How would you explain the American Thanksgiving holiday to someone from a different culture?

After carefully navigating through what we can remember of its history, the conversation typically leads to two main points: spending time with loved ones and eating generous portions of some of our favorite foods.

I recently had the joy of attending a Thanksgiving Dinner where there were around 50 international students in attendance. These "International Thanksgiving" events are one of our favorite things about being involved in leading international students to Christ.

Here are 3 reasons why we love International Thanksgiving and why you might as well.

Let Them In

Think about how many Thanksgiving dinners you've been to or how long you've lived in the USA; you have a wealth of knowledge to pique the interest of our international friends. Many of them have never been invited into an American's home, let alone attended a real Thanksgiving dinner!

International students typically recognize the solemnity of holiday meals, so being invited to one, such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter, is more than some cultural excursion. They understand that you are not just sharing time with them, you are inviting them like one of the family into a special time meant for special people. What a simple way to give such a powerful gift!

Learn From Them

This is easily one of my favorite parts: learning about their culture, family, holidays, etc...

At our recent International Thanksgiving event there were about 15 different countries represented. It's so interesting to learn about the holidays and family gatherings of other cultures around the world. While celebrating our American culture through the Thanksgiving feast, asking a question like "What is your favorite holiday celebration back home?" shows genuine interest and care for our international friends while also being an extremely interesting conversation! Another great question is about what foods they typically eat during their holidays, which leads me to point #2:

Bring Your Favorite Dish

Are you a casserole connoisseur, a pie perfectionist, a turkey traditionalist, a mashed-potato marvel? Have you perfected the art of the sweet potato? A great place to showcase your culinary talents is International Thanksgiving! Many of these dishes are brand new to these students, so even if it's not your best, no pressure! Just making an effort goes a long way and it's fun for them to try new foods and a blessing to receive a free meal.

Find a New Favorite

Some students are not only excited to attend a special event like Thanksgiving, but they also want a chance to contribute. Students who choose to often bring a dish that is special to their culture or family, which is a fun and exciting way to give the old Thanksgiving buffet a twist.

One of my favorites was a Persian dish called Ghormeh Sabzi (Persian Herb Stew), made by our friend, A.

Who knows, you may just find a new favorite to add to next year's Thanksgiving meal.

The most important, and most loving, thing we can share with our international friends, is the true and good new of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

At this recent International Thanksgiving event we had a speaker give a short talk about the importance of a relationship with Jesus and the truth of the gospel. There was also a Q&A time, which revealed many lingering questions in the minds of these students. The talk really helped foster great conversations, that continued throughout dinner.

Even if you don't have a "talk" during an International Thanksgiving, just modeling Christ-like behavior and acknowledging God as you give thanks during this special time is a powerful witness to those seeking answers.