By Marc Wyatt

‘Le gustaría un poco de té?’ She asked me. ‘Would you like some tea?’ Asked cute as a button three year old Cecelia as she handed me a pink plastic tea cup and saucer. Kim and I were sitting on a blue sofa in the living room of Bancroft House having a tea party. Thanks to the generosity of the kind people of Winterpark Baptist Church, Wilmington, N.C., Cecelia, her two-year-old brother, Enrique, and her parents would soon be moving into a three bedroom bungalow owned by the church just a block away.

Cecelia’s father, Jose, an Electrical Engineer is an Advanced English as a Second Language Student attending the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW).  Jose and his family are numbered among the thousands of international students from around the world who are attending U.S. colleges and universities this year. Often, international students attend American schools and then return to their homelands without ever connecting in a personal way with local Christians and churches who border college campuses.

We met the Venezuelan family of four by participating in the school’s hospitality program. Community members are encouraged to make friends and provide simple hospitality to visiting international students while they study at UNCW.

Kim and I were privileged to host five Japanese students during the 2013 Fall Semester. We explored Wilmington’s local beaches and beautiful downtown, took the students to Golden Corral and Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, had them in our home for meals, played video games, shared stories (mostly true), laughed a lot and made friends in Jesus’ name. The students are all back in Japan now. Roughly 1 % of Japanese are Christian.

In December, we received a request from the International Host Program Coordinator asking if we were up to a bit of a different hosting relationship this semester; a family with two preschoolers. “Of course,” we said. Soon after meeting we realized they were living with another family miles away from the university. Space was very limited and without a car it was difficult for them to get to school. That’s when we learned from Eric Porterfield, senior pastor of WBC that Bancroft House might be an answer.

He was right. The church unanimously endorsed the idea of sharing their house with Jose and his family while he completed his ESL studies this semester. The church has a full preschool program for three year old Cecelia. The house is less than a mile from the college. God is the great match maker bringing internationals from far-away lands into the loving arms and lives of his people, like those who worship at Winterpark Baptist Church.

‘Tener un poco de pastel …,’Whispered little Enrique as he handed me a blue plastic bowl and fork –‘Have some pie.’ What a cutie pie I thought as I mimicked taking a bite. This is a glimpse at what international student ministry looks like one block from the church. Is there a college near you?

Kim and Marc Wyatt serve as Field Personnel with the Internationals Team West. The Wyatt’s are currently on Off Field Assignment and will be relocating the Pacific Southwest Border Region in July. The Wyatt’s share the love of Christ with refugees, immigrants, internationals in Academic Settings and among trafficked people thanks to your generous gifts to the Offering for Global Missions. Did you know that 19 cents of every dollar supports Global Missions among internationals?