June 1965.....the Hong Kong Peak is issued by missionaries of the ABFMS.

Kwun Tong Breaks Ground for a Church

     The story of Tiger Tail Village has been followed with interest by many friends. When it was necessary to destroy the village to construct resettlement housing, the villagers were moved to Kwun Tong. The chapel which had been organized in the village, continued in the rooms of a roof top school. Three hundred people have been taking communion there regularly.

     Efforts have been under way for some months to secure a church site. Conditions of Grant have now been signed with the Hong Kong government, and the land bought at a preferred rate. The architect's plans for the church building are well along. We are hoping to acquire the land adjacent to the church to develop a community service program. Gifts have been received, and are still being received for this total project. For these, and for prayers in behalf of this work, we wish to say a warm thank you.

     On April 25 the ground breaking ceremony for the new building was held. The Rev. Loren E. Noren lifted the spadeful of earth. Dr. Lam Chi Fung presided, while Dr. George Wilson representing Southern Baptists, and the Rev. Alvin D. Koons who with his family lives in Kwun Tong, were on the program.

      The guests moved from the site to the Kowloon City Swatow Baptist Church for the ordination of the man who has led the Kwun Tong Swatow Baptist Chapel during the past five years. More is told about Mr. Chen elsewhere in this issue. It was a service not to be forgotten. Four ministers joined in the laying on of hands, and the Rev. Hugh Smith gave the charge to the church. At the same service, fifteen deacons and deaconesses were consecrated. Pray for Mr. Chen and for these leaders as they continue in their ministry.

The Rev. Chen Siang Chio, Newly Ordained

     The Rev. S. C. Chen was born in the Chaoyang district of the Swatow area in 1900. From his home he traveled to the Kakchieh Academy where he completed high school. At that time the Rev. R. T. Capen, father of the Rev. Carl Capen, was principal of the school.

     When Mr. Chen finished high school he married and established his own home. From this home have come nine children, six boys and three girls. Two of his sons are now studying for the ministry at Chung Chi Theological Seminary.

     Mr. Chen's first employment was as a teacher of physical education. Then he became a primary school headmaster, and served several schools in the Ling Tong Convention.

     An opportunity came for further study; in 1935 Mr. Chen went to the Nanking Theological Seminary and studied for one year. With this preparation he was chosen the executive secretary of the Ling Tong Baptist Convention, in which office he served for three years. The convention consisted of 118 churches and Mr. Chen visited these churches, and strengthened them in many ways.

     When the Japanese war broke out, like many others Mr. Chen had to abandon church work and go to farming to make a living. This waiting period lasted until 1945, when he went to the Hai Lok Hong district and helped in a mission project of the Convention. The Communists came into that area in 1951 and he could no longer work in this capacity.

     The year 1954 marked the move of the Chen family to Hong Kong. Again Mr. Chen was able to work fulltime in Swatow Baptist Churches. Since that year he has served in several places. His present work started in Tiger Tail Village where he helped organize a chapel. The Tiger Tail Village folk were moved to resettlement housing estates in Kwun Tong in 1960, and the chapel organized in the village has continued to grow and flourish on the rooftop of a resettlement building. As reported elsewhere in this Peak, ground has been broken on a site in Kwun Tong for the erection of a new church building.

     1965 has been a significant year in Mr. Chen's life. He became very ill early in the year with a high blood pressure condition which for a time paralyzed his right side. But God was very gracious to him, and healed him of this paralysis, so that he is now able to do limited work.

     In April, on the same day as the ground-breaking, the Kowloon City Swatow Baptist-Church ordained Mr. Chen into the gospel ministry, a ministry to which he had-given his life many years ago. Because of the hard work and dedication of him and his family, many are responding to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Consultation on Family Life

     A consultation on "The Christian View of Sex and Marriage,' was held on May 5th, planned by the Committee on Family life of the Hong Kong Christian Council. Sixty-six delegates attended, pastors and lay leaders selected from the churches and schools related to the Council.

     Speeches by the Rev. David C. P. Lew, and the Rev. Ho Sai Ming were based on Robert Dodd's book, "Two Together" which has been translated recently into Chinese. Discussion following the speeches was lively, and nearly all delegates participated.

     Chinese custom has not provided for public consideration of questions of sex and marriage. Changing patterns in Hong Kong family life, however, have pointed up a clear need. People are eager to hear the voice of the church on matters of love, authority, tensions in the home, and family planning. Many expressed appreciation for new understanding gained, for themselves, and for use in counseling parents and youth.

     Two pastors and three women members of Swatow Baptist churches attended as well as Ruth Noren who is a member of the committee, and Calvin Ngai of the Hong Kong Christian Council. Findings from the consultation will be shared with about 70 officers of women's societies in the Swatow Baptist churches, in a retreat to be held on June 7th. At the same time, the women will consider appropriate ways to use the ideas gained, in the Christian family program among our Swatow people.

Welcome

     The Rev. and Mrs. Frank H. Knight, recently of North Attleboro, Mass., are expected to arrive in Hong Kong within a few months to augment the missionary staff. We look forward with joy to working with them. We welcome not only Frank and Joyce, but Krista Noel who is four.

     Miss June Margaret Sutton, appointed by the Australian Baptist Missionary Society, will be coming in the summer to join us. This is the first time we have had someone who is not an American in our mission group, and we are anticipating fellowship with her.

Easter Activities

     Hong Kong had some of its loveliest weather this year during the Easter season. Clear skies, cool breezes, and blooming flowers helped remind us of the hope we have because of the resurrection of our Lord. The Christian community filled the days with meaningful activities.

     On Palm Sunday evening, the Kowloon Union Church held a baptismal service. Lincoln Lee Espy, son of John and Ruth Espy, was one of those who followed our Lord in baptism. On that same evening, the Combined Christian Choirs of Hong Kong presented St. John's Passion, at the City Hall. Each year this group continues to grow musically as it gives to the community some of the world's fine Christian music.

     There were communion services in some of the churches on the evening of Maundy Thursday. And on Good Friday, they held worship services, commemorating this sad day in our Lord's Passion. The Rev. Loren Noren, and the Rev. Hugh Smith both preached at this time. A special Good Friday concert was presented by the Robin Boyle Singers, at the City Hall. They sang music of the 15th century, describing beautifully the meaning of Christ's crucifixion. Barbara Koons sings with this group.

      On Easter Sunday morning there were several sunrise services for different church groups. Afterwards the mission family gathered for breakfast together. After a good meal, the children scampered outdoors to look for colored Easter eggs which had been hidden among the flowers and shrubs. Then each family went its way to worship, or to preach in the various churches.

     Easter Sunday afternoon, the Rev. Hugh Smith participated in the baptismal service at the Kowloon City Swatow Baptist Church. He baptized ninety-four persons, who had chosen to accept Jesus as their Lord, and to follow him in this symbolic act which was so appropriately re-enacted on Easter Sunday. (These ninety-four were in addition to eighty-seven whom Mr. Smith baptized in the same church, this past Christmas. It is a growing church!) Most of the ninety-four baptized were young people, but two were 75 years old. One lame man had to be carried into the water, and one woman with bound feet had to be helped. Still another was a blind man. Those who watched realized anew the depth of the Christian faith, and the meaning of the words spoken by Jesus: "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe."

Tenth Anniversary Celebration

     The Hong Kong Christian Council is actually eleven years old. So also is the Audio-Visual Evangelism Committee. The Hong Kong Christian Welfare and Relief Council is ten years old. On April 26th, these three related bodies celebrated their tenth anniversaries together.

     Organizations related to the work of these agencies were invited to prepare exhibits of their work. More than twenty groups responded with splendid exhibits which were on view for five days. Among them were the Sunday School books prepared by the South East Asia Chinese Sunday School Curriculum Editorial Board, with which Mildred Proctor works. Text-books for four departments, for three half years, plus some materials prepared for the training of teachers were displayed.

     A business session was held in the early afternoon. This was followed by tea and an opportunity to view the exhibits. Four speakers then addressed the group on "The Church's Witness in Hong Kong Today." The conferees divided into six discussion groups to consider witness in industry, for families and old people, in schools, in nurseries, through medical and hospital service, and problems of juvenile delinquency. Reports from the discussion groups were heard during the late dinner hour.

     The forceful and efficient leader in the Hong Kong Christian Council is Calvin Ngai, a Baptist. He has just entered his second term as executive secretary of the Council.

New Opportunities

     An opportunity is opening up for work in the rapidly developing community of Tsun Wan. The Hong Kong Housing Society has built low-cost apartment buildings, which are somewhat better than the government resettlement estates. In one area there are more than three thousand families, and among them a number of Swatow speaking people. You will hear more of this in the future.

Missionaries....
Mr. and Mrs. John Espy
Rev. and Mrs. Alvin D. Koons
Rev. and Mrs. Loren E. Noren
Miss Mildred Proctor
Rev. and Mrs. Hugh W. Smith