Churches, such as St Barnabas in North London are already playing an important role in welcoming newly-arrived people from Hong Kong. The story of the group from St Barnabas started with a simple act of hospitality. One of the existing church members had heard of three families who were newly arrived from Hong Kong, and she dropped them in some traditional bread she had baked. Fast forward a year, and those initial three women from Hong Kong who she welcomed have become a core leadership team of nine, and they welcome those newly arriving from Hong Kong into their community. Theirs has been a story of prayer and provision, they tell me.
Their group meets at Hope Café within St Barnabas church, and welcome 20-30 individuals for food and fellowship each week. They welcome newcomers in each time they meet, and they tell me of how they have taken the courage to invite those from Hong Kong who they meet on the street, or at the school gate to their group. Some come along for the hospitality, to meet people and find out about how others have started to navigate new lives in the UK. Some have also started coming to Sunday services and they have also started a life group, who are following the Alpha course in Cantonese.
Hope Café where they meet is itself a social enterprise programme of Hope North London, and the HK Welcome team tell me that they enjoy the win-win of having a welcoming space to meet, whilst also supporting the work of the café. Some of those who have arrived from Hong Kong over the last two years also volunteer at the church community lunch, and they tell me how they value the opportunity to serve others in the local community.
So what are the needs of newly-arrived people from Hong Kong?
The key needs of newly-arrived people from Hong Kong are: support with navigating UK systems, securing accommodation, and school places. Then in the medium term, support with English language learning and finding suitable employment. Mental health support can also be an important need, since some Hong Kongers may experience feelings of guilt about leaving Hong Kong, or those on the “frontline” during the Movements may suffer from PTSD.
How can churches support?
Sign up to the UKHK church network
Many churches have already joined the UKHK Church Network, which is managed by Welcome Churches. This network provides support for churches to train up members of the church to be welcomers, and commits to being a church who are keen to welcome Christians from Hong Kong who are looking for a congregation to join. Churches can sign up here.
Social events and English classes
As we have seen, Church-based initiatives such as social events can be very helpful ways to start to build relationships, as well as English classes, especially in areas that see a high population of Hong Kong immigrants.
Reaching out to existing networks
Churches can try to reach out to existing/ developing regional Hong Konger communities and groups, and look for opportunities to partner together. These groups are good at connecting the Hong Kongers in a specific area. By working with these groups churches can have a clearer idea of the local needs of Hong Kongers in their area, and where they might be best able to provide support.
Prau
- We can be praying for those who have arrived from Hong Kong, as they get used to life in the UK. For a warm welcome, and for provision of suitable employment and school places for their children.
- We can also be praying for those families where the husband or wife has had to remain in Hong Kong at the current time. That they would experience the support of community around them whilst they are separated.
- We can be praying that organisations working to coordinate the Hong Kong Welcome, such as Welcome Churches would receive timely funding to work on projects relating to employment, as well as social and educational integration.
- We can be praying that those who have arrived, and may be in need of mental health support would be willing to allow support workers and NGO volunteers to approach them. For those who had suffered, that they would receive the right support to process their experiences.
- We can be praying that more churches would join together to welcome people from Hong Kong.
