We are very thankful to have enjoyed some rest, relaxation, and recharging with the Northeast International Students Inc. staff family over the weekend of March 13–15 in historic Bethlehem, PA. Bethlehem was founded by the Moravians, a Christian group who fled what is now the Czech Republic in search of religious freedom and later launched a major missionary movement around the world. We are grateful that our mission organization values its staff enough to invest in a retreat like this for us and our families. With such rich Christian history, it was a special weekend for all of us.

Prayer was a major part of our time away. We were assigned to prayer groups, some staff gathered early in the mornings to pray, and there was a prayer walk at nearby Lehigh University. There was also dedicated prayer during our main sessions, along with worship led by a local band that helped us focus on the Lord.

Another key part of the weekend was a teaching series on apologetics—giving a reasoned defense of the Christian faith. It was encouraging to be reminded how solid our Christian witness is, from the evidence for a Creator to the resurrection and the truth of the gospel. It was also helpful to hear that many staff share our experience that traditional American apologetics often does not connect as well with international students. Many already believe in God’s existence, so the questions are often different—such as how to address false Hindu views that Jesus can be one of their gods or Muslim objections to Christ’s divinity and crucifixion. The training was very helpful.

We were also blessed by several heartfelt messages. ISI’s president, Seng Tan, who was once an international student from Singapore, challenged us to remain steadfast in Christ for the sake of the gospel on our campuses. Another local pastor reminded us that we are justified not by the law, but by the grace and finished work of Christ, and that we are called to serve in the power of the Holy Spirit.

One especially joyful part of the weekend was celebrating Gabriel’s 13th birthday with the whole group! Even more exciting, earlier this year Gabriel fully trusted Christ for salvation. He plans to be baptized on Easter Sunday at our church, and we are overjoyed.

We really enjoyed our ISI staff family retreat, and we are already looking forward to the national conference in Japan this June. Thank you so much for your partnership in the gospel! As always, if you have a prayer request, please let us know how we can lift you up to the Father.