Finding God in the U.S.A.
As Chinese international students flood U.S. high schools and universities, many are learning about Christianity for the first time—and sometimes embracing it
by Sophia Lee
One huge education story that’s received little attention: Some 300,000 students from the largest nominally atheistic country in the world are now attending U.S. schools and colleges, including many Christian ones. One big question: As they improve their English and their future job prospects, do these students from China also learn about Christ?
To find out, we talked with students and recent graduates from California to Massachusetts: We learned about the transformed lives of some and the ripple effects among others. We also spoke with Christian ministry leaders who are reaching out to Chinese students. They report that despite the influx of students, full-blown conversions to Christianity come by the handful, not the busload: Changing minds and hearts often takes significant time, investment, and hospitality, and ministry leaders may not see results for years.
Still, it’s undeniable God is at work among Chinese students in America—and He is at work among their parents back home. To understand how, just listen to some of their stories.
RENATA ZHONG IS an 18-year-old from the Chinese city of Dalian who attends Oaks Christian School in Westlake Village, Calif. Her nonreligious parents sent her to a Christian high school because they believed it would be friendlier and safer than a non-Christian one.
But Zhong wasn’t prepared for the stress that comes with being an international student: She struggled with speaking English and making friends, and felt “uncool” compared with sophisticated-looking American kids. Finally she realized, “I can’t do this by myself. I need someone more powerful to help me.”
One Sunday morning, for the first time since her host family had begun taking her to church, Zhong raised her hands in reverence during the worship time, cheeks wet with tears. She was so moved by the pastor’s sermon that she went forward during the altar call. A month later, she was baptized.
When Zhong told her parents she had become a Christian, they were displeased. “Did anyone force you to choose this ideology?” asked her father, a member of the Communist Party. “I don’t want your whole life to be decided by a decision you made when you were 16.” Her mother cried and said: “I feel like you’re not my baby anymore. I feel like they’re taking you away from me.”
That night, Zhong tossed and turned in her bed, troubled by grief and a guilty feeling that she might be dishonoring her parents. But she remained firm in her commitment to Christ, telling her parents, “I feel deeply that I want to have a mutual relationship with God.”
Two years later, the high-school senior is sending her mother Bible verses via the WeChat messaging app, and her father is studying the Bible to better understand his child’s faith. Meanwhile, Zhong said her parents have noticed she seems happier, more confident, and more loving: “I’ve learned to handle all the difficulties and challenges, because I know I’m never alone anymore.” ...
Rest of article at WORLD.
