A new program on campus gives international students a chance to meet new people and learn about how to deal with issues with which they might not be familiar.
The Chapel on the Campus, a non-denominational church at LSU, recently created International Quest. The program is sponsored by the Chapel’s International Ministry.
“We wanted to have a ministry that could reach out to internationals, give them a place where they could make friends and get answers to questions that concern them, from a biblical standpoint,” said International Director of Ministry Brooke Mote.
Quest is held on the first and last Friday of each month this semester. This is the first semester for International Quest.
The program starts at 7 p.m. and features singing, fellowship, a speaker and a chance to meet new people.
The Ministry wants to try to have the program every other week and up to nine times next semester, Mote said.
The program addresses issues like how do deal with culture shock, questions about Christianity, and creationism vs. evolution.
International Quest welcomes all religions and is run for internationals by internationals.
“We want to help make a relationship between people to help loneliness and homesickness that international students usually experience,” said management senior Carla Williams.
There are about 30 volunteers who direct the program and assist an average of 60 people each night.
The primary purpose of International Quest is for students from other countries to develop friendships and get to know people from different cultures and deal with issues that may be alien to them, said Quest facilitator David Sathiaraj.
Peiying Sung is from Taiwan and is studying English at LSU this semester. She will return to her native country in May.
“I like to come here and make friends,” Sung said.
International Quest welcomes people from countries all over the world, students and non-students.
“We have representation from every continent except Australia,” Sathiaraj said.
The program starts with mingling and snacks put together by the Ministry. A band whose members come from Brazil, Honduras, Africa, India and the U.S. plays religious songs.
“I come here for the church,” said David Cheung, an electrical engineering senior. “Quest gets international people to get to know each other better.”