Raised by a Vietnamese mother after being abandoned at one month old, Christian Taylor now lives in Vietnam with his wife and child, honoring the culture that shaped him.
Gratitude for a Vietnamese mother’s love
“From my earliest moments, from the love I received at home, Vietnam became a core part of me. Every relationship, memory, and value I’ve experienced has deeply tied my heart to this country,” shared 26-year-old Christian Taylor.
Christian was born in the United States to American parents. In April 1999, his uncle married a Vietnamese woman named Huong, originally from Ho Chi Minh City.
Just two months later, Huong adopted Christian and raised him as her own child, pouring into him the unconditional love of a mother.
“My birth parents had serious problems in their marriage. When I was just one month old, they handed me over to my uncle and his wife and never returned,” Christian recalled.
Christian grew up surrounded by the love of his Vietnamese mother.
“And so, my aunt and uncle - a couple married for just two months - became my mom and dad.”
In 2000, Christian’s younger sister was born and given the nickname Rong (“Dragon”). The two siblings were raised with great care and affection by their adoptive parents.
Christian said he never once sensed any distinction between them.
It wasn’t until he turned eight that his parents sat him down and revealed the truth about his origins.
“I was shocked and confused with so many questions running through my head. Then my mom told me, ‘You are my son - you just came to me in a special way. You’re just as much my child as Rong is, and that will never change.’”
“That moment helped me understand something vital: My birth parents brought me into this world, but the ones raising me are my true parents.”
Embracing a Vietnamese upbringing
Christian (far left) during a volunteer trip to Vietnam in 2017.
Growing up under the care of a Vietnamese mother, Christian experienced a childhood rich in cultural warmth.
She sang Vietnamese lullabies to him, played children’s songs, and taught him to speak Vietnamese fluently from a young age.
She also taught him Vietnamese customs: how to greet elders, address relatives, and understand traditional family hierarchies.
Christian learned to prepare Tet meals, light incense in ancestral worship, and cook traditional Vietnamese dishes.
“Our little house in the U.S. was always filled with Vietnamese language, food, and stories,” he said. “My mother’s care and love embedded a deep connection to Vietnam in my heart.”
Even at school, he carried that heritage with him.
His mother would wake up early to prepare lunchboxes filled with Vietnamese staples like pumpkin soup, stuffed bitter melon, and braised pork with eggs. His classmates often envied his meals for their unique and delicious flavors.
A destiny intertwined with Vietnam
Christian proposed to his Vietnamese girlfriend at the airport.
At 18, Christian postponed college to volunteer in a church in Vietnam - a spiritually profound and meaningful decision that only deepened his connection to the country.
For two years, he taught English for free and joined other charitable activities.
When the program ended, he asked to stay one extra month because he couldn't bear to leave.
“As a child, I had visited Vietnam several times with my mom. But living and volunteering here made me feel even more at home,” he said.
“I came to serve, but in the end, Vietnam gave me invaluable lessons in humanity, humility, and gratitude.”
Alongside his loving mother, Vietnam also gifted him something else: a beautiful and gentle wife.
Her name is Quach Thi Mai, from Binh Duong (now living in Ho Chi Minh City). They met while Christian was volunteering in Vietnam.
After returning to the U.S. in September 2019, Christian and Mai maintained a long-distance relationship. She became his motivation to study computer science, with the goal of securing a stable job and returning to Vietnam to marry her.
In November 2022, after three years of long-distance love, Christian felt ready.
He flew back to Vietnam and surprised Mai with a proposal at the airport as she came to pick him up. The next day, they registered their marriage.
“In August 2023, our first son was born. The bond between me and Vietnam has never been more sacred or complete,” Christian shared.
A peaceful life built on shared love and understanding
A joyful home filled with love and understanding.
Photos: NVCC
Now settled in Ho Chi Minh City, Christian teaches English while studying for a master’s degree in cybersecurity online.
He and Mai coordinate their schedules to balance work, childcare, and family life. Mutual respect and understanding are the foundation of their happy marriage.
Recently, Christian returned temporarily to the U.S. to complete several in-person courses that couldn’t be taken online.
Being apart from his wife and son is difficult, but their shared love and goals give him strength.
“Since I was a child, I promised my mother that I would one day teach my own kids Vietnamese,” he said.
“The best way to keep that promise was to marry a Vietnamese woman. And I did that - with my mother’s full support.”
“Now, she loves my little family just as deeply as she has loved me for the past 26 years.”
Vietnamnet.vn
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