A young student named Howard Guinness stepped off a boat from Southampton, England, wearing an enormous overcoat. His face was pale, as if he had just recovered from a bout of seasickness. He had been invited by the principal of McGill University to come to pioneer an evangelical student movement in Canada.<\/p>\n
He may have stood alone, but he did not come alone. His thick coat was a gift from a close friend to help him survive the Canadian winter. His voyage had been paid for by his friends. They had held a sale of their belongings: books, hockey sticks and whatever else of value they could find, to raise \u00a314 for the one-way ticket (equivalent to US $1,000 today).<\/p>\n
He was there by the generosity of others, who shared the vision of seeing the gospel flourish among students in Canada and around the world. And it didn\u2019t stop there: Howard didn\u2019t have the funds to travel across Canada, or get back home, but he continued praying and the Lord continued to provide for his journey.<\/p>\n
Since the beginning, generosity has been a hallmark of IFES. It is how we grew. It is how we continue to work together, to learn from one another and to share the gospel with those around us.<\/p>\n