What do you get when you cross a ton of InterVarsity students, a variety of ethnic backgrounds, great food from around the world, and some good salsa dancing? A Heritage Dinner!

Several years ago, some University of Arizona students came up with this brilliant idea for creating space for ethnic identity, cultural understanding and greater love for chapter members in the fellowship. Each student brings some food from his or her own ethnic background for a giant potluck. Students who don’t identify with a specific ethnicity enjoy adopting one and making a special dish. The students decorate the room with cultural artifacts from different countries. During the potluck, everyone explains their ethnic identity, the food they brought, and how to eat it! Then several people pray, each in their own ethnic language, and everyone digs in. Afterwards, someone teaches salsa dancing for those brave enough to try their feet at Latin rhythm.

This has been a great bridge-building event for international students to attend and it sparks some great evangelistic conversations and relationships! Why not try it as a campus-wide event with support from ethnic departments? Give it a shot and see what God does.

—Hans and Jill Schenk serve on InterVarsity staff at the University of Arizona in Tucson.