Serving Our Neighbors

When high levels of lead were recently found in the water supply at Kai Ching Estate, a new public housing estate in Kowloon, all Hong Kong residents were shocked. There are 5,200 households in this estate, with an average of three people in each home. Over 15,000 people needed a prompt solution to this frightening problem.

After a clean, centralized water source was established, a bucket brigade began.  Volunteers quickly stepped in to help carry heavy buckets, but the eagerness to help naturally ceased at around 8pm. Yet this is a time when families are either cooking or cleaning up after dinner and preparing for breakfast and work the next day. This left Christian Action with the opportunity to step in and help - something we have been doing in various ways for 30 years!

Volunteers responded to our calls and came from the Integrated Employment Assistance Programme for Self-reliance; the Ethnic Minority community; the New Arrivals from Mainland China programme, and the Youth Employment and Training Programme. Most of those who came are, or have been charity beneficiaries for several years.  We were so glad to see them now reaching out to help others.

Jia Xi, a student in the Youth Employment & Training Programme, told us "I don’t care that I had to travel quite far to get here. These people needed help, and I don’t mind providing it. A burden shared is a burden halved!"

Arian, who is a kindergarten teacher from the Philippines said, "We teach the children to think about others, and to help one another. So this was an excellent opportunity to be a role model to my students. What they learn now will impact them for the rest of their lives!"

Christian Action is only a few blocks away from Kai Ching Estate, so we felt as though we were reaching out to our neighbors. Thank you to everyone who got involved in this outreach. The residents of Kai Ching Estate were truly blessed to discover that so many people cared about them!