Editor’s note: Tom Chow is a father of three American-born Chinese children, pastor of an overseas Chinese church, and a doctoral student with a heart for the Chinese people.
I am proud to be called a Hongkonger, and love its people and culture very much. One of my most memorable moments in Hong Kong took place at Chek Lap Kok International Airport, on Dec. 9th, 2000. On that day I had to say “goodbye” to my best friends, close relatives, familiar places, and favorite foods. My family had decided to immigrate to the U.S. for a better life and future. Two years later, I came to understand why God called me to leave Hong Kong: so that I could come to faith in Jesus, and dedicate my life to the mission of God.
Due to China’s National Security Law recently passed, many Hong Kong people are considering immigration. A Chinese pastor has said: “Persecution is an involuntary commission of God’s people, bringing them from one place to another, to bless the nations.” Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Isaac, and the early the early church likewise left their homes. Since the 1970s, large groups of Hong Kong people have migrated to places like Vancouver, Toronto, Seattle, New York, London, and Sydney . Countless of them came to salvation and planted thousands of overseas Chinese churches. This phenomenon is what missiologists called Diaspora Mission; that is, Christians’ participation in God’s redemptive story to evangelize their kinsmen on the move, and through them to reach out to natives in their homelands and beyond. God is being glorified in Hong Kong at this time through the presence of Christians there. Perhaps he will also be glorified when these Hongkongers are scattered to the nations with God’s mission to the diaspora, through the diaspora, beyond the diaspora, and with the diaspora.
There are idols in Hong Kong that people need to leave behind in order to live out the mission of God. Anyone leaving one’s hometown is like a disciple in Jesus’ day, who “left everything and followed him.” (Luke 5:11, 28) For Hong Kong people, this may include leaving comfort, stability, vested interest, wealth, and even friendship and kinship. Leaving one’s hometown is costly, but if it is for the sake of the kingdom, the reward is surpassing. Jesus answered his disciples: “You won’t regret it. No one who has sacrificed home, spouse, brothers and sisters, parents, children—whatever—will lose out. It will all come back multiplied many times over in your lifetime. And then the bonus of eternal life!” My prayer is that God will motivate and mobilize Hong Kong people as a diaspora with the mission of God. Whether they are staying in Hong Kong to be faithful witnesses, or leaving the city for the kingdom of God, they will be following Jesus, as his disciples, to finish his mission.
FOR REFLECTION
This author’s hope is that God’s people will follow him to finish his mission, whether they stay in their hometown or immigrate to a new land. How do you see your life as a part of God’s big picture mission?
我以被稱為香港人而感到自豪，並非常熱愛香港的人民和文化。我在香港最難忘的時刻之一是在2000年12月9日在赤臘角國際機場舉行的那一天。那天，我不得不向我最好的朋友，親戚，熟悉的地方和喜歡的食物說再見。我的家人決定移民美國，過上更好的生活和未來。兩年後，我開始理解為什麼上帝呼召我離開香港：這樣我才能信仰耶穌，並將自己的一生奉獻給上帝的使命。
由於中國最近通過的《國家安全法》，許多香港人正在考慮移民。一位中國牧師曾說：“迫害是上帝子民的非自願使命，將他們從一個地方帶到另一個地方，以祝福萬國。” 亞伯拉罕，以撒，雅各，以及早期的早期教會也都離開了家。自1970年代以來，大批香港人移居到溫哥華，多倫多，西雅圖，紐約，倫敦和悉尼等地。他們無數人後來得救，並種植了成千上萬所海外華人教會。這種現像被宣教學學家稱為Diaspora Mission (聚散宣教學）; 就是說，基督徒參與上帝的救贖故事，傳福音給他們的親戚，並通過他們與其故鄉及本地人接觸。上帝今天在留港的基督徒身上得著榮耀。當這些香港基督徒因上帝對散居者的使命，通過散居者，越過散居者和散居者而散佈到各國時，也許他也會得到榮耀。（Perhaps he will also be glorified when these Hongkongers are scattered to the nations with God’s mission to the diaspora, through the diaspora, beyond the diaspora, and with the diaspora.）
由於中國最近通過的《國家安全法》，許多香港人正在考慮移民。一位中國牧師曾說：“迫害是上帝子民的非自願使命，將他們從一個地方帶到另一個地方，以祝福萬國。” 亞伯拉罕，以撒，雅各，以及早期的早期教會也都離開了家。自1970年代以來，大批香港人移居到溫哥華，多倫多，西雅圖，紐約，倫敦和悉尼等地。他們無數人後來得救，並種植了成千上萬所海外華人教會。這種現像被宣教學學家稱為Diaspora Mission (聚散宣教學）; 就是說，基督徒參與上帝的救贖故事，傳福音給他們的親戚，並通過他們與其故鄉及本地人接觸。上帝今天在留港的基督徒身上得著榮耀。當這些香港基督徒因上帝對散居者的使命，通過散居者，越過散居者和散居者而散佈到各國時，也許他也會得到榮耀。（Perhaps he will also be glorified when these Hongkongers are scattered to the nations with God’s mission to the diaspora, through the diaspora, beyond the diaspora, and with the diaspora.）
為了實現上帝的使命，香港有些偶像需要人們留下來。耶穌時代，任何人離開家鄉都像門徒，“留下一切，跟隨他”。（路加福音 5:11，28）對於香港人而言，這可能包括留下舒適，穩定，既得利益，財富，甚至是友誼和親戚關係。離開家鄉需要付很高的代價，但是如果是為了天國的緣故，那麼回報就必定會超過。耶穌對門徒說：“你不會後悔的。犧牲房屋，配偶，兄弟姐妹，父母，子女的任何人都不會失敗。在您的一生中，一切都會成倍增加。然後是永生的紅利！” 我的禱告是，上帝會以上帝的使命激勵和動員香港人散居。無論他們是留在香港作忠心的見證，還是為了神的國離開，他們都將跟隨耶穌作為他的門徒來完成他的使命。
反思：
作者的希望是，無論他們是在家鄉還是移民到新大陸，上帝的子民都將跟隨他完成他的使命。您如何將自己的生活視為上帝大使命的一部分？
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