Culture Shock...Not Quite So Free

Dad and I at one of our Indian Princess Camp Outs

Hi everyone! I hope you are as excited as I am about the coming Fourth of July holiday!

The Fourth of July has looked very different over the years for me. Some years it was rainy. Some years it was too dry to do fireworks. Some years I wasn't even home! But one thing that has always seemed to be the same is there has ALWAYS been a McBrayer in the parade! From my dad, brother and I doing Indian Princess/Guides floats (with dad in full Indian headdress!) to marching in the band, we seem to have always had someone walking by our house the morning of the Fourth of July. It's only been a year where that streak has ended, but I have so many fond memories of waving to the people, throwing candy, celebrating the fact that I was in AMERICA and sometimes, riding my bike through thunderstorms.

This weekend however, I heard a story from my brother. It's been on my mind for days now and it makes me appreciate those Fourth of July moments so much more.

My brother is studying abroad in Shanghai this summer. He's truly hard core! He was sitting in the library on campus this past week when suddenly, a Chinese student came and started talking to him. I mean come on, my brother is as white as white can be and the kid wanted to know more about the study abroad group of kids. He's not hard to find!

Little did my brother know however, that God had appointed this meeting as suddenly, the kid asked if any of the international students were Christian. My brother of course responded that he was Christian. The Chinese kid then confessed to him that he had just become a Christian five days ago! Hallelujah! But because he is Chinese, the government does not allow him to go to the international Christian churches. He has no way of learning more about God. If he wants to join a church or speak to others about Christ, he basically has to go underground and risk everything to do so. I'm sure his family ties will be strained. His friends will think he's crazy. He might even end up in jail. But this Chinese student was so determined to learn more about Christ, he is risking everything and sought out my brother to find out more.

Can you imagine being told what you can and cannot believe? We take religious freedom here so lightly sometimes. I include myself in that statement. Sometimes, we think it's no big deal for people to accept Christ because we are surrounded by Christians and people making that decision every week. At my church, we give them a whole book with the next steps after they make the decision to follow Christ! And yet this kid (because yes, he's my brother's age and they are kids haha) has the door closed in his face when he tries to find out more.

Hearing this story makes me reflect on what I have in America. America, where I can hop on my blog and freely write about what God is teaching me without worrying if I am going to be arrested. But what did it take for me to have that? People fighting for me. People laying down their lives for me literally. In the movie Saving Private Ryan, when Private Ryan learns that people had laid down their lives looking for him, he wanted to know their names. How many of us know the names of those who have fought for us? More importantly, why do we allow people to talk badly of our military and mouth off about how terrible of a country we are? Yea we may have our issues, but we have nothing to complain about compared to countries where their people can't even practice their faith without being arrested!

So as you BBQ this weekend and watch the fireworks, I hope you take time to truly appreciate the fact that you live in America. Then, say a prayer for the families that have lost loved ones, who are rehabilitating after injuries, who are still separated from their husbands, wives and kids. Then please, say a prayer for my brother's Chinese friend, and others like him, who are so desperately looking for Christ.