“Sharing lives, sharing conversations”, is a summary of the emphasis of Mark D Rentz, Teacher and Administrator at Albany College in New York. “Many universities have 100 different nations on campus.” Mark says, “My wife and I invited them over for spaghetti dinner. Few internationals students enter an American home. When they did, they asked, ‘What is your story?’ while sharing food.” Mark tells about an Asian scholar who came to the USA for only four weeks. Mark says, “They wanted to be in an American family.” Mark asked the question, “What if we created weekend home stays and opened that up to the community? Some work in law firms, and others attend church.” Mark says of one family who provided a weekend stay for an international student, “They became lifelong friends, and visited them” in their country. The host asked, “Would you like a Bible in your own language?” Mark also shares how the people of the church prayed for him as a rebellious youth, “I believe through the prayers of other people, we see the nation changed.”
Podcast
How can God use us in this country?
Host Bob Moffitt interviews Gabriela and Jose Castaneda who moved to Phoenix from Guatemala 19 years ago. When they arrived, they were interested in a church that did more than just praying and reading the Bible; they started a church with 7 people who began loving and serving their neighbors in need: food for the homeless, beds for those in need, diapers, and bringing a toy to one of their Muslim neighbors.
