Dementia-embracing Churches

The knowledge and skills they attained enabled them to serve the students, parents and teachers. The experiences they gained on the campus broaden their scope of ministries and nurture other members into joining the project. The reflections they consolidated in the project implementation facilitate the whole Church to address the needs of the community.

The testimony of a high school student

“She accompanied me through a time of challenge” “Five years ago I joined this school as a secondary 1 student, and the day came where my public examination results would determine whether I could continue my senior secondary study in this school. I hoped I could because I loved this school. I remember that the class was silent waiting for the announcement of results. “This year, we have 30 students who are qualified to continue their senior secondary study.” The vice-principal announces, “And the names are….” Ms Chou, my class teacher who has been my teacher for the last 5 years, was sitting with me. When names were called out except for mine, I became anxious and worried. Finally I was disappointed because I was not one of the 30. Tears were coming out from my eyes. I was lost. Ms Chou was with me holding my hands to comfort me. “Why don’t you try to apply for a waiting list place and request for an interview?” Ms Chou encouraged me. With this encouragement I submitted an application for an interview. Ms Chou accompanied me while I am waiting for a chance of an interview. During the time of waiting, I recalled my memories of the last 5 years of school time. Ms Chou had been taking care of my studies, my family problems and my personal growth. She is my spiritual mother in nurturing me to become a good Christian. Thank God for giving me such a good guardian.” (Finally this female student was admitted to continue her senior secondary study.)

MSP4 A Compassionate Church for Others (2017-2020)

The Programme for MSP4 is an initiative which in the long-term will be a permanent strategy to enable all HKCCCC churches to become missional congregations. The Programme is to facilitate 18 churches to acknowledge this vision and mission to engage with the unreached communities and be inclusive to receive those who are marginalised. The following four groups are as targeted communities: 1) People with partial disabilities: deaf and dumb, physically or mentally disabled 2) Fisher families 3) Youth from the grassroots 4) Children from the underprivileged communities: new arrivals and single parent families.

After this successive way of promoting A Compassionate Church for Others for three years, it is expected that the programme will have facilitated at least eighteen HKCCCC local churches and/or with schools to recognize their core mandate of mission as A Compassionate Church for Others. These eighteen churches will bring good news to the marginalised groups in their communities by proclamation and caring. It is expected that at least 500 families and 1,500 individuals will benefit in three years. The churches involved will continue to mobilise other HKCCCC churches to acknowledge the same vision on out-reach and be compassionate for others in order to facilitate the sustainability of this initiative.