- [Narrator] Would it surprise you to learn
that 70% of the thousands of international students
on Alabama's College and university campuses
are never invited into an American home
and that 80% are never invited to church.
Back in 2013, Alabama WMU
and the Collegiate & Student Ministries Office
of the State Board of Missions
saw a way that they could come together
to help lower those statistics.
Their idea, host an annual event
that would bring American
and international students together
in a fun and relaxing environment
where friendships could be started
and relationships fostered,
the International Friends Retreat was born
with an ideal location as the venue,
Alabama WMU WorldSong Missions Place.
- I couldn't think of a more perfect setting
for our international students to find a place of peace
and our American students to find that place as well,
where they could naturally create relationship
as they go about
doing life on the campus of the WorldSong
as they go hiking the mountain or canoeing on the lake
or playing games on our big field
or even in a worship setting,
it just provides that pull away place
where it's quiet.
You're not distracted by the rest of the world
and the things that come with that
and it creates an atmosphere
where you can have conversation.
- [Narrator] In addition to the memories
the students take away from the retreat each year,
there's been another more tangible takeaway.
The international students are given gift bags
that have been lovingly assembled
by Alabama Baptists of all ages from across the state.
- These gift bags have shampoos and crackers and notepads,
just very simple things.
They also include a Bible and a personal note.
Now I like to refer to these gift bags
as that first touch of Jesus.
- [Narrator] This year, those gift bags
will take on more significance
due to the COVID-19 pandemic,
The 2020 International Friends Retreat won't take place,
but churches again,
have the opportunity to donate gift bags,
which will be delivered to international students
through all of our Baptist Campus Ministries.
The retreat and the gift bags
are both a means to a greater end,
to facilitate relationships
between American students and international students
leading to gospel conversations.
- As American students
get to know these international students,
then often they'll come back from the retreat
and they'll invite them to church
and the international students are more than willing
to go to church,
they're very interested in learning about
what is church life like in America
and then they're interested in learning
more about the Bible
so that BCM student will invite them
to be a part of a small group, a Bible study together
and so they begin studying the Bible together.
So, it all begins there,
but it just develops into friendships
that can last even a lifetime
that go beyond just that weekend.
(upbeat Music)
- Thank you so much for the gifts that you give
to the Myers-Mallory State Missions Offering
which provides a significant portion
of the budget for Alabama WMU
and allows us to continue ministries
like WorldSong Missions Place
that provides an opportunity for the young man
who gave his heart to the Lord last year
during the international friends retreat.
(upbeat music)