groups welcome them to the university. Great care is taken to see tha t Asians and Africans are never embarrassed, never abused, and never subjected to discrimination. The Communists are out to win friends and they are successful. Students return to their na tive lands with glowing reports of life in the Soviet Union. Redding points out that even in America the foreign students often become Communists. At an Afghan student conference in August a t a state university, one of the lecturers was pro-Communist and presented various ways that foreign students could help with the Leftist movement in their countries. The first Christian group to be established in America for the primary purpose of befriending and assisting visitors from overseas was Interna tional Students, Inc., in 1953. Tens of thousands of foreign students have been contacted by ISI and introduced to family life in America. Elcho Red ding is director of the ISI contact center in Orange County, California. Most of the students who stay with the Red dings are Oriental or Indian guests. However, dur ing this past summer, students from many coun tries came to them. “They can’t leave America without seeing Disneyland, you know!” Millie re marks. Four students from Germany, who came with a group of two hundred and traveled across Amer ica by bus, visited the Reddings. They were deeply impressed by the friendship and love of Christ shown. One of them wrote in the guest book, “We are sure that the Lord picked us up in Germany to give us this wonderful time with this nice family. We will ever be thankful. We can never forget.” An African student, who graduated from Bethel College and received his M.A. from Chapman Col lege, spent much time last year in the Redding home. He has now returned to Kenya where he recently was appointed Principal of the Kisii Teachers College. His letter of September 1, 1969 states, “The part which you and other Christians have had in making me feel a t home while a stu dent in your country has a lot to do with my success in the tremendous job I’m doing here in Kenya—training teachers.” The young man John Komanapalli, who served as a gas station attendant, now has his Master’s degree and is teaching history in a local high school. He is hoping to return soon to his home town in Southern India to establish a Christian day school. The Reddings’ glowing testimony is: “We are grateful for the challenge of this different type of foreign missionary service and pray God will use us to win these students to Christ.”
Students from overseas enjoy fun and fellowship in the Redding home. friendship’ in helping students with everyday prob lems and in presenting Christ to them.” Millie adds, “The only organized program that we now have is an international student rally once each month during which we present a Moody Institute of Science film. “Through the years we used Moody films with success in India. Not only did they provide knowl edge for people interested in science but more im portant, they presented Christ to them. When we began our work here among the students, the question arose as to how we might best reach them with the gospel. Moody films have provided the answer. God has blessed our use of the film series as more than 100 students come to our home each month.” The Reddings point out that in Russia the Communists have appropriated millions of rubles to finance their program of friendship for visitors to the Soviet Union. Every international student is met on arrival and is assisted with baggage, ac commodations and travel plans. Communist youth
Elcho and Millie Redding. Elcho is director of ISI in Orange County, California.
FEBRUARY, 1970
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