When romance leaps onto the international stage [Special report on cross-border marriages]
I will definitely reserve this day to have a date with God! "When the host reminded everyone of the date of the next gathering, a lady agreed with a cheerful smile.
A group of ladies from different provinces in China gather together every month in a spacious and tidy home with lush flowers and trees in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. Some of them are devout Christians, some are seriously seeking faith, and some have never heard the name "Jesus" in their lives. However, they all "married foreigners" and became the first intersection of these ladies who have never met before.
An urgent challenge
According to the U.S. State Department report, nearly 30,000 Asian brides applied for visas to enter the United States in 2001, and this number increases by 113% every year. Looking around, there are more and more first-generation Chinese and American couples marrying each other. It is expected that this will gradually become a huge trend, affecting the structure and operation of the community.
Data released by the US Census Bureau in October 2007 showed that 18.5% of Chinese women in the United States were married to whites, blacks, Hispanics or other Asians. If we add to this number that Chinese women marry native Chinese Americans (so-called ABCs), or "1.5 generation Chinese" who came to the United States under the age of thirteen, we can safely estimate that every fifth married woman Among the Chinese women, one is in a cross-cultural marriage. In view of this fact, whether the churches of Generation E can respond to the call and provide ministries tailored to the unique needs of these women, their husbands, and children has become an urgent challenge for the church!
In a vision, Mrs. Xu Lucaixiu of the Palm Beach Chinese Christian Church in Florida saw that a healthy family is the foundation of the church, and that wives play a key role. For many years, she has led a team to teach and build wives in a family in a different area every week, and accompany them on the path of growth.
This team with translators provides teaching, spiritual practice, and poetry. It also provides lunch and childcare services. Let everyone learn and share in peace. In February 2008, the cross-cultural marriage women's service was launched in the Palm Beach Gardens area. Currently, it is taught by Dr. Connie Palm, who is familiar with Chinese culture and has been preaching in China and Taiwan for many years.
Opportunities for evangelism
Fifteen women participated in the fellowship, including two mother-daughter pairs, and five baptized Christians. About half of them met their husbands through the Internet, and the other half were introduced by friends or met at work.
Women who have just arrived in the United States are in the most difficult period of adjusting to a new culture and a new family. It is also the time when they need friendship and the gospel the most. Gathering together every month, these women open up, comfort, and care for each other, which is heartwarming. Several times, the meeting ended with everyone holding hands, or laying hands on shoulders or heads, while weeping and praying. They really met God in this fellowship and came here to enjoy dating with Him.
Nicole Constable wrote in the book "Romance on a Global Stage": "American newspapers, magazines, talk shows, and the general public have a negative view of the so-called "mail-order brides" from Asia. The impression of women is a combination of two completely different but intertwined stereotypes. On the one hand, they are sweet, innocent, sexy and romantic "oriental beauty" and "lotus"; on the other hand, they are workers. The "Dragon Girl" who is scheming, roundabout, and fierce."
▲Dr. Pang Connie builds bridges between the East and the West, building cross-cultural families that are in line with God’s heart.
American society has stereotypes about married Asian women, why don’t the Chinese community not have such stereotypes? Looking through articles and reports, there are tons of messages that disdain them for using marriage as a means to gain status, money, and life. What many of them think is that they are discriminated against by Chinese people more than Americans.
Two thousand years ago, Peter asked a man who was lying on the ground and lame from birth to lift up his head at the Beautiful Gate. When their eyes met, Peter gave this man back his long-lost dignity, and gave him all he had -"In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk." (Refer to Acts 3:1-9)
The next three articles are confessions from families who opened up to us. As a church that can help people stand and walk, are you willing to also give them dignity so that they can walk, jump, and praise God?
