Have you ever gone somewhere where everything is different and you know absolutely no one?

This is what international students face when they first come to Canada.

Shaleen from Nepal shares: “In the beginning of my journey as an international student, one of the biggest challenges I faced was loneliness. Moving to a new country meant leaving behind my family, friends, and everything familiar to me. I didn’t know anyone and I often felt out of place. Even simple things like attending classes, eating meals, or walking around campus felt overwhelming without people I was close to. On top of that, adapting to the culture and way of life made me feel even more isolated.”

Right now, this loneliness and isolation is being played out in the lives of international students on campuses across the country. 

But Psalm 68:6 tells us that “God places the lonely in families.” And Shaleen continues her story: “I was welcomed into such a warm and supportive community where I met so many lovely people who helped me fight that loneliness. Being part of ISMC gave me not only friendships, but also a sense of family, belonging, and even love that I never expected to find so far from home. I can confidently say that ISMC has become my second family here.”

When you give to ISMC or your local city ministry, when you volunteer, and when you pray for international students in Canada, you become part of rewriting stories of loneliness into stories of connection:

The volunteers at Focus Club were very welcoming. They treated us like their own family.

– Rasesh (India)

The ISMC team were the first faces my husband and I saw when we arrived in Canada. They welcomed us as they picked us up from the airport. They also welcomed us into many events to immerse us in Canadian culture. In fact, all of my strongest friendships were born through some connection that occurred during an ISMC activity.

– Karen (Ecuador)

They helped me survive the first couple months with winter clothing and furniture. But most importantly, they took me to church and introduced me to Bible Discovery, Bible Study, and Christian retreats. That’s where I made friends, fellow seekers of the truth like me. I realized I wasn’t alone in unlearning so many things from my past to make room for the truth.

– Lily (India)

They made me feel at home, because besides providing English classes at no cost, they opened the doors of their houses, presented their culture and traditions to us, and lessened our homesickness.

– Malane (Brazil)

The specific activities and events vary from city to city and campus to campus. But what doesn’t change is that students are finding love and connection as they’re being welcomed in Jesus’ name.

Thank you for being part of building community for international students in Canada. Thank you for being part of rewriting stories of loneliness.

Cam Janzen
ISMC President & CEO

P.S. September is a great time to make a special gift to International Student Ministries. Your donation will be used to build community for international students on campuses across Canada.