Sixty Years On...

Sixty years after the signing of the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, 43.7 million people are seeking asylum from persecution. Half of them are children. Their home-land is no longer a place of safety; it has become their enemy.  Asylum seekers sojourning in Hong Kong are nothing more than murky shadows in the minds of most people here, and when refugees do pluck up enough courage to step out of those shadows, they are feared.

In 1985 our mandate was to bring hope to thousands of stranded Vietnamese refugees in Hong Kong. After 25 years, we are still offering hope to refugees and asylum seekers. Most have fled war and persecution in South Asia and Africa. They arrive here frightened and traumatized. Hopelessness hovers over them constantly, threatening to overwhelm them at any moment. Many aren’t even sure if they are grateful to be alive, as the scars of war haunt them incessantly. They wonder if they will spend the rest of their lives with this psychological disability, like a broken leg that hasn’t healed properly.

But the traumas of escaping don’t end. After registering with the UNHCR, these unfortunate people are given only enough food and shelter to survive, but not enough to live with dignity. No other support is forthcoming. Then the long wait to determine whether they are genuine refugees begins - on average, a wait of four to six years. Adults are forced to do nothing but wait - no work, no education, not even as a volunteer!  Children are better off, they can go to school.

Christian Action has stepped in, offering comfort, friendship and more. Donors fund three meals a day to ensure that those who can’t stretch their food allowance are fed. Some don’t have cooking facilities in their tiny quarters. We help them find shelter, give clothing, and put children into school. We also create opportunities to have fun in a relaxing environment. Increasingly, we are offering counseling by qualified professionals to help heal the psychological scars they carry like unwanted baggage.

These are not shadows, but people as real as you or I. They have dreams; they fall in love and get married; they want to raise their children in a safe place, they want careers, and many want to make a difference in this world.

Please spread the word that Christian Action is co-hosting an awareness creation expo at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Click or share this link: Click Here

Thank you!