Page 36 - Preservation for the Documentation of Chinese Christianity

conviction, e v e r y p r o g r a m w h i c h w a s p l a n n e d b y the m u t u a l care.
C o u n c i l in relation to the "9.11" e v e n t w a s solely to 3 . C h u r c h e s ' C o n c e r n o n U n e m p l o y m e n t
serve the p u r p o s e of peace. W e h a d a joint prayer m e e t -
A f t e r e n j o y i n g a l o n g p e r i o d o f e c o n o m i c
ing o n S e p t e m b e r 21, 2 0 0 1 co - s p o n s o r e d b y the C o u n -
g r o w t h , H o n g K o n g p e o p l e h a v e b e e n suffering for
cil a n d the H o n g K o n g C h u r c h R e n e w a l M o v e m e n t .
three years since 1 9 9 9 as o n e b u b b l e after another b r o k e
After that, w e started to contact the J e w i s h c o m m u n i t y
in the p roperty m a rk e t , t e c h n o l o g y sector, etc. E c o -
a n d M u s l i m c o m m u n i t y o f H o n g K o n g trying to build
n o m i c difficulties s u c h as lay-offs a n d w a g e cuts h a v e
c o m m u n i c a t i o n b e t w e e n t h e s o - c a l l e d " t h r e e
created m a n y problems. P e o p l e in H o n g K o n g feel that
A b r a h a m i c religions" - Judaism, Christianity a n d Islam.
o u r city is filled w i t h depression a n d anxiety.
It is o u r goal that the three religious c o m m u n i t i e s c a n
c o m e together to bring p e a c e a n d religious h a r m o n y Indeed, u n e m p l o y m e n t is n o t o n l y a n issue in
the e c o n o m i c area. It leads to m u c h f a m i l y violence,
to this city.
suicides, y o u t h p r o b l e m s a n d e v e n m e n t a l illness.
2 . T h e C o u r t J u d g m e n t o n t h e R i g h t
N o w a d a y s u n e m p l o y m e n t h as b e c o m e the m o s t criti­
o f A b o d e
cal issue of H o n g K o n g .
O v e r 4 0 0 0 a b o d e seekers f r o m m a i n l a n d C h i n a
A t the e n d o f last year, C h u r c h leaders o f the
h a v e b e e n c l a i m i n g their right t h r o u g h court a p p e a l
C o u n c i l m e t a n d r e v i e w e d the situation a n d scenario
a n d d e m o n s t r a t i o n s s i n c e the " h a n d o v e r " . T h e i r
of H o n g K o n g a n d discussed w h a t the C h u r c h c a n do.
struggles a n d actions h a v e g i v e n a l esson for H o n g
O n e m o n t h later, b y G o d ' s g uidance, leaders o f three
K o n g p e o p l e to learn.
e c u m e n i c a l bodi es - the H o n g K o n g C h i n e s e Christian
T h e a b o d e seekers stated v er y clearly that w h a t
C h u r c h e s U n i o n , the H o n g K o n g C h u r c h R e n e w a l
they are fighting for is fami ly r e u n io n o nl y b e c a u s e it M o v e m e n t a n d the C ou n c i l - c a m e together to e x c h a n g e
is a basic right for t h e m . H o w e v e r , there are s o m e
v i e w s o n the role of the C h u r c h in H o n g K o n g . Finally
p e o p l e in H o n g K o n g w h o t h o u g h t that those a b o d e all a g r e e d that w e s h o u l d join h a n d s to w o r k for the
seekers are outsiders w h o will u se u p the resources of
jobless p e o p l e as a c o m m o n target.
H o n g K o n g a n d n ot m a k e a n y contribution.
In order to e x t e n d o u r c o n c e r n a n d m a k e a c o n -
F a c i n g s u c h a critical, controversial issue, the
crete r e s p o n s e to o u r c o m m u n i t y , the C o u n c i l h a s
C h u r c h as the c o n s c i e n c e o f the society w a s a s k e d b y
a g r e e d to b e o n e o f the secretariat m e m b e r s a n d ini-
the public to give o u r response. tially d o n a t e d half a million H o n g K o n g Dollars to the

In its J a n u a r y 2 0 0 2 m ee tin g, the Council's E x - " J o b E s t a b l i s h m e n t F u n d " . T h a n k G o d that a l t h o u g h
ecutive C o m m i t t e e issued a s tat em e nt in r e s p o n s e to Christians are also a m o n g t ho s e suffering in H o n g
the C o u r t J u d g m e n t o n the right o f a b o d e c a s e (see K o n g , adversity d o e s n ot divide us b u t b i n d s us to-
A p p e n d i x ) . In the statement, w e e x p r e s s e d o u r h i g h gether to bring out the love of Christ to those w h o are
expectation o f o u r g o v e r n m e n t that it c a n protect h u - in need.
m a n rights w i t h fairness a n d tr an s pa re n cy for e v e r y -
o n e in its administration. W e also h o p e that o u r soci-
ety is a n inclusive o n e w h i c h c a n tolerate others w i t h O t h e r s
love a n d understanding. W e w i s h to b e a bridge-builder 1. C a r i n g f o r t h e M a r g i n a l i z e d
a m i d the diversity a n d confrontation, a n d w e u r g e a. I n d o n e s i a n D o m e s t i c H e l p e r s
p e o p l e in H o n g K o n g to live in solidarity a n d w i t h L a st y ear the situation of m o r e than 4 0 I n d o n e ­