In this memoir, Tasha Jun tells her story, the story of a bi-racial Asian-American girl and the many ways she was made to feel like an outsider. She was embarrassed by her mother, and her home which didn't conform to the cultural norms she saw around her. However, when visiting Korea, she found that she did not fit in there either. She saw herself as both "too Asian, and not Asian enough." For years she thought the answer was to assimilate, denying her Korean heritage so that she could blend in. That led to feelings of estrangement and loneliness, even within her church family. In time she began to see:
"... the interconnectedness of our search for identity and our search for Jesus.... we will begin to head toward home and help others head toward home -- toward being truly known."
She began to identify with many of the "outsiders" in the Bible-- people like:
*Moses, a Hebrew raised in an Egyptian household
*Hagar, the mother of Ishmael who was rejected Abraham and Sarah, sent to wander in the wilderness
*Nehemiah, the Israelite who returned to rebuild the wall in Jerusalem, after the people have been exiled to Babylon years before
God was with each of these people, and He was with her as well. Tasha learns to embrace and celebrate her culture and encourage her children and her family to do the same. She says:
"God speaks to me in English, but in my dreams, he sings to me in Korean. We are not only pilgrims; we are kajok, family. We are connected by jeong (love), rebuilding the bridges that have been broken down before us. God uses all of it to lead us toward wholeness and home."
VERDICT: 5 STARS. Well-written, and a call to each of us to be more understanding of the challenges faced by Americans from different cultural backgrounds.
For more book reviews see:
A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life by William Law — Book Review
Making Darkness Light by Joe Moshenska–Book Review
What is a Girl Worth by Rachael Denhollander–Book Review
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