A summer abroad can be a life-changing experience. Students will bring home changed perspectives and a new way to see the world around them! Our heart is to see many students bring the Light of Christ back to their families, universities and countries!! pray that students returning home and/or to their universities would continue to…

Mike and Kathy Winfree work in partnership with the City of Myrtle Beach and the Chamber of Commerce to provide support to the J1 community in a variety of ways!  They are the “first line of defense” for student issues and problems.  Is your employer withholding your paycheck?  Call Mike and Kathy.  Is your housing…

Ministry to J1 students is a huge opportunity, that is really only possible through the many volunteers who take time out of their summer schedules to be present to students.  The ministry varies from greeting new arrivals at the airport to driving students to work in the rain, to helping students navigate social security applications! …

The J1 International exchange program is not cheap!  Students have to pay sponsor companies, buy flights, pay for housing and other living expenses, and also hope to travel at the end of their “work and travel program.”  Many have to get second jobs in order to make enough money to pay for it all!  Before…

Exchange visitors don’t always get to pick their roommates.  They come from a vast array of cultural backgrounds and expectations.  Many who come from wealthy families grew up with “house help” that did all the cleaning and cooking and never learned those skills!  Pray for roommates to be willing to learn from each other, have…

Conflict with employers or managers is another issue we hear about throughout the summer.  Sometimes totally justified, and sometimes as a result of students not being very good employees! (at times, this is their first time ever having to work!) Pray for humble hearts on both sides, and for the J1 students to grow in…

For the next few days, we will focus on some of the primary issues we hear about from students as the summer goes on- first up- corrupt landlords. Housing and issues with landlords/property managers is one of the primary ways we see exchange visitors exploited each summer.  Overcrowding, over-charging, unsanitary/unsafe conditions, and withholding deposits without…

Many J1 workers are employed as housekeepers in the local hotels and resorts.  Cleaning and resetting rooms is hard work!  Oftentimes, J1 students are the top of their class at their universities, so spending the summer making beds and cleaning toilets might not be the most fulfilling work for them!  Pray for these students to feel…

Lifeguards provide an important service to the community. They receive special training and work LONG hours in the heat and sun! Pray for safety and health for these young people who serve our community in such a vital role. Pray that in the midst of their full work schedules and long days, they would have…

Day 16- For the next few days, we will focus on the primary types of employment the J1 Students have and specific concerns for those fields. First up- Tourist Attractions– Places like water parks, go kart tracks and Broadway at the Beach rely on international students to fill their employment rosters each summer.  Long hours, oftentimes…