Santa Clara, CA
I attribute the greatest gift of God’s amazing grace for me in my parents – extraordinary ordinary people: 1st generation Taiwanese Americans who taught my brother and me to represent our people with a lifestyle lived out full of integrity (Proverbs 11:3) and selflessly shepherding our community (Leviticus 19:18).
Who are you?
I am a Texan-born, Michigan-raised, California-transplant who has found my life and Love in Jesus Christ. I am a sucker for people, principles, possibilities, perspectives, intuition, inspiration, activism, expression, resilience, revolution, and revelation. I attribute the greatest gift of God’s amazing grace for me in my parents – extraordinary ordinary people: 1st generation Taiwanese Americans who taught my brother and me to represent our people with a lifestyle lived out full of integrity (Proverbs 11:3) and selflessly shepherding our community (Leviticus 19:18). I believe humanity has a duty to become holistically egalitarian (Galatians 3:28), and I long to see our generation take collective responsibility in seeing social justice breakthrough to fruition worldwide (Psalm 82:3-4).
“Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.”
— Revelation 2:10
What do you do?
I am a full-time marketplace missionary contending for revival and church redefined. I am Co-Founder and Director of Communications + Marketing at DeoWorks.org, our Silicon Valley based Christian start-up non-profit ministry focusing on internet tools and community networks that aim to connect the body of Christ + accelerate the work of the kingdom. I’m also a trained volunteer international business consultant through rēp (repurposing.biz) working with mid-market companies in developing nations to reform their leadership based on eternal principles, which in turn transform their spheres of influence in society. I am a long-term sponsor of my two lovely girls in Guatemala and Uganda through WorldVision.org, and am an avid financial and prayer partner to various third-world development initiatives, missionary efforts, social entrepreneurship programs, philanthrocapitalism projects and microfinance groups abroad.
“From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”
— Luke 12:48
Why are you proud to be of Taiwanese heritage?
I am a 2nd generation Taiwanese American, and I represent our Taiwanese heritage wherever I go in the content of my character and the confidence in my identity. We are a distinctive people — a people of great honor, quiet strength, deep resilience, genuine hospitality, intimate community, and humble excellence. We are dichotomous blends of tradition and progress, nationalism and local familiarity, complex histories and history in the making. We are pursuant advocates of hope and tireless defenders of justice. It is my prayer for the nation that our politics would not divide our people as much as our commitment to Taiwan would unite our people as one.
“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”
— 2 Corinthians 4:7-9
What does the future of Taiwanese America look like to you?
I dream of a Taiwanese America that authentically reflects the very best of our people and heritage in who we are. The most powerful way in which we can represent our people and our roots is by intentionally living out our passions, hopes, dreams and desires to the fullest possible extent with fierce purpose and true meaning. The reality is that our generation is constantly redefining what it means to be American every day, and as Taiwanese America I believe we are blessed with great opportunity to be an influential part of our nation’s diverse strengths for the greater good of all.
“God calls you to the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” — Frederick Buechner
NICE angel. representing the taiwanese americans and christians too
“The glory of God is man fully alive, and the life of man is the vision of God.” – st. irenaeus of lyons
i like seeing the ways in which you are fully alive.
What the world needs is more passionate people like you, using their God-given talents to work together in ushering true peace and love to all corners of the earth. Keep up the good work, Angel!
I find this profile rather offensive. It’s not so much a profile representing Taiwanese Americans, but a profile propagating your Christian beliefs.
well written 🙂
I think it’s important to keep in mind that Taiwanese Americans come from all different backgrounds, and Taiwanese Americans of all faiths, and those with no faith at all, have contributed greatly to the culture and community of Taiwanese Americans and those around us. I understand that you think your god calls to you, and that these stories are something that you live your life around, but this unfortunately is very alienating to me, as a Taiwanese American of no faith. If we are to be a community, we need to be accepting of all people, however they identify themselves. Taiwanese American means something different to everyone one. And this profile here is so strongly and blatantly propagating the belief systems of Christians that I can’t help but feel alienated. I know you probably didn’t intend to say this, but I get the feeling that you think I cannot contribute to this world like you do because I don’t believe in the same stories that you do.
I strongly believe that people of all faiths, and those without faith can contribute to the world. And I am proud to be a non-theistic Taiwanese American. And if I were to have a profile, I would focus on my identity as a Taiwanese American, and leave my faith, or lack of faith, out of the picture. Because ultimately what TaiwaneseAmerican.org is trying to do is to bring together and instill within the next generation a sense of Taiwanese American identity. And I think it’s important to know that this Taiwanese American identity can take the shape of faith, or no faith, or whatever faith. We are all Taiwanese Americans. And if you want to be a Christian too, I have no problem with that. But do understand I feel that this propagation of your own personal beliefs which have very little to do with your Taiwanese American heritage is a detriment to the mission of TaiwaneseAmerican.org.
I remember making fun of you for not being responsible in college. God is good =0p
Wow, so much diversity in these profiles. Angel, I can really sense your passion and your pride for your identity which is first and foremost in Christ. Please continue sharing that love!
Thanks, Angel, for your love, boldness and honesty in sharing about your God-given identity as a Taiwanese-American and ultimately, your identity as a child of God. And to the comment by Jacob, ultimately, God created Taiwanese people too, so we can’t take God out of the picture. There’s nothing wrong w/ sharing the truth about one’s identity. But it’s also not surprising that this is offensive to many. 1 Cor 1:18 says “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” Yet at the same time, I pray that you too may understand the love of God one day.
Angel, thank you so much for sharing your profile with us! I didn’t know you were proud to be Taiwanese American, like me! Thank you for reminding me that my ultimate and most important identity is only in Jesus. Sometimes, I’m way more passionate about Taiwan, food, clothes, etc. than I am about God. Thank you so much for your boldness and testimony! Well said, sister!
And I hope one day you will start thinking logically about the world, and that you’ll realize that there isn’t a shred of evidence in this universe to support your belief system, and that what you believe is most likely a lie fabricated by men to gain power and control over a population.
But generally, I keep these things to myself. Because it’s not in my place to try and change you. I have no problem with you believing whatever you want to believe as long as it doesn’t affect my life.
I am proud to be Taiwanese American. I am passionate about my culture. When you have a profile like this, it alienates a major portion of the Taiwanese American population. I don’t know how to make this more clear. During the March to Taiwan, they carried some bell from some starting location, I can’t remember where it was, to Washington DC. The bell carrier had a piece of metal wielded across to make it into something resembling the Christian cross. They also invited a pastor to come in and say a few words of prayer.
If you want to do this, if you want to make Christ a part of the Taiwanese identity, then I will not be apart of it. And you’re probably thinking right now, well, who is this punk who doesn’t believe in our god in our religion. He’ll just burn in hell. (I’ve made a request for a room with a view in hell.) I assure you, there are Taiwanese Americans of all faiths, and Taiwanese Americans of no faith of all. We contribute to the tapestry that is the population of Taiwanese Americans just as much as Christian Taiwanese Americans. If what you want is your own little club where you have a bunch of people who look alike and worship the same god, then go form that club, and I’ll continue to contribute to the Taiwanese American community in a way that does not alienated people of faith, or no faith at all.
Personally, I am many things. And I know for you, you are a “child of Jesus Christ” or whatever you want to identify yourself as. And in your personal life, I have no problem with that. But in the Taiwanese American community, you should be Taiwanese first. Otherwise, you’re simply created a Christian church that happens to have a population of Taiwanese Americans. When we celebrate Taiwanese American culture, I feel we are celebrating the contributions of all Taiwanese Americans. I’m fine the way I am. Many Taiwanese Americans are like me, and we contribute to the international community just as much as you do, and we happen to live our lives free of religion. From a Christian morality, fine, I’ll burn in hell, and I accept that. From my morality, you’re all illogical people who have been indoctrinated from a young age, and unfortunately haven’t actually used critical thinking skills to think about the world you live in. We disagree on our morality, and I won’t try to argue with you because if I play by your axioms, then of course you’re right. And if you play by mine, then I’m right. If you think I’ll burn in hell, I have no problem with that. Enjoy.
But to celebrate Taiwanese American culture, we are all Taiwanese Americans. Being Taiwanese American is the one aspect of our lives that we share. It is our common sense of identity, and it is this sense of identity which has been a very powerful force in the world. As a Taiwanese American, I can be a democrat or a republican. I can be rich or poor. I can be passionate about classical music, or I can be a gun hobbyist.
I don’t put my personal things forward, because I have no desire to alienate the republicans/democrats, etc. And this piece, and these comments being so pro-Christian does what I’ve said over and over again: you alienate those that do not believe the same thing as you do. Being Taiwanese American is about being Taiwanese American. Whatever god you believe in, without regard to the relevance in your life, is secondary to this priority in a Taiwanese American forum.
And who are you, David Pat, telling me that you made fun of me for not being responsible in college? I’m quite confident we didn’t go to the same school, and that we don’t know each other. Being responsible has nothing to do with religion. There are Christians who are responsible, and there are Christians who are in prison. And there are atheists who are responsible, and there are atheists who are in prison. (Of course, if we look at the statistics of United States prisons…)
Religion does not equate morality. It’s sad that the majority of this country, and perhaps the world, thinks that what you believe in is more important, and your rituals and ceremonies to imaginary symbols is more important than our own interaction with our fellow humankind.
I am a Taiwanese American. I am an atheist, and I’m proud of this. These are two different identities I carry. But foremost, at least here, I am a Taiwanese American. And this is what I share with you. So why can’t we focus on our Taiwanese American identity, and leave things that specifically alienate certain sectors of this community out of the picture?
Angel, so proud of you. Grateful to Jesus for what he has done in your life and what he’ll continue to do.
Thanks Angel for sharing. umm… Duke, i think the comment from David Pat wasn’t referring to you. Perhaps you’re taking everything too personally. Yes, I agree that Taiwaneseamerican.org highlights who we are as Taiwanese Americans, however, this project is about “100 Passionate Pepople.” And this project highlights the individual and what THEY’re passionate about. So, who’s to tell anyone what their passions should be or which part of themselves to share. I also agree that those with no faith can also contribute greatly to the culture and community of Taiwanese Americans, and if yall read Angel’s response under “What does the future of Taiwanese America look like to you?”, I think you’ll see that she would agree as well. I love this page because although we are all Taiwanese American, it shows that we can also be anything we want. Thanks for sharing yall!
LOVE LOVE LOVE YOU!