Building Relationships

A letter from Myoung Ho Yang serving in Hong Kong

April 2015

Before we came here we couldn’t expect that there is winter in Hong Kong. But there is! Of course we had no snow here and the temperature was not that low compared to the cold winter of the East Coast in the U.S. But it was cold enough to shiver, perhaps because of high humidity. Many students and professors, including me, suffered from flu this year. Finally spring has come and now is blending into summer.

Since we came here, every morning I have gotten up with thanksgiving and great expectation. I believe that it is God’s grace and will that I am serving here at this school.  Our partner, the Divinity School of Chung Chi College, plays a very important role in training spiritual leaders of Hong Kong, China, and other Asian countries. While the population of Christianity in China is rapidly growing, there is a huge lack of theologically educated leaders. Thankfully, the number of students from mainland China is increasing every year at this school, which is the only institute where they can get theological education in Hong Kong. They have come from many different areas of China. Some of them will train church leaders while most of them will serve as local church leaders or evangelists as soon as they finish their studies.

Choir practicing when the students visited a local church on Sunday

We also have some students from Myanmar. Myanmar consists of many ethnic groups. While most of the population are Buddhist, there is one ethnic group that is more than 90 percent Christian. I have two students in my classes who have served as seminary professors in Myanmar for several years. They have come to Chung Chi Divinity School for one year. Since last semester they have taken two courses of mine, which are ‘Twenty-first Century Hymnology’ and ‘Planning and Leading Worship Services.’ They are very passionate and diligent students. They are planning to offer courses on worship and congregational singing at their seminary when they go back to Myanmar this year. They expect those courses to play a significant role in training their students and in renewing worship in Myanmar.

This year I have begun to conduct a Divinity School choir. It is in the primary stage now. The current number of choir members is fewer than 15. We practice for an hour every Wednesday. Once a month this choir sings at the Thursday chapel, where about 150 students and professors gather. Now we are practicing songs for a Good Friday worship service, which I have been working with students to plan. Some of the Chinese students desire to improve their English for their studies and for evangelical purposes. They meet every Saturday. I have joined their meeting to help. We share our faith life and discuss some theological issues. This is a good opportunity for me to build relationships with students and learn more about Christianity in China.

Ji Yeon discussing with a teacher at a Chinese language school

Ji Yeon and I continue to study Chinese. Learning a new language is not an easy task, but we have been enjoying learning Chinese. The more we learn Chinese, the greater our passion and love for the Chinese people become, and the deeper we feel God’s plan for us in this mission work. I desire to speak Chinese fluently very soon so that I can also offer classes in Chinese and have deeper relationships with local church leaders for the ministry of the church. I am still spending most of my time learning Chinese and preparing classes. This semester, which started the first week of January, has about a month to go. After this semester I will also teach one course in the summer term, ‘Bible and Worship.’

Thank you for your prayers, support, and partnership with us in this ministry. Please continue to pray for us to do this ministry by the power of the Holy Spirit. In your prayers please remember our students and school and churches in Hong Kong. Please also pray for the people of Hong Kong. There are so many people who still do not know our Lord. We also invite your financial support. Without your generous support, this ministry cannot continue.

Grace in Christ,
Myoung Ho and Ji Yeon

Hab. 2:14: “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lordas the waters cover the sea.”

The 2015 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 241