Baptist Layman Looks at China

My first entry into China from Hong Kong was walking across the covered bridge patrolled by members of the Chinese People's Liberation Army. After a Chinese lunch at the border, we boarded an airconditioned train for Canton. A little girl kept our teacups full during the entire trip of an hour and a half - a pleasant beginning for our week at the China Trade Fair.

After we arrived in Canton, we were taken to a modestly furnished hotel, where we noticed that everyone left their doors open when they went out. This view of the honesty of the Chinese people never became tarnished during our stay in China.

In the downtown area I shopped in the Friendship Department Store. Speaking to one young lady, I asked her how long she had worked for the store. Her answer was, "I am a worker, peasant, student and soldier. I do not take pay, but am following the teaching scheme of Chairman Mao." This statement became very familar as we chatted with other workers.

During my few brief days in Canton, I was impressed with the efficiency and cleanliness of the city as a whole. But both in the city and in the countryside I missed seeing church spires and crosses. I feel that we sometimes take these for granted and do not appreciate the religious, cultural and business freedom which we enjoy in the Western world. But one Chinese gentleman remarked, "Since the revolution all bars, nightclubs, liquor stores, drug traffic and prostitution have disappeared. We only hope that the opening of our borders will not bring these evils back into China."

My prayer is that China's borders will not only open for business, but that contacts between Christians in China and Christians around the world will continue to expand.

R. C. Otto
American Baptist Layman

Seminars on China

"The Chinese Communist Process must be seen in its dramatic qualities: its awesome sense of struggle, the vastness of its objectives, its willingness to sacrifice., its relentless pursuit of its ideals. . . . How comprehend the magnitude of this traumatic transition from an old traditional culture with its humanist ideals to the egalitarian society of the present with its dominant social-economic concerns?"

This is a quotation from one of the papers presented at the ecumenical seminar held in Bastad, Sweden, early in 1974 on the "Theological Implications of the New China". Sponsored by the Lutheran World Federation and Pro Mundi Vita, a small group met to consider eleven papers prepared especially for the seminar and for the later Colloquium held in Louvain, Belgium, Sept. 9-14, 1974.

The difficulties for the Christian in seeking to understand the tremendous changes in China are real. These two conferences have produced materials which will be extremely helpful to thoughtful persons interested in the New China. Many of the struggles and achievements in China strike a responsive chord in those who are concerned with the eradication of injustice and oppression. How do we followers of Amos and Jesus live out the Gospel we proclaim? Are we aware of the limitations of our own understanding of Christ? Can the China experience teach us anything?

The Colloquium at Louvain, "Christian Faith and the Chinese Experience", was divided into five workshops and one dealt with the topic, "Implications of the New China for the Self-understanding of the Church". Perhaps this is the time when we need to "ask not when the doors of China will open for us, but open first the closed doors of our own hearts and minds" so that we can comprehend the struggles of men for dignity and self-fulfillment.

Other workshops dealt with "The New Person in China", "Faith and Ideology in the Context of the New China", "Revolutionary Antagonism and Christian Love", and "China and the History of Salvation",-a wealth of stimulating ideas.

The two collections of papers can be ordered from The China Program Office, 475 Riverside Drive, Room #616, New York, N.Y. 10027, at $3.50 per copy.

L. E. Noren

First World Conference of Baptist Men Convened in H.K.

Dr. V. Carney Hargroves, president of the Baptist World Alliance, visited Hong Kong in October for consultations on the First World Conference of Baptist Men which was held here from the 26th to the 30th of November.

The Conference brought together Baptist laymen from every continent for fellowship, sharing, and study. The entire conference was divided into nearly 50 small groups where participants had opportunity to exchange ideas and to develop close personal relationships with Christian laymen from other cultures and national grounds.

Dr. Robert S. Denny, General Secretary of the BWA, described the Conference as one of the most strategic and important meetings of this generation. The success of the Conference was compounded not so much of things material, as of things of the spirit-faith, hope, and love, as men from the ends of the earth met together to consider their role as laymen in the evangelistic task of the church.

Swatow Youth Music Conference

The halls of Chung Chi College this past summer were filled with the sounds of music as 80 Swatow Baptist youth held their 6th Youth Music Conference under the leadership of Gabriel Chi and Loren Noren. Courses in Voice Training, Conducting, Theory, Harmony, Piano Accompaniment, and Use of Chinese Instruments in Christian Worship were taught by well-qualified Chinese musicians. A special concert brought to a close the four-day conference. The music life of our churches has greatly improved over the years through the influence of these summer music conferences.

Misses Lilian Chan and Karen Chan (no relation) were privileged to attend the 8th Baptist Youth World Conference from July 31 to August 4. Both have given reports of their experiences since returning to Hong Kong. Deep impressions were made on their lives from this opportunity to discuss the theme, "Christ-Our Challenge to Live!", with over 5,000 young people from 50 countries.

NEW FACE AND FACES TO KOWLOON CITY SWATOW BAPTIST CHURCH

The Kowloon City Swatow Baptist Church began in a small wooden building in 1938. The present Church building was erected in 1952. This year the Church has had a face lift; the building being covered with white and blue tiles and airconditioned. This project has made the outside of the building a more pleasing sight, while the quieter conditions inside are more conducive to meaningful worship. The membership of the Church and its six associated chapels is now 2,800.

Rev. Joseph Yiu commenced his duties as the new minister of the Kowloon City Swatow Baptist Church in July, 1974. Joseph was born in 1938 in Hong Kong. His parents were dedicated Christians who witnessed for Christ, especially among Swatow people and led many to accept Him as Saviour. Joseph's father was the first chairman of the joint Committee of Swatow Baptist Churches, while his mother was the driving force behind the establishment of several Swatow Baptist chapels. Joseph grew up in a family immersed in the life of the Swatow Baptist Churches and after completing high school he commenced training for the ministry. He studied for four years at the Christian and Missionary Alliance Seminary in Hong Kong, and later took a one year theological course in Sydney, Australia. In 1970 Joseph and his wife Caroline and family went to USA where Joseph undertook studies at Berkeley for his Master of Divinity. Upon graduating, he returned to Hong Kong with his wife and children, Ann 10 years, Timothy 9 years, and Dorothy, 6 years. Joseph has a strategic position in the Swatow Baptist Churches and values the support and prayers of concerned friends.

June Sutton

Kwai Chung Has New Chapel

For several years the Kwai Chung Chapel members have been meeting in very limited space rented in one of the resettlement blocks. Related to the Castle Peak Road Swatow Baptist Church, they have long been expressing their need for larger premises. After all, a room 15 by 18 feet including verandah hardly gives a group of 40 much space to expand.

After considerable searching for property that seemed within reason, they located a flat in a newly built apartment building adequate for a church program -- not large, but about three times bigger than the place they have been using.

Clutching their vision of a wider ministry for Christ, they very definitely felt the Lord's leading to buy this flat for about US$16,000. So they put their savings of about $5,000 on the line and began to work and pray for the rest. That was October, 1973.

By Christmas they were worshipping in their new chapel. By June 1974, the total indebtedness of the new Kwai Chung Chapel was paid off. This includes redecorating, new chairs, lights, fans and piano. In an impressive dedication service on June 30 we all praised God for this long cherished dream come true.

Perhaps the most significant aspect of this project is not the broader program already functioning or even the new people attending, but rather their achievement in purchasing and furnishing their own new chapel facilities. We pray that this venture of faith may typify their continued zeal for Christ.

Harold Schock

Chuk Yuen Christian Center Expands

A twelve months' dream has been realized. We've been looking around for more space to expand our program with the youth of our Chuk Yuen area. Of course every one in Hong Kong would like more space, but only the rich can buy. A building, formerly a factory for making noodles to feed Hong Kong's refugee children has been sitting idle for some months not more than 100 yards from our Center. We've been talking and praying, wishing and planning for this building, and on June 14 this year the keys were handed over to us. We paid zero dollars and received a brick building with about 1500 square feet with a flat, covered roof giving an equal amount of space as a second floor. Our young people have cleaned it, repaired many broken windows, threw out 5 dead rats, painted and decorated it.

For two months 6 committees of young people have been making plans for the opening ceremony and the continuing program in the new Center. It was decided that November first would be opening date, and that both the Tea House and the Wu Oi Fellowship program for youth with drug problems would be transferred to the new Center and expanded.

November first came. People milled around, admired the set-up, then either shared a chair, sat on the steps or stood up to listen to a program of music and brief talks by our young people. The three year history together with the aims and purposes of the Tea House were given by the 'manager", a happy 18 year old young lady who came to Christ through our Center program. Basically she said our Tea House exists to be a contact point to witness for Christ.

Although most of the group were young people from our area, government junior officials, Center Board members and American Baptist Missionaries also came. Very significantly, our Special Service Missionary, Dr. E. E. Gates attended the ceremony. As Director of Church World Service, he was responsible for building this noodle factory in 1961. Since then, millions of miles of noodles have fed our hungry Hong Kong children. Is it far from Christ's message that having fed the bodies we should now feed the hungering souls? Because we continually try to adjust our program to the needs of people, maybe Hugh Smith was right when he said as he left the Tea House that night, "This sure beats making noodles!".

Harold Schock

Women’s Association Celebrates 20 Years

When Baptist missionary Edna (Smith) Armstrong came to Hong Kong in 1954, she quickly began working with the Swatow women. She felt the need of a central organization that would promote the fellowship of all the Swatow Baptist women. Thus began the Hong Kong Swatow Baptist Women's Association. Through this organization they have exerted a combined effort to witness and serve our Lord.

On November, 13, 1974, the Swatow Baptist Women gathered for a 20th Anniversary Service of Thanksgiving. Not only did they recount the goodness of God, but also pledged themselves to greater demonstrations of loving service and deeper Christian fellowship for the years ahead.

Each year the women develop a planned program guide for their meetings. Annual retreats for officers and members provide leadership training and inspiration. Heavy emphasis is placed on Christian home and family life, on the World Day of Prayer and Thanksgiving. Throughout the years women also have given leadership in adult literacy programs. Their evangelistic zeal and home visitation has often resulted in the nucleus of a new chapel for Swatow speaking people.

In recent years the Women's Association has become a part of the Asian Baptist Women's Conference. In 1968 they experienced the excitement of meeting many other Christian women from other Asian countries when the conference was held in Hong Kong. Ruth Noren was on the Steering Committee and wrote the Workshop materials concerning the role of Asian Christian women in the home, the church, and the community, later used again in Swatow women’s circles. As they have become aware of the needs of others and of their own abundance, they have given generously both to local and foreign needs.

We are humbly aware that we are the people of God whom he loved and chose for his own. We must put on compassion, kindness, gentleness and patience. As we look back over 20 years of his blessing, so we look forward to his guidance as we praise him, trust him and commit our way more fully to him.

Estelle Schock

OLLEYS RETURN - "We are so pleased to meet you. We have been praying for you for years." One of the most thrilling things about our 13 month furlough in our home country, Australia, was meeting so many people in the churches who have been praying for us in our work in Hong Kong. We both enjoyed the opportunities for telling of the work the Lord had given us over the previous 5 years and of our hopes for the next term. Of course, it goes without saying that times spent with family members will be treasured in future years, and John appreciated the chance of concentrated study and research. Elaine Olley

ESPY MARRIAGE - John and Ruth Espy spent two months of the past summer with their two sons in the States. The highlight of the summer was their son's wedding in June. Lincoln, their elder son, married a fine Christian university school mate, Joyce Luthy, following his graduation from Ottawa University in Kansas with a B.A., Magna cum Laude.

DEBBIE NOREN VISIT - Debbie spent three full active months in Hong Kong last summer visiting parents Loren and Ruth Noren. Climbing Lantau Mountain, seeing old friends and teaching swimming classes helped make it a happy summer. A university student in Greeley, Colorado, Debbie still calls Hong Kong her "hometown".

WILLIAM HACKETT SINGS - With a month's vacation between semesters in Salsburg, Austria, where he is studying music, William Hackett returned to Hong Kong to be with his parents, Bill and Marion. Many people enjoyed his visit as he sang about a dozen times in services in the city.

MARION HACKETT CLIMBS-For the first time since a bad fall almost four years ago, Marion Hackett climbs stairs, goes to meetings and is generally getting back into wider circulation. We all thank God for the wonderful improvement in health in recent months.

FIRST GRANDPARENTS -Excluding special service workers, Pearly and June Gates, Harold and Estelle Schock have become the first grandparents in the Hong Kong Mission. Estelle went to the States to be with Judy for four weeks, and to meet her first grandson, Matthew Paul Kuiper, born October 30.

TRAVELLING FAMILY - Most of our Mission family went some place last summer. Besides the above, Bill Hackett went to the Lausanne Conference, Loren Noren to a Conference in Taiwan, the Hugh Smith family to Thailand, Hugh Smith to a Conference in the States, and June Sutton spent August in Japan. Because June Gates broke her foot in an accident last May, the Gates took their vacation visiting Southeast Asia in October.

Theology Student at Chung Chi

Peter Chen, one of thousands of Burma-Chinese who are refugees in Macao, has gained a new status; he is now a candidate for the degree of Bachelor of Divinity under the program of the Association of Theological Schools in Southeast Asia, which is conducted in the Theology Division of Chung Chi College. This is normally a five year program of study.

In the period of almost two years that he has been in Macao with his family, he has been involved in church and youth center work in Southern Baptist churches there, has done some translation of materials from English to Chinese, and has been very active in many forms of church music - playing piano and organ for church services, singing in choir, and leading singing in youth groups.

Unlike many who are in Macao, Peter holds a Burmese passport, which means that he is free to return to Burma to live and work there. The training and experience which he gains here in Hong Kong might well be useful in the years ahead in the church in Burma.