Caring for Our Society Practising Our Faith | Matthew

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[ ‘SHARE’ Mar-Apr 2013 – Between City and Village ]　TAKING ACTION

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Author> Matthew, Chairperson of Hong Kong Baptist University Christian Student Union (CSU)

This year, through CEDAR, CSU visited new immigrant women and people living in wooden-partitioned cubicles, and after visits we met up to share our thoughts and experiences. In CSU, all Christian students have unrestricted space for examining our faith and how it can be applied in our lives. A Christian’s spiritual life and concern for society are interdependent; therefore, we as a group of Christian students walk in our community and establish contact with others so that through visits, sharing and reflection we may work out how we live out ‘Christian caring for the society’.

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This project helped us see differently those we visited. The media often portray new immigrant women in a negative way, but after meeting with them, we discovered that they have come to Hong Kong not to get the territory’s resources for their own use, but for their children’s future.

Students live a colourful and exciting life, members of CSU study different courses and go to classes at different times, and furthermore they have their own church activities to attend, so it was tricky trying to arrange our visits. Not all the churches of CSU members have a community ministry hence we hope that these visits can enrich and broaden the scope of applying our faith.

Justice and Self-sacrifice | Jojo POON

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[ ‘SHARE’ Mar-Apr 2013 – Between City and Village ]　CEDAR’S BLOGGER

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Author> Jojo POON, Education and Promotion Officer

In the past I have always felt indignant when faced with lopsided criticisms, excessive accusations, over the top special treatments and rude attitudes; I would even get annoyed by customer services that have special counters for ‘VIP’ – does it mean that other people are less important, and their time spent on queuing is not as precious?

Yet, often, the so-called lopsided, excessive, over the top, rude or unfair events, might have been assessed by my own sense of values – but what is a fair measurement to be used? It varies. From this, I felt less certain that the anger inside is fuelled by a sense of justice. How much of this anger is about justice, and how much from jealousy or self-love?

Recently I made a paradoxical discovery: ‘Justice’ and ‘self-sacrifice’ are twins! When one demands another to treat others fairly, one also needs to be unafraid of losing out. When one expects others to handle matters justly, then one also needs to willingly take on extra commitment. Only when one learns to let go of ‘self’ will one be able to focus on discerning and pursuing true justice. Yes, humility is vital in learning self-sacrifice.

As a reminder, I pin a note by my work desk which includes Andrew Murray’s definition of ‘humility’:

‘Humility is perfect quietness of heart, without worries, anxiety, anger, rage, hurt, or disappointment;

It is to expect nothing, to wonder at nothing that is done to me;

It is not resenting or seeking revenge. It is to be at rest when nobody praises me, and when I am blamed or despised.

It is to have a blessed home in the Lord, where I can go in and shut the door, and kneel to my Father in secret, and am at peace as in a deep sea of calmness, when all around and above is trouble.’

Green Notes Or Green Life? A Panel on Development and Conservation

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[ ‘SHARE’ Jan-Feb 2013 – Green Notes Or Green Life? ]　FOCUS: TOPICAL INTERVIEW

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Last year Vince worked as a volunteer at a wetland forest in Vietnam.

Reporter> WU Ying Lun

In recent years conservation and development has become a hot topic locally, but other countries are also facing similar struggles and challenges. Dickson Wong, Vince Cheung and Samuel Chiu, three Christian conservationists, tell us about different countries’ stance on development and the church’s involvement.

Continue reading Green Notes Or Green Life? A Panel on Development and Conservation

Support the Agricultural and Community Development of Northern Thailand Hill Tribes

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[ ‘SHARE’ Jan-Feb 2013 – Green Notes Or Green Life? ]　STEP INTO THE WORLD

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While hoping to economically develop, the Lahu people of Northern Thailand borrowed money to buy fertilisers and pesticides for growing cash crops. Then crop prices fell but they could not return to growing rice because the soil was too contaminated. Like many young Lahu people, Jam and his wife moved to the city but contracted HIV/AIDS from drug abuse. Jobless and rejected by their people, they resorted to stealing food.

Thai-Lahu Foundation (TLF) carries out agricultural development projects in eight local villages teaching production of organic fertilisers and pesticides, supplying seeds, livestock and equipment to encourage organic farming. They help the people to resolve community problems, encouraging them to learn the traditional Lahu language and reinforcing their native knowledge and life skills.

After training, Jam and his wife now grow vegetables and raise pigs. They are also involved in establishing a local HIV/AIDS support network. You only need to give a little yet many Lahus like Jam and his wife will have hope again!

HK$200/month facilitates one village’s leadership training on assessing and resolving community problems

HK$420/month provides seed farming for eight villages (3,500 inhabitants)

Donate Now! Click here.

Other Methods of Payment

  1. Cheque payable to ‘CEDAR FUND’
  2. Deposit to HSBC A/C No. 600-385678-001, enclosing with the Pay-in slip
  3. Autopay (only applicable to regular fixed donations), enclosing with a completed Autopay Authorisation Form (Download: WORD or PDF)
  4. Visa/ Master Card

Download Donation Form

Please send a completed Donation Form, enclosing with cheque or pay-in slip, to CEDAR FUND, G.P.O. BOX 3212, HONG KONG.

Donation Form: WORD or PDF

[1] CEDAR is an approved charitable institutions and trusts of a public character under section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance. Please click Inland Revenue Department website to check for details.
[2] Donations over $100 are tax deductible in Hong Kong with our receipts.
[3] Please DO NOT fax any donation information.

Practising Creation Care | Dr. Chris FUNG

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[ ‘SHARE’ Jan-Feb 2013 – Green Notes Or Green Life? ]　TAKING ACTION

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Author> Dr. Chris FUNG

Environmental protection is the secular version of Creation care – the biblical task given to every person. For Christians, it starts with a grateful heart for what God has provided us through nature directly or indirectly. Directly: treasuring nature’s provision of clean air, water, food, sunshine, ventilation, shade …. prompts us to minimize our disruption to nature after appropriating from it no more than we need. Indirectly: appreciating the work of others in providing for our other needs – food, clothing, running water, medicine, electricity …. would prompt us to conserve and to act justly towards each other, e.g. paying a ‘fair’ price for what we use.

With these guiding lights, we naturally practise what society calls ‘green’, but our faith takes us further. When the Bible is read properly from beginning to end, with God’s first creation (Gen 1), Jesus’ life, death & bodily resurrection and the renewed creation (Rev 21&22) as fixed references, we understand what God’s redemption encompasses, how and through whom God is effecting this redemption. This holistic awareness, rather than the piecemeal attempt to extract quick ‘biblical’ answers to fit our agenda, would lay a strong foundation for our actions. Organising such Bible discovery sessions would enrich us with many refreshing findings.

This understanding could lead to countless creative ways to fulfill our divine mission, from ‘green’ baby diapers to paper coffins and anything in between. An example: I usually wait to share an elevator with others and then tell the grateful co-passenger my reason for doing so – creation care.

The conclusion: creation care tends to both human and nature’s needs. This stands in irreconcilable opposition to ecological degradation and human poverty, which are two sides of the same disharmony. A practical remedy then is to give whatever money one saves through creation care to build up the needy.

Dr. Chris Fung works in the Hong Kong Environmental Protection Department. Out of office, he endeavours to mobilise poverty alleviation and environmental protection. In recent years, he is also keen on sharing the relationship of Sabbath and theology of creation care, including a published paper in a journal of theology. Besides research and study, Chris also practises creation care thoroughly in his daily life: He prepares a lunch box everyday, goes to Wan Chai to work and back to Midlevels on foot; only brings a small towel and a few clothes for a trip overseas, and seldom turns on the air conditioner even in hot summer.

What I Learnt in Myanmar | Lisa CHAI

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[ ‘SHARE’ Jan-Feb 2013 – Green Notes Or Green Life? ]　CEDAR’S BLOGGER

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Author> Lisa CHAI, Senior Programme Officer

In September I joined a CEDAR sponsored agricultural training on Sustainable Agriculture based on Christian holistic development. At the end of the six-day training, I realised participants benefited not only in learning different techniques like making Effective Microorganism (EM), but most importantly, our trainer has given participants hope and an outlook of an improved life despite the difficult circumstances faced by many.

Many of the ethnic peoples living on the mountains are very poor and struggle tremendously. A Lisu pastor shared that this training has provided a way and a chance for them to improve. Before the training, villagers thought a large investment is always needed to raise animals and often farming activities. They saw what other farmers did and wanted to follow yet many of Lisu people are poor, the fear of not having investment inputs deterred them. However, our trainer taught us simple techniques and gave such straightforward instructions that they can all follow to start with a small plot which requires very little financial investment, thus giving them hope of change.

Over 25 participants from several states attended. They were rice farmers from lowland, church workers from arid dry zone, village leaders from conflict resettlement area, church pastors from mountain region. One trainee is a youth pastor from a dry, dusty, poorly developed area. Just imagine, I was told there you would see peacocks walking alongside rickety vehicles…. it is a land quite wild!  Water scarcity is a daily challenge. During summer time, local people can only afford to use 3 cupfuls to clean themselves. The community wants to widen and deepen the existing lake to collect rain water. I do not know if this is the best way to solve the water crisis; however I can see this youth pastor is full of passion, to give ’living water’ in terms of meeting community’s survival needs and spiritual nourishment.

It is a reminder to me that we purposely need to act in the context of holistic development to see how project activities and people involved contribute towards extension of the Kingdom of God. For a road construction project, development workers naturally think of easier access to market, more trade, better livelihoods.  Yet from the words of this same youth pastor, it also means isolation broken is down, easy access by evangelists to result in the spread of the gospel.

Christian development is more than secular development theories and concepts. Sustainable agriculture is not just about applying principles of ecology. Natural farming is more than bringing the soil and environment back to its original form. It is about God’s creation and our stewardship over the environment. It is about ruling over the earth that reflects God’s character….certainly I look forward to taking more lessons in future!