Author: Solid Road
In this issue, we will touch on the depth of the hearts of immigrants from Mainland China, a susceptible and challenging part to discover. Although they advocate the virtues of saints, emphasize spiritual beauty, and respect noble sentiments and noble spirits, their hearts are heavy, and their lives are not accessible.
The history of the Japanese invasion, the Chinese Civil War, the political movements at various stages, reform, and opening after the New China founded caused dramatic changes in the social system. Social competition affected not only one generation but the second and third generations. As a result, people have developed trauma, resentment, bitterness, sadness, insecurity, hesitation, and fear, as if a ‘five-flavor bottle of spices’ exists in their hearts. It is already tricky to communicate calmly and peacefully between people and even more challenging to share at the spiritual level. After immigration, they often feel lonely and find it hard to pair up with bosom friends.
They try to make up for it through the ordinary world’s standard practices to find peace of mind and satisfaction. For example, public welfare and philanthropy hope to obtain recognition, dignity, and support. Others rely on religion and philosophical theories. Some even invent their scheme of self-satisfaction: wellness, fitness, or actively participating in various social activities to fill up their empty sensation. However, no matter how hard a person works and how good the result is, they will fall into pride, comparison, worry, and pressure. In the end, if there are setbacks in the environment when one is not understood and accursed, they will feel unreconciled and helpless. Even if the situation is smooth with this so-called well-packaged peace, it cannot fill the void in one’s heart.
As Christians, what can we do for our compatriots?
In fact, behind the various manifestations of the hearts and spiritual worlds of immigrants from Mainland China, there is a battle of inner light vs. darkness and the struggle of love vs. hate in their hearts. These need the illumination and healing of Jesus Christ. The earthly world can only solve problems at the worldly level and not at the level of the mind and the spiritual world. The secular world will only lead to an unfulfilled desire gap and a hungry soul. We can pray and seek God’s guidance, wisdom, and protection. We can share our lives with our compatriots and tell them how our stories with Jesus. Here are some suggestions of what we can talk about with them:
- The Encounter of Life and Soul: To sincerely share our Christians’ beliefs with them so that they can face their situation and realize the hunger and needs of their hearts;
- The Light of Biblical Truth: To let them realize the material world cannot satisfy one’s mind and spiritual world;
- Jesus Christ is the Light of Life: Which can illuminate one’s heart and dispel all kinds of darkness inside;
- Invite Them to Pray to Jesus Christ: State the needs of their hearts, and pray to the Holy Spirit to satisfy their spiritual hunger and thirst and let living waters flow within them.