Your Home Away from Home

A Community Spotlight

Imagine traveling across the globe to pursue a quality education. Your friends and family are far away, and in addition to the strain of your studies, you are having to adjust to your new life in an entirely different country and culture. The transition has been tough and has left you with very little support or friendship. What if there was a welcoming community of both American and other international students that you could connect with to help you ease your transition? That would be pretty life-changing, wouldn’t it?

This is where Bridges International comes in. They want to serve as your home away from home and a place to build true friendships with people from all over the globe!

Our friends, John and Christa Achilles, lead the local Austin, Texas chapter—ATX Bridges—where their team connects the diverse cultures of international and American students at UT through practical service, social connections, and spiritual exploration. They offer weekly meetings, social events, and other fun opportunities to meet people. From Friday night “Family Dinners” and game nights, to Hill Country hikes and camping retreats, ATX Bridges provides a welcoming community and a whole lotta fun.

ATX Bridges is led by a caring community of Christ followers that believes that everyone has an important perspective and should have the freedom to explore questions about life and God. They strive to give everyone a safe place to share, listen and explore thought-provoking topics with other students about God and faith and its relevance to our lives.

If you are/know an international student in Austin who would love to get connected with this local chapter, click here. In addition to this ATX Bridges location, Bridges International groups exist all over the U.S. If you are/know an international student who would love to get connected on another campus, see available locations here. To connect with this organization about how you can support or serve with them, please contact John and Christa here. or donate here. You can also visit their website and connect with them on social media.

At The Holy Shift, we love to spotlight organizations that are loving their neighbors and serving their communities well. If you would like to nominate an organization, connect with us here.