Happy Easter!

It is Easter Monday in Hong Kong, and the city is closed today.  This city benefits from celebrating Christian holidays - thanks to the years of British ownership, and the traditional Chinese holidays - thanks to thousands of years of tradition.  Though the number of Christians in Hong Kong is relatively small (only 10% of the population), the city does get Good Friday and Easter Monday off, and the evidence of Christianity is not hidden.  Let me share a bit about it with you:

View from our window - we seem
to be in the clouds

Palm Sunday was cloudy -  

Despite the weather, on our way to church, we passed a procession of Catholic devotees (looked mainly Filipino) heading to church waving their palm branches.  It was as if Christ really was being welcomed, and was very joyful to see.

Later in the day, it rained and rained.  I think we just got a taste of what is to come.  These are stairs on our route home:

The week between Palm Sunday and Easter was filled with many errands and preparations for having some friends over for dinner Friday night.  As the week progressed a few things made me think and reflect:

*one store had these signs, big and small, everywhere.  Now, I have been out of seminary for a few years, but I think when the angels pronounced "good news of great joy for all the people", and Jesus said "go and make disciples of all nations", the message was not to stop in the British Empire.  Easter is for everyone, not just the Brits! (sorry to burst your bubble, my British friends and relatives!)

*In a different store, on Thursday, a Chinese cashier wished me a "Happy Easter" - honestly, I was quite surprised.  I smiled and wished her the same, and as continued my wandering I reflected on when I last heard that from a store clerk...and I couldn't remember. Had I ever? This would seem like a 'politically incorrect' thing to say in Canada, yet here in this non-Christian nation, Easter is alive and well.

*A few weeks ago I was learning the Cantonese word for pastor (there isn't really a direct translation) and my instructor said "oh, are you Christian or Catholic".  I chuckle (as I always do with that question, as that is when I know I am not in Canada anymore), and when I said "Christian" she hi-fived me!  Seriously, full-out hi-five! I loved it!  I think when we meet fellow Christians we should do that...first, be brave enough to ask and then rejoice together in the sister and brother-hood of being a part of God's family!

 

*In the paper this week, I read an article about the church in Mainland China.  There are 15 million Protestant and 5 million Catholic believers in the 'official' churches (government controls all aspects of these churches).  There are 50 million believers in the underground/unofficial/house churches.  This article shared many stories of the sacrifice these believers make - from loss of job, arrest, and more. They would not be able to worship openly, or would risk imprisonment, this Easter.  I then gave thanks for my freedom to worship....hope you have done the same.

Good Friday we had three friends/co-workers of Jeff's from Canada over from dinner - thank you ladies for a wonderful evening full of good conversation and lots of laughter!  Thank you for helping us celebrate Easter, break in our home (not literally of course), and feel more settled in Hong Kong. 

Easter Sunday - I awoke to the green hill behind us, the birds chirping and the sun shining.  Perfect!  Jeff left for two weeks in North America - not perfect.  I headed to our new church family, and the joy, promise and hope of Easter was there - perfect!  I headed to new friends' home, taking a new bus system (mini-bus) which I had never done before.  Okay, I was really late but I made it - Perfect!  I had a wonderful time with many new friends, eating lots, chatting lots, laughing lots, learning lots, being outside lots, and truly relaxing and feeling blessed - Perfect!  We are sisters and brothers no matter where we come from or where we are - Perfect!

How was your week and your Easter?  Filled with family and long-time friends? You are truly blessed.  Yet this year I learned I am blessed to overflowing without any of those people. Though I missed them all very much (and dealt with a few times of tears), God provided new 'family and friends' to celebrate with - as my favourite verse says "may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit".  He fulfilled this promise once again for me this Easter, how about you?

Love you all, and with a big hi-five,

Linda

p.s....if you see Jeff, give him a hug for me!  Thanks