Ben Hung
Director of Inter-School Department
benhung@fes.org.hk
What is hidden is expected to be seen.
Sadness and Separation, the Holy Spirit consoles
Online and offline, Jesus accompanies.
Together or apart, the Father leads.
What is hidden will be seen.
These are the five lines on the ISO poster that outline the tensions of this year’s participants, who are engaged in the secondary school ministry. Finally, after more than three years of the pandemic, this year seems to be back on track, which is both thrilling and alienating. Thanks to the Lord’s guidance, more than 140 students and 20 teachers from 15 high schools and 5 church groups signed up this year. Looking at the grade distribution of this year’s participants, majority of them are in Form 2 and 3, and relatively few are in Form 4 and 5. While the impact of the pandemic on campus fellowship can be easily seen, it is also a year of great vitality.
For the “lively” generation, the experience of “from the hands to the brain and then to the heart” is especially important. We are grateful to have Wilson So, a teacher who is passionate about Escape Room, collaborate with us this year to create a mega escape room experience for ISO in a mixed online and offline mode. On the one hand, students were stimulated to explore new ideas of running activities under the pandemic, and on the other hand, through the tensions of people searching and escaping from difficulties in the simulated fellowship, students were able to reflect on their primary purpose and concern for ministry.
Watching more than a hundred people playing escape rooms with their heads in agony, the atmosphere and excitement is quite spectacular. We interviewed Wilson, the creator of this game:
“Some of the participants expressed their appreciation for the game and their desire to learn how to create such games. I was very touched by that, not only because there were people who appreciated the games I created, but also because these participants didn’t just want to be takers, but also wanted to be creators so that they could eventually become givers in the fellowship, which I believe is exactly what ISO wants to achieve.”
After the game, the students were divided into eight workshops with topics including: Bible study, worship, games, spirituality, pop culture, storytelling, social care, and fellowship leader group. We hope to prepare the students for this year’s ministry by inspiring and expanding them from mental to technical level. Once again, we thank the support of the different organizations and instructors who have collaborated closely with each other.
We are thankful that eight students responded this year and formed a joint school worship team. In the concluding session of the conference, they led everyone to worship in unity. The students encouraged each other and gave all glory and praise to the Lord. The following excerpts share the insights of the joint school worship team members during the preparation process:
“When I was first asked to join the worship team, I was very worried that I would not be able to fulfill this role, but in the end, I took the courage and accepted the invitation. I felt very comfortable in the worship team because it was not only practice and rehearsal, but also devotional and sharing time. I also met a group of friends who would accept me and teach me patiently, which gave me more confidence. ……and (therefore) encourage those who lead worship to serve with dedication and enjoy the process of worship. I hope that you and the rest of the team will not just rehearse for the sake of worship, but that you will be able to devote yourselves together, share and pray with each other, and grow together in your spiritual lives.”
“I remember AJ asked us to discuss what message we would like to bring to our fellow students for worship. We all expressed our opinions and learned that each team member has different thoughts and expectations about worship.”
“I felt that the Lord was really with us at the very moment when I saw all the fellow students engaged in worship wholeheartedly. I remember one of the messages we wanted to bring out was, ‘We, fellowship committees in different school fellowship, belong to one big family. We find support in each other. Even though there are times when we are powerless, the Lord will definitely give us strength.”
Finally, may the word of the Lord (which is also the core message of this year’s ISO) be an encouragement to all young people serving the Lord and their peers:
Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” — Isaiah 30:20-21 (NIV)