Where were you fifty years ago today? Some of you were not born yet. Some of your parents weren’t born yet either! But fifty years ago, I was in Hong Kong. I was part of a team of Bible College students helping a recent graduate establish his ministry. We were called “The Harbingers” and this was a life-altering experience for me.
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:16-20, (New International Version or NIV).
I will never forget when we were in Montana waiting to travel by train to Seattle to catch our flight to Hong Kong. We were going to a Hutterite community to weigh our luggage. Our host, who was one of my fellow Harbinger’s Dad, answered a question asked by the elder of the community. The elder wanted to know why we were going to Hong Kong and the answer was Matthew 28:19-20. Our host then added this sentence, “You have heard of the Great Commission, haven’t you?” The Hutterites did not believe in preaching to outsiders about Jesus. Our host family and the Hutterites were neighbors and friends, so the elder was not offended. But it was true, we were going to Hong Kong to preach and teach others about Jesus.
I had never been outside of the United States until that summer, fifty years ago. I had only been to one large city, and it looked like a rural community compared to Hong Kong. I had never been where you sweat until your underwear is wet either, not until that summer! I mean, Nebraska gets hot, but it is more of a dry heat compared to the humid summers in Hong Kong. Not only was the heat an adjustment but riding on public transportation was too. I marveled at the two-story red British busses we rode on. I loved riding on the top floor as it was so fun to see a real view of the city. At that time, Hong Kong was a British colony and that was something special too. To see British people and hear them speak was a real treat for this small-town girl!
The food was also something to get used to. We shopped in the open markets a lot, but there was a grocery store too and it was the first time I had ever seen plastic bags to carry our groceries back to our apartment. In Nebraska, at that time we only had paper bags. And to see people carry a reusable shopping bag was something I had never seen before, yet many shoppers did have their own. The smell of the open markets was not always pleasant either with fresh fish or meat being chopped in front of you. But I had grown up in Minatare, Nebraska where there were feedlots on three sides, and believe me, I knew how to handle the nasty smells! It was the bakery that I couldn’t resist! Oh, my goodness, they had such wonderful things to choose from. Their pound cakes were to die for! And the noodles were so good with every kind of variety you could imagine. I did, however, have a big problem with eating fresh steamed crabs because I had no idea how to crack them open. Thankfully a kind Chinese person taught me how, but I never had the patience to eat it!
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” Romans 10:14-15, (NIV).
We had a mission to do, and we were glad to be there even though it was a foreign country and environment. We sang in elementary, middle, and high schools. I even sang sitting on top of some ping pong tables as a makeshift stage. We sang in the park and in churches too. One of our team did a chalk art set to beautiful music. Another preached and told them who Jesus is and why we love Him. We helped with church camps, and we did Vacation Bible Schools. We even had a puppet show as I recall. We also hosted Bible study groups and met with individuals to help them learn more about Jesus. Many came to practice their English skills with us, and we had some interesting conversations. But mostly, we made ourselves available to mingle with young people wherever we could to share our love for Jesus.
Our secondary mission was to encourage the missionaries who already were there. One couple was elderly, and we attended a weekly prayer meeting at their home. I never knew that there were people who could actually pray for an hour or two at a prayer meeting, but these dedicated souls did. I learned a lot from them about how to pray for others. Another couple were newlyweds, perhaps a little homesick, and we spent time with them just hanging out. There was also another couple who had a little boy, and we also loved playing with him and his family. And then there was a family where the woman was Japanese, and the man was Chinese, and they had three children. We also spent time with them and their family.
There were two primary churches that we attended and two of us took turns playing the piano for their weekly services. I loved going to both of them as I found such loving people who were glad to have you visit them. One of the churches was a long bus ride to get there and back. We never went there unaccompanied by someone who knew the language for fear that we would get lost. The people attending there knew little English but were so happy to let you know that they were welcoming you and glad to see you. I stood above most of them in height and I am only 5’6”. I walked away from their service always learning something I didn’t know before even though all the preaching was done in the two Chinese languages, Mandarin and Cantonese. No English was spoken there, yet to hear the praises sung to God was priceless.
When the summer was coming to an end, our team had helped to build contacts for our brother in Christ who was staying behind to build a new church family. It was sad to say goodbye to all the new friends I had made. I met my ex-husband in Hong Kong and while that has been a bitter-sweet ending to our longtime marriage, meeting him is something I will never forget. I have kept in contact with a few of the people I met there and with my teammates. One has gone to be with Jesus, and she is sadly missed. I think all of us were changed in some way by the experiences we encountered while in Hong Kong.
As I look back on that summer fifty years ago, I see how Jesus changed my attitude, my thinking, my faith, and my life. I grew up in the Lord that summer. For the first time, I opened my heart to people who looked different than me, lived differently than I did, and endured hardships differently. The sad part is that most didn’t even know who Jesus was. I hope that the Harbingers that summer made a small dent in the Chinese population and sparked a fire that has brought many others to the Lord through the seeds we planted. I look forward to seeing them all in heaven one day.
Until next time…Katherine
Katherine Speaks 