A retreat is a period of time when a group of people come away in order to dedicate that time to specific instruction under skilled leadership.

What should I expect?

Expect to learn and grow in the skills of T.R.U.E leadership during this retreat. Expect to benefit from the speakers presentations and interaction with others, who are also growing in leadership, from around the world.  Expect to be challenged physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally.  The TRUE retreat is the toughest retreat that you will ever love!

Our own student leader said "something told him to try it..." and he came back encouraged in his faith and affirmed in his leadership gift.  We are looking forward to what God will do with this newly re-focused leader.                                                                                                                            

Growth Groups

When our church started Growth Groups a couple of years ago Richard and I were traveling, sometimes two weeks a month and couldn't make the time commitment.  As time progressed it continued to be difficult to connect at connection time.  This was a sad thing to us, but meeting new people all over the Northeast Region kept us busy.  This spring we have made the time to share our new ministry expansion and changes with all of the Growth Groups.  It has been a JOY to meet old friends and make new friends, a really good gift to us, as we share about our upcoming changes and the continuing opportunities at ICF, UConn, Storrs.                                                                            

 

 In every group the love of Christ has been tangible and the fellowship sweet.

We have feasted on both with grateful hearts.

The Directors

 Twice a year we have a meeting of the Northeast Region's Directors.  In this get-away time we pray for one another about both personal and ministry needs. Over the years this group has come together as friends and co-laborers.  We have studied books on leadership as our Regional Field Director, Natasha Hope, has schooled us in how to work as a team, how to lead our various teams, and she has encouraged us in our sharing of information & experiences.

 This latest meeting included the task of preparing the region for a change of leadership.  After 13+ years of serving as our Regional Field Director, Natasha is stepping aside.  She feels strongly that she has taken us as far as she can and has completed her task of team building.  We all have benefited from her love, encouragement and enthusiasm and are sad to  see her step aside. 

We are blessed that Dave Larson, one of us, will be taking on the role of RFD .  His gifts and talents will take us further "down the road" in accomplishing our goal of loving & serving international students and seeing full cycle evangelism take place.

NE Regional Conference

Praise the Lord that He met us as we came together near Rutgers University in NJ.
 

118 gathered: ISI staff, key volunteers, int'l students and other partners in the ministry, who came from 23 cities and campuses throughout the Northeast, with all ages (early 20's through early 90's) from 15 cultures- our group was larger and more diverse than ever before.  

• Excellent keynote sessions with Paul Borthwick encouraging us to press on with persistence, patience and obedience, and encouragement from Dr. Doug Shaw, our ISI President.
• Very good pre-conference training in Mslm and Hindu Ministry, M:28 Bible study leading and learning more about the Chinese student.
• We prayer walked at four Rutgers University campuses as well as at Princeton University.
• For the prayer walks the Lord provided us with a sunny 50 degree afternoon!! A good gift after a long winter!
• God seemed to speak to each participant.  One example: during sharing Sunday morning on how God spoke to us, a Cornell Indian graduate student had tears as he shared of the conflict at home between Indians and Pakistanis; yet he had incredible fellowship with two Pakistani brothers who were with us this weekend.  Secondly, four years ago as we prayer walked at Cornell, he was deciding to apply to Cornell for graduate school.  He felt like he was an answer to our prayers for more laborers at that Ivy League school. We were so blessed to see in front of us an answer to our prayers!