Thank for your companion, ECH has entered into its 65th anniversary year!
Please watch this LIVE broadcast to celebrate with our children and youth and give your support!
Evangelical Children’s Home and Rotary District 3450 launched the “Break the Wave Program – Rotary and Homeless Youth” for the 18-year-old homeless youth, and jointly held the “Paddling Upstream for Dreams” Sharing Session on November 17. This is to encourage homeless Youth to muster up courage to overcome difficulties, go upstream and set sails for dreams.
At the “Paddling Upstream for Dreams” Sharing Session, Wong Cho Lam shared his own background and experience in overcoming barriers at bad times to cheer up the homeless youth. He encouraged them to stand firm and never give up in seeking for their dreams against adverse situations. Students were encouraged to work hard to plan for their future.
Wong Cho Lam remarked frankly that he could “never imagine” whether he could succeed or not when he was young. He only believed in moving towards his goals and dreams step by step. Whatever job opportunity or role he had taken, he sticked to his motto of “Try my best, but prepare for the worst”, and to work hard. Even though he failed, he would never be discouraged and give up.
He believed that young people are like the seeds, while the soil, sunshine and water nurturing its growth could be the encountering with people, friends, frustrations and the self-reflection. He also believed that even encountering barriers like “countering current”, there could always be a way out to “break the wave”. As long as we learned to “just take it easy” and “relax to see where the current would take us, maybe surprisingly, it would bring us to the downstream again.”
The sharing guests also included Manci Man, the founder of M PATISSERIE in making art cakes and she was brought up from children home, Siu Yue Ming, a youth beneficiary of Evangel Children’s Home, “Flying Star” and “Strong Baby”, graduates of HKCC and also aging out youth from children’s homes. Singer-songwriter Chaelia Wong also sang for the event the theme song.
Even if you fail to “win at the starting line”, it does not mean that you will always be behind. As long as you have a goal, are willing to kick start, and put in the greatest perseverance and effort, you can finally start a second new life and create your own future.
In response to the rapid changes in society, Evangel Children’s Home launched the “Youth Discipleship” to guide the understanding of the gospel. On November 10th, the “2nd Chance in Life – Youth Ministry” kick-off ceremony was held at CityLab in Jordan. Dr. Choi Yuen Wan, the President of “Youth Global Network”, Rev. Kenneth Sheck Kin Law, General Secretary of “Evangelical Free Church of China”, were the officiating guests with sharing sessions. At the event, eight elements of what the youth would need to kick start for a second new life stepping into the society were highlighted namely, knowledge, career development, gospel, connection, hope, residency, walking together, and funding. These are as important as 8 glasses of water needed by a body. A cup of cold water seems trivial, but with the support of different parties, the joint effort can help the youth from children’s home to tide over the difficulties.
In the face of adversity in early childhood, children of the residential home have no choice of their born background of their “First Life”. With the support and the shepherding, they can be helped to kick start and advance themselves for a “second life”. The ministry strives to provide transitional residence and co-living services to assist “Home Youth” in planning their careers; lead the experience of the gospel calling to gain abundance of life; through diversified training, nurture their growth and improve their social and professional skills, and enter the journey of discipleship. , Rev. Cheung Chung Ming, Consultant Pastor of Evangel Children’s Home said: “The “Christian Education Course” to be open is to support the “Home Youth” to bear fruit and build a “purposeful” life. The ministry connects with the Christian community network and practices “walking together, connecting and caring” so that young people can go to collaborated churches and continue to grow in “spiritual homes.”
Leo and Kit, who lived in Evangel Children’s Home before shared about the trauma they had been suffered from their born family when they were growing up. They were grateful to God for the opportunity to learn about the gospel at Evangel Children’s Home; With God’s love, their lives had been changed. Leo finally mended the relationship with his father, while Kit overcame unknown fears, accepted God’s dispatch, and inherited the Lord’s love.
The seminar was successfully held on October 27, 2017. More than 150 people attended that day, and 70% of them came from the residential care field. Participants concerned about both the needs and the anxiety faced by the youth aging out from the residential homes.
The results of the homeless youth research report were announced at the meeting, covering 10 areas, including: 1) Career Development, 2) Facing the Future, 3) Personal Grow-up Experience, 4) Barriers in Life, 5) Personal Needs, 6) Influences of Family, 7 ) Influence of School, 8) Peer Group Relationship, 9) The Role of Children’s or Youth Home, 10) Social Service & Support, and analyzed the respondents’ expectations for future development. Guest speakers from different sectors shared the social collaboration, government resources allocation, and how to break through the resources deficiency, and how to work with homeless youth as life mentors, and analyzed and understood the needs of these youth from a dimension of different perspectives. (Download the Summary of the Research Report) (Download the Full Text of the Research Report)
These youth experienced adverse impacts on personal growth and family difficulties, causing physical and mental barriers. Lacking of financial and spiritual support from families, they bear more burdens than others, and the anxiety and fear brought about made us more concerned about them.
The “2nd Chance in Life – Transitional Youth Sponsorship Program” developed by Evangel Children’s Home included the “Youth Home Outreach Program”, “Life Planning, Career Development and Internship Program”, “Workplace Mentor”, and “Mentorship and Life Coaching” program, “Continuous Education Scholarships” and “Professional Training Fund”. These are to support the youth in difficulties to further their studies, transit for independent living with transitional residence and employment, and enhance the upward moving, giving themselves a second chance in life.
We are convinced that these young people are youthful, energetic and precious in the eyes of God. Hoping that church leaders and youth pastors would share also the vision and mission, walk with them, and help them become pillars of our society in the future.
