Rev. Cindy M. Wu serves as Co-Founder and Director of Diaspora Ministries at Mosaic Formation. She offered a compelling paper at our 2025 Symposium on the Theological Interpretation of Scripture on Hospitality and Immigration, “Please Pass the Palau: Biblical Hospitality and Empowering Muslim Refugee Women.” In this interview she reflects personally on themes of empowerment and mutuality, integrating theology, biography, and mission.
Cindy, your personal story includes both deep connections to your Taiwanese heritage and a profound engagement with Afghan refugee communities. How has navigating these diverse cultural landscapes shaped your understanding of “home” and “hospitality”?
As the US-born daughter of immigrants, in childhood I always felt like a “foreigner at home.” Between growing up as one of just a few Asians in my elementary school to not knowing most of my relatives, I never felt grounded in a place or in my identity until I later grew in self-acceptance and redefined for myself the concept of home. I’ve lived or studied abroad in four countries, so I not only understand the “foreigner abroad” and newcomer experience, but I also depended on others’ hospitality and instruction to help me navigate new territory.
You mentioned the pivotal role of a kind American couple in welcoming your parents. What specific lessons did you learn from their example that you apply to your ministry today?
Do not underestimate the value of expressing welcome, whether as simple as a phone greeting or something more intentional like a meal in your home. Native-born Americans may feel intimidated about welcoming newcomers because their immediate needs are often outside our realm of expertise, while cultural and linguistic differences make communicating about those needs challenging. A small gesture, however, can have a big impact. All these decades later, my parents still remember that kind couple fondly, in the same way I remember the international families I lived with during my college years.
From mountain biking reflections to founding Ride with Refugees, your ideas seem to emerge from deeply personal experiences. What sparks the initial vision for your projects, and how do you translate that vision into tangible action?
I tend to identify a gap, brainstorm a solution, and then sprinkle in some fun. I’m a connector and activator and especially enjoy working in teams that can laugh together. I’m a cause-oriented person, so passion for the issue gives me the inspiration I need. When I am initiating a new project, I recruit individuals that bring different gifts to our team, and with longer experience, I’m more aware of the skills I’m looking for and how to spot them in others. Also, I really like Google Workspace.
You emphasize the importance of “doing with” rather than “doing unto” when serving vulnerable communities. Can you share a specific example of how Ride with Refugees has empowered Afghan women to take leadership roles?
Early on, I had the conviction that I needed to center refugees in our decision-making. I felt like I did not have the “right” to lead a refugee-focused endeavor without the input of former refugees and recent arrivals. Finalizing our name as Ride with Refugees highlighted that value. I had the blessing of launching the Afghan Women’s Bike Team with a woman who directed a women’s empowerment program at a local resettlement agency. She incorporated a steering committee composed of refugee women, and I adopted that idea. We regularly ask the members of our bike team what interests them, rather than strategize everything ourselves.
Balancing cultural sensitivity with your Christian convictions is a delicate dance, especially when discussing empowerment with Muslim women. What are some key strategies you’ve found effective in navigating these complex conversations?
When I begin a relationship with someone from a different background, I anticipate that we will hold different ideas and visions around female empowerment. I have to be keenly aware of the cultural differences and levels of privilege of the contexts we come from, as well as the contexts in which we live. There is quite a spectrum among Muslim women: some keep to the home and are subservient to their husbands, some have their own careers and share domestic duties with their husbands. I try to focus on asking women what their hopes and dreams are, and then how we can accomplish them.
You’ve seen firsthand the impact of policy changes on refugee resettlement. What practical steps can individuals and churches take to advocate for more compassionate and just immigration policies?
Proverbs 31:8–9 says, “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.” Christians can speak up for refugees in creative ways, and the internet has made it easy to do so. First, you can educate your own community and congregation. The pastor does not have to lead this conversation; you can invite a non-partisan speaker from a resettlement agency or encourage your people to register for an informative webinar. Email and call your congressional representatives; you can find sign-on letters and advocacy scripts online. Nothing is more powerful than an in-person meeting with your representative or their staff, however. I encourage Christian leaders to request these in groups to demonstrate your collective influence and voice.
You describe hospitality as a “trinitarian three-way exchange.” Can you elaborate on how this theological understanding informs your approach to serving refugees?
Hospitality is normally conceived of as a two-way transactional exchange between host and guest, one in which the host is the giver, and the guest is the receiver, even if they bring a token offering. From the lens of biblical theology, hospitality may be more accurately understood as a trinitarian three-way exchange between host, guest, and the Lord. In this triad, each member is giving and receiving in a dynamic, relational, ever-flowing unfolding of grace, with awareness of the presence of God among them.
You challenge the Western tendency to define empowerment solely through an individualistic lens. How can we cultivate a more nuanced understanding of empowerment that respects diverse cultural values?
Every culture defines empowerment based on their worldview. Through an individualistic lens, each person seeks their own empowerment; through a collectivistic lens, the value is placed on group goals and group accountability. Collectivistic cultures weigh the impact of an individual woman’s decisions on the entire family or clan or community. This may feel constrictive to an individualist, but in many cultures it is upheld as a way to honor others. Many times, our convictions are in reality culturally and personality-defined preferences, rather than universal values. Interacting with culturally different others and letting them define empowerment in their own terms helps cultivate curiosity and a more generous attitude towards difference.
In a world often divided by fear and prejudice, what gives you hope, and what message do you want to leave with those who are seeking to live out a more hospitable faith?
Recently, I was meeting with a non-Christian friend who volunteers for Ride with Refugees. We were discussing the state of American politics and the recent executive orders impacting immigrants and refugees. She said, “I’m jealous of you for having your faith to ground you in a time like this.” In that moment, I was reminded of the gift of my faith and my Christian community. I have seen my colleagues rise up with courage and prophetic power in ways that inspire me.
My hope in these intensely polarized times resides in God’s promises that he never leaves nor forsakes us (Hebrews 13:5), and that one day all wrongs will be made right (Revelation 21:4). The Holy Spirit’s work is often invisible and mysterious, pointing me to the truth that our labor is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58). Every gesture of hospitality is like depositing a seed of love and grace into someone else’s life, and, especially in ministry to Muslims, it may take many years to see fruit. Open your home and your heart to others, and you will enact and receive the hospitality of God.
Read more from Cindy M. Wu
- Our Global Families: Christians Embracing Common Identity in a Changing World, with Todd M. Johnson (Baker Academic, 2015)
- A Better Country: Embracing the Refugees in Our Midst (William Carey Library, 2017)
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