August, 2007

My Farewell to HKCI

Rose Wu

Learning from the wisdom of the author of the Book of Ecclesiastes, there is the time for birth and the time for death, the time for planting and the time for harvesting. As for me, there is the time to move forward and the time to withdraw, the time to serve and the time to rest. After seven years of service with HKCI, I have decided that now is the time for me to leave the organisation.

Awhile ago a friend from the social movement circle asked me, as someone often seen as a "radical" Christian by mainstream society and the churches, have I ever felt powerless and distressed? My immediate answer was "No" because this witness is out of my own choice. After I gave my friend's question a second thought, I realised that my answer was not complete. As a Christian, I understand that our ministry at HKCI is not only our personal choice; it is also the spirit of God which inspires us to move beyond the comfortable confines of the Church and to meet our neighbours who are marginalised by mainstream society and the churches. Because of our encounters with these neighbours, we have not only been able to seek a better understanding of their experiences, but we have also deepened our understanding of God's compassion in our midst. In addition, our ministry to walk with the poor and oppressed in the past also inspired us to understand that much human suffering is the result of institutionalised violence. To counter institutionalised violence, we must have the courage to speak the truth to power and to promote justice and peace for all.

As I look back, I am not only grateful for the guidance and inspiration of God's ever-living spirit; I am also deeply moved by the constant support and prayers of many local and global ecumenical friends, particularly those who have provided encouragement, friendship and financial assistance to HKCI throughout the years. I want to take this last opportunity to give my heartfelt thanks to my colleagues, HKCI members and our ecumenical partners. Without your generous support, I could not imagine the realisation of our dreams and visions.

After more than 20 years of committing myself as a frontline Christian activist in Hong Kong, the discovery that my whole being is more important than my achievements in ministry can be a wonderfully freeing experience. Leaving HKCI allows me to return to the simplicity of faithful living at this point of my life. At the same time, I will teach part time at local seminaries, which I believe will offer an opportunity to pass my experiences to the future generation of the Church.

It is also my honour to welcome Jason Too Kin-wai as the acting director of HKCI from September 2007 to November 2008 after being appointed to this post by the management committee. Jason has served as the executive secretary of HKCI since 1998. His major responsibility has been Chinese publications and theological education. He has also launched a series of programmes for young people to reach out to multiracial and multicultural communities. I am confident that with Jason's rich experience and leadership HKCI will continue its mission by seeking justice and compassion and will walk in humble fellowship with the weak and oppressed people in our society. I hope you will continue to support Jason and HKCI in this new adventure!