The Lutheran Church Hong Kong Synod

1. The Lutheran Church Hong Kong Synod “ABLAZE” ~ SERVE THE Destitue

2. Rationale • In the present time, the major works the Hong Kong Government do on the poverty issue are providing the minimal safety net. Although the tangible deficiencies may be satisfied under the net, the more deeper, internal and spiritual needs are always neglected. 2. However, Jesus taught us to let “the poor have the good news given to them” (Matthew, 11:5). Thus, to serve the poor is not only one of the important missions of the church, or to follow Jesus Christ’s teachings; but also we take such actions to manifest the love of God and demonstrate God’s love to humans. People can feel and touch the God through our work on them.

3. 3.The Lutheran Church Hong Kong Synod is planned to organize a project called “Serve the Least” in the coming mission of “ABLAZE”. By the project, we will provide direct services and missionary works on the family of poor through the cooperation of different sectors of the Synod, including the churches, the social service units and the schools.

4. Service Target groups • Families of poor and their children, including families of unemployment, social security recipient or low income, single parent and new arrivals. Definition of low income family

5. Objectives • Providing appropriate services for the children from the family of poor in order to build up their self-confidence and ability and enhance their development, so that diminish intergenerational poverty in the long term. • Assisting families with difficulties in properly caring their children through providing after-school care services, social and developmental groups or programmes. • Establishing or enlarging social networks for the children and their families with the help of social workers so that they have more resources to tackle the difficulties they faced in daily life. • Knowing and learning the Gospels in order to let their life become more abundantly though they still are in poverty.

6. Service District • Kowloon City • approximately 1,000 hectares • 380,000 population • Most of population live in private housing such as old tenement buildings, private residential development.

7. Service Content • Using out-reaching methods (such as intensive home visit, road show or exhibition) to identify the families in need such as single parents, new arrival from China, unemployed familiy. • Follow the cases by social workers. Cases such as marital counseling, housing and financial assistance etc.

8. Services Content • Providing tutorial groups, social and developmental activities for the children in order to enhance their self-confidence and ability.

9. Services Content (con’t) • Recruiting and training volunteers in the community to serve these families.

10. Services Content (con’t) • Coordinating service of transferal of materials (such as food, stationary, computer, emergency fund) which helps the families of poor to get what they need, in order to promote mutual help among neighborhoods.

11. Services Content (con’t) • Telling them the Good News and encouraging to join the activities held by the church in order to think of the truth and establish a more abundant life.

12. Back-up • Churches of The Lutheran Church Hong Kong Synod ~ Shepherd Lutheran Church in Kowloon City ~ Mun Yau Mission Station in Martha Boss Lutheran Community Centre • Hong Kong Lutheran Social Service ~ Ma Tau Wai Lutheran Centre for the Elderly ~ Martha Boss Lutheran Community Centre ~ Family Supporting and Networking Team

13. Number of people serve • Estimated total service attendance: over 3,500

14. Thank you