AsiaStories

A five-year journey of emotional ups and downs comes to an end for a Christian worker in China. Diana Huang* watches as those she grew to care for are shunned or beaten for their faith.

When Huang tells her friends she’s returning to America, they ask her to do one thing — leave them her voice. One friend, who was beaten by her parents for being a Christian, explains that when times are hard, she listens to Huang's praise and worship songs she recorded on her cell phone.

Huang admits being surprised by this request, but finds a studio and records some of their favorites. She adds her own special "goodbye" flare to the recording project, sharing testimonies about her friends and their unique walks of faith.

Join Huang as she sings for her friends and introduces you to some people who became "spiritual giants" in her eyes.

Songs of Bloodshed

When God called Huang to China, she thought it was the end of serving Him through music, a love since childhood. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine that God would use His music to grow her love for the Chinese.

Learning to sing in the “heart language” of her friends and neighbors bonds her heart to theirs. It is through learning some of the old “Songs of Bloodshed” that Huang learns the testimony of her friend Cynthia.

Motherhood: Stay home or work?

Mothers throughout the world all want what’s best for their child. Huang shares about her friend, Penny, deciding to be a “stay-at-home” Mom. While this is not always the norm in the United States, it is definitely not normal in China. Penny went against societal pressures to work, gain honor and make money so she could raise her son in a Godly manner.

AsiaStories went to Gcity to talk to Penny and hear more of her story. She explains what it means in China to be a “stay-at-home” mother and the cultural pressures with choosing this route. Most mothers in Gcity work long hours to build a career, while their children are raised by grandmothers at home.

Because there are no role models for this chosen profession, Penny turns to the Bible for her guidebook.

Through the Pain of Death

Sharing moments of joy as well as times of pain is what true friendships are all about. Huang shares how her friend, Jane, used her life to share about God’s mercies and how He answers prayers — right up to the day she died.

Jane’s husband, Matthew, recounts the couple’s journey for AsiaStories. The young father shares of dealing with his wife’s cancer. Despite being angry with God, Matthew says his Savoir sustains him and his son through the roughest times of his life.

Saying Goodbye

On Huang’s last night in Gcity, she gives a “farewell” concert. Friends and leaders from church mingle with her non-believing friends. The entire scene seems surreal to Huang as she shares her testimony and songs with the people who made her time in Gcity special.

“Never would I have imagined all those I have shared the Gospel with over the years who have not received yet, sitting next to members of the house church,” Huang says. “As I looked across the audience one last time, I knew God would carry on with the work here, though He’s calling me to leave.

“I know my season in Gcity is coming to a close,” Huang says. “But, I know the relationships I’ve built with the church and friends here are lifelong. My prayer as I leave is that those I’ve discipled and trained will now follow up, engage and love those who have yet to know Christ.”

*Name Changed

Full audio transcript

My first time to China was during college. In all honesty, I went because I was madly infatuated with a guy from my church and spending six-weeks with a “hot guy” sounded fun.

God rocked my world that summer, though. For the first time in my life, I was challenged with my identity as a Chinese-American.

Connecting:

Discover contrasting the lifestyles and religions of East Asia. Learn how you can connect and make a difference.

East Asian Peoples

My parents immigrated to the States when I was 5-years-old. At the time, my sister and I were the only two Chinese children in the entire school so my Mom spent a lot of time making sure we retained our culture — speaking the language and understanding customs.

That, however, didn’t prepare me for how I’d feel once I set foot in China. Everywhere I went I was bombarded with questions that made me wonder, “Do I see myself as Chinese or American?”

After six weeks of constantly questioning my identity, I left China with a deep disdain for the people and culture. I had no desire to EVER go back! The affluent suburban Chinese-American subculture/ethnic enclave in which I resided was perfectly fine for me ... or so I thought.

I wanted to pretend that summer never happened yet for some reason, once I got home, I couldn’t forget China. I’d sit in my church’s tri-lingual service (Mandarin, Cantonese and English) and cry when I heard stories of China; hymns sung in Chinese or even just a sermon in Chinese. God was working in my heart, but I was not willing. I finally told God that I’d go on short-term trips but that was it.

My Goals or God's Goals

After college, I went to work at a Fortune 500 company. My goal was the same as most Chinese-American girls — to have a good career until I married a wealthy Chinese-American doctor or lawyer and became a “stay-at-home Mom.”

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One day, a friend said she was filling out an application to be a Journeyman and suggested I do the same. I immediately informed her that God blessed me financially and it was my responsibility to give to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering so people like her could serve. I struggled with the decision and finally decided to fill out the application, knowing that I’d never be accepted.

Once I was invited to candidate conference, being Chinese, I didn’t have the heart to say “no.” I intended to let them know about the “mistake” they’d made in person. I believed that I wasn’t the type of girl to be in full-time service for God in a different country. I like ice in my drinks and nice gyms. I had no desire to walk into REI or buy clothing from North Face and Columbia. Sure, I could speak Mandarin, but I had no theological training.

God spoke to me during that conference. I knew he was sending me back to China. The question “Am I Chinese or American?” surfaced again. Funny how my biggest reservation was reconciling being Chinese-American.

Life Changing Experience

I realize now that there’s no need for me to “prove” my Chinese-ness. I will never be Chinese enough to enjoy chicken feet or innards and sharing a bed with four other girls in the summertime without air conditioning. What they see isn’t how assimilated or “Chinese” I can be. What they see and remember is how I cared, loved, embraced, engaged and shared life with them.

Nothing has changed in the people between my first visit and now — they still spit on the streets and let their kids pee all over the place. If anything, my love changed for them as I grew to love God more.

God brought me to China in order for me to learn it’s not the people who conjure love. Rather, it’s our love for God that results in a deep love for His people.

What does it matter if I’m Chinese or American? My only boast should be Christ and Christ alone. When people ask me these same questions now, my first response is how after I became a Christian, being Chinese or American didn’t matter.

I see my identity as a child of God.

*name changed

Gcity Prayer Requests:

• Please pray for God to protect the Christians in Gcity against cults who come to tear down. Pray for Christians to have a deeper understanding of the Bible to discern the Truth.
• Please pray for Christians to find favor with government officials so they will continue to have safety in gathering together.
• Surrounding Gcity are many minority groups (UPGs), please pray God will raise up Gcity Christians who will commit to sharing the Gospel with these minorities.

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