Almost 80% of international students that come to study in the United States are never invited into an American home. This is not just a tragedy for the gospel, this is a tragedy for hospitality and for foreign relations in our culture. Our answer to this gap between the Great Commission in Matthew 28 and the lack of hospitality from the American church is to empower our congregation and student ministry to welcome, serve, and support international students and families in Lawrence. We do this by building patterns of seeing, inviting in, and caring for international students.

International Friendship Connections is the international student ministry within The Salt Company and a part of Story Hill Church, dedicated to reaching international students and families with the gospel here in Lawrence. IFC meets weekly in Family Groups and hosts numerous large-group events throughout the year.

We meet weekly for family-style dinners, games, relationship building, and Bible discussions. We have two Family Groups (Undergraduate/Community) that are continually working to make Lawrence feel like a “home away from home” for many who are so far away from their own families. Our groups consist of people from all over the world with different cultural backgrounds, religious beliefs, and life experiences. For however long our international student friends are in America, we want to build a community to have memorable experiences, develop friendships, and have fun! Our main goal is to help others experience love, hope, and meaning in their lives through a relationship with Jesus.

IFC is primarily facilitated by Story Hill and Salt Company volunteers and we are always looking to grow our team. We want to build lives that are interruptible – in which we step outside of our comfort zones and invite international students into our daily lives. Volunteers can participate in several different capacities throughout the year, with a variety of different commitment levels.

INTERESTED IN SERVING OR CONNECTING?

We need your help!! This year, we are selling t-shirts to raise funds to help offset the costs associated with feeding our international students. Please join us in loving on and serving the international students God has brought all the way to Lawrence, KS!

T-shirts are $30 each, and 100% of proceeds go towards IFC Family Groups.