Many immigrants who arrive to this country without any formal ties of family or friends are faced with the struggles in attempting to achieve that American dream. By coming here with only a dream makes it very difficult for the immigrants to create a life for themselves, such as finding jobs, housing, or healthcare. But what Guest has shown in his study is that religious communities have made it easier Chinese immigrants to easily create ties with other fellow immigrants, allowing them to increase their knowledge, which will bring them closer to their goal of the American dream.
I have always knew that religion is a strong unifying factor between individuals and after reading this book, I have found supporting evidence of this theory. It is astounding that these religious communities help the Fuzhounese immigrants mobilize social capital, exchange useful information, exchange financial resources, and increase support for the legalization process. These communities have grown so strong that it has become a source of reconnection “in the midst of dislocation”, which help Fuzhounese immigrants reconnect with fellow villagers, friends, family, and of course, members of the same home church. There is a greater chance for useful information such as knowledge of the American culture and language to be exposed to new immigrants, which will help them with their future in looking for jobs or just surviving in the fast paced urban life. Some of this useful information includes methods that will improve or quicken the legalization process.
I find these religious communities to be a positive aspect of the immigrant group, but at the same time, this occurrence allows more isolation to occur within a community. I think this is true for any ethnic group because once an individual is “settled” in a certain demographic, it will be very difficult for them to leave since they will always be associated or “tied” with them. With these religious communities, isolation from other different ethnic communities are bound to occur, which can lead to dependence on living or working at places where Fuzhou is the dominant language. So, to what extent are these religious communities really benefiting the new immigrants?
I also found it interesting that religious networks were able to form overseas. I really enjoyed the personal accounts from different immigrants in this book because it provided insight into the thoughts of the immigrants about why they decided to purse the American dream. As I can see, their faith in God played a major role in allowing them to search for meaning.
