Atlanta Ministry with International Students (AMIS) was founded in 1978 when six Atlanta churches and the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta joined together to extend friendship and hospitality to the increasing number of international students drawn to the many Atlanta area colleges and universities. Dr. Fahed Abu-Akel, an ordained Presbyterian minister, has served as the Executive Director of this ecumenical ministry since its inception. Dr. Abu-Akel served as the Moderator of the 214 th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) in 2002-2003.

AMIS sponsors a number of programs that encourage friendship links between international students and Atlanta families and individuals and hosts the Christmas International House Program during the Christmas holiday. These programs include our Amigo friendship program, tours of the City of Atlanta, a welcome reception at Symphony Hall and Thanksgiving dinner with an Atlanta family or individual. Since its beginning, AMIS has served more than 50,000 international students.

In addition to these programs, international students in Atlanta have an opportunity through Christmas International House (CIH) to spend the Christmas holiday in other cities around the United States as guests of other local CIH programs. International students who are attending colleges and universities around the United States come to Atlanta to participate in AMIS' CIH program.

Since 2001, AMIS has managed the CIH program nationwide, allowing over 400 international students each year to share their Christmas holiday with an American family or individual in a different part of the United States. CIH is an ecumenical Christian ministry that provides hospitality to international students during the Christmas holiday period. Students experience the best   our country has to offer - friendship, goodwill toward one another, the value of family and the hospitality of churches and civic groups. Christmas International House is a peace-making program that bears witness to the reality that all people from every land stand together as one human family.