Race

While at football practice, a little boy came up to my son Jonah and said, "Jeeze...why am I seeing so many Chinese people around here lately?" Jonah responded, "I'm not Chinese, I'm Korean". The boy said, "That's not even a word. You're CHI-NEEZE...you need to learn your GEE-OGRAPHY!" Jonah replied, "Korean is a word, kid". The little boy did not give up. " I think I know more than you, since I'm a second grader".  Jonah decided, being a wise 5th grader, that he was not about to change the boy's mind, and walked away. The good news was... Jonah thought it was funny. But in reflection later, he asked me..."why is everyone calling me Chinese? Why do little kids keep calling me racist names like Yo Japanese or Jackie Chan?" I wish I had a good answer for him. Some of it, I suppose, is lack of exposure. Even though their football team has some ethnic diversity, they are indeed the only Koreans.  But my international children have international friends.Their exposure is wide and diverse due to their adoption.  My children have friends who are Ethiopian, Guatemalan, Hispanic, Chinese, Caucasian and African-American who are adopted. And I am so grateful to the Lord for bringing them into relationships where His love is being demonstrated through adoption. Love that does not discriminate.
Being a mixed race family brings us a lot of attention, often unwanted for my kids. I have been trying to teach them to respond in love; that it is a great opportunity to tell someone about being Korean,or about adoption and kindly educate them. What a great priveledge it is to share God's love with people who don't understand. How will kids ever know if they are not told by someone, in a loving way...that it's not okay to throw names and labels at people? And how will kids know what God's love is like if we don't demonstrate it to them?  I am convinced that the struggles my boys will have with this subject will provide many opportunities for them to be bold witnesses for Christ. And I am convinced there are days when we will not respond in love because we have been hurt. But I pray that God will remind us what Jesus said as He was being crucified..."Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing"Lk 23:34. I want my family to love like that! Full of grace and forgiveness for those who don't understand...just like we have been forgiven in Christ.