One of my greatest joys and privileges as the U.S. President of the C&MA has been to get to know and love, fellowship and worship with, learn from and preach to the Asian community within our family. The Cambodian, Chinese, Filipino, Hmong, Japanese, Korean, Montagnard, Vietnamese and other pan-Asians peoples are beautiful expressions of the body of Christ with The Alliance family. I deeply benefit from and enjoy every connection I have with each unique culture and community. Some of our most vibrant witnesses for Christ within our denomination come from this community of Christ followers.
Numerous times over this past year, my heart has gone out to those among us who’ve been on the receiving end or various forms of disrespect, from the scornful glance to physical violence, from the ignorant comment to the arrogant slur. I grieve with my sisters and brothers and stand with them.
I happily go on record in saying it today and believe that I privately live this out in my relationships and interactions: I am proud–pleased, joyful and honored–to be friends and ministry partners with our Asian Alliance community.
In response to recent events, our Corporate Vice President and Metro District Superintendent, Kelvin Walker, speaks for many of us as he has shared the following lament with his district. I share with you an excerpt of it today as an expression of my own heart as well.
Sincerely,
John Stumbo
P.S. As I am writing these words, another sad headline hits my news feed: yet another mass shooting has just taken place, this time in Boulder, Colorado. Sadly, this will not be the last of such news that we read. We grieve with victims everywhere while seeking to be the “salt” and “light” of Christ in this world.
God, we lament that Your image is treated with such disrespect and disregard
That that the cries of our Asian brothers and sisters
Fall silent on ears that should be listening
They are in pain and have been screaming out for help…and we have ignored their cries
God, we lament that Your beautiful creation – our sisters and brothers who are Asian
Too often have to prove that racism affects their communities in countless ways every day
And it takes crimes of hate against them
And loss of life among them
For us to wake up and say this should not be…we have disregarded their voice
God, we lament that inexcusable assaults on Asian boys and girls…and teenagers…and young adults
Have been going on for years
School-aged children living in fear
Fear of going to school because
Other kids live by the rule that
Punching and beating them up is ok
They don’t feel safe…and we have not realized how unsafe it is for them
God, we lament that precious Asian grandmothers and grandfathers
No longer feel protected and revered in society because
People who don’t value the elderly attack them – not just because they’re old
But because they’re Asian and old
They’re told that this “virus” is their fault
They’re treated with disdain and in dehumanizing ways
And we perpetuate and stand complicit in their dehumanization when we remain silent
Rather than saying, “No more.”
But we, Your people – YOUR CHURCH – are to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with You,
So we rise from our silence and say
This anti-Asian hate and racism is unjust
For the Asian community that has felt voiceless and unheard
We will be Your voice
We will not sit silent while they are attacked, spit upon, and killed
We will stop ignoring, we will listen…and hear…and act with conviction
Conviction that it IS just AND biblical
To protect each individual
In the Asian community
That bears Your image with beauty BECAUSE
This anti-Asian hate is not of You
So..
It…
MUST…
STOP…
NO MORE!