Global Friends: Reaching the nations here in Omaha

Our heart is to reach the nations with the gospel, and one of our local ministry partners is doing just that. Here’s an overview of Global Friends, their mission, and how we can get involved.
By Jasey Christensen, Providence short-term missionary and volunteer

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What’s the first thing that comes to your imagination when you hear the word “missionary?” For most people, the picture that comes to mind is of someone who goes to a foreign country in hopes of teaching people about Jesus. Images of dirty floors, huts, dangerous jungles, or dry desserts may come to mind.

The Reality

While some of these images may ring true, missionaries aren’t simply people who travel overseas to share Christ with impoverished villages. Missionaries can travel to bustling cities, wealthy metropolises, or even venture into their own Omaha neighborhood to share the gospel with the nations.

“In the University of Nebraska Omaha alone, 72 countries are represented within the student body.”

In the University of Nebraska Omaha alone, 72 countries are represented within the student body. At UNMC, 40 percent of its graduate program is made up of students from around the world, including Lebanon, Oman, and China.

God calls us to make and send disciples of all nations, and it’s clear He’s bringing the nations directly to Omaha. What better way to impact the nations than to invest in students who will return to their home country at the end of the semester? Global Friends, our local ministry partner, has been answering this call for almost 10 years.

Global Friends

In 2009, Julie Arant founded Global Friends in Omaha. This non-profit organization seeks to “...meet the physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs of the international student community in Omaha.” Through weekly meetings on Friday and Saturday evenings as well as various events throughout the school year, international students get the chance to make American friends and be exposed to the gospel message of Jesus. Global Friends has seen hundreds of students come to know Christ and then return to their home nation bearing the Good News of Christ. How cool is it that Global Friends volunteers get to minister to the world without leaving city limits?!

What We Can Do

Providence, what can we do as a church to help Global Friends thrive and continue exposing these international students to the gospel? Here are a few ways you can get involved:

• Sacrifice a Friday or a Saturday to invest in a group of students!

  • Every Friday and Saturday night, international students are welcomed into someone’s home where they share a meal and then practice their English. They are given two options for discussion: cultural or spiritual. Global Friends is always looking for volunteers to help with these discussions. Plus, you’d get to talk to and make friends with people from all over the world!

• Give financially.

  • Global Friends is a nonprofit that relies heavily on people who believe in the work God is doing through their ministry. Would you consider investing in this ministry by donating to their mission?

• Volunteer for events.

  • As a volunteer, you’d be a part of an international student’s journey firsthand and give them an amazing American experience. Volunteers plant seeds that could be taken back to their homes to some of the most unreached people groups in the world!

“Whether it’s your time, finances, or something as small as a crockpot to hold chili, every action helps in planting the seeds of the gospel in the hearts of these students.”

One AMAZING upcoming opportunity to serve is the Global Friends annual Thanksgiving Dinner. On Saturday, November 23, internationals from all over the world will gather, have a traditional Thanksgiving meal, and learn the history behind the holiday. You can help out by providing food, being a server, or being a warm and welcoming table host! Last year, 47 different countries were represented. Providence, 47 different countries gathered together in ONE ROOM! Has God made it any easier for us to be a part of His global mission?!

God is doing a mighty work here in Omaha, and we have the chance to equip people from around the world! Would you consider sacrificing for this cause? Whether it’s your time, finances, or something as small as a crockpot to hold chili, every action helps in planting the seeds of the gospel in the hearts of these students.

If you’d like to get involved, you can contact Global Friends through their website or check out their Facebook page for more details!