International Friendships

IFI is a Christian community organization that works in partnership with universities and volunteers to promote friendship and hospitality for international students, scholars and family members. IFI links international students with American volunteers from local churches who are interested in cross-cultural exchange and who help meet the various practical needs internationals face in living in another culture. IFI also partners with internationals through on-campus student organizations.


ANCF shares the same passion for international students and partners with IFI to serve and minister to international students. 


For more information about IFI, click here. 

Rich Mendola

International Friendships Inc., Global Ambassador

  • About Rich Mendola

    Rich was born in Buffalo, NY the grandson of immigrants from Italy who settled in Western, NY. Although he was raised in a religious family who attended church, he did not personally know Christ until he was 17 years old. Prior to that, the death of his father at age 13 triggered a search for meaning and truth. This eventually led to studying the Bible, where he discovered that the true purpose of life was to worship and serve God and that Jesus Christ made it possible to come to God because of His sacrificial death for sins.  


    Rich attended Colgate University in New York State where he majored in Biology and minored in Education and Philosophy and Religion. After his graduation, he had the first opportunity to pastor and was called to serve a rural congregation. 


    In 1991, Rich and his wife, Janet, moved to Columbus, Ohio to work with International Friendships and additionally, served as the pastor of the English congregation of the Korean Church of Columbus. In 1998, with the prompting of the Holy Spirit and confirmation from Christian leaders, Rich began to plant a new church – All Nations Christian Fellowship with the vision of having a multicultural church to the glory of God.  


    Rich and Janet have 6 children: Grace, Danielle, Hope, Philip, Melody, and Paul. Rich’s interests are: Evangelism, Discipleship, trips, chess, and hats.

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