Page 42 - Preservation for the Documentation of Chinese Christianity

regard, foreign funding w ill decrease and the

question of moratorium in creasin gly irre le v a n t.

Our commitment to fin a n cia l self-suppor t extends
to the funding of p ro jects. But an immediate
moratorium would mean the quick discontinuance
of many meaningful programs. Therefore moratorium

in th is area is u n re a listic in our situ a tio n, and
we do not request i t . We believe in both giving

and receivin g. We have done a lo t of receiving
and are doing an increasing amount of g ivin g ,
esp ecially in responding to overseas emergency
needs. As we learn better to g ive , we sh all con-

tinue to be g ratefu l to receive.

On the question of personnel, we affirm the n ecessity
of indigenous leadership, and have done so in fa c t.
Since 1973 a ll executive re sp o n sib ilitie s both on the
governing committees and s t a ff le v e ls are in the hands

of lo ca l personnel (of our to ta l s t a ff of 24, c le r ic a l
and adm inistrative, only 2 are overseas personnel).

Nevertheless we re je c t a moratorium on m issionary
personnel. We value the freedom to seek colleagues
from elsewhere to share our m inistry.

With a ll our lim ita tio n s, the Hong Kong Christian

Council claims a share in God ' s m ission, p a rticu larly
in Hong Kong and Asia. We understand and are sympathetic
to the c a ll fo r a moratorium and we have stated our
stance.