International StudentMinistry

Videoclip

The IFES Europe ISM Network

is a platform for

cooperation, equipping and inspiration

in the area of International Student work.

We believe that International Student Ministry should be identified as one of thekey areas of the IFES ministry in Europe.

The IFES ISM Network Leading Committee is currently made up of representatives from Austria, Germany, Ireland, Latvia, the Netherlands, Poland and Switzerland.

All these IFES movements have an established ISM, in some cases started in the 1980s, either with full-time staff workers, or staff partly delegated to support ISM.

In addition, there is an organised ISM in the Czech Republic, and in Great Britain, run by FriendsInternational (a partner organisation of the UCCF).

ISM Networkmeeting in Linz / Austria, March 2011

Categories of ISM in IFES Europe:

(I) There is a staff worker dedicated to ISM

(15 national movements)

(II) There is no staff coordinating the ISM but some events are organised for IS or local staff workers take some initiative or national students just befriend foreign students (11 national movements)

(III) No staff is doing ISM and there is no thought of internationals as so far. (8 national movements)

The IFES ISM Network:

• Our Vision

Established and active IS ministry across IFES Europe

• Our Mission

Envision and equip national student movements in IFES Europe for Christ-centered service among International Students

• Specific Goals

- An ISM-focus at every IFES conference

- Platform for exchanging information

- Provide regular training and envisioning opportunities

- Identify and develop resources

STORIES FROM EUROPE

Sharing the Gospel

THE NETHERLANDS

Marjolijn VreekenIFES-ISM | The Netherlands

• There are about 80.000 International Students studying in The Netherlands. IFES Netherlands has a big vision to reach more and more International Students through her activities in university cities. ISM has been part of IFES Netherlands for 25 years now.

• All IFES Netherlands staff is combining Dutch and International Student work now, each staff member being responsible for one city. IFES-ISM has about 20 city teams for ISM, mainly organising bible studies and cultural nights.

• National Conference „Live it!‟ is bi-lingual in order to attract International Christian students as well!

NETHERLANDS: Evangelistic Bible Study Groups

InvitingInternational Students

GERMANY

Hospitality-scheme works well in Germany; one student is particularly interested in promoting thisconcept all over the country. We are excited because we see many church people who are willing to be availableand involved in this program. International students loveit too because they want to see a German house from inside!

About 13% of all students in Germany are Internationals.

GERMANY: Hospitality Programme

IRELAND

IFES InterAction has placed a team of 5 people in Dublin to help the national movement realise their vision for reaching these international students with the gospel; e.g. via inviting them to the iCafe where they also read the bible together, share their lives and eat and enjoy fellowship.

There are around 35,000 full-time tertiary level students and 80,000 language students studying in Ireland each year.

In Northern Ireland, there is also a Friends International worker who works closely with the Christian Unions and the churches to co-ordinate ISM.

LATVIA

We organise movie nights in student hostels,

retreats twice a year, we also encourage individual friendships and run regular bible studies every Friday, with prayer evening every last Friday of the month.

AUSTRIA

• 5 international exchange students joined the ÖSM ski camp (30 students all together). Most of them were ski beginners and were amazed by the Austrian mountains and hospitality as well as kindness.

• Once a month: free Salsa Dance Course: In March about 20 Erasmus students followed a Facebook-Event-Invitation and came in touch with Christian students there. It was great and we received many good encouragements.

• We also have organized two trips: Vienna/Wachau-Weekend and a Daytrip.

• Being a mentor at the University Student Association makes it easier to get in contact with Erasmusstudents

AUSTRIA: Mentoring System

FINLAND

Lilian LindenOPKO | IFES Finland

„… We had an excellent IFES Nordic conference (NOSA) with Femi

Adeleye as main speaker the other week (September 2010), and out of 30 Finnish students, ten went home saying that they want to start reaching international students coming to Finland. We have more and more of them here, and five of our students participating in the NOSA conference were internationals.”

POLAND

Ewa Sikora-SołtanChSA-International | IFES Poland

The ChSA-I ministry is run by international students themselves. As a coordinator, staff worker is to encourage, provide training, resources and any assistance the leaders may need. However they are the ones who reach out to other students, organise meetings and invite students to it. All groups have regular bible studymeetings every week.

The group leaders in the city of Łódź come from Belarus (incluidng a PhD student), in other places – leaders are mainly from Africa. LocalChSA and the ChSA-I groups in Wrocław joint together in creatingtheir own city website as well as the facebook group.

Befriendinginternational students

AUSTRIA: Dinner and Trips

Teaching and TrainingEquipping Students and Staff

“Strangers or Angels?” IFES ISM European conference in March

2010 brought together more than 50 participants from 12 countries, with Lisa Chinn from the IVCF USA as a main speaker.

After the in-depth Bible teaching, practical sessions on the ISM opportunities were best received by the participants.

Everybody could learn from the experiences of others, for example: how to organise a hospitality scheme, welcome café or cultural night, Alpha course for IS, waffle party or weekend retreats, or events at Christmas and Easter.

ISM Conference in Warsaw / Poland, March 2010

„Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some peoplehave shown hospitality to angels withoutknowing it.”

Hebrews 13:2