Hong Kong's Chief Secretary Values Our Work!

I had a strange experience a few days ago.  For the first time, I found myself sitting with a small group of leaders of Hong Kong charities in Government House having lunch with the Chief Secretary of the Hong Kong Government, Mr Henry Tang!

I sat there thinking how strange it was that only 16 years ago I was sitting in a tin shed with a leaking roof on the roof-top of the building which Christian Action now occupies. When it rained, my chair was always wet!  That shed was my office when I was employed as the Vietnamese Boat People Project Manager for Hong Kong Christian Aid to Refugees in 1992. I was appointed Executive Director six months later, and the organisation became known as Christian Action in 1994.

Over the last 16 years we have been firmly committed to the people of Hong Kong. We serve the world’s displaced right here in our midst including asylum seekers and refugees, domestic migrant workers from Indonesia, ethnic minorities from Nepal, cross-border families and new arrivals from China, just to name a few.  What often surprises those who don’t know about our programs  is the scale of our operations in Hong Kong. Christian Action has been blest and has become one of  Hong Kong’s largest providers of retraining programs for locals over the years. In a typical year for example, we conduct almost 700 classes which are attended by over 14,000 retrainees!  The courses are for those who are struggling with the challenges presented by this economy.

Mr Tang wants to be in touch with charities, and I was glad to be at the lunch to speak in support of agencies who don’t receive subventions from the Government.  I had the opportunity to answer questions about how Christian Action, one of only two organizations at the gathering that does not receive such government underwriting, has been able to implement so many essential projects.

I asked the Chief Secretary for the Government’s help in serving these people.  Mr Tang was most sympathetic and said that the Government wants to see charities survive because our work is valued.  This made me happy that I was invited to dine at Government house!

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God Bless you, Siew Mei