Reny and Alannah Derry enjoying a visit with two friends from China.
Would you like to give someone the opportunity to experience the love of Jesus in your home this holiday season? International students from OSU are looking for homes to spend Thanksgiving and a weekend at Christmas (Dec. 14-16).
Reny Derry and her daughter, Alannah, have welcomed International Students to their home in Lancaster many times. In fact, you may have seen them with these two friends from China visiting with us at Life Church recently! Please contact Reny at (419) 989-9620 or reny05@gmail.com for more information about these holiday opportunities:
Thanksgiving ~ November 22
Invite a student (or group of students) to join your family for your Thanksgiving meal and celebration on Thanksgiving Day. Reny can tell you what it’s like to welcome someone into your home who has never enjoyed a Thanksgiving feast or understood the significance of this holiday.
Christmas ~ December 14 – 16
International students are often lonely during the winter break. They also would like to experience American life and holidays. This weekend provides students with the opportunity to experience the love of Jesus through the experience of Christian hospitality and know more about the reason for the season of Christmas. It also provides the opportunity for Christian families to get a window on the world and to see how God could use them in the life of an international student to become a blessing to their nation in the future. We ask each host family who participates in this weekend of December 14– 16 to provide the following:
- Transportation. Students need to be picked up at a designated spot (usually the McDonald’s located at the intersection of Ackerman Road and Olentangy River Road) on Friday afternoon, December 14th , usually at 4pm.
- More than 1 student can go to a home. Many students are interested in this activity so we can send as many students to you as you can transport and house.
- Families are expected to provide a bed and meals for each student and involve them in whatever they do for that weekend, especially in any preparations for Christmas. They are also expected to bring the students to your worship celebration on Sunday morning.
- If families desire and are able, they could do a joint activity together such as a trip to an interesting local site (historical house, dairy farm, interesting store, Christmas display, etc.), but the most important thing is the time spent talking and eating together.