After praying about how they could serve their new community, OM workers set up the Doulos Centre, a resource for the surrounding non-Chinese population. The Doulos Centre offers multiple programmes, including homework tutoring, art projects and a girls’ group for children, as well as language classes, cooking groups and health seminars for women.

Among Christians in Hong Kong, OM’s trajectory in ministry among the ethnic minority was radical. “For most of our local churches, we only reach out to Chinese. For us to reach out to the other population in Hong Kong is new thing,” explained Lincoln, who joined OM Hong Kong in 2011.

Becoming their neighbour

Primarily, the team reaches out to the Pakistani community near the office. “From the outreaches, we become these Pakistanis’ first Hong Kong friends and first Christian friends,” Lincoln noted. As friends, the Pakistanis then invite the OM team into their homes, often asking for help with Chinese or with their children’s homework.

“We go to visit them, and then we engage with them, and we become their neighbour,” Lincoln described. “We celebrate their birthdays, even though some of them never celebrate their birthdays. We celebrated Christmas [together], although Muslims do not celebrate Christmas.”

OM Hong Kong works in tandem with local churches, recruiting volunteers for various outreaches, but all are “starting from zero,” Lincoln stated.

“We are very fresh and new to serve the Muslims,” Vanessa reiterated. “In our local Chinese church culture, we are never cross cultural. For all of us, we are just following the calling of God…. We need to learn from zero.”

Learning to connect

To help the team learn how to connect with Muslims, Johnson*, a Pakistani pastor who served in Pakistan with OM for over 20 years, joined the team in Hong Kong.

At first he struggled to connect with the Pakistani community—significantly different than his countrymen in Pakistan—but over the last year and a half, he has gradually gained understanding about how to bridge the cultures.

Johnson organises outreaches and literature distribution; he also speaks to and prays for the Pakistanis in their heart language. During his first visit to a Pakistani home in Hong Kong, the man in the house shared his opinion about the OM team. “I found these people very loving,” he told Johnson. “They teach us how we can love our kids. In Pakistan, we don’t care about love…. In our country, there is not blessing, but in this country, we feel secure. We feel blessing.”

Seeing the unseen

In an effort to “see the unseen,” Vanessa also volunteers as a social worker at a rural village school, whose students are 98 per cent ethnic minority. Most Chinese in Hong Kong avoid the area, she stated. “In the community, they have a very serious problem of discrimination. The local community don’t recognise that they are their neighbours.”

The school is not Christian, so volunteers cannot share the gospel in the classroom, but when students or their families ask about faith outside of class, they are free to answer. Too, the OM workers teach the children biblical values and connect with their families, looking for ways to love those often ignored by the majority population.

At a recent event hosted by the team, a Muslim boy from the school stood inside a church next to a cross. “He was talking about how he loves his neighbour,” Vanessa described. “His family was the first family where we could do a home visit.”

Pray for the team in Hong Kong as they establish cross-cultural relationships and share the love of Jesus with Muslims.

*Name changed

Nicole James is a world traveller and writer for OM International. She’s passionate about partnering with believers to communicate the ways God is working across the globe.

OM: Please tell us about your decision to take on the role as Director of OM Hong Kong.

Sonia: Cheuk Chung, the former Director, shared why he wanted me to take on the position: He said if Hong Kong churches want to send someone to missions, they usually want them to complete seminary and do pastoral work in the church before they go. Churches don’t usually encourage people in their 20s to go into missions.

But OM is different: We encourage young people to join missions, even right after finishing school. That was my experience. Right after finishing university, I joined Campus Crusade, so I know it can be done. Seminary is important, but people have different experiences and journeys. There is no one formula. From my experience, I want to encourage young people to do it.

When considering the role, I needed to think about how churches in Hong Kong would accept my leadership while so young. Many in Hong Kong think you need to be in your 50s or 60s to be a leader. In my decision making, I talked to a woman on the OM Board who was my seminary teacher and was a missionary in Afghanistan. I mentioned my deliberations. She shared that OM is a mission agency for young people. Her encouragement confirmed that I should take on the role.

OM: How can OM work with churches in Hong Kong to mobilise young people for missions?

Sonia: This is what I am thinking about. Often churches here say that missionary work requires a lot of maturity. If a church is newly planted, some say that after 10 years they can start to do short-term mission trips. After another 10 years, they can start to think about sending long-term missionaries. This is 20 years!

In the Bible, once people are called to Christ, they are so happy to have the gospel that they go to tell other people. It’s not about how many years people have been believers; we heard the gospel, we became saved, and we want to share that with other people.

It is true that, if we want to go overseas to places very culturally different, we need training, which is where OM can help. Cheuk Chung did a very good job of this. He recruited many young people for the Ship Ministry or Missions Discipleship Training. I would like to invite these people to be ambassadors, sharing their stories in churches. We can train them how to speak in the church, so that churches can see how young people can serve very well on the mission field.

OM: In five years’ time, looking back on your leadership, what would you count as a success?

Sonia: One of my passions is to help people to live out their potential—to find out what God has called them to do. Everyone has a different calling; if we live that out, we can serve better in the kingdom. If someone says, “I don't know what I can do,” I want to help them to find their calling from God.

I also want to see our OM staff fulfilled according to their calling here. And I want to help those going into missions to find their place. That excites me.

OM: What do you want to focus on in the next few years?

Sonia: It is not that I came wanting to do a lot of things when I became Director; I asked God what the important things here were. I wanted OM to value worship, prayer and mission. I wanted us to ask God what He wanted before we thought about strategy. When I was with Campus Crusade, we were very strong in strategy and organising. But after many years, I realised that the most important thing is not strategy. God will show us the way.

For more information about OM’s work in Hong Kong, click here. 

When Logos Hope visited Hong Kong for the first time in December 2012, the local team wanted to make the most of the opportunity. However, few crewmembers could speak Cantonese with local visitors.

“I remembered when OM partnered with a short-term mission training centre known as Hong Kong Christian Mission Centre (HKCMC) in the 1980s,” Cheuk Chung said. “So we invited them to send trained volunteers to work on board during the visit.”

Around 450 volunteers from 70 churches came on board wearing jackets bearing the legend ‘ambassador’. They shared their faith with visitors, often using a tract called “Precious Gospel” and other tools learnt during their training. The ambassadors had practiced approaching strangers on public transportation and in other public places, and utilised their skills to draw visitors into engaging dialogue.

When Logos Hope was purchased, it was selected because it allowed for an indoor space of about 1,500 square metres for the book fair and an interactive experience for visitors. “The vision was to look in the eyes of every visitor and engage them with the gospel. By creating a visitor’s experience that had the space, we would be able to do so,” said Randy Grebe, director of Partner Ministries on board.

On Deck 4, visitors have the chance to look inside a staged crewmember’s cabin, interact with a simulated bridge with a steering wheel and electronic equipment, learn about the history of OM ships and sit in a lifeboat to watch a video about the ship that shows areas not open to the public like the galley and engine room. From there, visitors enter the book fair and, when done browsing, are led to The Journey of Life, a unique pictorial walkthrough story of the Prodigal Son.

“If there’s a place where we have a visitor’s heart and eyes, it’s during the Prodigal Son walkthrough,” shared Randy Grebe. “We are very intentional about making contact with visitors, and our ambassadors are of highest value to us in making those connections.”

Every port sees between 50-120 volunteers helping, a group of these as the ambassadors that are essentially trained evangelists passionate about sharing Christ. They engage visitors in their own heart language and know the culture and idiosyncrasies of the language.

“We want every visitor to take a step closer to Jesus in some way,” said Randy. “We choose [ambassadors] specifically to stand at the beginning of this story [the Prodigal Son] and literally walk people through it. They can assess whom they are speaking to and how they need to drive the story to make it most understood. They’re able to go to the heart of the story much quicker than any foreigner.”

In Hong Kong, an estimated 1,100 conversations about spiritual matters and faith in God occurred during the three-week visit. One ambassador, Amy Lao, spoke with a 50-year-old man. “I told him it was no coincidence he had come to the ship,” she said. “Jesus had wanted him to come to the ship and hear the gospel.” When Amy asked if he wanted to accept Christ, he prayed and committed his life to follow Jesus.

In the end, over 130 people made decisions to respond to God’s voice. Local churches were put in touch with them and more than 600 others who expressed interest in further contact. These churches will continue the conversations and support those who made new commitments.

“Thank you for coming. For me, your visit is a surprising gift from God! Now I know God is listening and waiting for me to turn to Him,” Teresa Shum, a local visitor in Hong Kong, said. She and over 13,000 other visitors were engaged in their own language, in their own city, and heard the good news presented in a colourful, tangible way.

One million visitors walk through this same Visitor Experience annually and have opportunity to talk one on one with someone on board. Randy explained how ambassadors and crewmembers write down experiences or conversations that stood out; countless [such] stories led him “to be absolutely convinced that every day there are God stories of how people are being transformed and changed on this ship.” 

 Ellyn S. grew up as an American overseas in Europe and has continued to pursue her love for travel, writing and photography. She studied creative writing and works as a freelance writer for OM. She is passionate about using her skills to capture moving stories of what God is doing in Asia.

Earlier in life Po Po was engaged in other professions until she became addicted to gambling, and her extravagant spending habits made her expenses soar. Her debts caused her to enter into the sex industry. 

As Po Po told the team about her past, including her broken marriage and alienated mother-child relationship, she didn’t reveal any emotion at all. It seemed that “she had become accustomed to her identity and lifestyle,” one team member recalled. In the face of her experiences, Po Po seemed to feel numb. “I thought it would be very difficult for anyone to say something to touch her heart,” the team member shared.

Before the team left, they asked if they could pray for Po Po and she readily agreed. While they were praying, Po Po started to cry, and the team knew that the Holy Spirit was ministering to her.

Po Po shared that she had attended a Christian School and had heard of Jesus. The team then explained more of the gospel – that her true identity is as a precious daughter of God, who is valued and loved. They even reminded her that there were different options in life, and that it was not necessary for her to remain where she was. Po Po was greatly touched, and as she held hands with a team member, she shed tears again. Before the team left, Po Po thanked them and they each gave her a hug.

Since then, the team has not been able to make contact with Po Po again, so they have no way of knowing how she is doing or what the conversation that night may have sparked in her heart. Please pray that God would guide Po Po away from the sex industry and that she might experience the loving embrace of her Father.

*name changed

Having visited Pakistani families regularly, I find myself having no skills besides passion. Tutoring children in their homework? My knowledge is limited. Chatting with their parents? Language is my barrier. I started doubting if I could really help others when all I have is passion.

When I struggled whether I can serve the Pakistanis families long term, the Holy Spirit reminded me, “The passion that you have comes from God. If God did not give you this passion, how would you be willing to visit these families?”

Reminded by the Holy Spirit, I resumed visiting the Pakistani families with faith, hoping to know what I could do for God and what I could learn from the visit.

God uses whoever offers himself

Although I've been visiting Kylie’s* family for a period of time, I haven’t had many chances to chat with her, as she needs to rest after work most of the time. Therefore, with faith, I was waiting for God to prepare an opportunity for me to talk to her.

Eventually, we came into a fruitful conversation in one of my visits. Kylie’s children had finished their homework, so they became our translators. Kylie was very willing to share her work and religion with me.

Through this experience, I understand that “The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7; NIV).  

I realised again that God looks at our heart, rather than how talented or gifted we are. Once you offer yourself to the Lord, He will use you.

Most of the prostitutes we know are single mothers. They are supposed to be supported by social security, but only a few of them apply for the comprehensive social security assistance scheme,[1] Besides, most of them are not eligible to apply for public rental housing. Despite their diligence and willingness at work, they suffer from their coworkers' rejections and verbal abuse. These make them quit their job shortly or even give up looking for another job.

Some prostitutes were teachers and nurses in their hometowns. However, their qualifications are not recognized in Hong Kong. As they cannot speak fluent Cantonese and read traditional Chinese, many are not able to find any work. In addition, their mainland Chinese accent is often mocked by the locals. One ex-prostitute told us that her alimony from her ex-husband was in arrears, but she refused to ask for help, because she felt discrimination by the government. She would rather work hard in her part-time cleaning job, as she said handling trash was better than being with people.  

Due to their marriages with Hong-Kongers, many prostitutes hold a one-way permit to migrate to Hong Kong in order to be with their families. However, the law states that when immigrants get their Hong Kong identity cards, their registration and privilege in mainland China would be lost at once. Once they lose their identity in the Mainland, the divorced prostitutes could not work there again, and their children would not be able to get into schools.

Their future is uncertain, but there is no way back. Where can they go? We don't have the answer, but we trust our Heavenly Father.
 

Pray with us for the women caught in sex work in Hong Kong, as well as the OM team members serving them. Pray that the Lord would provide a way for these women to find freedom and that they would be able to support themselves.

The OM team offers practical help with bureaucracy, schoolwork, sports games and more. Over time, team members are usually invited into homes for tea, where talk about life in Hong Kong often leads to deeper issues.

“Pakistanis are actually easier to befriend than local Chinese!” said ministry leader Po*. “They are very hospitable and polite and appreciate our interest in them, as they are often looked down upon by many Chinese. They [often] ask if we are Christians, and we respectfully ask to learn more about their culture and religion, too.”

Since the ministry started, there have been encouraging breakthroughs. Last December, a young girl’s father decided that his daughter should stop attending school and study at the mosque instead. The OM team met with the girl’s aunt, who shared some of the difficulties they were facing, including a serious health issue. The OM team asked permission to pray in Jesus’ name; the next week the aunt was healed. Emboldened, the girl asked for prayer for a job, but God answered in a greater way: Her parents allowed her to return to school – in Pakistan.

Five days before the girl’s departure, OM team member Linda* invited her to trust in Christ. When the girl agreed, Linda followed up with numerous questions to ascertain the sincerity of her belief. Her testimony was clear and reflected how much she knew from the Bible; she had asked for a Bible six months previously, hungry to learn more about Jesus. Linda maintains contact with the girl via Skype.

“We pray to know how to take steps of faith in our relationships,” said Po, who has been encouraged by God’s abundant responses. “We have learnt to stop worrying whether we will succeed or fail; rather, we focus on being present. The simplest acts done in love and faith are powerful. Our goal is to be more than ‘Friday friends’; our prayer is that these dear people will see that God has so much in store for them.”

The OM team recently went to Pakistan in order to better understand the people they seek to reach. Now, when they meet Pakistanis in Hong Kong, they share their experiences, much to the amazement of their Pakistani neighbours. “You care that much about us that you would do that?” they say in response. “Hong Kong people don’t visit Pakistan!”

Praise God for guiding OM Hong Kong’s ethnic immigrant ministry team as they minister to Pakistani neighbours, and for the impact they are making in the local community. Pray for regular prayer partners and workers to support the ministry, especially those who speak Urdu.

*Name changed

Many women in mainland China hold to a fantasy of marrying men from Hong Kong who will guarantee them wealth, freedom, luxury and security. Reality is different: their Prince Charming seldom delivers and cultural incompatibilities are enormous.

Divorce is widespread, and with it, great shame for these women who legally cannot return home. They are forced under great financial burdens to care for their children and to send money back to their parents. There is little other work that will provide for this burden. A waitress earns one-third to one-sixth the income of a sex trade worker. For some, it is ‘just business’ as they invest their income in property, insurance, stock markets etc. But for most, the shame of such ‘work’ keeps them from seeking an escape.

Lily* has been divorced twice and has four children. Three of them live with her parents in mainland China; one lives with her in Hong Kong. The ministry team was at first surprised to hear Lily confess her faith in Christ. She regularly attends a church but would never be able to talk about her life or past. She seldom dares to pray, out of her shame. She felt that her financial burden was insurmountable and that she had no options.

The team would meet with Lily to pray together and urge her to seek God for help to be free from her work. Six months later, she left the sex trade and now works as a housekeeper. Clearly she cannot earn enough to meet her obligations, but she is trusting God for her future.

Lily’s story holds promise but also tough realities. Financially, her savings will run out—what then? How can she hold steadfast to her escape from her past? Spiritually, she leads a bi-polar life, attending a church and yet never being able to confess and be delivered from guilt and shame. She calls those on the Companion Ministry team ‘angels’ for bringing her hope. And she encourages women everywhere to pray for women like her.

Ministering to society’s forgotten and despised is tough, costly, stretching—and worth it. While the Companion Ministry needs women from anywhere who speak Chinese, the answer lies within local churches, where there are tens of thousands who could choose to step out in faith and love these neglected women.

Pray that their eyes would be opened to love ‘the least of these’ and that the church in Hong Kong will become known for its compassion, care and commitment for sex trade workers who otherwise have no hope.

Prostitution is not ‘the world’s oldest profession’. Worshipping and reflecting God is. It is time for God’s people everywhere to help these women return to the latter.

* Name changed

Twenty-five years ago, OM came to the predominantly Chinese Hong Kong with the vision of world missions, a vision to encourage the churches to go out to the vast fields and to reap God’s harvest alongside the global Church.

In the early years, through the visits of M.V. Logos and M.V. Doulos, local believers were able to know more about the OM ship ministry and its unique way of equipping workers. Even without concrete theological training, believers could still learn about mission through on-the-job training, which transforms lives into committed ones in the long term through short-term opportunities.  

OM has since been walking on this not-so-traditional and unconventional path of doing mission in Hong Kong. Unfortunately, some believers were unable to adapt to difficulties such as tensions on international teams, culture shock, loneliness and re-entry, and could no longer continue in mission. Only those who could stand this pressure cooker-like career were able to carry on the narrow way.

Over the years, OM Hong Kong has often been questioned for sending unsophisticated and inexperienced youngsters into mission, and for marketing so-called “mission trips” as cradles for nurturing future missionaries. How can OM’s work be mission?

The local churches’ strict and serious attitude towards mission has become a wall so high that it scares a lot of our young people away. When looking at the lives of missionary legends, our home-grown mission novices only seem like grasshoppers in their own eyes and feel that they are too inadequate to take on the challenge.

It was in those days that I came to know OM Hong Kong through a colleague and took time from my annual leave to join a mission trip to Taiwan. Not only was this a rewarding experience for me, it also amazed me to see people from all nations come together to worship God and gave me great joy sharing the gospel.

After the trip, God asked me to seriously consider going into full-time mission. Yet I felt that I was mediocre, that my faith was still tender and I didn’t have a supernatural experience of being called. How can I possibly become a missionary? In the end, just like many like-minded people, though reluctant to turn away, I could only stare at this tall wall from a distance, until I met the first “Joshua” in my life.

The former field leader’s trust and persistence in God, cheerful personality and faith in young people was a great encouragement for us. We could lift up our heads and believe that the almighty God would surely lead us through the wall onto the path of service that He had prepared. At the same time, mission organisations adjusted the way of following up as well as training, so that beginners could serve God more effectively within a cross-cultural context.

It was this trust and support that gave me the faith to respond to God’s call. In these 18 years, from being single to married, to then becoming the father of two children, mission has come to mean everything to my family. The former field leader had stepped down from the frontline but continues to help those in need through prayer and care. I have since then become the new “Joshua”, guiding my colleagues in this race and encouraging young people with my own experience to climb over the wall to shine for God in mission and accomplish the good will that He has for all nations.

After taking over the baton for a while, I have started to think about how I can pass it on to the next “Joshua”, so that this person can mobilise for mission and complete the task that God has given the Chinese church. This is OM Hong Kong’s mission and responsibility towards the Chinese church.

On 2 October 2014, a thanksgiving banquet and prayer meeting will be held in Hong Kong to give thanks to God for His guidance and provision over the years. Pray for wisdom as the next "Joshua" is identified to take the team forward in the coming years.

Upon returning to Hong Kong, Debbie was discouraged that only one Christian organisation was involved in ministry to women in prostitution. She considered this unacceptable and set about to challenge and involve local Christians.

OM Hong Kong’s Companion Ministry began in April 2013. They didn’t have to go far: Within a 20-minute walk from the OM office, over 300 women work in what is known as Yat Lau Yat Fung – one woman, one-room walk-ups – recognisable from the busy streets by a pink neon light. 

Everyone knows what goes on there, but few really know or care about the real cost of turning women into a commodity of shame. For every one woman in one room, OM works to bring her Yat Mong – one hope in Jesus Christ.

The goals of the Companion Ministry are that many of these women would trust in Christ for their redemption and, secondly, that they would begin a new life of dignity and productivity. Debbie knows that before this can happen, trust needs to be established, which is a long process. 

Over the past year, she and seven to eight women volunteers have visited with over a hundred such women and have ongoing relationships with 20-30 of them. They visit the one-room brothels twice weekly with small gifts, Gospel literature and contact cards for the women to call if needed.

Often, half of those they contact welcome them in to talk and feel valued. It’s a courageous act of faith to climb the darkened stairwells, to sit and listen, to pray together and to trust that this kind of friendship never before experienced by these women will develop into a connection that will lead them to new life in Christ … and new life in Hong Kong.

For the most part, churches have been reticent about ministry to society’s forgotten and seldom speak about confronting these issues. One secular group in Hong Kong lobbies for sex workers’ rights and freedom from police harassment. It also provides health advice on free STD testing, which is a valuable service. However, in a sense, it is working to better the existing system, not overthrow it or liberate and restore women. For that reason, the Companion Ministry focuses on the spiritual component that alone can bring meaningful change to individuals while challenging the injustice of sexual abuse.

Debbie says, “It was overwhelming at first; it challenged my view of men. I saw myself as a saviour – a wrong role! I can at best be a conduit between women and Jesus. This work is still emotionally exhausting unless I train myself to give it all to Jesus. In the midst of all the darkness, the hurt, the despair, the struggles of these women, I find Jesus there, who said that ‘Without me, you can do nothing.’

“We need more women to help who speak Chinese, and we need people everywhere to cry out for these women, so that they will live in the hope of Christ.”

*Last name not included for security reasons

Interestingly, the total number of ethnic minority immigrants – from Indonesia, the Philippines, India, Pakistan, Thailand, Nepal and elsewhere – parallels the number of Christian believers in Hong Kong. Recognising this, OM has developed various ministries to reach out to various groups.

In the 90s, ministry was focused on mainland Chinese immigrants, later shifting to Indonesian maids. In 2011, a new ministry to 18,000 immigrants from Pakistan was launched.

While connecting with whole families is the goal of the ministry, the team saw immediate points of contact with the wives and children of men who work long hours as security guards, construction labourers or in shops. They meet in parks on Friday nights; women meet with the Pakistani women while men play sports with the children. As trust is built, the team offers help with schoolwork for the children, half of whom are born here and fluent in Chinese while the others struggle.

Language is an issue for the parents, too: While half the men are fluent in Cantonese, most of the rest speak English. However, only 30 per cent of the women speak English and 5-10 per cent speak Chinese. Thus they are dependent on friends and family not only for social life but also dealing with bureaucracy and life in Hong Kong in general.

Most of all, they need and appreciate help and interest by local believers. “We believe that God wants local churches to embrace the immigrant community,” said ministry leader Lincoln*, “but many churches are slow to accept this; the differences seem too huge. Still, this is our strategy and goal – not to do this on behalf of churches, but with them. Our dream is that they will discard the ‘us vs. them’ labels and see all people as God does.”

Over 1,000 local Christians have been involved at least once in outreach with the team who, knowing that it is a learning process, demand a commitment to participate at least four times in a two-month period. Today there are two full-time and two part-time OMers involved, leading 40 volunteers on Friday night outreach.

In the past year, more than 200 Pakistanis have been contacted, of whom more than 60 have gone to a deeper level in relationship and 20 families are actively involved. “It’s very time consuming to ‘be there’ for other people – but that time together is valuable.”

Pray for the team and those they contact. Pray also for Hong Kong churches to rise to the challenge of reaching their different, visible but unseen neighbours.

*Full name not included for security reasons

This man was a gambling addict, who was in so much debt that his wife had left him. Meg had had compassion on him; not only did she help him repay his debts, but she also helped him take care of his two children.

This had cost Meg the money she had worked so hard for and forced her to remain in the sex business. Her boyfriend had warned Meg to be obedient or he would tell her family that she was a sex worker. This had worn her down.

"Meg told us firmly that she hoped to put an end to this nightmare," said Debbie, an outreach worker with OM Hong Kong.

Immediately they started looking for possible solutions. They talked about how to end the relationship and prayed for her, hoping to help Meg leave the man.

Yet when they visited Meg again, Meg said, "He is in a really poor condition, and if I don’t help him, no one else will. Plus I am really worried that he will tell my family about my job. Let’s just leave it as it is for now."

"A relationship like Meg's is not something new among sex workers, and there are many who, like Meg, would choose to remain silent," said Debbie. "However, is this only the case among sex workers? Do we know our roles and responsibilities well enough to bear the consequences of our decisions?"

OM Hong Kong's compassion ministry seeks to help sex workers recognise the blind spots in their lives, and to walk and grow with them in Christ’s love through encouragement and support. Pray that Meg is able to end the harmful relationship with her boyfriend. Pray also for Debbie and her team as they seek to guide and encourage sex workers in Hong Kong.

*Name changed

“We have known Oli and his family for over two years now,” said Dave, “and although Oli and his family [recently] moved to another place, we have been able to keep in touch with them.”

Dave had been helping Oli with his homework. Not being able to share his faith, however, had left him discouraged. “Yet, God never fails to deliver surprises,” said Dave.

During a recent visit, Oli told Dave that he enjoyed watching horror movies. Oli said that even though he was so afraid of ghosts that he would hide himself in his mother’s bed after watching a horror movie, he would still watch these movies. This gave Dave the opportunity to talk about faith with him.

“Oli thought the reason why Christians always wear a cross was because we had to prove our identity as Christians with it,” said Dave. “I then explained to him that we Christians have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us, which is the reason why we are not afraid of ghosts, and that we do not need to wear a cross to prove that we are Christians.”

Encouraged by the opportunity he had to share his faith, Dave’s perspective of service changed that day. He has also been encouraged to trust God to open doors to the hearts of the Pakistani families he works with, knowing that He will sow seeds of faith along the way.

*Name changed

"What seems to be a random conversation at the start could end up in a discussion about religion," said Ekide from OM Hong Kong. "We can share what we believe freely, but the men also zealously defend their religion. There seems to be no way for us to take that step towards the light."

Despite the challenge of sharing their faith with immigrants, the volunteers on the team have been encouraged to get to know God more. "The more we serve, the more I realise how ignorant we are," said Ekide. "Not only are we ignorant about Muslims, we are also ignorant about our God. However, I do feel that this is the starting point of our service. We see our insufficiencies and thus have a desire to think about the gospel of Christ, as well as to know more about the Islamic faith and culture."

Praise God for the friendships that have developed between OM Hong Kong's outreach team and immigrant men this past year. Pray for wisdom as OM team members find new ways to share their faith, and for grace to love their neighbours as themselves.

Within a 20-minute walk of the OM office, over 20 buildings with such rooms can be found, not to mention countless foot massage centres, woman’s hair salons and saunas.

The establishment of OM Hong Kong's Companion Ministry is an attempt to bring Christ’s love and care to the darkest corners and walk with these women who are often neglected by society.

"Through visitations, we seek to forge friendships with sex workers, understand their mental and physical needs, and ultimately show them the hope and way of life," said Debbie from OM Hong Kong.

Ah Ya*, one woman the team has visited, just moved into Sham Shui Po to start her “business”. She said all of her visitors had only come for fun—no one had ever come with a genuine heart to care for her. She was an enthusiastic host but was reluctant to talk to the OM team.

Under the pinkish red lights, Debbie noticed that Ah Ya had bruises on both arms.

"We tried to ask her about the bruises, but she just shook her head with tearful eyes," said Debbie. "In order to walk with these women on the edge, we must first build mutual trust with them before we know how we may help. We couldn’t help but wonder what pain Ah Ya had been going through."

Ah Ya is just one of the many ladies waiting to be cared for in over 20 buildings. Are you willing to extend a hand of love to bring Christ’s mercy to these women wandering in the valley of darkness?

For more information, contact info.hk@om.org.

*Name changed

"[Whenever] I visit sex workers at their working places, I get to understand more about their needs," said Debbie from OM Hong Kong. "Their working places are not where they live, which means we can only visit them during working hours.

"When they welcome us into their rooms to talk, they sacrifice some of their hours and income. However, these women are very amiable towards us–even their rejection is with much politeness. Surprisingly, it is easier to talk and engage with them in a meaningful conversation than with people we meet [on outreach]!"

Many of the women Debbie meets in Hong Kong are from Mainland China. With the hope of a perfect life, they marry men from Hong Kong but soon find themselves sweating and toiling at household chores in less-than-perfect circumstances. Over time, marriages turn sour for one reason or another, and many end in divorce. 

"It breaks my heart to hear nightmarish tragedies occurring to these women, one after another," continued Debbie. "They long to be cared for and listened to. Indeed, their needs are no different to ours."

Taught from childhood that a woman's role is to serve her husband and his family, the women know that failed marriages shame their family name; therefore, returning home as a divorcée is unthinkable. Academic qualifications and work experience from Mainland China are not recognised in Hong Kong. In addition, the fact that these women have not resided in Hong Kong for more than seven years means that they are not entitled to social assistance either.

For these women who are single parents with children to support, few opportunities to earn an income are available. Many resort to the sex industry to make ends meet–a secret often hidden from family members far and near.

“If not for survival, who would resort to such a life?” lament many of the women Debbie meets. Sobbing as they share their stories of misery with her, conversations come to an abrupt end. Their every word tells a true story of struggling souls trapped in hopeless circumstances.

"Had they been born in different circumstances, their lives would probably have run a different course," said Debbie. "We live in the same city, but lead totally different lives. Nevertheless, we are all lost sheep. May the Lord have mercy upon the sex workers of this city and let them see the hope they may find in Him. May he help them escape the downward spiral of a life that sells their precious souls away."

Having arrived in Hong Kong from mainland China, Ying thought her dream had come true. All the girls in her village had hoped to marry a rich man from Hong Kong and live the life of luxury they had seen on television. Reality soon set in when she arrived in Hong Kong, however, and when her husband divorced her a few years and two children later, Ying's situation became desperate.

Ying’s story is not unique. She represents thousands of ladies in Hong Kong, many of whom live in the same neighbourhood where OM Hong Kong is located. Debbie explains that it is difficult to know how many are involved in prostitution, as it is illegal. But prostitution abounds.

For Debbie, it started with her decision to give God one year in Christian ministry as a response to the love she had received from Him. Joining OM South Africa’s training programme turned out to be a life-changing experience. During an outreach in Pretoria’s inner-city, she met street children, homeless people, drug abusers and prostitutes, and remembered having seen people with the same needs in Hong Kong. Even if South Africa was a different continent, the suffering and neglect were the same, and nobody seemed to care.

Debbie knew she could never go back to her old life—the secular job she once had in a nice neighbourhood. What she had seen, especially among the prostitutes in Pretoria, had touched her heart.

Back in Hong Kong, hoping to help the prostitutes in her own country, she quickly found that very few tried to help or reach them for Christ. There was one organisation doing part-time work, which she joined as a volunteer. When the OM Hong Kong office relocated to an area where marginalised people live, her trained eye quickly spotted the brothels. With permission from her OM leader, she set to work.

"Within 20 minutes from the office, there are at least 20 buildings housing prostitutes," says Debbie, "and each building has at least 10 ladies working there." Debbie explains that these prostitutes are mostly from mainland China and operate on their own. They are often lonely and ashamed by what they do. Divorced, yet having to make ends meet, pay school fees for their children and support parents at home–who know nothing of their plight–they rent a small room in the city from where they can offer their services. Back in China, their parents happily believe their daughters are still married, rich and well cared for.

Meeting somebody willing to listen with a sympathetic ear is much appreciated. Most of the ladies hide their lifestyle from friends and family, as prostitution and divorce are shameful in their culture. The pain in their hearts must be suppressed, and nobody must know.

Debbie knows of their secret; there is nothing more to hide. It is safe to share with her. Debbie also tries to help in practical ways, like filling in forms to apply for government housing or other benefits, finding cheaper tuition for their children or helping to find more respectable work. Most important of all, she shares the hope she’s found in Christ, and most of the ladies gladly receive prayer. Some have also prayed with her for salvation, and in due time, Debbie hopes their lives will turn around.

"This ministry is very hard emotionally," admits Debbie. "So many real lives are broken. It is not a movie. The world is so evil, driving a woman to choose this solution. Sometimes when I come home, I just break down and cry. But my reward is a smile on their face!"

Sharing how God keeps confirming that she is on the right track, she adds, "It is a calling God has put in my heart. It is painful, not a comfortable work, yet God put it there and He is my light."

This ministry of OM Hong Kong is still in the early stages and Debbie is hoping for more helpers to come alongside her. In addition to the couple of volunteers, she is praying for a stable, mature, Chinese-speaking lady to join her.

For more information, please contact info.hk@om.org.

OM Hong Kong has been reaching out to new immigrants for years, but the Pakistani population is a more recent focus. In fact, OM intentionally sold their last office in a prime location on Hong Kong Island in 2010 in order to move closer to minority peoples.

"In 2011 we prayed about how to make contact with Pakistani people," relates Grace Lau, who has served with OM for 16 years. "We came up with the idea of introducing ourselves through the Mid-Autumn Festival. This is one of Hong Kong's biggest national holidays, a time for families to gather together, light lanterns and enjoy a meal under a full moon. So we went to the park and gave out lanterns to the South Asian children we found there, asking parents if we could visit or help their children with their schoolwork. They gladly welcomed us, and now we're looking for more and more volunteers!"

Creating a welcome centre

OM Hong Kong's office move to the poorest district of Kowloon left them enough money to create a separate centre for ministry to migrants. A church service for Indonesians is now held in this large, well-lit space on Sunday afternoons. On two other days each week, Chinese lessons are given to Pakistani children and their mothers. No Christian signs or symbols adorn the centre, so even though visitors know that staff are Christians, they obviously feel comfortable. Team members also travel to a Christian primary school two afternoons a week to offer free after-school tutoring to non-Chinese students, and on Fridays up to 50 volunteers from various churches join them in visiting families. While they never try to force their faith on anyone, they find they are sometimes able to share a testimony or pray with individuals in Jesus' name.

Grace admits that she initially had some misgivings about working with Pakistanis, since she doesn't speak a lot of English. "But the Lord told me, 'I'll do it, not you!'" she laughs. "So I said yes! And we've seen miracles happen."

Fitting into a Chinese culture

Lincoln Yip, coordinator of OM Hong Kong's five-member community development team, explains that South Asians in Hong Kong often face discrimination, cultural and language barriers and poor living conditions. Accommodation is so expensive that landlords commonly maximise their profits by dividing ordinary-sized apartments into three tiny areas for immigrant families.

Since one of OM Hong Kong's aims is to befriend South Asian immigrants and help them integrate into the local culture, teaching them Chinese is an obvious step. Most children attending public schools must learn Cantonese. Pakistani men can get by without reading or writing the language if they work on construction sites, but if they want better pay, doing government (civil) work, they have to improve their Cantonese. Often it is the women who are most isolated, unable to communicate or move freely around the city. Wives may also be forced to endure violent or unfaithful behaviour from husbands who drink or gamble. And while sons may marry in Hong Kong, daughters are traditionally sent back to Pakistan to become brides.

Help from abroad

Lincoln notes that a very exciting development for his team is a cooperative effort with OM Pakistan.

"We have raised funds for OM Pakistan in the past and know they do great work. We really wanted to connect with them, so in August last year 12 of us (five OM Hong Kong staff and seven volunteers) actually travelled to Pakistan for two weeks."

The trip was a real eye-opener. They had chosen an extremely hot month; and the frequent power cuts and level of poverty apparent in many places were not something they had anticipated. Neither had they expected to be greeted like film stars! Most Pakistanis have never seen Chinese people, so they were asked for photos wherever they went. Their visit also took place during Ramadan, the most religious time of the year, exposing them to the powerful influence of Islam. Altogether, the experience greatly aided their understanding of the culture and how best to build bridges with Pakistanis in Hong Kong.

This year the team is eagerly looking forward to the arrival of two young women with OM Pakistan who have applied for a visa to Hong Kong. Lincoln is sure their coming will benefit everyone. "It will be an entirely different ministry for them here," he affirms. "I believe God will open the door."

Changing church attitudes

God has also been changing attitudes in some Hong Kong churches. "We've always had Pakistanis here, but the new generation has more courage to step out. Churches with an annual mission week sometimes ask us to share about our ministry. Others that have a heart for it ask us to give them training in Muslim culture." He adds that a few churches are even thinking of encouraging individuals with a heart for Pakistan to go there, with their blessing. And one of the volunteers who accompanied the OM team to that country has expressed an interest in going back for a year, to learn the Urdu language.

Of course, the Hong Kong team also dreams that some of their new Pakistani friends will one day accept Christ and return to Pakistan to share the gospel with other members of their families. If the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step, they are trusting God that they have started in the right direction.

In Hong Kong, the Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the biggest national holidays. It is a time for families to gather together, light lanterns and enjoy a meal under a full moon. Last year, OM Hong Kong celebrated this holiday with their South Asian friends for the first time.

“South Asians in Hong Kong often face challenges such as discrimination, cultural and language barriers, and poor living conditions. It is one of our goals is to befriend South Asian immigrants and help them integrate into the local culture,” said Lincoln, coordinator of community development for OM Hong Kong.

The OM team went to a local park frequented by many South Asians in an attempt to introduce themselves. They had no official plan but tried different things as they went. During the Mid-Autumn Festival this year, not only did the team enjoy family time and moon gazing together, but they were also able to meet more families and understand their needs at a deeper level.

“We pray that through our ministry and the care of local Christian brothers and sisters, these families will be able to experience love and warmth,” said Lincoln. “Please ask God to open the hearts of these families towards Jesus and to call more believers to join our work!”

Timothy Trek is OM East Asia Pacific’s (EAP) 12-month leadership development course that exists to raise up a new generation of leaders from Asia with the calling, character, competencies and chemistry to positively influence the growth of mission movements and effectively participate in international missions. Lincoln and Manna from Hong Kong are two of the four candidates to participate in OM EAP’s first Timothy Trek training programme this year.

OM: You recently completed two days of leadership training in Malaysia. What motivated you to take part in this course?

Lincoln: I head up OM Hong Kong’s Community Development Department, with six people on my team. Not only do I want to make our ministry more diverse, but I also want to ensure we are developing it according to God’s will. My Field Leader encouraged me to sign up for Timothy Trek, so as to get to know OM better and to help me grow more in Jesus.

Manna: Since returning from two years on the OM ship and six months in India, I have been heading up OM Hong Kong’s Youth Mobilisation Department. When six people were added to my team this year, I wanted to learn to manage better! My Field Leader encouraged me to sign up for Timothy Trek, but I now realise that I will learn much more than time management.

OM: Tell us a bit about the state of the church in Hong Kong today.

Lincoln: The church in general is concerned about good management, and secular material is used to help the church grow as stewards. With a population of 12.4 per cent Christian (6 per cent evangelical), the church is quite resourceful and able to support missionaries, although many have their own ideas how best to go about it. It is hard to match the church’s expectations with OM Hong Kong’s expectations. The church focuses on discipleship and fellowship, but outreach is limited. More often, the focus is not on Christ changing lives, but on how the church can grow in numbers. The outcome must be measureable and thus many churches have become inward-looking.

OM: Why is OM Hong Kong involved in youth mobilisation and community development?

Manna: Most churches have a desire to encourage youth for missions, but few know how to go about it. According to statistics, 25-29 year olds are the most willing to go into missions, and yet of the 400 missionaries Hong Kong has sent out, fewer than 10 are young people. The church in general does not consider young people mature enough for missions and is thus not willing to put her money into them. Only those who have been to seminary are deemed worthy of investment, with the condition of return once they are home. OM Hong Kong wants to be at the cutting edge of youth mobilisation in Hong Kong today.

Lincoln: We recently moved our office to one of the poorest areas in Hong Kong, as a desire to serve the community in addition to mobilising the church for missions has grown over the years. We have placed a focus on immigrants from various Asian countries, and as the local church embraces this ministry, we will be able to expand our focus. Our desire is to serve them through education, language and cultural adjustment, thus showing them what it means to be a Christian and what Christ has done in our lives. The local church's involvement in reaching out to minority ethnic groups in our community is a first step towards global missions.

OM: What have you learnt from Timothy Trek so far?

Manna: Ministry keeps us really busy, and even more so is the burden to do it more efficiently. We are learning that our personal growth in God is more important, so that we can lead and encourage others to follow Jesus more deeply. We know that we are unique, so we will grow in different ways and encourage others to take this step.

Lincoln: We have started to understand our identity in Christ, and as we deal with spiritual formation, we are learning more about our own faith and worldview. We are grateful to OM for giving us the opportunity to embark on a journey in leadership this year.

As a Chinese American, Fiona* often questioned her cultural identity growing up. She knew she could never fully fit into American culture, and yet, she had lost touch with her motherland long since. She was ashamed of her cultural background and felt lonely and alienated throughout adolescence.

Fiona never dreamt that God would one day restore her cultural identity by bringing her to OM Hong Kong to serve. “I’m amazed by how God had a plan all along to give me feet in two worlds,” she shared. “I now have a unique opportunity to serve ethnic minorities in my country of birth. Imagine that!”

Because Fiona had never really interacted with Muslims before, she was somewhat nervous at first. However, because of the hospitality and friendliness of the Pakistanis, she quickly befriended several families and even began having conversations with them about faith. Please pray with Fiona for these families to eventually come to know Jesus.

*Name changed. 

Because the temperature had dropped during the day, the team was worried that the attendance would be sparse. However, when evening rolled around, the families began arriving in groups, dressed in festive Pakistani clothing for the special occasion. They seemed just as excited about the party as the volunteers!

The programme included dinner, a magic show, a comical skit, games and a raffle. The team also shared the Christmas message through a silent skit about the birth of Jesus and a Christmas hymn.

“It was a blessing to see all of the volunteers sitting in the midst of our Pakistani friends, chatting, playing, and laughing together throughout the night,” said one OM Hong Kong team member.

The families told the team afterward that they really enjoyed themselves that night. Praise the Lord for the special Christmas experience. Pray that OM can continue to impact the lives of Pakistanis in Hong Kong.

A Chinese mother named Dody and her 11-year-old daughter, Ykata, participated in an ethnic minority outreach in Hong Kong recently. Dody’s job was to teach Cantonese to three Pakistani mothers who spoke Urdu. At first, Dody and the Pakistani women couldn’t communicate very well. Thankfully, one of the Pakistani women also spoke a little English, and Dody was able to use body language to communicate and teach. She used a song to teach them how to count in Cantonese, and the women enthusiastically did exercises together while counting out loud.

At break time, the volunteers showed a film called Magdalena: Released from Shame, an edition of the JESUS film for women. The Pakistani mothers were fascinated by the story of Abraham in the film. “This is our culture,” marvelled one of the mothers. “Is your boss from Pakistan? How did you hear about this film?” One volunteer explained that a friend had recommended it to them.

Meanwhile, Ykata, OM Hong Kong’s youngest volunteer, went with another group to visit a Pakistani family. She spent the evening diligently teaching a boy how to write Chinese characters in preparation for his upcoming exam. Ykata expressed that she enjoyed her experience, though she hopes he’ll listen better next time!

Praise God for the friendships made during the outreach. Pray that OM Hong Kong will be able to share more of God’s love with these women and others like them.

Last November, I attended a baptism ceremony held by an Indonesian church at Stanley beach, Hong Kong. It was a bit chilly but did not put out the spiritual flames of the Indonesian domestic helpers joining the church. I could feel how amazing God’s love is through their testimonies! To Indonesian ladies, believing in Christ is not just a matter of choice. Sometimes they have to face many challenges and danger, and some may even need to pay for their lives.

Standing Firm

When M* told her family in Indonesia about her conversion to Christ, they responded, “If you stand firm with your belief in Jesus, you are not welcome home any more.” P* had the same experience. Her husband told her, “If you believe in Jesus, I will divorce you!” N*, who was once a devoted Muslim, responded similarly when she first heard from her sister about putting her faith in Christ, “I have to go to Hong Kong to kill the apostate!” Despite different kinds of pressure, these Indonesian ladies bear beautiful fruit – loyal love to Jesus Christ.

Working Together

Indonesian domestic helpers only stay in Hong Kong for a short period of time. Now God had provided us with a way to show His love to these girls. Shall we join hands to accomplish the great commission which God called us to take on?

Sau Sau, Outreach Worker;

Email: outreach@hk.om.org

* names changed

Lilis’ heart was moved when she read about the situation of some of these maids. Many are underpaid, some Agencies withhold information and take excessive fees, and the maids – many of whom don’t speak Cantonese – don’t know their rights. Lily joined Grace and Benny, reaching these girls with God’s love.

The OM team serve the maids by offering English and Cantonese classes, training in needlework, Bible studies and they partner with others to provide health-care and discrimination seminars. On their day off maids must leave the house, no matter what the weather, so the OM team encourage churches to provide experiences for the maids. One church had a programme where the children sang to the maids to bless them. Other churches organise outings and special events. The OM team educates the local churches about God’s heart expressed in the book of Deuteronomy – reaching out to strangers that live among them. 

Maids who are treated particularly badly sometimes run away to shelters where they stay pending a court case hearing. In the shelters they are offered English and Cantonese classes and have daily devotions. Facing their former employer in court can be intimidating for the maids who often speak little Cantonese. The OM team helps with translation, legal assistance and negotiations of payments and conditions. Once the court case is finished, Lily and Grace help them find a job with good employers and continue to visit them, building on the relationship that has developed through the crisis.

H* is a Muslim from Indonesia who came to Hong Kong to work as a maid, and began working for a Christian family. It was not long until she became a Christian. She phoned her family in Indonesia and her older sister L* was really angry. She decided to go to Hong Kong to kill her, but the only way she could get to Hong Kong was also to become a maid. She applied, was accepted and got a job with a harsh employer who wouldn’t let her leave the house nor talk to anyone. She couldn’t even use the phone. After four months she escaped and went to the police, but the only phone number she had was her sisters’. When she phoned, H* was busy so she called her pastor to see if she could help her sister. The pastor and some people from the ministry came to the police station and took her to a shelter. When she arrived she saw a cross and knew it was a Christian shelter she had been taken to. After a week she became a Christian and said, “I came here to kill Christians but when I was in need, Christians came and helped me.”

A Christian employer was keen to share the gospel with her maid but knew that she was unable to because she was a Muslim. She prayed for her for more than a year, asking God for an opportunity to share. God impressed on her to use Christian songs, so almost every day she would sing and invite her maid to sing the song back to her to teach her Cantonese. After two months the employer heard her maid singing in the kitchen and thought that it was time for her maid to know more about God. She phoned a friend who had a Christian maid, and asked the maid to talk with her maid. She didn’t understand the following Indonesian conversation, but was thrilled when her friend told her that her maid wanted to become a Christian.

The small team would love others to join them, especially those who speak Chinese and/or Bahasa. There is a great opportunity to reach these Indonesians girls living in Hong Kong. OM Hong Kong is also looking to expand outreach to Pakistanis living in Hong Kong.

For more information: lily.wong@hk.om.org