A Reason to Celebrate

I'm going to intrude on your January holiday to bring you another story about Christmas. There simply wasn't enough time for me to tell you about the many ways in which we've reached out to lonely, vulnerable people and shared the love of Christ during the festive season. Domestic helpers who have been exploited have been among them.

Over the festive season many of those who work tirelessly behind the scenes serving exploited domestic helpers came together for a party! There were clients, volunteers, donors, staff and partner agencies who work for Christian Action's Domestic Migrant Workers programme. For most of our partners, their only reward is seeing justice come to pass. One of our volunteers (who typically preferred to remain anonymous) said: "These unfortunate migrant workers worry about their future. They lose even the little they have when their placements go wrong. Their children are the ones who suffer most, because their mothers go away to work."

Women of excellence who know the employment laws inside and out are our paralegal advisors.  They are a key element in the team. They take the time to hear each unique story and give wise and knowledgeable advice. This is very empowering for domestic workers who feel utterly helpless.  

Unfortunately even the clearest cases of abuse and exploitation can result in disappointment.  A presiding officer at the Hong Kong Labour Tribunal assesses each case, and he decides how to settle it based on the 'balance of probabilities'. As a result, many women will never recover all of their hard earned money.  That is why we are committed to helping them recover as much as possible.

Volunteer counselors are also key to the success of our team. They've heard many heartbreaking stories of lost hopes and dreams. They often see resigned acceptance reflected in the eyes of the women we try to help. That is why it's so important that we have partner organizations such as St. John’s and Chinese Rhenish Church who work alongside Christian Action to offer group counseling and classes to equip domestic helpers for a better future. All of us are part of a team effort with just one goal - serving the helpless.

During the festive celebrations, Pastor Mark Venezuela from Kowloon Evangelical Church was invited to share the message of Christmas. He shared the wonderful gift of the birth of Christ, as well as the wonderful gift on offer to all people through Christ’s birth and resurrection. That was the reason to truly celebrate the season!