Inviting you to enter into God's story at work through the Asian-American experience in America. We are exploring the intersection of ethnic identity, justice, and the Gospel at work in Chinatown's varied Asian communities.
“Learn from those who came before us, so that we are able to see beyond ourselves.”
When we step into a church building, we experience the history, prayers, dreams, conflicts, and worship of his people. When we step into Houston Chinatown, we will experience all those things but in the context of our Asian American story. Together, we will engage the intersection between ethnicity and faith.
The program is open to any student who is a part of InterVarsity in the Red River Region (Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana). The content will be about the history and experiences of Asian Americans in Houston. For those who do not identify as an Asian American, please contact Joseph (joseph.kwan@intervarsity.org) to discuss if this program will benefit you.
March 15-20, 2019. We will start Friday afternoon at 1pm and end on Wednesday at 1pm after lunch. You will need to get a ride to and from Houston. Please consider carpooling before and after the program. If you plan to stay in Houston after the program, please make your own accommodations.
The cost of the program is $200, which will include all meals, housing, and activities. Volunteer drivers will get a refund of $25.
Please pay using our online system: click here.
We have a limited amount of spots due to the structure of our program. Once at capacity, you will be notified if you are placed on a waitlist.
This application is for us to learn more about you! We are excited to hear your story no matter where you are in your personal journey. Your application is a way for us to know how to more effectively develop this program. Deadline is Feb 15, 2019.
Please click here to apply.
Compared to other mission trips: One of the unique characteristics of the Houston Chinatown Program is the reflective, contextualized, and experiential modes of learning. Here are some of the ways you will learn:
Today, Chinatown boasts nearly two dozen shopping centers, hundreds of restaurants, apartments and housing, and many major mainstream banks. Chinatown contains an incredible depth of history. This area reflects all the work and good that God is doing within people of many backgrounds.
One of our community values is to honor our elders. During the Chinatown program and through the multiple generations of voices, we seek to expand our perspectives of ethnicity, justice, and faith by inviting those older than us to tell their story.
We are accustomed to learning through lectures or sermons. However, the Chinatown program seeks to use reflective and community-oriented spaces to teach new ideas: by preparing meals together, learning about history over hot tea, and experiencing God in food that feels like home.
We believe that discipleship isn’t just a personal journey but a communal growing experience. As we engage in understanding and healing for ourselves, we hope your experience will translate to your family contexts.
We are excited to develop the first ever InterVarsity Chinatown program.
Would you join a group of students as we engage something new this spring break?
