Participation Is Good, Mobilisation Is Better | Wendy

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[ ‘SHARE’ Jan-Feb 2014 – Who Is Willing to Be Their Neighbour? ] TAKING ACTION

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Author> Wendy FUNG

Thank God for leading me to a number of CEDAR’s events in the past two years. In January 2013, I joined the exposure trip to Ethiopia where I learned and witnessed God’s power; the trip also helped me understand CEDAR’s operation. The impact of CEDAR Carbon Fast during Lent on me is the most apparent; I was invited to be a member of ‘Carbon Fast Army’, assist posting photos on Facebook about Carbon Fast. With the aid of Scriptures prepared by CEDAR, I have gained better understand of the purposes of our daily Fast actions and God’s will at creation. Some of the Fast actions such as waste sorting and bringing my own water bottle/cutlery have become my daily habits.

On a missions trip to Madagascar in 2012, the missionary not only took home leftovers from the table, she also reused plastic boxes after cleansing as the refuse collection system there is inadequate and people just dumped all wastes into big garbage bins on road-sides. Besides doing evangelisation and church planting, I saw the missionary’s effort not to produce waste and perceived her integral love towards the land and inhabitants thereon.

The Philippines was hit by severe Tropical Storm Haiyan that killed thousands and affected over nine million people. It is irrefutable that human activities aggravate extreme climate changes and the frequent natural disasters make the poor’s lives harder, even taking away many precious lives. Isn’t it ironic that we seek to take the gospel to the ends of the world, whilst our lifestyles bring about changes that would reduce the chance of the poor hearing the gospel?  I used to question the effect in turning off one lamp on carbon emissions reduction!  But if all Christians change our current lifestyles and practise the bible’s teaching, I believe that by the Holy Spirit we can change the world. Living an Integral Mission may sound grand and hard to start, but we may live it out a bit in a day. Let us start today and with God’s help exert influence on people around us doing small things in loving our world. (Watch a clip by Tearfund UK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vph2oLKb1qM)

In January 2013, Wendy joined CEDAR’s exposure trip to Ethiopia; taking part in Carbon Fast and as a member of ‘Carbon Fast Army’ practising and mobilising low carbon living for better environmental protection in February and March; Wendy further joined CEDAR Barefoot Walk in November showing support for impoverished children.

The Letter from CEDAR | October 2013

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Dear Brothers and Sisters,

When we think of ‘poverty alleviation’ we may have the impression that it is the ‘rich’ initiating to help the ‘poor’. When I first left Hong Kong 33 years ago, I met some friends from Africa and India, and learned about their ministries. I realized that they had already developed many mission work and social ministries themselves. They were indeed not just recipients of aid. That started in me a lot of respect and appreciation for our friends in different countries.

Continue reading The Letter from CEDAR | October 2013

Please Remember and Support CEDAR’s Barefoot Walk 2013

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[ePrayer – Pray for the preparation of Barefoot Walk]

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CEDAR’s annual Barefoot Walk will be held on 2 November at Ma On Shan. The theme of this thirteenth year CEDAR Barefoot Walkathon is ‘Walk out of Poverty for the Children’, aiming to support our ‘Join Hands Join Hearts’ Children Ministry Scheme to bring better living and life transformation opportunity to impoverished children, families and communities living in Asia and Africa. This year, besides individual and group participants, parents are welcome to join the Walk with their child(ren) as a ‘family’ group. Registration will be started next week.

Pray for the preparation of Barefoot Walk:

  • Pray for the whole design and preparation of the event, including experiential games;
  • Pray for God’s provision of enough volunteers to be group leaders, in facilitating games and in maintaining public order;
  • Pray for our promotion activities and a good response; and pray that the participants will understand the hardships of impoverished children through barefoot walk and the experiential games.

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.

A Witness that Grows with Time | TANG Po Shan

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[ “SHARE” Sept-Oct 2012 – An Eye-Opening Experience of Poverty ]　TAKING ACTION

Author> TANG Po Shan, Education and Promotion Officer

I met Tina during a ‘Deprived Community Exposure Visit’ held by CEDAR Club. She was then studying Chinese medicine at university and she wanted to know more about the world, especially the people she was going to serve.

I have seen Tina bring young people to several CEDAR Barefoot Walks. During our conversation, I discovered that Tina has been joining CEDAR events with her father since she was a small child, and members of her church are also regular supporters of Barefoot Walk. ‘I remember going to the first ever CEDAR Barefoot Walk with my father when I was a few years old, and we have been going every year since. It started as merely “something fun”. When I attended secondary school and served at my church’s youth fellowship, I encouraged fellowship members to support CEDAR and join Barefoot Walk. I changed from being a passive participant to an active promoter. My intent has also changed— I now truly agree with the idea behind the events and I want to express my care and concern for the poor through consistent action.’

Tanton, Tina’s father, has been a volunteer at CEDAR since it was founded in 1991. It was he who introduced Tina to CEDAR. Tina says, ‘Through CEDAR I have the opportunity to care about distant matters and not just the things I deal with everyday. News and information from CEDAR also helps me understand the poverty issues in the world.’ Watching his daughter mature, Tanton is very encouraged even though he did not have a predetermined goal for Tina in the beginning. ‘All that parents need to do is to lead their children to God, to nurture and to discipline them well. Our children observe what we do. We cannot force them do anything but let them explore for themselves. They will take the initiative when they find something suitable.’ ‘Actions speak louder than words’ may be a cliché, but it may exactly be the manifestion of integral mission—Believers living out biblical qualities in different aspects of life can make changes through their actions.

We cordially invite you to join this year’s Barefoot Walk:

Date> 10 November (Saturday)
Time> 3pm
Place> Central
Registration and Enquiry> cedarwalk.org or contact us at 2381 9627

TAKING ACTION introduces CEDAR’s education and advocacy activities in Hong Kong; through participants’ sharing encourages believers to take action and practise their faith.