[ ‘SHARE’ Sep-Oct 2016 ] TAKING ACTION
Interviewer and editor: Jojo Poon
God’s work is to be seen everywhere if the church would focus on its surroundings and involve in the community. The Mongkok Baptist Church (MBC) started a three-year “Faithful Community Servant” campaign in 2014.
“I’m in full agreement with the Integral Mission promoted by CEDAR—we cannot separate the Gospel from social services, and we have to respond in everything we got,” said Rev. Anders Chan, the Vice Leading Pastor of MBC, “we hoped to expand the visions of our brothers and sisters beyond Hong Kong through CEDAR’s work, where we could cultivate a global caring culture. Then we could serve the local needs with such vision and be prepared for possible callings to far ends of the earth if asked by God.”
Rev. Chan and a bunch of members of the MBC visited Yunnan, China, in 2013. He said, “The most unforgettable moment is when the Lisu sing their hymns without any backing instruments in a small chapel up on the mountains. The perfect unity in their voices and the resonance it caused, brought tears to our eyes… The joy, purity and loyalty before God in the face of tremendous daily hardships were cleansing our spirits.”
On top of being encouraged by how the locals worship, Rev. Chan and the participants were also shown the practical servanthood of the Fu-kang (Rehabilitation) Home ran by Dali Prefecture Christian Council (Social Service) serving drug addicts and people living with HIV.
One of the members asked about the usage of a few beds furnished in the Fu-kang Home out of curiosity during their visit, and did not expect the answer that those were for those people living with HIV in the terminal phase to live their last days in relative comfort. Staff and members of the Fu-kang Home would surround the patients with hymns and walk the last hours with them. “They were practical not only by providing the poor what they needed, but also by being with them physically. Their servanthood really expanded our horizons.” Said Rev. Chan.
Integral Mission and integral servanthood have been the objectives and the lessons of life for CEDAR. They are also embraced by MBC as the guideline to raise their younger generations, “I hope the young members who visited China could apply what they have learned to the caring of the weak and the actualization of Integral Mission in their surroundings here in Hong Kong.” Said Rev. Chan as we long for the same.