I am blessed to have been called to work with Bridges International OC (with a focus on the University of California Irvine) reaching out to international students. There are approximately 8,000 international students currently studying at UCI, coming from 85 different nations, many coming from China, India, South Korea, Taiwan and Iran.
Over the years I have met and built friendships with many international students from all over the world. I always enjoy learning about them and their culture, but the greatest joy comes from conversations about Jesus and His love for them. With many of them, it is the first time to hear about Jesus. It has been a great honor to be part of their journey as some decide to follow Christ and seeing their life transformed by Him.
Jesus commissioned His followers to go into all the world and make disciples. What a wonderful thing to know that ‘the world’ is coming to us. Many of these students will return to their home country and become the leaders of tomorrow. Imagine the impact they will have on their community as a follower of Christ.
We live in a world where there is so much uncertainty, and this often causes people to live in fear and anxiety. However, it is also causing students to reflect and take a deeper look into the purpose of their life. I have found their hearts to be even more open to hearing about the hope that I have in Christ.
I would love the opportunity to share with you more about what God is doing in the lives of international students and how you can be part of reaching the nations for Him. For more information, please contact me at Daun.Slauson@bridgesinternational.com