Ranger – “Chinese culture is totally different than the western country,” said Robert Lee Garland Jr., who not only owns a home in Cherokee County but one in China as well.
American-born Garland has spent more than 17 years living in China. He describes Xiamen as a garden city, saying, “It’s the third most-visited area in China.”
Xiamen is a port city in the Fujian Province, with a tropical climate featuring sandy beaches, clear waters, little pollution and a vibrant, booming economy. Xiamen, a popular destination for visitors; in the 19th century, the port was used primarily for tea.
When Garland first traveled to the region years ago on business, he went with a translator, who also lived in the states. He was somewhat concerned as he believed Chinese people did not care much for Americans.
While there, and during discussions regarding his natural stone and importing options back to the states, he was questioned as to why they didn’t see more Americans in China, o which Garland responded, “To be honest with you, ever since I was 5 years old I heard that Chinese people hate Americans.”
Garland was informed that his perception was wrong. He discovered his own truth about China and its people during subsequent visits.
During one trip to China, he met Suzhen Zhang. They were married in 2018.
One of Garland’s fondest memories as a child growing up in the states is that of his mother and grandparents introducing the Bible to him.
“There’s nothing like finding the Lord and walking with God,” he said.
Garland has developed a different perspective on Chinese people as a result of his time spent there.
He has seen firsthand the people in China who are friendly and enjoy the American visitors to their land. They enjoy their lives and spending time with family. They don’t focus on watching the news and its negative overtones, but rather enjoying the outdoors and beauty of their area.
Many residents of China are people of faith, believing in God and attending church regularly. Garland recalled being surprised in 2009, when he was told there was a Bible store near his apartment in China.
Attending a Baptist church in the region himself, Garland has seen an amazing growth of Christianity.
One church in particular has grown from being able to seat 4,000 worshipers in 2009 at Christmastime to the point of needing to expand to a four-story building in order to accommodate the 15,000 people per service today.
“It was a wonderful, well-orchestrated Christmas ceremony,” Garland said of the service he attended. “Every church in China we went to, we couldn’t hardly get in. There’s so much Christianity there.”
Garland and his wife wish people would do their own research on China and the people there, rather than to just believe what they hear on the news. He credited the growth of Christianity in China as being from “the hand of God.”