| “At times, my family seemed to be from nowhere.”
So writes Jennifer Clark in “‘Minari’ Recognizes Those Who Have Sacrificed Much. So Can the Church,” a reflection on Lee Isaac Chung’s Oscar-nominated film. Through the lens of Chung’s boyhood, Clark considers her own story as the daughter of a first-generation Korean immigrant mother and a second-generation, half-Lebanese father.
“My complex heritage, along with being part of a constantly relocating US military family, also made the common question, ‘Where are you from?’ difficult to answer . . . I could easily believe we had sprung up from the ground, grown from scattered seeds.”
In a time when polarization, violence, and chaos surround us in the news and, for many, in our neighborhoods, it’s critical that we consider one another’s stories. We especially must draw our attention to those who, as Clark puts it, “labor in the margins for our well-being.”
Whether you can trace your heritage back to the American Revolution or have lost your great-grandparent’s names to migration or displacement, Clark, Chung, and Minari invite you to embrace those who wrestle with acceptance—including yourself. And as you consider your own heritage, may you find joy in shaping communities and churches that say with confidence and love, “you belong.” |
