Spending time with family makes holidays exciting and special. When we say “family” that includes a wide circle of relatives that begin with mother, father, sisters, brothers, and then widens to include grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, sometimes once and twice removed.

Many years ago George and I discovered a way to broaden our family circle even more by including international students in our holidays as well as other events that introduce them to our culture and to our Lord. That extended family has grown with the years.

When students from foreign countries come here to further their education, loneliness can become a real problem. Even though modern technology makes it easy to stay in touch, the actual presence of their loved ones is missing.  New and different ways and language isolates them even more.  Reaching out to an international student builds a bridge between the host family and the family back home and nation. It also opens a door to getting to know our Lord and Savior.

We have opened our home to about a dozen different international students from UTA during the past two years. This Thanksgiving added a few more when we attended a Thanksgiving dinner provided for international students at the UTA Baptist Student Ministry building by Fielder Road Baptist Church in Arlington.

As we took our place in the seemingly endless line of students outside the building, we immediately began a conversation with the students surrounding us. Several were from Far Eastern countries like China, but a beautiful girl with Latin features attracted our attention. When we learned she was from Peru, we began a serious conversation that resulted in us inviting her to our Thanksgiving dinner. Anna Maria is the first Peruvian student we have met on the UTA campus. She was so surprised that we would invite her to our home when we had just met.

Anna Maria joined eight other students from both UTA and Denton universities. As we gathered on that cold November day, UTA students began acquainting themselves with students that Claudia Chamma works with in Denton . They soon chatted together like old friends.

George gave them the history and reason we celebrate Thanksgiving, which was a new concept for them all. Then we shared several reasons for being thankful, and ways God had led us before sitting down to dinner. Just as we finished eating, someone looked outside and saw snow falling, causing a flurry of excitement as they all rushed outside to experience this phenomenon.  

After dinner conversation migrated to several different groups and we found ourselves with two Chinese girls we had met for the first time. When they began asking questions about our faith I asked if they were believers. “No,” said one of them, “but we are in the process.”  George and I shared Christ with them for about 45 minutes. By the time they left, that family feeling had permeated the room, and we all hated to part with one another.

This was a first for them: a first Thanksgiving, and a first time to experience snow, making it a very special time for us all.  When we were visiting with students at the BSM Thanksgiving Dinner, we sat at a table with several of our own “extended family” and their friends.  I could see the longing in the eyes and on the faces of those who wouldn't be spending Thanksgiving Dinner with us. “Couldn't you find room for just one more?” was the message that came through to me. How I wished I could include them all!  Unfortunately, space is limited in our home. If you find an extra space at your holiday table, or some event you feel like sharing, just do it. You'll be glad you did. It just might be the open door you need to share Jesus with them.

::Gerry Watkins