Tri-C International Work at Unversity of Texas in Arlington
Bob and Doris Frazier are involved in this work:
We came to the Tri-C and Pleasant Ridge in January 2003 to work with International Students (primarily Chinese students) at UTA.
Since coming to the Tri-C we took the opportunity to initiate a Saturday evening English/Bible discussion group. This started through initial contacts made through the FriendSpeak program at the Park Row congregation. Then, because of a contact that we had with the Arlington Chinese Church, together, we started the Saturday evening English Bible Discussion ministry. (This contact with the Arlington Chinese Church is the son of a long time member of the church in Tien Mou, Taiwan We feel blessed to be part of this ministry.). On any given Saturday we will average 25 to 65 ,or more, Chinese and Taiwanese students depending on their study schedules. This, then, opened a door to daily studies here at the Tri-C with many of these students to help them with their English conversation, and through this simple method we introduce them to the Lord. There has also been the opportunity to reach out to many students from Korea. This semester there is a group (11) of Korean PhD's who study the Bible on a weekly basis here at the Tri-C. (The Tri-C physical location has made these out-reach efforts exceptionally easy.) During the regular semester on Tuesdays and Thursdays Doris has a "Tea Time" from 4:00 to 5:00 in the afternoons. Plus she has a small group of Chinese women she teaches how to cook American food at our house. We are very blessed to be part of this wonderful mission effort.
A short missionary story: One of the first converts in 2003 was an EMBA student (we'll call him Justin) who, after finishing his EMBA program at UTA returned to China and started studying the Bible with his family. He first converted his younger brother, and then his wife, and then his three older brothers and their wives and finally his parents. The Lord has blessed us in seeing more than 20 from China and Taiwan be immersed, and many more who returned to China/Taiwan with a strong faith foundation. There are other stories of those who turned to the Lord while here in Arlington, and then were persecuted for their faith upon their return to China.
For more on the Tri-C and its work, go to www.mavs4christ.net