The Chinese Diaspora

By Carol Bibighaus

Between 1984 and 1997, more than 45,000 people left Hong Kong each year to establish a new life elsewhere. What triggered this exodus? In 1984 Britain signed an agreement to return Hong Kong to China's sovereignty. Thousands refused to wait to see what changes the new government would implement. They looked at the changes in China when Communism took over and fled Hong Kong in droves.

Nearly a year has gone by since the handover ceremonies. Is it still the same Hong Kong? Gone are the red British mailboxes, pictures of the Queen in public buildings, and the blue Hong Kong flag with its Union Jack. Hong Kong's current flag is red with a white flower in the middle.

Underneath this veneer, however, much remains unchanged. Christians who stayed in Hong Kong are able to witness freely and hold church services. Perhaps those who left are now looking back in regret. Life hasn't been easy for them. Families have been torn apart as a husband continued working in Hong Kong while his family carved out a life overseas. A man who had been an elementary school headmaster in Hong Kong sweeps floors in a fast food restaurant; his English is not fluent and his credentials are not recognized. One mother works three jobs to keep food on the table and pay for her children's schooling. Some believers have a hard time fitting into the western church.

Where are they, these Chinese diaspora? Many have settled in North America's major cities: Vancouver, Toronto, Los Angeles, and New York. Sections of Toronto are referred to as "Little Hong Kong." But Chinese can be found even in rural communities far from the cosmopolitan scene. You'll find them serving in restaurants, managing small businesses, or studying in universities. They study English as a second language and they are open to the Gospel.

An experienced pastor from Hong Kong was called to Toronto to shepherd a new church. The group targeted immigrants from Hong Kong for its evangelistic outreach, helping them find places to live and learn their way around. Sitting in a morning service where Cantonese is used exclusively, a visitor would think he was in Hong Kong. The church grew so well that it now has its own building, and members are reaching out to plant another church in a nearby community.

Some of the lonely, needy Chinese may have emigrated to your neighborhood. Look around you with the eyes of Jesus. The challenge is obvious: we need to prepare ourselves and our churches to reach out to those pockets of people close at hand.

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