Adrianne Lee, Assistant Staff of Inter-School Department [email protected]
Making Boxes – Intentionally creating space for connection to the other students create handbooks to capture their experiences
“Even the smallest action is a step towards making the Kingdom of Heaven come.” When we take the first step in the city, the Kingdom of Heaven may already be upon you and me.
For DSE students, this summer holiday might be the most relaxing long vacation in their lives. Yet, 10 DSE students chose to spend 8 weeks in the service of the Lord. Together, we pondered the diversity of faiths, stepped into unimagined corners of practice, listened to the life stories of various groups in the city, critically explored how the visions in Kingdom Come could be fulfilled, and spontaneously examined an issue of great interest, confronting many of our own struggles and feelings. Surely these would become a deep memory in their lives.
This year’s theme is ‘City of Sky’, which seeks to deepen our understanding of the city’s diverse cultures and groups, and to envision together the city as it walks in God’s will. We are delighted to witness the growth of our students’ lives and the broadening of their horizons. Having encountered the faces of the city, students are able to discover the likeness of Jesus Christ, and are also aware of the touch that the city has given to us. May shalom be upon this city, and may we take a step towards experiencing the presence of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Students’ Sharing
Learning to Reach Out
As Christians, how do we stand firm in our faith in the face of worldly temptations such as materialism, wealth and power? How can we give and reach out to the insignificant groups of people in our community?
Only because of the sacrificial love of Jesus can we be saved. Even though the world is full of holes, always there are somebody mending them. May we all use our ability to care for society and the world. No matter how big or small, God sees it all.
Anson
While searching for related videos, I felt indignant to see films of dogs and cats being abused and even consumed as food. We set these films to the song ‘Rose”, the lyrics of which express the helplessness I feel when they say, “how can ordinary people help”. However, the lyrics of the song also mention that “Being alive there is an infinite universe”. I know that we should not refrain from acting because we are limited in what we can do. We need to pay more attention to the issue of dogs and cats; they have a created value ……
As created beings, humans and dogs and cats should co-exist in a mutually beneficial way, rather than being pets that satisfy the selfish desires of human beings. The Kingdom of Heaven is brought closer by our actions, and caring for creation is certainly one of the ways. As Christians, we have a responsibility to steward and care for the rest of creation.
Cheung Cheung
Learning to Listen
Thank you to the staff of Inter-School Team. As a person being cared for, I can feelhow much you value and respect life. The voices of young people are seldom truly heard. Your listening is different from what I experience outside or at church. This is the first time I have experienced this kind of listening in such a way, just a simple desire to listen. Even if you don’t understand sometimes, you never approach us in a dichotomous way.
I have learnt from you to ask questions with an open space. Only by leaving space can we listen to God’s voice and realize the magnitude of life from human answers. You are the ones who make the magnitude of our lives realize, without imposing others’ ideas, or even the values of our parents’ generation, on us. The staff not only led the program, but experienced it with me, and I had a taste of your gentleness of service and pure caring.
