The International Chinese Association

Chris Ching
September 1985

Acting president of the International Chinese Association Dr. Edwin Ang (third from left, front row), and the staff of the Chicago seminar.

The International Chinese Association (ICA) was inspired by Father in a meeting with some of the Chinese members in America at East Garden on July 1, 1984. Its purpose is to bring a God-centered unity among Chinese people both in America and abroad through the study and application of Unification principles. Dr. Edwin Ang vice president of the Unification Theological Seminary, is the acting president of ICA.

Except for God, no one seems to be as omnipresent as the Chinese. I don't refer so much to the massiveness of the crowded humanity across the Pacific as I do to their pervasiveness in the world: They are everywhere, from Alaska to Mozambique to Zambia, not to mention in Zhong-guo (the Chinese name for China, meaning "central nation"). Not that other races or peoples have not gone as far. But the Chinese have a reputation for remaining unabsorbed by the cultures into which they are immersed. You would think that the Chinese people must truly be united. But one of the greatest problems faced by the Chinese is lack of unity, not only on the individual level, but on the family, national and worldwide levels.

There exists in America an incredible potpourri of people with Chinese ancestors, whose one common language is English... barely: You have Vietnamese Chinese, Laotian Chinese, Cambodian Chinese, American Chinese, Taiwanese Chinese, Hong Kong Chinese, Singapore Chinese, Indonesian Chinese, and even a few of the "real McCoy" (not that any of the others would think that they were otherwise). This is one of the most interesting -- and challenging -- aspects of holding a seminar for Chinese people on the CAUSA worldview. The one-day CAUSA seminar that took place at the McCormick Center Hotel in Chicago on July 20, on the anniversary of Father's incarceration in Danbury, was just such a potpourri. Imagine a group of people who claim the same great ancestry and cultural heritage, but are unable to fully understand one another amongst the diversity of dialects and languages. Compound that with their innumerable different interests and the immensity of the generation gap. Thus you can understand the difficulties we experienced in conducting this seminar for 73 members of the Chinese community ranging in age from 20 to 70. It was truly an act of God that brought us all together.

Even more amazingly, the response was warm, even enthusiastic. The Vietnamese of Chinese descent were especially moved, their first-hand experience with communism enabling them to understand the real depth and significance of the CAUSA worldview. In addition, we were grateful to have Professor Hui Fan Leung of the People's Republic of China (PRC), who recently was granted political asylum by the U.S. government, speak about the problems of communism in the PRC. Participants were encouraged to ask questions and offer their own testimonies.

Although we have yet to bring the success enjoyed by CAUSA International and CAUSA USA, with their thousands of participants and supporters, we have made the first step in that direction. Seminars have been conducted in New Jersey, New York City, San Francisco, Washington DC, and Chicago, primarily on the CAUSA worldview, which appeals to the anti-communist sentiment of many Chinese. Future seminars on Unification Thought for Chinese scholars and introductory Principle seminars are being planned. As the Chinese proverb sagely states: "A long journey begins with a single step."