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.
[ ‘SHARE’ Sept-Oct 2013 – Myanmar – A Beam after the War Flame ] TAKING ACTION
Author: Simon TAM, banker
Since 2010, I joined CEDAR’s ‘Walk in Love – Visit Low-Income Families Programme’ and with a partner regularly visited two new immigrant households; we cared about their situations and gradually friendships were built. They trusted us and shared their thoughts and feelings with us, and they often made soups to share with us.
One of the women we visited had arrived in Hong Kong three years ago but rarely went out. We took her to view the Christmas decorations and for dinner at a fast-food restaurant; it was rewarding to see her enjoying the evening with us. She once lost our phone number and after intensive efforts she finally reached us. She anxiously told us how we were the only friends she had in Hong Kong and losing our number was like losing a friend. We were very touched realising how much we meant to her.
We also visited a single-parent mother with two children, on social welfare and living in a partitioned room. We supported her through listening to her and praying together. Once, we took the family to a local restaurant to celebrate a birthday – their simple enjoyment gave us much joy. The mother also called us when she encountered problems and we would encourage and pray with her.
Over three years of visits we worked hard to practise Jesus’ teaching that when we did to one of the least of the brethren, we did it to Him.
When I shared my experience with friends, some said they would rather give a donation than paying visits to these families. Although low-income families are poor and need the government and society’s material assistance, they also need care, companionship and dignity. My low-income friends may not be educated or eloquent, but they have a simplicity that surpasses that of many upright persons amongst us.
CEDAR’s Programme has ended but we continue to visit them as friends. The wealth-gap in Hong Kong is widening, and we Christians have a duty to help and care for marginalised groups to show Christ’s love.
‘To do justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God’ is not just an empty talk but a practice throughout life.
[ ‘SHARE’ Sept-Oct 2013 – Myanmar – A Beam after the War Flame ] CEDAR’S BLOGGER
The 6.5 foot tall sculpture ‘Survival of the Fattest’ by Jens Galschiøt (who also made the Pillar of Shame) and Lars Calmar was exhibited in Hong Kong during the anti-WTO protest in 2003.
Author: Fountain CHIK, Programme Officer
I encountered the sculpture in 2003 and read its inscription: ‘I’m sitting on the back of a man. He is sinking under the burden. I would do anything to help him, except stepping down from his back.’ It has embedded in my mind and I have recalled it often.
Since 2006, either from a distance or close up, I started caring about CEDAR’s concerns. The skinny figure surged my mind as I met with the survivors of the Sri Lanka tsunami, the Hmong people of North Thailand who hold no identity, the impoverished farmers of Hubei, and the Bangladeshi slum dwellers. The figure shoulders a heavy burden, and although his back is straight, the load’s weight forces his head to be lowered.
The fat woman above him is blind to their dangerous situation: she is over-weight even to the point of threatening her own health; her ‘foundation’ is not steady either – top-heavy and fragile like hitting an egg against the wall; both seem to be in danger.
He is stressed, so is the fat woman; their fates are intertwined and tangled. The fat woman is hijacking the skinny man and both are at a dead end.
O Lord who daily bears our burdens [1] , You bore the sins of mankind but Your yoke is easy. You teach by word and deed and show the world a new way: ‘Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ.’ [2]
How we wish the fat woman would step down and share with the skinny man the scales of justice in her hand, and walk humbly together with God on a new path.
Fountain went on CEDAR’s Sri Lanka exposure trip in 2006, was with a Hmong tribal village in North Thailand on a two-month seminary practicum in 2010. He joined CEDAR in March 2012.
[1] Ps. 68:19
[2] Gal. 6:2
[ ‘SHARE’ May-Jun 2013 – Seeing It with Our Eyes ] FOCUS ~ AN EXPOSURE TRIP
Man-yin says, ‘Once more the Lord calls me, “Go, retrieve their lost image as God’s children so that they may regain dignity in life.”‘
Writer> Sandy LAM, Education and Promotion Officer
In January this year, thirteen of us (two staff with eleven team members) spent twelve days in Ethiopia. During this trip, fresh-faced and friendly children welcomed us, the women’s situations shocked us, family struggles for survival moved us, farmers’ abundant harvest delighted us, and the churches’ loving ministry filled our hearts with joy… All these were beyond our understanding and expectations.
Jessica’s sharing leads us to ponder: ‘This trip has made me reconsider why we go on exposure trips. Is it for something to boast about, or to gain travelling experience, or just to be there and have an easy holiday? I thank God for making me think from the start so that the trip would not be taken in vain.’
Yes, the 12-day-trip took us out of our comfort zone, but bit by bit changed our outlook.
Beyond our imagination…
Like many people in Hong Kong, we thought of Ethiopia as impoverished and undeveloped. When friends and families heard of our trip, they worried that we might suffer hunger amidst harsh conditions.
But when we arrived we saw a different scene. Wendy tells us: ‘I was wrong to think that Ethiopia was lagging behind; I was surprised to see that the country has a modern airport and new cars driving on wide streets.’
High-rises being constructed in the capital Addis Ababa
Similarly Ah Wai observes: ‘There might still be starvation in Ethiopia but on the whole it has moved from “relief” to “development”… The locals commented on the capital’s speedy development in recent years and Ethiopia appears to be undergoing a “China-like” development…’
We were impressed by the airport, streets, buildings and motorcars, but how about the everyday life of the people?
Beyond poverty…
Poor people may seem isolated and helpless and need outside help to improve their livelihood, but we who think we are ‘rich’ are also very ‘poor’.
One day, as we walked up a hill to a rural church at the project point for an hour, Ah Ting said self-mockingly: ‘None of my knowledge was useful in the situation. I even needed a child to help me walk down a slope, and I was breathless after a short while. To the locals I must be the “backward” one.’
Villagers and children help team walk down hills
On our way up, Milly walked with a 10-year old boy. During that half-hour she learnt that although material life was meagre, their internal resources, wealth and strength was superior to ours. ‘In all situations, all lives are equal and that is the same with the relationship between donors and beneficiaries. The poor do not need things which you might see as lacking but then everyone has equal value and status.’
Fiona says, ‘How wonderful is Father God’s creation; in this harsh environment farmers can still grow a variety of produce!’
The villagers’ self-sufficiency and simple lifestyle impressed us city-dwellers.
Beyond our souls…
We witnessed how a local church acts as God’s channel in the cities and villages, serving with love to help improve lives. ‘I thank God for the work done by Addis Ababa Guenet Church (AAGC, CEDAR’s partner). It does not simply preach the gospel but actually cares for the poor outside the church building, giving them practical assistance and services. I saw a community who walks with the poor in Christ-like love and care,’ says Celia.
The church actively responds to social issues and practises mercy and justice. When we visited a programme on stopping female genital mutilation (FGM) we heard tales of suffering from the church and women that shocked us.
Ah Wai says thoughtfully: ‘FGM is obviously oppressive to women and girls, causing them grave physical and psychological damage. The church organises volunteer teams and small groups for young girls to oppose female circumcision, combining bible teaching to change social values (or the society’s unreasonable system/traditions). The church is not only concerned with religious faith but also [heavenly] values that the gospel represents. The church is bold in objecting to the society’s existing inhumane traditions.’
Women speak on breaking the bondage of genital mutilation
We will always remember the testimonies, lives and faces of the church, families, villagers, women and children we met.
Beyond awareness…
This exposure trip not only helped us understand more about Ethiopia’s development and needs, but also challenged our faith as we heard impoverished families speak and saw how they continued to rely on God in their difficulties.
Viola reflected deeply on the matter: ‘The family we visited wrestled between daily living and their faith but they were serious and persevering believers. Their child drew a picture entitled “Jesus is Lord” – a very familiar statement and yet so powerful and difficult to grasp. I searched my heart: What would I do if I were in their situation? Would I choose security in life or my faith? Do I really know Whom I believe? How real is my confession in the Lord? Who is rich and who is poor?’
Poor families within AAGC ‘dance with suffering’ and face life with joy – Rachel
‘None of the people we visited cried; on the contrary they spoke in the power of their faith. Suffering remains but their faith is also very real, as if life could not be lived without God. I may sit in an air-conditioned room contemplating the theology of suffering, but these people dance with God in their daily suffering, supported by hope – and they themselves live out hope.’ Ah Wai shares with us.
Through real life accounts God speaks to us, changes our mentality and renews our lives.
After our return…
We left Ethiopia with precious memories which have brought much reflection into our lives.
Some members have resolved to re-examine their lifestyles to reduce unnecessary consumption; some have joined CEDAR’s Carbon Fast 2013 and are learning to live an environmentally friendly low-carbon life.
As Agnes says, ‘Living a stable life and enjoying religious freedom in Hong Kong makes me think of poverty as a faraway matter. But through this trip God has taught me that He has not forgotten the world and that His blessings are global. He will raise us up to work together and learn to love others as we love ourselves, and through the ministry of caring for society His mighty kingdom will be revealed, that people may practise integral mission.’
Ethiopia may be distant and unfamiliar, but at least we have taken the first step to bridge the chasm.
Further Action
[ ‘SHARE’ May-Jun 2013 – Seeing It with Our Eyes ] TAKING ACTION
Author> CHOW Tze
‘When I first came to Hong Kong I was very shy and dared not talk to anyone. Now I am keen to share my culture and story with others, and I have made many friends here!’ Refugee Jim (fictitious name) tells us excitedly.
Before coming to Hong Kong, Jim had fled two countries with people trying to track him down and kill him. In his hometown the dark-skinned Jim was hospitable to all visitors regardless of their race and ethnicity, so he expected the same friendly treatment when he arrived in the cosmopolitan city of Hong Kong. Sadly it was not so: no one would rent him a flat, and nobody would take the vacant seat beside him in a packed bus. For the first time Jim felt what it was like to be ‘discriminated against’ and realised that he was ‘different’.
I love drama and in my free time I would join ‘Playback Theatre’. The Theatre believes that everyone has a unique story to tell and that story is worth listening to. In this Theatre a story-teller gets to review his own story, and people in the community are connected through ‘one story inspiring other stories’.
In the past couple of years, refugees who are ‘Peace Maker volunteers’ of Playback Theatre share their experiences with churches, schools and community centres. From these stories the audience figures out that during the refugees’ stay in Hong Kong, what they need most is not material assistance but the community’s acceptance and inclusion.
Accepting someone may mean taking a moment to humbly listen and give support. Oftentimes Christian ‘peace’ requires one simple step, and it is up to you and I to take that step.
Chow Tze, a Christian social worker works at ‘A Generation’ which promotes caring for the needs of refugees and asylum seekers in Hong Kong. CEDAR has often invited ‘A Generation’ to share with secondary and tertiary students about African refugees in Hong Kong.
[ ‘SHARE’ Nov-Dec 2012 – Care for Children ~ ‘Join Hands Join Hearts’ ] CEDAR’S BLOGGER
Author> FUNG Cee Foong Administration Officer
On Mid-Autumn Day I got back from a trip to deal with personnel and financial matters in Beijing, Lanzhou and Kunming, China. While my mind was still filled with information and issues from the trip, I rushed off to attend my church’s bible camp.
Within a day and a half at camp I briefly read the first ten chapters of the Book of Numbers: Chapter 1 is the numbering of tens of thousands of the twelve tribes’ descendants. In Chapter 2, the LORD gave the sequential order by which the people should camp and break camp. In Chapters 3 and 4 the Levites were numbered and their duties listed. Then, suddenly, Chapters 5 and 6 set out the laws relating to unclean persons and the Nazirite. Chapter 7 contains long and repetitive lists of offerings, and Chapters 8 and 9 describe the cleansing of the Levites and keeping of the Passover in Sinai. Chapter 10 talks about the two silver trumpets. These first ten chapters of the Book of Numbers helped me organise my thoughts on the earlier trip to China.
CEDAR is not big; we started off with one person working on a dining table and now a dozen of us have our own work desks. Three departments grew out of the one-man-one-task original, and the number of staff is increasing. Yet, I am perplexed: does number indicate strength? There seems to be a positive correlation between the two but reality shows that this may not always be true. When I read about the census and the camping and breaking of camp in Chapters 1-4, the figure of six hundred odd thousand give me a ‘headache’ but I also see an order, an organisational structure and efficient actions. Can structural tools alone achieve things? Let’s look at Chapter 7: the LORD only commanded that each day one leader would make an offering; and then all the tribes made the same offering according to their sequential order. I am surprised by their mutual understanding and how internal harmony existed among them. Then I thought of what I observed in China and realised that a body’s order and communion gives the organisation its direction.
I am still unsure as to how to ‘number the people’ and establish order, but the LORD tells me to esteem Him as the Nazirites consecrated themselves, I need to lay aside my ‘self’ and move forward. I firmly believe and am convinced that the LORD’s blessing (Num. 6:24-27) will be found.
