Let’s pray for joy, peace, and love for the people of Hong Kong and China on the 74th National Day of the People's Republic of China. May Our Heavenly Father continue to bless this city and help it withstand any challenges with ardent faith in HIM.

Some volunteers from our corporate partner visited the Mong Kok Service Centre to celebrate the mid-Autumn festival and distribute mooncakes and seasonal fruit to our 88 client children from deprived families. Pray that the beneficiaries will feel loved and cherished by the community, especially in this festive season.

Last week saw the end of our Season of Love 2023 - mooncake charity sale - Gather with a Grateful Heart. A big thank you to all the supporters, friends, and partners for the great work done. Pray that we continue to get enough to sustain our services for the underprivileged children and orphans in Hong Kong and Qinghai; and God’s love will be shared.

Praise God! Thanks to all guests, supporters, volunteers. The event “Celebrating the 74th National Day of the People’s Republic of China cum Sending Festive Blessings” held last month at our headquarters was well attended by many senior neighbours. Pray that all our endeavors of following Jesus Christ will be a powerful testimony for others to embrace the disadvantaged communities with love and care.

 We are conducting job matching for interns under the “ERB 20 x 50 Internship Programme”. Pray that this would help trainees who are middle-aged to re-enter the job market with renewed drive, vigor, and skills. Amen!

Christian Action (CA) will attend the HK Council of Social Services (HKCSS) seminar focusing on caregiver policy advocacy and service development to render supportive service for caregivers. Pray for His strength and wisdom as we explore more opportunities to collaborate with other stakeholders to share part of the stress of the caregivers who face great challenges of looking after seniors in the community or at home.

Today our Ethnic Minorities (EM) Youth Ambassador team will conduct an experiential activity at Deaf Cafeteria in Sai Kung, sponsored by a well-established private corporation for 12 EM children. Pray that they learn empathy, respect, and mutual understanding through the activity; and widen their life horizons. 

We are selecting products for the charity sale and planning the Season of Love 2023/24. Pray for His inspiration, connection, and protection in spreading wide the circulation channels all over the city to raise funds for our charity work for the deprived sector.

Let’s celebrate “World Mental Health Day” today. Pray that public concern will be aroused towards fostering mental well-being which gives us resilience and ability to cope with life stresses and thrive. Pray for His wisdom and direction to design and launch activities to promote mental health and a gentle spirit in inter-personal communication which is crucial to community and socio-economic development as a whole. Amen!

This morning sees the board meeting of the Hong Kong Church Network for the Poor (HKCNP). Mrs. Cheung-Ang Siew Mei, JP, our Executive Director, will join in her capacity as a director of HKCNP. Pray that the network will continue to unite churches and Christian agencies to extend a helping hand to eliminate the wealth gap in the city; and may His name be glorified. Amen!

This October sees the beginning of a new round of “Go Digital Career” that offers free career-oriented digital learning classes in web development for young people at our headquarters. Pray that we thrive on enhancing these young persons to find suitable jobs in the internet era and may God give them wisdom to manage these skills.

Urgent!
Please continue to pray for the results of the fund-raising proposals submitted by our Centre for Refugees (CFR) which struggles to get enough funding to sustain our ministry for this most-marginalized sector in the city. Pray for our steadfast faith in His providence and protection.

This week, our Migrant Domestic Workers (MDW) Service Team will co-organize a workshop with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) for 40 Indonesian migrant domestic workers on the understanding and prevention of human trafficking especially sexual exploitation. Pray that more partners will collaborate with us to extend a helping hand to those who work far away from their hometowns to earn a living.

Funded by the HK Jockey Club Charities Trust, our CDF-On Tai Service Centre (CDF-OTSC) is implementing the Jockey Club AI Community Innovation Programme to strengthen the mentees of our CDF mentorship programme to acquire hands-on skills in artificial intelligence (AI) to real-world application. Pray that we strive to help them cope with the fast-moving trend in this e-generation.

Our Child Development Fund-Long Ping Service Centre (CDF-LPSC) will organize a pastel Nagomi art workshop once a week in October for 8 mentees. Pray that it will help them in self-expression through art, let go of their worries and unleash their potential. Pray that we strive to deliver light and hope to our young generation from the disadvantaged families in Hong Kong.

To stimulate public awareness of poverty, the United Nations has assigned 17th of October of every year as “International Day for the Eradication of Poverty”. Pray that more public concern will be raised towards the poverty in HK and beyond. Please support our Friends of Christian Action and pray that the “10.17 Fast-a-meal Caring for Poor Movement” and other actions will run smoothly and be effective to help in the recognition of, and hasten an end, to persistent poverty.

Our Training Services Division will host 2 job fairs – in both Kowloon Bay and North District this October. Pray that the attendees will have access to the most updated job market information and vocational training opportunities and find permanent employment soon.

Our Information and Technology Department will start using a new computer system to improve the utilization of resources such as classroom, equipment, and manpower for our training services. Pray that this system upgrade will enhance our work efficiency and quality of services rendered to our service users.

Today is the AGM of the HK Christian Council, in which Mrs. Cheung also serves in the capacity of a member of the Executive Committee. May God guide her words and steps; and continue to use her as His good channel of peace.

20 of our student mentees from our CDF-OTSC will visit a fire station today. We hope that they will learn more about the daily life of a firefighter and the tools and equipment used in firefighting. Pray that more career-oriented experience will be offered to our youth in their self-exploration, and eventually they will pursue a purposeful life pleasing to God. Amen!

This October, the Training Services Division has conducted some ERB training classes for different career fields such as barista, post-natal helper, dim sum chef and dessert maker. Pray that God will give them courage and persistence, that the trainees will benefit through these self-exploration and self-enrichment exercises and realize their dreams soon.

Today is Chung Yeung Festival.
According to Chinese tradition, people often go hiking on this day to avoid bad luck. Pray that our staff will enjoy their nature walks packed with the wonders of God’s creations, get refreshed, and feel relaxed to serve the community with a recharged mind and spirit.

A current poverty study found that the wealth gap in the city has been widened with the poorest sector struggling to recover from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and their livelihood is greatly aggravated by soaring inflation especially of food and necessities. Pray that the government will suggest feasible solutions in the upcoming policy address to ease the problems which affect many of our grassroots clients. Amen!

This month, sponsored by the HK Housing Authority’s Estate Management Advisory Committee, our Social Enterprise Department is running several community carnivals in our neighbourhood. Pray that all residents will experience a deepening sense of community and God’s love as they participate.

Please continue to pray for the smooth implementation of the vocational training programme tailor-made for the youth in need in Qinghai. Pray that the beneficiaries will be better equipped and enriched to live an independent and vibrant life in future.

Our EM youth ambassador team is conducting a regular activity through playing games for about 10 EM youth every Friday evening this October. Pray that we help to promote the spirit of teamwork and social integration in a cheerful and relaxed environment.

The Social Enterprise Department has implemented 2 green collection events in the private housing estates in our vicinity this month. Pray that we help promote environmental conservation through our consistent efforts.

Our EM Youth Ambassador Team has carried out regular outreach activities on Hong Kong Island and Kowloon thrice weekly. Pray that we strive to build a community that upholds cultural integration, mutual respect and understanding. Amen!

Mrs. Cheung will attend "ERB Partners Luncheon 2023" held by the Employees Retraining Board (ERB) today. Pray that we continue to collaborate with different stakeholders to offer updated training programmes for the corporates and job seekers as well.

Our CDF-LPSC is going to hold an event themed goal setting and financial management under the “Personal Development Plan”, one of the major elements of the CDF Mentorship Programme. Pray that the mentees will gradually realize their dreams by utilizing their target savings under the programme; and choose to walk on a God-pleasing path beyond the programme.