Reaching

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• Special Thanks
• This historic meeting was sponsored and organized
  by OHANA. OHANA is a Christian ministry
  outreaching to Asian Americans in metro Detroit
  (http//www.ohanaministry.org)
• We would like to express our deepest thanks to
• Our speaker Margaret Yu for being flexible and
  taking time to speak to us.
• Our attendees/Leaders from Chinese Bible Church,
  Chinese Alliance Church, Chinese Gospel Church
  and Oakland Chinese Church and IVCCF (MSU) for
  their contributions or open sharing with
  encouragement
• Oakpointe Church of Novi, Michigan for providing
  a wonderful gathering place with great facility
  and support.
• Most importantly, God, for gathering us together
  to be part of a great movement joining hands
  together in reaching out to Asian Americans!

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Reaching Praying for the next generation of
Asian Americans (Metro Detroit Area)

• Sponsored by Ohana Ministry (facilitated by
  Margaret Yu) at Oakpointe Church

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W e l c o m e

• Support in spirit
• Ann Arbor CCC
• Hmong Alliance Church

Sponsored by OHANA, a Christian Ministry for
Asian Americans
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Thank you for your heart for Asian Americans!

• Ministry to hidden people group not much out
  there.
• Ministry that is challenging due to navigating
  diversity of generational and language barriers.
• Sometimes thankless job. Yet, you are faithful!
• I am a product of Sunday School ministry at CBC
  and a product of parachurch ministry.
• What you do matters to God! He sees! He knows. I
  thank God for you.

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Our Discussion and Prayer together

• Who are the Asian Americans? Who are the ones
  that I am called to reach in my setting?
• What are our challenges in ministering to AAs in
  the Metro Detroit area?
• What is needed to reach and empower AAs? (What
  is required of me? And our church structure?)
• What are my next steps.

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Who are Asian Pacific Americans?

• Traditionally four (4) groups
• Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, Korean
• Southeast Asians
• Vietnamese, Cambodian, Hmong, Laotian
• Asian Indians
• Other APA populations
• Thai, American Samoan, other Pacific Islanders
• Mixed race the hapas
• (Included in your notes Tom Steers great summary
  of AAs.)

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Why did they come to the U.S.?

• Five different strands
• Low cost labor
• Economic / labor opportunity
• Colonization / changes in immigration policy
• Refugees from wars and other homeland traumas
• Educational opportunities

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Watershed events for APAs

• Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882
• National Origins Act of 1924
• Tydings-McDuffie Act of 1934
• Japanese Interment, 1942
• McCarran-Walter Act of 1952
• Fall of Saigon, 1975
• Vincent Chin case, 1982
• Los Angeles uprising, 1992

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5 Catagories of Asian American ID (based on
Kitano/Danielss descriptive model)

• A assimilated into dominate culture (usually
  Euro American culture)
• B bicultural values are adopted and chosen (can
  belong and feel comfortable in 2 cultures
  dominant and Asian American)
• C connected to culture of ancestors.
• D does not want to belong to Asian or Euro or
  dominant culture. Feels hostile in both cultures.
  (disenfranchized)
• E or H Hapas made up of mix races or Bi Racial
  or multi-racial

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Challenges of navigating our AA ID

• Western and Eastern Values are at times total
  opposites.
• Survival of Shame Based Cultures become a very
  lonely, saving face process.
• Often times froth with lots of pressures within
  and beyond.
• Integrating this with Racism makes this an
  insurmountable task.
• Without God, it has no core as AA ID changes and
  shifts according to community influence.

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Stories

• In Aug 09, 3 Asian Americans committed suicide on
  one campus yet, not ever talked about. (Shame
  news?)
• The growing trend of AA women having double eye
  lid operations to look more western or American?
  Or other body parts.
• One Vietnamese student I consider myself as a
  Caucasian because all of my friends were that we
  grew up with all kinds of different values
  ranging from food to dating habits. I never ID
  myself as an Asian,nor did I know what being an
  Asian really stood for. Throughout my life time,
  I was influenced by my White friends, and
  believed in the same negative stereotypes about
  Asians being skinny,short, ugly, and old
  fashioned. I developped a negative feeligna bout
  my own raceI dreamed of getting breast implants,
  nose surgery, and taking medicine to make my skin
  lighter in order to fit more in with my white
  friends. (from a student paper.)
• Recent Violence Dec 2009 South Philly High
  School 30 AA students beaten by African American
  students but Admin did not inititally hear or
  care for the AA students. Thus, they staged a sit
  in or protest and got some actions then.

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Our DNA as Asian Americans

• 5 things that shape us (it takes 9 generations
  before original ethnic values are lost in a
  people group.) (Paul Tokunagas Invitation to
  Lead)
• Confucianism Filial Piety 3 obediences for
  women father/son prominence 5 virtues of
  Kindness, Uprightness, Decorum, Wisdom and
  faithfulness A healthy society comes from a
  healthy family. (Thus, order in family gives
  order in community.) This order brings lots of
  DUTY.Confucius was a philosopher/educator.
  Education is key to wisdom.
• Shame not just guilt Saving face Family
  secrets we represent our families race.
• Suffering/Fatalism in our home lands or in
  America (It causes Fatalism It can not be
  helped! We endure hardship and swallow the pain.
  Han Gaman Hen.) Shi kata Ga Nai.
• Our Families and its allegiance to our families.
• Liminality A foot in one world and a foot in
  another world. (More than 2 sides to place our
  foot in and feel at home with it differs at
  various times.leanings and acceptances varies.)
• (we often feel like the other we may act or
  behave very western or americanized yet, our
  values are also still very much the other foot!
  We are very complex people.)

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I. Who are they in your setting?

• (Take 10 minutes to discuss this with each
  other.)
• Discuss who you are trying to reach? What are
  they like? If you can try to describe a profile
  of a couple of these AAs that you are seeking
  tor reach?
• (Age, Language, Generation, Values, Worldviews,
  Church views, What concerns them the most? Who
  are their friends?)
• What are these folks like? (We have Epic Eddies
  and Epic Esthers in our ministry?)

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Cultural Images

• Asian

The nail that sticks out gets hammered.
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Cultural Images

• Western (Mainstream)

You have to learn to toot your own horn.
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What are our challenges in ministering to AAs in
Metro Detroit?

• Brainstorm some of your thoughts? (Big group)
• Share the burden and pray for the kingdom of God
  here!
• (Discussion for 5 minutes) In small groups,
  list your top 2 challenges with each other. Keep
  in mind as you pray for one another.

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How our AA ID can affect our faith?

• Confucianism is so ingrained in us. We can follow
  family instead of God. Where gender roles are
  defined by this ancient philosopher or our
  parents roles in our families. Women do not have
  a voice and thus, we think we dont have a voice
  when God gives all a voice so he can hear them.
  We respect those in Authority.
• Our relationship becomes more of an
  obligation and DUTY. We experience felt pressures
  in our walks with God.
• Education can be our God and we want to
  please our parents. But we must do all things to
  honor God and do our best. Not all As ! We are
  to seek to learn. We must follow God as King.
  (Matt 633)

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How our AA ID can affect our faith?

• b) Shame based we do not trust that God has
  finished the work of making us Right or that we
  are justified. (Romans 5 1-5) We are forgiven.
  But that we now have a relationship of Love and
  grace with him. We find it hard to forgive
  ourselves. We sometimes hide from God when we
  blow it instead of knowing it is all paid for by
  God. Or we hide from others and not live in
  authentic community. We become very LONELY! The
  positive of this is that we are responsible and
  hold ourselves highly accountable to our actions
  and how it impacts the community.

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How our AA ID can affect our faith?

• c) Suffering/Fatalism We are passive in allowing
  things to happen instead of trusting God when he
  asks us to step up and step out to trust him and
  stand up for justice or for Him.
• We begin to sound like the victim Well, it is
  because I did not have the best set of
  circumstances. I will never change. I can never
  change. Just let it be instead of taking God
  actions when he calls us to.Positively, we know
  how to wait on God and can be long suffering in
  our relationships.

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How our AA ID affect our faith?

• d) Our families we follow our families. We
  people please to do whatever they want instead of
  following Jesus wholeheartedly. We seek idols
  with them! God is a jealous God who deserves our
  all. Romans 121-2
• Positively, the church is our new family. So, we
  are used to serving our families!

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How our AA ID can affect our faith?

• e) Liminality We dont ever feel like we belong.
  So, we get used to NOT making commitments any
  where. We like sitting on the fence instead of
  trusting God with our lives even if we are not
  sure! We get timid.
• We want to be understood more than loving.
  Wanting this can also lead to an idol. Why cant
  others understand my AA journey?
• Positively, liminal people can understand 2
  worlds thus, it can make us great leaders for
  God in various cultures.

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What is needed to reach and empower AAs? (What
is required of me? And our church structure?)

• Reaching them means that I must know my context!
• (Who are they? Really know them and their
  stories.)
• I must grow in self awareness of my own cultural
  identity and seek to minister to their specific
  needs.
• Key Words Authenticity in real life Wisdom for
  life Service and Volunteerism Social Network
  Stories Power Dynamics Liturgy that matters!
  Structures that empower next.leaders
• I Peter 29-10 (Royal Priesthood Holy Nation
  People who belong A Purpose for life!)
• How JC asked questions? Power Discussion.

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How can we support each other in this endeavor?

• In your groups, share with each other what this
  AA ministry is requiring of you as a leader?
  (Character wise.)
• Also, share your one or 2 next steps in light of
  todays discussions.
• Jot this down and pray for one another and for
  yourself as a leader in this endeavor to reach
  AAs.

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Prayer time together!

• May God bless you and keep you in this endeavor!
• Resources for Evangelism IWA.org (AA
  evangelistic tools)
• Resources for AA ministry
• Paul Tokunaga Invitation to Lead
• Helen Lee and others Building Healthy Asian
  American Churches.

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Additional Resources for AA

• Pursuing the Pearl, by Ken Fong
• Growing Healthy Asian American Churches by Peter
  Cha and Others.
• More than serving Tea, by Nikki Toyama and others
• Out of Silence Emerging Themes in Asian American
  Churches by Fumitaka Matsuoka
• Asian American Youth Ministry (Published by
  L2Foundation) Look under DJ Chuang.
• Conversations Asian American Evangelical
  Theologies in Formation (Published by
  L2Foundation) look under DJ Chuang
• Faithful Generations Race and New Asian American
  Churches by Russell Jeung
• True Story A Christianity Worth Believing in by
  James Choung
• DJChuang.com and L2Foundation.org

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Additional Resources for AA (non-Christian)

• (Non Christian Resources that could help you
  understand the mindset of AA's)
• Balancing Two Worlds Asian American College
  Students Tell Their Life Stories by Andrew Garrod
  and others. Very honest from college students
  who are not Christians. (Not for children to
  read) But helpful to understand some of the
  psyche's of AA's.
• A Postmodern Psychology of Asian Americans
  Creating Knowledge of a Racial Minority
  (Alternatives in Psychology) Paperbackby Laura
  Uba (Great resource to understand this generation
  of folks)
• Asian Americans Personality Patterns, Identity,
  and Mental Health Paperback by Laura Uba PhD
  (An older resource that helps to understand some
  of the mindset of AA's)