A Dignified Farewell

Elderly volunteer attendees at the funeral.

We all know that death will end every life. Over the past 11 years, Jeffrey Andrews, social worker at our Centre for Refugees, has seen at least eight deaths in the refugee community. In Hong Kong, the unclaimed bodies of refugees are cremated and their ashes are simply discarded. That is a sad thought for Jeff’s clients. They naturally wonder if and when they will one day meet the same fate. Jeff says, “Some of the refugees have been here for over 10 years, so we are their family. I had to do something about this careless handling of the ashes.”

Jeff and his team try to contact the late refugee’s family to inform them of the sad news, and also to arrange funeral services. This includes getting the ashes home to loved ones. Jeff says, “It’s very awkward for everybody, because most of their family members are unable to directly interact with each other while they grieve. They also lack the funds to give the deceased a dignified farewell.”

Jeff hosting the funeral service with a pastor connected on his phone.

To raise awareness of this situation and obtain funds for the funerals, which cost about HKD 17,000 each, Jeffrey took to Facebook. He is now very thankful for the generosity of those who have helped to make the formal send-offs possible.

Last year, an Indian Christian refugee with terminal cancer breathed her last. Due to the social unrest, it was difficult to find a pastor in Hong Kong to conduct her funeral. So Jeff arranged a Facebook live session on his phone between the Indian lady’s daughters and a pastor who conducted the ceremony. Six elderly volunteers attended. Jeff was pleased to be able to give the lady and her family a dignified service. Thanks to the generous help of donors, the cremated remains were sent to India.

Jeff is very thankful for the support Christian Action has given him to do what is right and honourable. He said, “At Christian Action we give dignity to the most vulnerable among us - that is the beauty of our organization.”

Jeff assisting with cremation.

Encouraged by Jeff’s devotion, I encourage you to help those who need it. Our work is challenging, but we are continually grateful for God’s guidance and blessing.