Monthly Prayer Letter

I had two days of solitude during this Lunar New Year, in which I was reminded of my family’s memories during the festive season. In the quiet, I recalled the days when I spent New Year’s Eve with my late mother. As a child, I made all kinds of goodies with her and shared them with my relatives and neighbors, and the memories of happy times are still fresh. I also thought of the FES staff who nurtured me during my college years. Without their unconditional dedication and patient guidance, I would not be able to take up the role of leading the ministry today. Could you recall the person who has accompanied you through the important stages of your life and still continues to speak to you as your mentor? Paul reminded his spiritual son, Timothy, not to be misled by evildoers or deceivers, but to remember what he had learned about faith (II Tim. 3:14-15). By the Holy Spirit, we are to “guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you” (II Tim. 1:14).

FES has nurtured generations of students, planting spiritual seeds in their lives to take root and grow in the hope that they will continue to “continue what they have learned and have become convinced of” throughout their lives. We affirm in the midst of this era, that FES is …

In the year 2023, even though Hong Kong has finally entered “recovery” from various measures of pandemic control, it seems that the mental health of Hong Kong people would no longer be the normal state. Many young people are suffering from emotional disorders, and the incidence of suicides among schoolchildren is very serious. In response, we continue to promote a culture of listening in the churches through the Listening Campaign, which seeks to respond to situational needs. Last year, we also organized 9 “Mental Health First Aid (Caring for Youth Edition) Certificate Courses”, serving a total of about 180 people, to enhance believers’ understanding of mental health and their ability to help the affected individuals, so that the participants could be loving and knowledgeable when serving the youth. Some of the courses were organized in cooperation with university pastorates and churches, so that university students (including non-believers) could be benefited….

The spate of suicides committed by young people in recent months has aroused the concern of various sectors of the community. Many surveys have shown that more than half of the young people are facing different degrees of emotional problems, and some of them even have symptoms of depression. In this challenging and ever-changing environment, FES staff are dedicated to serving and walking with the young believers as always, listening to their joys and sorrows and enabling them to find a timely refuge.

In recent years, there have been some changes in the FES staff team, with a number of senior staff, such as Maureen Tang, the Assistant General Secretary, honorably retiring at retirement age. We are grateful for…

Dear companions of FES,

Israel-Hamas conflict has been going on for more than two weeks now. Our hearts are deeply saddened to see innocent lives being sacrificed in the war. Besides prayer (which we may not know how to do), how can the church respond in faith? Sometimes, we fall into a mindset of dichotomy, arguing that we are in favor of one side and against the other, and which side is running the right or wrong course of action. This past weekend, my son and I were discussing the Israeli-Palestinian issue, and while trying to understand the facts, we also took a stance based on our own perceptions. To appear to be justified, we think we have the pulse of the problem, but we may have neglected the real situation of the local people. The very nature of war is evil, and……

Dear companions of FES,

At a recent staff morning assembly, FES invited the International Justice Mission Hong Kong team to share on the crimes of child sexual exploitation on the Internet in Southeast Asia, which is outrageous. In addition to rescuing the victims, IJM staff hope to raise the awareness of the local churches so that justice and truth can shine in the darkness and expose the acts of the wicked. Isaiah’s prophet warned his people in the past that their faith was only a mere façade of ritual and indifference to the oppressed around them, “Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers…. Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?” (Isa. 58:3b-6). How is our worship life pleasing to God today? Do we sing the Lord’s “peace” from within…

Dear companions of FES,

I just attended the four-yearly IFES World Assembly. During the eight days of intensive program, I met a lot of fellows who are striving to work with students despite the pandemic, as the theme of the conference describes, “Tabah dan Tangguh: Witnesses in the University and Beyond”. Also, I was touched by the fact that many participants were concerned about the changes in Hong Kong in recent years, and even took the initiative to invite us to meet for sharing and praying. Student movement around the world is experiencing a lot of impacts. We hope that everyone will be inspired by God’s marvelous works, and that when each of us goes back to our own positions, we will realize clearly who we are and what our roles are in the Kingdom of Heaven, and we will be able to overcome the difficulties and seek breakthroughs in our ministries.

The three participating students have had a profound experience and insight. We anticipate that they will continue to…

Dear companions of FES,

After six years of hard work, students had finally come to the day when the Diploma of Secondary Education Examination (DSE) results were released. As always, the media loved to interview and report on the DSE champions. The difference is that this year, the number of straight-5**-students (regarded as valedictorian) has dropped dramatically. We are grateful for the alternative media coverage: stories of accompanying students on the release of the examination results; interviews with repeaters who had thought of giving up, but eventually persevered to finish. Some of the students mentioned that they might eventually have to give up pursuing further studies due to financial problems, even though he/she had scored good grades. No matter whether he is pursuing further education or employment, his hope of becoming a “calm, practical and responsible person” (cf. “The Voice” Instagram) is already worthy of applause.

Dear companions of FES,

When June drew near, it might remind Hong Kong people of what happened in the past. Recently, a brother mentioned what I said at the inauguration ceremony of General Secretary in the beginning of the 2019. It feels like a lifetime ago. How do we carry our past experiences with us as we continue to move forward? We are shaped by our past history, but we need to be renewed by the Holy Spirit so that we can continue to grow (Rom. 12:2a). Sloth is considered a great sin in the Church’s tradition, because it leads away from God. Sloth does not mean laziness and inactivity, but in fact the very busy person also falls into the sin of sloth, because it is very easy to be led by desires or circumstances…

Dear companions of FES,

As we face transitions in our lives, such as graduating from college and entering the workplace, can our presence bring some more blessings to the world? The prayer that Jesuit missionaries must ask as they join the ministry, “What will I do for Christ”, can help us understand more clearly the identity of who we are in the transition. No matter what the circumstances are, we can always do more for Christ to glorify Him. There are times, even in the increasingly unjust and darkened days of the long path, when the witness of those who serve reveals the light of Christ.

While the turnover of teachers in Hong Kong’s education sector remains a serious problem…

Dear companions of FES,

Recently, I read in one sitting the new book, “Family Letters Made Public” 《被公開的家書》, which was given to me by Aunt Him (Mrs. CHAN Lau Kit Ching). It took me to several important stations on the path of Uncle Him (Rev. CHAN Hay Him) and Aunt Him’s ministry life. Even the faithful servants to the Lord cannot foresee which path the Lord has planned, but can only continue to devote themselves fully to Him in the midst of the difficult struggles of reality…

Dear companions of FES,

Many pastors have expressed that how can there be a plan for pastoring a church in this time and place? With the impact of the times, perhaps it is the beginning of the church to be renewed. If we go into a pastoral scene with a set idea of how things should be, thinking, “Everything is going to be the same,” we will only find that everything has changed. Simply pursuing a previously set goal can easily lead to blindness, a failure to see the true needs of the audience…

Dear companions of FES,

In the beginning of this year, the FES team celebrates its journey with a grateful heart, not only because of the successful completion of the 65th anniversary thanksgiving event, but also because we have witnessed God calling generations of co-workers to serve the young people of Hong Kong in this great age and raising up generations of students to take up the mission of campus evangelism. Despite the impact and challenges of the pandemic…

Dear companions of FES,

What are your New Year wishes for 2023? While some comment that they are not optimistic about the future in view of the growing tension in international relations, some experts predict that one-third of the world’s economies will fall into recession. As people of God, our perspective towards global conditions depends on God’s works. Wherever we are, may we recognize God’s work and cling to Him, and always be renewed in our mind…

Dear companions of FES,

May we prepare ourselves for the Advent season and anticipate the coming of the Savior! We believe that the power of darkness will eventually be dispersed and that the Savior, through the presence of the Church, will show the world the true ruler of history with the work of the new heavens and earth already having begun today. From the third week of Advent, the waiting and longing has turned into a joyful experience…