One of the Diaspora Network's key values is prayer and fasting. We believe one of the most important and renewing gifts the immigrant church brings to North America is a deep commitment to prayer and fasting. We want to invite the broader Church to join in on what God is doing, and so each week as a network we pray with and for a specific group in diaspora. We often highlight a leader and church of specific diaspora group here on this blog and share how they have invited us to pray with and for them. All are invited to participate every Friday over Zoom (10-10:30 am CST). Click the link below to join us!
This week we are praying with and for the Chinese & Taiwanese diaspora!
Estimates place around 5.5 million people of Chinese descent within the U.S., making it the 3rd largest Chinese diaspora community in the world (behind Thailand and Malaysia).
Houston is in the top 10 of U.S. cities with the largest Chinese/Taiwanese diaspora population, numbering over 110,000. Austin estimates are around 17,000 for people of Chinese/Taiwanese descent.
Chinese (both Mandarin and Cantonese) is the third most spoken language in Austin.
Rev. Cindy Wu, co-founder and managing director of Mosaic Formation and a board member of Diaspora Network, shared that “honoring the godly wisdom of our elders, and honor in general” is a strength and gift within the Chinese diaspora community.
Tim Wang, a member of our Austin advisory team and InterVarsity’s Graduate and Faculty Ministries Campus Staff at UT Austin, also shared that intergenerational community is very important, and that he loves their “deep history, culture, and foods.” We thank God also for the fellowship and generosity of David Huang, a member of our Next Gen Cohort who is of Hakka Chinese and Cantonese descent. We are also grateful for the relationships we’ve built with Pastor Arthur Hsu, the English pastor at Austin Chinese and Pastor Ray Chen at Travis Christian Assembly.
Austin
Austin Chinese Church (their youth/young adults are leading worship in the video above!)
Houston
Prayer Points:
Gratitude: honoring elders’ godly wisdom and emphasis on intergenerational community
Multiplication: for growth of Chinese churches in Austin
Next Generation (from Cindy Wu): “for the younger generation to not turn away from their cultural heritage and the gifts of faith of the older generation, who often struggled to make it in America.”
Mutuality: that Chinese churches in both Austin and Houston would work to honor and build one another up in their cities, regardless of differences.
Additional prayers:
Tim: “Pray that we would develop a spirit of mutuality in our grad fellowship as we seek to be a multinational community that highlights and empowers the various gifts and stories around us.”
Pastor Jonathan will be speaking at Austin Chinese Church’s Missions Conference from Feb 8-9. Pray for wisdom and boldness over Jonathan, godly interactions, and strong partnerships!
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