Dedication and commitment on the part of Christians in China to respond in charity, mercy and compassion to the needs of their neighbors springs, as it does for Christians everywhere, from their basic understanding and acceptance of Christian doctrine and biblical teachings. Catholic Social Thought informs the way the Catholic church responds to the needs in China.
Slowly, incrementally, it has been happening. Starting in the coastal regions and moving inward, beginning in economics and spreading to the rest of life, people in China have been learning of their rights their rights as citizens of a sovereign state and as humans in the international community.
Editor's Note: This editorial originally appeared in "Civil Rights Movement in China" (ChinaSource, 2005 Spring).
One of the wonderful things about cross-cultural living is the nearly constant barrage of surprises. After living in a country for nearly ten years, it is easy to fool yourself into thinking that you have the place figured out, that you know what is up and what is down, what is in and what is out. Sometimes, you even seem to know what to expect and what not to expect. But when those thoughts creep in, beware something is likely to come out of left field and remind you that you are still pretty clueless about all the little things that go on in the society around you. The unexpected may throw you for a loop and make you frustrated, or even angry. However, more often than not, it can be a positive experience, something which opens a window allowing you to see that the society which you so poorly understand, and which you sometimes think barely functions, is, in fact rather "normal." Then, at least for a few minutes, you might have the feeling of being an insider instead of the outsider that you in reality always are.
An Interview with Brother Min in 2002
The following was written by Daniel Wright in 1998 while a fellow in the Institute of Current World Affairs living in inland China and…
A ChinaSource interview with Brother Min in 2002.
As increasing numbers of peasants—among those who were to benefit most from Liberation—move to the cities seeking work and opportunities for improved lives, they continue to suffer discrimination and hardship.
Urban migration has brought young women from mountainous regions in Yunnan into the provincial capital, Kunming, seeking work. They are also seeking freedom from fear and bondage and they are finding it in Jesus Christ.
Strangers in the City: Reconfigurations of Space, Power, and Social Networks Within China's Floating Population by Li Zhan.
Reviewed by Scott Faris
Editor's Note: This editorial originally appeared in "Urban Migration" (CS Quarterly, 2004 Winter).
Three Chinese peasant children amidst the largest population shift in world history.