Short Circuit Vol 6 Num 2

Furniture

Our school year begins in mid-August, not for classes but for our outreach program. On the Saturday after a long week of Orientation for the new International students at the University of Iowa, we have what we call an International Give-Away.

We actually begin to prepare back in March when we attend auctions and garage sales and collect all the furniture, linens, and kitchen items that we can. The day before the Give-Away is busy for all involved. Furniture is brought to the church from storage and placed in the backyard. All other items are stacked on tables in the church basement. On Saturday the cookie/lemonade tent is set up; moving vans and pick-ups are in place; vans are lined up to bring students home; and 40 church people are ready to help. Soon the buses arrive and the students pile out. They are ushered into the church, given forms to fill out (for follow-up later) and given distribution directions. Then the Gospel is shared with them. When they are released, they literally run to get the piece of furniture they need. Before we bring them home, we give them a CBF bag with literature and items useful in school.

At the end of the day, as everything is being cleaned up, some may wondered if all this work is worthwhile.

Linens and Kitchen Items

We believe it definitely is. We had well over 160 students from 30 countries attend this year. As a result we have started a special Sunday School Class for Internationals, and have had 7 attend regularly from 6 countries. We started a Practical English Class which teaches cooking, holidays, slang expressions and idioms, football, etc., all followed by a Bible story (in pictures). We have had anywhere from 4-12 students attend. Also as a result of the Give-Away, we have 7 Conversational English partners matched, and 5 others have started Bible studies. In 2003 after the Give-Away and subsequent Bible studies during the school year, 5 students were saved. In December, 21 new students came to our Christmas party. We are starting to have an International Fellowship once a month in the home of a church family. It will include supper, a get-acquainter, a Bible discussion (or testimony), and games. Many of the students we contact at the August Give Away come to one or more CBF activities. We pray that the outreach will continue.

Elva Craig, Staff worker at the Univ. of Iowa in Iowa City