The Joy of Giving

Amy Liu, a former international student and ISMC volunteer in Vancouver, now supports the ministry as a prayer and financial partner.

While studying at the University of British Columbia, I joined an international students Bible study and learned about ISMC’s ministry. Two years later, I was entrusted to lead the Bible study and merged it with ISMC’s FOCUS Club. Through that partnership, I experienced true blessings by serving and supporting international students. There were many challenges along the way, but nothing compared to the joy of seeing students coming to know the Lord! 

Volunteering with ISMC was the greatest blessing in my life—I became stronger in my faith and developed a closer relationship with God. In experiencing His powerful transformation in me, I came to know the Holy Spirit as my true friend, and met amazing friends from many parts of the world.

FOCUS Club in Vancouver

After marrying and moving to Japan in 2014, my passion to reach international students for Christ did not change, even though I could no longer serve as a frontline ISMC worker. Early in 2019, I was thrilled to become an international student recruiter in Asia. Knowing God is working behind the scenes for a greater purpose, I travel regularly to Asia to promote a master’s of food science degree program in Canada. I hope to inspire students to explore the field of food science and most importantly, to connect them to FOCUS Clubs so they can explore faith in Christ. 

I am thankful for how the Lord allows me to serve international students with this opportunity. I want to honor Christ by giving back the first fruits of my increase (Exodus 13:1-22), so I will financially support a few ISMC staff members. I admire their amazing work of reaching international students to be equipped to impact the world for Jesus! Every time I think about being part of this incredible ministry, joy flows into my heart! I will continue to do what I can to support and invest in this ministry that has so blessed my life and that of many others.

Please pray and consider a donation to the Student Leadership Fund to empower students like Amy to reach international students with her gifts and talents.

Lisbeth Pino, an international student in London, ON, was named among the 2019 Women Who Build Ecuador, a designation her country reserves for pioneers who “leave their stories in time, which cause breezes that will become new winds of hope and equality”.

I was born in the Andean foothills, about six hours from Quito. My two younger sisters and I were raised by a single mother. Despite the hardships, my mother always taught us to give thanks to the Lord, for He who promised is faithful. I am very grateful how God has faithfully provided again and again in order for me to pursue higher education.

My journey to Canada started with a master’s program scholarship, awarded by the Ecuadorian government. After praying to learn what pleases the Lord, I chose to study public health at Western University in London, ON.

Shortly after I had settled in London, I learned about the FOCUS Club from my landlady. I was excited to get involved in this ministry that connects Canadian families with international students for weekly dinner gatherings. As an international student, I totally understand the desire and need to learn about the Canadian culture, to build meaningful friendships; and to be part of a loving community.

Dinner at FOCUS Club

God calls me to show His light through love and compassion. I particularly felt a burden to care for isolated seniors, to let them know they are not alone. Thank God for giving me the courage and faith to start visiting neighborhood seniors. What a joy to share my testimony and faith in Christ as I bring hope and try to brighten their day. I credit God for their comments: “the international student who brings happiness to North America”, and “how unusual to have a positive young woman among us”. These words I will never forget and I will continue to visit them as a mission from God.

Now in Western’s Ph.D. health and rehabilitation sciences program, I study the social profile of Ecuadorian women, in particular, a single mother’s struggle to raise children in the rural highlands. As part of my research, I will do field work and start a Christian ministry in Ecuador. Please pray that God will equip me to be a catalyst for change and to bring Ecuador to Christ.

First winter in Canada

Please pray and consider a donation to the Student Leadership Fund to empower students like Lisbeth to be a catalyst for change.

Subashini (name changed), an international student from India, serves with the ISMC Ottawa team while continuing her studies at Carleton University. 

I was born as a Hindu, accepted Jesus as Savior in 1997, and since then, have experienced God’s divine interventions many times through the gift of dreams. I give all glory to God’s amazing grace and guidance, especially for the opportunity to study in Canada.

My family struggled because of my father’s addiction issues. I wondered if God was really there; could He possibly bring peace to my family? I started to get divine dreams and many times saw my father in desperate places. When I opened my Bible, the word repentance stood out. I didn’t know what to do, but my father’s issues continued. What I saw in my dreams started to take place in real life. My father became so ill, the doctors doubted he would survive. Our family cried out to Jesus—”if You raised Lazarus, please help our father.” He survived and his addictions stopped miraculously. We started attending church and our lives changed.

I experienced God’s amazing grace in my family and in my studies. By God’s grace, I was admitted to college to study architecture. Several times, when I couldn’t think of a good design to submit, I asked God for help. Twice, He showed a clear plan in a dream. When my projects were presented at an international conference, I received an award and a full scholarship for doctoral studies in Canada. I give all glory to my creative God, who put His blessings in me. My classmates asked if my father was an architect. I said no, but I wanted to scream aloud that my God is the chief architect!  

In Canada, I take every opportunity to share what Jesus has done and is doing in my life. Serving at ISMC has given me many opportunities to share my testimony with other international students. I want to tell them that Jesus is a prayer answering God, and is alive! After graduation, I intend to use my God-given creative gifts to design churches and to reach people with stories of His faithfulness and grace.

Please pray and consider a donation to the Student Leadership Fund to empower students like Subashini to reach international students with her testimony.

Photo credit: voanews.com

“And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?”
Mark 8:36

An Iranian ISMC board member on staff at Western University described 35-year-old Mike (not his real name) as a lively man with much hope.

Mike, halfway through a Ph.D., was killed, along with 176 passengers and crew when Flight 752 was blown out of the sky in January at the Tehran Airport. The dead included 138 passengers headed to Canada, many of them international students. ISMC ministries in London, Vancouver, Montreal, Winnipeg, Guelph, and Halifax had victims, some of whom were involved with us and on the path to crossing the line of faith.

Three thoughts have stayed with me since that terrible January morning.

First, regarding world geopolitics: leadership matters immensely. It was leadership that provoked and it was leadership that retaliated to cause this disaster. Everything rises and falls on leadership. ISMC will not relent in its efforts to develop and train international students as godly and effective servant-leaders to impact the world through Jesus Christ for good and God’s glory.

Secondly, no matter how well and long we live, there is a hereafter that every promising, über-smart international student must be made to think seriously about. Beyond their supple bodies and sharp minds, each of them has a soul with an eternal destination. Beyond academic excellence and enviable living standards in Iran or Canada, this question requires deep reflection: “What do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your soul?” ISMC has been positioned by God to make the existential questions of identity, purpose, faith, salvation, and eternal life a non-threatening yet crucial conversation on our campuses from coast to coast.

Finally, I think about those on Flight 752 who were told by ISMC staff or volunteers: “When you return from Iran, we’ll take the Alpha course” or “We’ll start a Discovery Bible Study after your Christmas holidays.” Somehow, we assume we have all the time in the world and say to ourselves, “Before Mike (or whomever) finishes that Ph.D., I will share the good news of Jesus Christ.” Tomorrow never comes. Today is the day of salvation; now is the only time we have. The Tehran tragedy sparked a sharp sense of urgency in me.

My hope: that those who died rest in peace, but who can tell? All I know is I will not—cannot—rest in peace until every international student in Canada has the opportunity to encounter the love and message of Jesus Christ! How about you?

Dr. Yaw Perbi
ISMC President