We should care for immigrants! Western Canada, where I live is mostly first to 4th Gen immigrants. I’m 3rd Gen. my grandparents came from Europe, spoke other languages. My husband had German/Moldavian grandparents on one side, but his other side goes back to eastern Canada, and the US - United Empire Loyalists. British people who were against the Revolutionary War, and escaped to Canada, to support the British. In the US & Eastern Canada, it isn’t unusual to trace your ancestors back to the Mayflower, for example! In western Canada, my grandparents were pioneers, who came for free land. But, they were also from Christian Cultures. Even if not necessarily Protestant, although my husband's family were Protestant. And my son-in-law also had Christian grandparents from Germany. My paternal grandparents were eastern European - Polish and Ukrainian. My grandmother got saved during Sunday evening revival meetings at the large downtown Pentecostal Church, along with her sisters. But, she just kept going to her Orthodox church, and reading the same Bible. The newer immigrants cannot do that, their background is not Christian. So, where are these churches?
Because of being part of the British Empire, more recently the Commonwealth, it is easier to get into Canada from counties such as India, Kenya, Hong Kong and so forth. Before 1948, all citizens of the British Empire had BE passports. So very easy to immigrate.
In BC, the Chinese were brought over to build the national railway. They were treated abysmally, including poll taxes, unsafe working conditions, plus, they had to earn a fortune to bring their families over. But, they persisted. Now, with unification programs, we have many people from China. But certain provinces, like BC and Alberta have a lot of Chinese. It makes for great restaurants! Most Chinese are hard working and buy homes, start their own businesses. The City of Richmond, BC has a huge population of descendants or first/second generation Chinese. In the 1980’s, my husband & I would go to certain Malls for dinner, and they would bring out the English menu from under the counter. We would be the only Caucasians in the place. The street signs in Richmond are often in Chinese. This isn’t just a small Chinatown. It is most of the city. Well, except for the Muslims, the East Indians and the Japanese in Steveston, who still live and fish commercially, despite being removed to camps in the interior, during WWII. Many lost their boats & commercial licenses.
Within the Chinese community, huge Christian churches have developed. Not just in Vancouver, but Calgary & Edmonton. We were invited to a Chinese Christmas dinner in Edmonton, from a man that worked with my husband. It was in a massive Chinese Church. One of the pastors was a fellow student at my seminary, and he was working in outreach within his community, esp the new immigrants. The Alliance Church had many large Chinese Churches, who reach their own community. Many attended my SBC Baptist seminary, just 1/2 hour out of Calgary. I became friends with several women, one was a pastor, and preached regularly. Women pastors in Chinese churches is the rule, the norm. The men don’t want to do the work! My theology prof, who had been a missionary to Asia, and spoke Mandarin helped with a Chinese Church plant. He would preach, and it was unusual for a man to be in the pulpit. Which means, all the railing against women preachers by Caucasian fundamentalists, really is a cultural issue, in these churches.
Anyway, there are Chinese Buddhists, of course. One lady I took world religions with came from a Buddhist family. Her whole family was Buddhist. She was praying for them, and witnessing to them. When she first came to Christ, she was disowned. But God helped her reunite and share the gospel through prayer and love!
It is the Muslims, and East Indians in Canada that are not being reached, in my opinion. There are a few individuals that Christ reaches. We had a friend whose father was a Hindu priest. He became an evangelist to his community, along with his Filipino wife. They would give their testimonies, at banquets & outreaches. One time, the man, who spoke Hindi and Fijian, besides English, spoke 4 words in an unknown tongue. (You all know I am not charismatic!)
At the end of the banquet, a man rushed up, and said, “Why didn’t you say you spoke Armenian?” On a napkin, he had written down the 4 word my ex-Hindu friend had said, “Jesus Christ is Lord.” He showed me the napkin! The man was saved after the gospel was explained. Every trip back to Burnaby, our friend would see this man, and his unsaved family members would hear the testimony, the gospel, and more would get saved. 36 in total! I guess that is a way to reach immigrants. And I still don’t believe a lot of what goes on in Pentecostal churches, is from God. But, when you see the evidence, and so many get saved, it’s hard to stand against a work of God. I wouldn’t use this as a method of evangelism, but if it happens, I don’t think we should kick against it. But the sad part of this story, is the man who was the Hindu, really slipped away from God. He was drinking, smoking and his wife left him over the women he was sleeping around with. So did his second wife! Was it because he had absolutely no support among his own community? Not many Hindus become born again Christians. Or was it just pride, slipping away from God because of his huge evangelistic endeavours? I guess one day, I'll ask God. Certainly, he walked away from God by sinning, but I wonder how isolated he felt, being the only former Hindu, Fijian Christian?
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