Page 35 - Preservation for the Documentation of Chinese Christianity

G e n e r a l S e c r e t a r y ' s R e p o r t

( S e p t e m b e r 2 0 0 1 - A u g u s t 2 0 0 2 )

R e v . E r i c S . Y . S o

F O R W A R D or other places in the world. T h e f ollowing events also
" W h y s hould it g o o n h a v e b r o u g h t p r o f o u n d c o n s e q u e n c e s for H o n g K o n g .
using u p the soil?" w a s the
1. T h e " 9 . 1 1 " T e r r o r i s t A t t a c k
t h e m e o f the C h a i r p e r s o n ' s
W i t h o u t a n y sign or a d v a n c e d w a r n i n g , o n the
R e m a r k s o f last year. It re ­
e v e n i n g o f S e p t e m b e r 11, H o n g K o n g p e o p l e directly
m i n d s us to think a b o u t the w o r k s
w i t n e s s e d the horrible attack o n N e w Y o r k a n d the
that w e are d o i n g n o w a n d w h e t h e r
collapse o f the W o r l d T r a d e C e n t e r at the s a m e t i m e
they are w o r t h y to cont in u e or not.
A m e r i c a n s did. It s h o c k e d n o t o n l y A m e r i c a n s b u t
T h e C h u r c h has taken root a n d g r o w n u p in H o n g p e o p l e in H o n g K o n g as well. T h i s eve nt h a p p e n e d in
K o n g . It h a s b e e n receiving a b u n d a n t gifts a n d rich the U . S . A . yet the c o n s e q u e n c e s to the e c o n o m y , the
r e s o u r c e s f r o m G o d , s u c h as skilled p e r s o n s a n d military a n d religions h a v e e x t e n d e d to the w h o l e
experts, lands a n d finance, a n d various kinds of C hr i s ­ world. It is w i d e l y a c c e p t e d that H o n g K o n g a n d the
tian ministry. F o r this reason w e h a v e to ask ourselves: U . S . A .
W h y ha s G o d granted H i s g ra ce to u s ? H a v e w e e ver h a v e a
t h o u g h t o f the c o n t r i b u t i o n o f the C h u r c h to o u r c l o s e

c o m m u n i t y ? D i d H o n g K o n g p e o p l e feel G o d ' s love connection
a n d g race t h r o u g h the w o r k s that w e h a v e d o n e ? M a n y o f

T h e H o n g K o n g Christian C o u n c i l is a n e c u ­ u s h a v e
m e n i c a l b o d y o r g a n i z e d b y C h u r c h e s a n d Christian f a m i l y
m e m b e r s ,
organizations. W e w o r k as a p r o p h e t a n d servant o f
relatives, A prayer meeting for world p e a c e after the
G o d in H o n g K o n g a n d s o m e t i m e s as a p ion eer too. It
t r a d i n g 9.11 tragedy
is o u r m i s s i o n that w e m u s t b e a Christian w itness to
the c o m m u n i t y b e c a u s e the C h u r c h h as b e e n g iv e n the p a r t n e r s a n d affiliation w i t h C h r i s t i a n b o d i e s in

m a n d a t e to b e the light a n d the salt o f the W o r l d . A m e r i c a . T h e r e is n o d o u b t that w e s h o u l d express o u r
solidarity a n d c o n c e r n to the A m e r i c a n people.

I s s u e s A f f e c t i n g H o n g K o n g S o c i e t y O n behalf o f the Council, the G e n e r a l Secretary
w r o t e a letter to the U.S. C o n s u l G e n e r a l in H o n g K o n g
H o n g K o n g is a n international city a l t h o u g h
a n d to the Nati on al C o u n c i l o f C h u r c h e s , U S A o n the
C h i n e s e are the majority. A c c o r d i n g the 2 0 0 1 P o p u l a ­
tion C e n s u s Report, m o r e than 9 4 % o f the H o n g K o n g next d a y to express the support a n d c o n c e r n of the H o n g
residents are C h i n e s e . N e ve rth el e ss , b e c a u s e o f the K o n g Christians. W e also invited all local C h u r c h e s to
o r ga n i z e special p r ay e r m e e t i n g s to p r a y for the U.S .
o p e n policy o f H o n g K o n g in b u s i n e s s a n d trading,
p e o p l e a n d for peace.
n e w s a n d i n f o r m a t i o n as w el l as i m m i g r a t i o n , H o n g
K o n g has b e c o m e a global city. P e o p l e living here c a n A s the followers o f Christ, Christians k n o w that
easily find out w h a t is h a p p e n i n g in m a i n l a n d C h i n a w e ar e t h e p e a c e m a k e r s o f o u r L o r d . W i t h this