The above conversation guide was compiled and edited by John Eaves, a greatly loved and respected Christian leader whose life was dedicated to helping international students on campuses in North America to find God, and God's will, for their lives.

In 2003 John published a ten page booklet of the above title to give helpful suggestions and ideas to any who are trying to conduct structured conversations with international students to help them with the English language.

John died recently. Bob Culver, the President of the organization John served, InterFACE Ministries, has graciously consented to our sharing here not only one of John's best ministry writings, but also a brief description of his life as written in the following obituary published immediately following his death. We hope putting his work on the web and sharing this obituary will be a tribute to his life for you as it is for we who knew John.

OBITUARY, Tennessean.com, February 24, 2004

Rev. John EAVES died February 22, 2004 of cancer in Nashville, TN.

Born in Ashland, KY, Eaves attended Western Kentucky University, where he received B.A. and M.A. degrees in communication and religious studies. While studying at Gordon-Conwell Seminary, he helped establish and co-pastor a new church in Salem, MA. In 1980, he began a 24 year career serving the physical, social and spiritual needs of international students and scholars. Serving international students at Harvard and MIT, he later moved his family to the Philippines in 1989, to assist returning international students establish an outreach to internationals in that country.

Relocating to Nashville, TN in 1990, John and his wife Kay initiated a city-wide outreach among the 3,400 international students and scholars. The program increased in size by 1996 to include 38 Nashville area participating churches, with 560 community volunteers. Outreaches included host family programs, conversational English and a variety of international student/spouse programs.

Rev. Eaves has served in local, regional and national leadership positions with NAFSA: Association of International Educators since 1984. He currently sits on the Board of Directors for Franklin House Discipleship Study Center and Residential Research Library, The Uganda Committee of Nashville and Hephzibah House in New York City.

He was Executive Director of InterFACE Ministries from 1998 - present, and Director of Hephzibah House from 2001 - 2003. An exceptional trainer in cross-cultural communication skills, Rev. Eaves also published numerous manuals and articles relating to the field of international student ministry, organizing community volunteers and cultural specific study materials for internationals. He is survived by his wife, Kay; sons, Jesse, Joshua and Matthew, and his brother, Willard (Buzz) Eaves, Jr.

InterFACE ministries is a national Christian organization servicing the international student community, and equipping the Church for reaching the world that has come to us.

For more information on training and publications contact:
InterFACE Ministries, P.O. Box 450816, Atlanta, GA 31145-0816.
Phone: (770) 934-7797
Email: office@iface.org
Website: http://www.iface.org

Downloads:

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"Conversation Partners Resource Guide"