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Creative Steps for Welcomers |
The following are a host of welcoming opportunities you can prayerfully explore.
- Volunteer to speak English every week with a student from Asia who is learning. www.omf.org/us 3 1/2011 GH
- Attend an International Students’ event at a local university (ISI Incorporated, www.isionline.org)
- Help in an English as a Second Language (ESL) class in your local church or a nearby by church.
- Join an international ministries program in your church or another.
- Help in a program that offers help to international students with their schoolwork—grade school, middle school or high school.
- Offer to help internationals with banking, health care or shopping.
- Offer an exercise class in the language of local internationals.
- Go often to a Chinese, Thai or Indian restaurant and befriend the newcomer waiters.
- Visit the international district in your city.
- Give international students a city tour.
- Go on an international student retreat.
- Host an exchange student or assist them with moves.
- Become a translator.
- Open your home to international students during the holidays.
- Offer loans to refugees.
- Research areas of immigrant communities in your area and services provided to them where you can volunteer
- Research agencies that help in placing refugees in your city. There are large groups of these in the U.S., and they are here because they no longer have a home.
- Volunteer with one of these agencies to house refugees, help them get settled, etc.
- Host a “newcomer” party (for internationals who are new to your town)
- Help internationals find work.
- Collect resources/essentials for refugees in your city.
- Reach out in areas where foreigners congregate in the United States i.e. ski towns, tourist places.
- Provide internships at your business for internationals.
- Welcome migrant workers and their families in your area.
- Host a “Garage Giveaway” for missionaries coming back from the field who may have nothing with which to furnish their home.
- Host a law education class.
- Host a citizenship class.
- Help Internationals obtain a drivers license.
- Host parenting education classes for Internationals.
The above list is an extract from a more comprehensive listing of involvement steps for World Christians, created by OMF and titled, 6 Ways to Raach God's World.
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