February 1962.....the Hong Kong Peak is issued by missionaries of the ABFMS to give a peek at our work in the Christian Center, in the churches, in Chung Chi College, and elsewhere.  Occasionally an issue is somewhat delayed, as is this third issue which was intended for January.  Chinese New Year interfered.

The Bamboo Garden
  

The name itself is deceiving.  It is not a garden, and as for bamboo, it can be found only in the numberless places where bamboo is used about a house.  Yet in a spiritual sense the name fits, for refreshment of soul, and recreation of body which might be found in a beautiful bamboo grove, are found in the busy Christian Center.  Perched on a steep hillside the Chuk Yuen (or Bamboo Garden) Christian Center meets many needs.  Hugh Smith gives this report.

The Center was opened in May 1959, "to serve the people of Chuk Yuen in the love of Christ."  The history of its work goes back however to 1953.  A large number of Swatow church members lost their homes in a fire, and the government resettled them in the Chuk Yuen area.  It was too far to go into the city for church, so dedicated lay leaders of the church held weekly services under a tarpaulin on the hillside.  The need for a broad community-service approach was soon apparent.  Church World Service joined forces with us.  Three hundred twenty-three stone cottages were built replacing some of the wooden shacks which had given temporary shelter.  A community center building and playground were then place in their midst.  The American Baptist Mission with Swatow Baptist churches accepted the responsibility for the Christian program.
     Regular worship services are conducted in a fine auditorium.  It seats 208 but on occasion more than 300 crowd in.  This does not count the babies tied securely on the backs of mothers.  One hundred fifty children are enrolled in the Sunday School.  For many it is the first introduction to Christ.  Young people come from the Kowloon City Church to serve as teachers.

Small children come to the Center daily for supervised play and other activities.  This program is a boon to the mothers also, providing a safe place for the children while they shop, or perform home duties.

Over one hundred young people are enrolled.  In addition to picnics and monthly movies, there are competitions in table tennis, story telling, Chinese billiards, and Chinese chess.  Basketball teams compete with clubs from other resettlement areas.  We are proud of the cups and banners the teams have won.  At the Center the young people not only have fun and fellowship but they work with leaders who witness to the joy and fulness of the Christian life.

Adjacent to the main building is the Milk Station.  It is open six days a week and serves more than 5,000 persons every day.  All expenses connected with its operation are borne by Church World Service.  An anti-tuberculosis clinic is housed in a the Center, staffed by two full-time nurses and a registrar.  The government supplies a doctor two days a week.  During 1961, over 15,000 injections were given, and hundreds of persons treated.

One of the most interesting experiences in 1961 was the time the Center played host to a group of refugees from China.  Though they knew they would be joining thousands of jobless refugees, they risked their lives to reach freedom.  Mr. Gates discovered them and led them to the Center where food and clothing were provided.  One woman was hoping to join her husband who had fled to Hong Kong four years before.  All she knew was that he lived in Kowloon, not realizing that one and a half million people live in this section of the colony.  She searched for him several days in vain, and was almost overcome with the hopelessness of the task.  One day as Mr. Smith was talking to her, her face suddenly transformed.  He husband had appeared in the doorway of the Center!  He had read in the Chinese newspapers that people from his village had arrived, and were housed at the Chuk Yuen Christian Center.  He had come to see of someone could give him news of his wife.  What a joyous reunion it was!

We are mindful of the fact that the interest and prayers of many people make this program possible.  It is our hope that the Chuk Yuen Christian Center may go on serving the community in the love of Christ.

Taiwan Jaunt
      

When the October Peak was prepared, Mildred Proctor expected to go to Taiwan at the end of the month.  This was in connection with her work on the South East Asia Chinese Sunday School Curriculum, to which she is assigned.  The trip had to be postponed until January when she and Rev. David Lew, the chairman of the editorial board, spend two weeks in Taiwan.  Mildred reports:
     We were looking primarily for people to write Sunday School lessons, using the outlines and instructions which we took with us.  We had conferences with possible writers in the afternoons, and meetings for Sunday School workers in the evenings.  In most cases we started from the beginning, telling about this project, and how a curriculum grows.  We were pleased with the results:  14 units of lessons were given out to writers.  A number of other people expressed an interest in fuller cooperation in the future.  We proposed a writers'  workshop to be held during the summer, to develop skill in those interested in writing.
      All of this took me from Taipei in the north, to Taichung, Tainan, and to Hsin Chu.  It was fun to find old friends from mainland China here and there.  In Taichung I visited Tung Hai University which, with Chung Chi College, is the successor of the Christian colleges formerly in China.  In Taipei I had the opportunity to worship in the "President's church" and to see President Chiang Kai Shek, and Madam Chiang.  In Taipei also, a group of alumni of the University of Shanghai showed me a high school which they have started our of appreciation for their alma mater.
     Mildred is now in Hong Kong again, surrounded by lesson outlines, and hopefully awaiting manuscripts.

Ling Ling Say Say ...which is, broadly interpreted, Miscellaneous


....American Baptists not under appointment of the ABFMS but of Church World Service are Rev. and Mrs. E. E. Gates, and Mr. Douglas F. Beaven.  Mr. Dave Epperson is here also, with the YMCA.
....Edna Smith reports:  The joyous sounds of Homantin Children's Club rhythm band...bells, cymbals, and drums....prepared the audience for a charming tableau of Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus.  The children's choir sang "Away in a Manger."  Then children dressed in costumes of 10 countries sang, "The World of Children for Jesus."  Santa arrived with gay red sweaters for the girls and blue sweaters for the boys, given by Church World Service.  The crowning event was the giving of a real doll to each little girl, and a ball to each boy, sent by women's groups in the home churhces.

Missionaries....

Miss Sara B. Downer

Rev. and Mrs. Loren E. Noren

Miss Mildred Proctor

Miss Edna D. Smith

Rev. and Mrs. Hugh W. Smith