Two hundred years ago, American lawyer Francis Scott Key set out to negotiate the release of prisoners but was instead detained aboard a British ship. From there, he witnessed the overnight bombardment of Fort McHenry during the Battle of Baltimore in the War of 1812. Moved by the sight of the American flag still flying at dawn, he penned the lyrics to what would become the U.S. national anthem—The Star-Spangled Banner.
This Sunday, our church choir performed the full version of the National Anthem in celebration of July 4th. Before the performance, our choir director shared the history behind The Star-Spangled Banner and the American flag that Francis Scott Key saw flying over Fort McHenry in 1814. The entire congregation was deeply moved by both the story and the anthem.
One Nation Under God—Grateful for the Freedom to Worship
I joined my church choir four years ago. Aside from our choir director, who was born in the United States, all of us are immigrants from Asia, Africa, or Europe. After every rehearsal, our director asks us what we’re thankful for. Many of us respond, “Thank God we live in America.”
I came to know Jesus at the age of 19, thanks to my American professor who taught us spoken English. On Christmas Day, she quietly took us to an underground church in Beijing. A year later, at age 20, I had the opportunity to read the Bible for the first time—thanks to a Chinese professor who had earned his doctorate in the United States, and to American missionaries who had secretly donated 20 copies of the Good News Bible to our university’s English department.
It wasn’t until I came to the United States that I had the opportunity to learn more about Jesus—attending church, hearing God’s Word, joining Christian communities, and growing in my faith. I was baptized at the age of 46. Thanks to this land of freedom, I began attending church every Sunday without fear after I turned 47. Today, I am a choir member, joyfully singing praises to God each week—no longer forced to sing Communist songs, but free to worship from the heart.
Limitless Dreams, Thanks to American Opportunity
“What is your dream?” one American friend asked me when I began graduate school in 2008.
“I don’t know,” I replied flatly—because, truly, I had no idea what it meant to dream under the Communist regime in China.
From kindergarten through college, teachers and professors were viewed as unquestionable authorities. They represented the Communist Party and enforced strict adherence to Marxist ideology, leaving little room for independent thought. In adulthood, life was reduced to a single purpose: securing a job to feed your family.
As Hong Kong democracy activist Jimmy Lai, now imprisoned by the Chinese Communist government, once said, the regime wants its citizens to focus only on eating, sleeping, and surviving—like animals.
Thanks to America, I was transformed. When I once said, “I can’t do it,” my American friend replied, “You can learn. In this country, you can learn anything you want — opportunities are everywhere.”
I took that to heart and embraced the opportunities before me. With the help of scholarships, tuition waivers, and a small stipend, I pursued my doctoral degree — living on just $900 a month for five years. In the end, I earned my Ph.D. and secured a job I could never have imagined back in China.
Today, I am a different person — confident, fulfilled in both work and life, and still dreaming big.
Freedom to Speak Truth, Create Beauty, and Seek Wisdom—A Sacred Gift from America
Like millions of immigrants in this country, I believe one of our greatest blessings is the freedom to speak the truth, create beauty, and seek wisdom.
In 1989, I took part in the pro-democracy student movement at Tiananmen Square. I witnessed the horror firsthand—tanks rolling in, soldiers opening fire, and innocent citizens wounded and killed. Even now, we are forbidden to speak about the massacre in China. More than three decades later, the weight of that silence and oppression continues to grow.
Today, every major platform that fosters free expression—Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, Google—is banned in China. It is terrifying to live in a system where truth is censored and voices are silenced. While free expression on social media doesn’t always equate to speaking truth, we, as human beings, have the free will to think critically, analyze information, and decide for ourselves what to believe and whom to trust. The system may often seem chaotic and noisy, but it creates space for people to search for truth.
Everyone is entitled to an opinion—but in America, we also have the freedom to pursue wisdom.
I was fortunate to witness the U.S. Army parade in Washington, D.C., held to celebrate its 250th anniversary. Before the event, there was widespread criticism, with some people imagining that President Trump’s parade would resemble the military spectacles seen in Communist China. But in reality, the two could not be more different—in both purpose and style.
Xi Jinping is a dictator, and his military parades are designed to intimidate both domestic and international audiences. They showcase missiles, tanks, and other weapons—many of which rely on stolen U.S. technology. These displays are not about honoring service but projecting power. Soldiers are forced to spend months rehearsing under grueling conditions to achieve “perfect” performance, often at great personal cost. On the day of the parade, cities are placed under martial law, and residents are strictly forbidden from approaching the parade route.
In contrast, the U.S. Army parade celebrated the legacy and service of the U.S. Army. President Trump and his administration marked the occasion not with fear, but with pride and respect. The soldiers participating in the parade were joyful, relaxed, and freely engaged with the audience. It was a celebration of freedom, not a display of oppression.
This is just one of my personal experiences that have deepened my appreciation for the freedoms I now enjoy in America. Here, I am free to remember, to speak, to create—and to live with dignity.
As I reflect on my journey, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the blessings I have found in this land of liberty. America is far from perfect, but it remains a place where faith can flourish, dreams can grow, and voices can be heard. On this Independence Day, I count my blessings—not just for the freedoms I now cherish, but for the courage of those who made them possible. May we never take them for granted.
(Source of the Star-Spangled-Banner photo: https://americanhistory.si.edu/explore/exhibitions/star-spangled-banner)