Immigration can be a loaded term, a fact the leaders of Immanuel Church in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, understand well. Immigrants representing over 30 nationalities make up around 20% of the congregation.
Pastor Jungmo Koo, pastor of multicultural ministry at Immanuel, and his nine-member team, wanted to create connections between immigrants and non-immigrants within the congregation. They knew building relationships was key, but before that could happen, they needed to introduce a little familiarity.
Koo recruited two individuals, David Chang and Karima Saddiq, to be “interviewed” in a TV talk show format. The event, called My Immigration Story, began with a luncheon where immigrants and non-immigrants could interact over a meal. Later, nearly 100 people assembled in the sanctuary where the stage was set up with chairs to look like a typical talk show. An emcee posed questions to the two participants.
Chang came to the U.S. at age 13 with no desire to leave his home country of Korea. In January 1987, his family landed in the U.S. and one week later he was in an American seventh grade class. He struggled with low self-esteem, wrestling with the typical teen issues compounded by language challenges.
Today, however, he feels grateful, sharing, “I’m thankful for the journey God has brought me through.”
Saddiq and her husband came to the U.S. in 2021, evacuated from Afghanistan. They relocated with the help of several Christian churches, including Immanuel. As a Muslim, she offers, “It was very surprising to receive so much help from Christians.”
Hearing their different yet similar stories of having to overcome isolation, adjust to new foods, navigate school and find jobs made Chang and Saddiq real people instead of merely immigration statistics.
“I hadn’t really thought about all of these challenges [they faced],” says event attendee Hazel Mengel.
Church member Kathe Moyer agrees. “Our hearts expanded with love and empathy as we listened to the open, sincere and revealing narrative of two very special people.”
Koo says they plan to do a My Immigration Story at least once each year.