Each year, over 600,000 international students and visiting scholars further their education in colleges and universities throughout the United States. More than 2,500 of them are in the greater Redlands area, an area within 20 minutes of Trinity Evangelical Free Church in Redlands. These students and scholars represent more than 75 nations from around the world. Although primarily hungry for knowledge, intellectual challenges and new experience3s that await them initially, these students and scholars also demonstrate needs and desires for friendships once they arrive and get settled. They are largely unfamiliar with American customs, and have few American friends to help them understand.
Unfortunately, large numbers of international students and visiting scholars return to their home countries never having made an American friend or experiencing American family life. The Bible says, in the book of Leviticus 19:34, “The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself.” Furthermore, the book of Hebrews 13:2 commands us to “not neglect to show hospitality to strangers.” In light of this, International Friendship Connection (IFC) was established in 1993 as a ministry sponsored by Trinity Redlands, California to reach out in friendship to the international students and visiting scholars of all faiths and cultures in Southern California, primarily in the greater Redlands area.
