To be honest, this statue has kind of creeped me out since I was a kid. However, this Fat Buddha statue is significant in its symbolism of my mother's culture and religion. My mom is an immigrant from China. She came to the United States in 1981 with her family, who had been waiting for years to immigrate. This Buddha statue is also from China, where at the time everyone was Buddhist and my mom was given no real religious choice. Today, she is a Christian as a result of the United States' belief in freedom of religion. My family, and mom especially, appreciate the freedoms and rights we have in the Untied States. Although my family is Christian, we still keep this statue and some others to honor my mom's Chinese culture and story.
 

– JC

Relationship:  Child of im/migrant Child of im/migrant