{"id":48861,"date":"2025-10-28T01:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-28T01:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ifesworld.org\/?post_type=prayerline&#038;p=48861"},"modified":"2025-10-28T14:59:35","modified_gmt":"2025-10-28T14:59:35","slug":"a-surprise-gift","status":"publish","type":"prayerline","link":"https:\/\/ifesworld.org\/en\/prayerline\/a-surprise-gift\/","title":{"rendered":"A Surprise Gift"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block block-core-html\">\n<iframe title=\"A Surprise Gift\" allowtransparency=\"true\" height=\"150\" width=\"100%\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=yjqy2-19a7fe4-pb&#038;from=pb6admin&#038;share=1&#038;download=1&#038;rtl=0&#038;fonts=Arial&#038;skin=60a0c8&#038;font-color=ffffff&#038;logo_link=episode_page&#038;btn-skin=ff6d00\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block block-core-paragraph\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ifesworld.org\/en\/international-student-ministry\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>International Student Ministry<\/em><\/a><em> (ISM)<\/em><em> <\/em>\u2013 are you thinking, \u201creaching students from other (often sensitive) countries with the love and good news of Jesus\u201d? <a href=\"https:\/\/ifesworld.org\/en\/prayerline\/profound-journeys\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">You\u2019re not wrong<\/a>. But, thanks to Justin, a group in <a href=\"https:\/\/ivcfphil.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">IVCF Philippines<\/a> recently discovered that it\u2019s much more.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block block-core-heading wp-elements-1b75d6efba6a156932a901ff76237309\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-east-asia-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-1b75d6efba6a156932a901ff76237309\"><strong>Unexpected Attendance<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block block-core-paragraph\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The ISM small group at Southwestern University in Cebu were surprised to see Justin, an optometry student from Nepal. He hadn\u2019t been for months, and it was already the end of the year. Having greeted them all, he announced that he was delighted to share some news:&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block block-core-paragraph\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>\u201cI\u2019m sorry I haven\u2019t been able to fellowship with you for such a long time. My final year has been packed with clinical sessions. But guess what? I\u2019ve started a small group with some of my classmates!<\/em><em> <\/em><em>We meet every Friday from 9pm till midnight because that\u2019s the only time everyone\u2019s available. And I\u2019ve<\/em><em> <\/em><em>been leading them through the passages in Luke\u2019s Gospel that we studied together last year.\u201d<\/em>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block block-core-heading wp-elements-b78f5a135d10bf9f97a197548a5636b3\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-east-asia-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-b78f5a135d10bf9f97a197548a5636b3\"><strong>Unexpected Ministry<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block block-core-paragraph\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The ISM staff worker present was intrigued and asked how many were attending.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block block-core-paragraph\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSometimes just four or five,\u201d he said, \u201cbut other times, as many as 10 or 15\u201d.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block block-core-paragraph\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWow, I didn\u2019t realise that you had so many international students on your course!\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block block-core-paragraph\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOh, none of them are internationals,\u201d Justin replied. \u201cI\u2019m the only one. They\u2019re all Filipinos!\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block block-core-paragraph\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSo, how many are Christians?\u201d, the staff worker enquired.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block block-core-paragraph\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI don\u2019t think any of them are,\u201d he said, \u201cbut they want to come to the Bible study and learn!\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block block-core-heading wp-elements-5018582f404df0d64fe3f5325d2623d7\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-east-asia-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-5018582f404df0d64fe3f5325d2623d7\"><strong>Unexpected Gift<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block block-core-paragraph\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Justin has now graduated and returned to Nepal. The staff worker involved reflects on his impact:&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block block-core-paragraph\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>\u201cJustin was a gift! He not only encouraged the other international students in the group at Southwestern, but he also blessed his Filipino classmates. He\u2019s<\/em><em> <\/em><em>a powerful example of how ISM can bless, catalyse, and grow campus ministry<\/em><em>.\u201d<\/em>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block block-core-paragraph\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He was indeed a surprise&nbsp;blessing. Most international students in the Philippines come from India&nbsp;and Nigeria. But here was a student believer from a small,&nbsp;Hindu-majority country reaching students from&nbsp;&#8220;the world\u2019s fifth largest Christian-majority country&#8221;, where, in reality, many still need a living relationship with Jesus.&nbsp;God\u2019s ways are above ours!&nbsp; &nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block block-core-paragraph\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The ISM staff worker concludes:&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block block-core-paragraph\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>\u201c<\/em><em>We hope<\/em><em> <\/em><em>that stories like Justin&#8217;s can encourage students and staff workers here and across the world<\/em><em> <\/em><em>to include international students in their fellowships and see them as fellow partners in God\u2019s work on campus<\/em><em>.\u201d\u202f\u202f<\/em>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block block-core-heading wp-elements-c1d3c062fe3e5fef64fd796d2e0622db\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-east-asia-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-c1d3c062fe3e5fef64fd796d2e0622db\"><strong>Pray<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block block-core-list\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><div class=\"wp-block block-core-list-item\">\n<li>Give thanks for God\u2019s work in Justin, his coursemates, and the ISM group at Southwestern. Pray for Justin back home in Nepal (now leading Bible studies in his church youth group!) and for the ISM group and IVCF ministry in Cebu.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/div><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block block-core-list\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><div class=\"wp-block block-core-list-item\">\n<li>Pray that the growing ISM work across IVCF Philippines will connect well with all internationals, including those from India, Nigeria, Nepal, Thailand, Iran, and China. Pray for staff workers who are learning how to effectively engage international students and minister across cultures with sensitivity.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/div><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block block-core-list\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><div class=\"wp-block block-core-list-item\">\n<li>Pray for a broader understanding of ISM in IVCF Philippines and across all IFES movements \u2013 that the gift of international students will be seen as an opportunity not only to reach the unreached but also to partner with the reached.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/div><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block block-core-paragraph\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Discover more about <a href=\"https:\/\/ifesworld.org\/en\/international-student-ministry\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">International Student Ministry<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"featured_media":48862,"template":"","area":[455,503],"theme":[],"class_list":["post-48861","prayerline","type-prayerline","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","area-east-asia","area-philippines"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>A Surprise Gift &#183; 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