Standing at the Gate; Knocking at the Door; Coming Home
This will be the title, I think, of the new book I’m proposing. If you are an immigrant, or your parents or close relatives were, I’d like to tell your story.
Immigration is on everyone’s mind right now. I have many immigrant friends. I want to tell your story, so that story is not lost to another generation. If you read my book proposal, you will understand that. I do not know the story of my “growing up” neighbors. How sad. I wish I did.
If you’d like to participate in this project, please send me the relevant material. I will use only first names in the book, in case there are privacy concerns. But I want to weave a story of acceptance, of love, of utter fascination with lives other than my own isolated, typical, “grew up in America” bubble. I want to know your story, your recipes, your fears, your questions, your observations, your pride in your heritage, your accomplishments– everything! Won’t you share so that we can all benefit from each other’s experiences?
BOOK PROPOSAL:
We are all immigrants. God has brought us together to this place so we could bless each other, live our lives in freedom, and find it in our hearts to become a body of believers in His Providence in bringing us together in this place.
I want to write a book about the people at Covenant Church who are themselves, or their immediate family are, immigrants to the United States.
It is my hope that we can tell each other’s stories to the enjoyment and appreciation of each other’s heritage, and discover the rich tapestry of our experiences. For God has brought us together in this time and place, and we need to celebrate His loving care which has accomplished much.
Why write a book about our collective experiences?
Will this book endanger us in any way?
These are hard times for our nation. There is much tension, even some worry, although America has welcomed immigrants since her inception, and I trust we will continue to do so even through this present crisis.
I want to tell your story. Here are the guidelines.
1. This is your family’s story. You may use your name, or choose not to do so.
2. We want to know where you came from, why you chose to come to America, who or what encouraged you to make the decision to emigrate, and when was this?
- What do you remember about your place of origin? Did you leave family members behind when you came? Have you returned, or have others come here to visit you, or to stay?
- By what process did you come? Did you apply for a visa, did you visit an embassy, did you come legally, what is your current status? (I want there to be no fear here. I will disclose only what you choose to tell me, in confidence that we only want to hear your story.)
- Is this your story, your parent’s story, your grandparent’s story?
- How old were you when you (they) came to America
- What were your first impressions? Were people welcoming to you? (Them)
- Did you have family or a sponsor who was responsible for you? What role did that person play?
- How did you find work to pay your bills? Who was accepting of you, or who was not accepting?
- How did you find educational opportunities? Did you have to learn English, or did you already have some understanding of the language?
- What customs here were especially hard for you to understand or accept?
- Were you already a Christian when you came? Tell your story of how you became a believer. How did you find Covenant Church, and do you feel welcomed here?
13. What have you contributed to America, and do you feel at home here?
- How do you think The United States should handle the present situation in welcoming war refugees who could perhaps carry out jihad against us?
Some of these are difficult questions, and I am seeking only to tell a story here. My personal family history does not include recent immigrants. Both sides of my family trace heritage back to colonial times, and even by marriage, I have known no immigrants.
However, my husband’s family was second generation, from Germany and from France. Their stories have been lost. There is no one left to tell the story. How sad.
In my upbringing, I was aware that five families on my street were immigrants from Germany. I was born in 1940, and I am sure there must have been World War I and II stories there somewhere. The Kuhners, the Draxlers, the Werners, the Dusenberrys and the Hannetts all spoke little English. We had little contact with them, and I am sad about that. I would have loved to know their story.
My college roommate was from Hong Kong. I know she and her family fled Canton when the Communists came to power, and that somehow her parents sent all six of their children to the United States to be educated. They all achieved great success through hard study and determination. Esther and her four children memorize Scripture and go back to China periodically to help the underground church, at great risk to themselves.
I am feeling led by the Holy Spirit to do this project. Will you contribute to it?
I would like to begin compiling information as soon as possible, with the book being complete by the summer of 2017. Perhaps we can let others know that America is a land of opportunity, that our church, in particular, welcomes all people to worship our Lord in peace, and that Jesus is calling His people from all tribes, all nations, all peoples, who will one day be singing praises to His name in our heavenly home.
Will you tell me your story? Again, if your status is of concern because you (or family) might be here illegally, you may choose to use another name or simply refer to yourself as “I” or “we.” While I don’t expect there will be widespread deportation from America unless crime has been an issue, we are in a period of suspicion. Nonetheless, I want to tell your story.
In advance, thank you for participating in this project. When the book is completed, you may purchase a copy for $10.00 which will go to the Global Missions Fund at Covenant Church. It will also be available on Amazon.com for $19.95. Again, the royalties will be given to the Global Missions Fund at Covenant Church.
Note: I will not use pictures in this book. They do not reproduce well.
This is what the Bible says in Leviticus 19:34: “The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.” Let it be so. Amen.
Betty Whitaker Jackson 298 Sawyer Street SW. Palm Bay, FL 32908
bjack2723@aol.com heading: new book
https://www.bettyjackson.net website
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About the Author
