Hong Kong Exchange Reflections

There have been many things that took place during my Hong Kong exchange from end August to early December 2024. It would be too much to cover in just one post, so I have selected 3 things to reflect about:

1. Last-minute academic plan • Trusting God

My PIA4142 Global Public Health class. PS: this module is hard, and God is faithful to see me through T-T

In the middle of Jan 24, when I received the outcome that I was going to CityU Hong Kong for exchange, I wasn’t feeling very stoked. I was oblivious about what to do in Hong Kong and worried about my academic plan. It reduced me to a dilemma as to whether I should even accept this exchange because I did not want to waste money or 4 months of my time. Most of all, I was unsure if going for exchange was God’s will or my own will just to have fun.

On 29 Jan 24, my bible plan took me to Exodus 33. For context, Moses was following God’s call to lead Israel out of Sinai, to fresh new land. He met with the Lord constantly and it came to one day where he asked God to show him His ways. Verses 13-14 stood out and I felt God telling me, “Like Moses, you have been trying to understand what My way for you is for quite some time. I will personally go with you, and I will give you rest - everything will be fine for you.” I was still not that convinced it was God. I told Him, “if I read it this way, it is out of context,” then He said, “Didn’t you want me to speak from the word?”

I laughed and felt rebuked by God. Still, I felt anxious because my academic plan was not settled.

1 week before flying, it suddenly dawned upon me that I could try to map modules from another department back to my home university. 9 Sept 24, the last day of the add-drop period of CityU, the school confirmed my classes. I managed to map back 2 3K modules to social work, and double count to my communications minor, and 1 level 4K module that maps back to social work. Also, I only needed to attend 2 days of school, freeing up other days for me to do other things.

This whole episode revealed my need for control. I dislike last-minute things and tend to plan early so I can feel a sense of ease knowing what to look forward ahead. Trusting God’s voice and control requires boldness and knowing His character. God is a faithful Father, a promise keeper, and a gentle and firm refiner.

If you struggle with feeling anxious, ask who you think God is. Go back to His word and see if it aligns. You may not feel in control because it requires surrender, but He is safe to trust.

2. What to do in my free time • God's plans are good and timely

My Hong Kong YWAM Shanti family <3 Miss them so much T-T

From 15 May 24 to 27 Jul 24, I was in different settings where Acts 1:8 was being read. At the 7th time, I finally became curious if God was trying to get my attention, and I asked Him, to which He replied, “For Hong Kong.” I began to expect being in some Hong Kong ministry where I heard about how the power of God was actively touching and changing lives. On the 3rd day I landed in Hong Kong, on 28 Aug 24, I sensed God saying, “Go to where the need is.”

Through a connection, on 31 Aug 24, I gave a day to volunteer at YWAM Shanti, a missions organization serving refugee and asylum-seeking families. As I spoke with one of the staff later, the sentence, “We need people” kept coming up. I was offered an internship on the spot, which I was just shocked by since it was just my 6th day here. I felt peace to accept the offer, but could not reconcile my expectations that I was supposed to be in another ministry.

A week later, I got the chance to visit the ministry I thought I would be immersed in. Conversations revealed that there wasn’t much of a need for me to be there, but they were open for me to participate in what they were doing. I was so torn but I decided that I would go back to what I felt God first spoke, to “go to where the need is.” On 11 Sep 24, I finally asked God to help me settle my expectations, and interpretation of Acts 1:8 since I was doubting my hearing of Him. He spoke to me about the people I will be working with in my career, which aligns with the internship offer I have accepted. Also, He wanted to teach me “how love is mundane and long-suffering. It may feel unobvious in power, but never devoided of power.” 

On 24 Oct 24, a pastor pointed out, “When people are filled with the power of the Holy Spirit for the 1st time, they always tend to report encountering God’s love.” This helped me to reconcile why I received Acts 1:8 before coming to Hong Kong. Initially, I thought power meant the supernatural power of God and was naturally geared towards being in some obvious power ministry where the gifts of the Spirit were evident. But, my lens of understanding was zoomed out by what the pastor said, and later reading both Acts and 1 Corinthians in continuity.

I realized how love can be seen as power. Without love, flowing in the power of God becomes worthless, and the person accomplishes nothing.

The power of God flowing out of a heart of God's love helps the believer become an effective witness to reveal that God is not merely a God of power but of love. Instead of accepting the gospel message because of what He can do supernaturally and miraculously, the person believes because they know God loves them, and they want to enter into a relationship with Him.

3. Being surprised by God • God can work simultaneously

My Hong Kong residence family <3 Miss them so much too T-T

From 31 Aug 24 till 15 Nov 24, I had been put in conversations where the topic of God's redemption of one's past was talked about. Coupled with the training school held by the missions organization, where they went through topics like the Holy Spirit, inner healing, and the father heart of God, He began to bring back a specific layer I had been dealing with before coming for exchange. I was surprised God would bring it back because I carried an expectation that I was going to Hong Kong for work, which meant being laser-focused on school and ministry, not self-work.

Receiving healing for weeks helped me to realize that I have cleanly compartmentalized what I thought God could do in a given period. I was reminded of a friend's message sent on 13 Sept 24: “May you not only do the work of God but be the workmanship of God.” I felt Him breaking the mindset, saying, “I am more concerned about you than the work I have called you to do because you are My workmanship. Do not think I cannot use you while you are healing. As long as you stay yielded to Me, I can still work in and through you.”

God does work simultaneously in and through a person, and the key is to remain yielded to Him such that we do not become too inward-looking till we become too self-absorbed, nor too work-focused till we use those results as validation of God's approval. Both the inner and external workings of God are works of His grace.

In all, God has been so good and faithful. It is true that God really works all things together for the good of those He loves and calls according to His purposes. I did not expect my exchange to be so heart-opening and fruitful, and I am thankful to God for allowing me to meet brothers and sisters in Hong Kong who are living their lives for Him, involved in such good work, and cared for me like family when I was away from home. <3