Macau, Ministry, Meetings and Meandering.

Gosh, I can’t believe it’s been a week since I last posted. Time has just flown by!

Last Sunday was a pretty full-on day! I again attended All Saints Cathedral for their English Service in the morning. Although I wasn’t serving in any way, sitting in the congregation and worshipping was a real blessing. I stayed behind afterwards to join the beautiful Bible Study Group, which welcomes several Filipino women and encourages them in their faith. There is a large number of Filipinos here in Hong Kong who often take jobs as domestic helpers. Sunday is their only day off, so it is excellent they come to church. In a couple of weeks on Pentecost, there is a special service that welcomes them as ‘Friends of the Cathedral.’

Then it was time for a quick lunch at ‘The Red Tea’ with Fr Peter, his wife Angel, and her sister before heading off on our adventure to Macau!

Macau, often referred to as the 'Las Vegas of Asia,' is a Special Administrative Region of China, much like Hong Kong. Beyond its reputation for world-class casinos, Macau is a treasure trove of cultural and architectural beauty. Its unique blend of Portuguese and Chinese influences is evident in its stunning architecture, diverse cuisine, and rich traditions. This fusion of cultures is a testament to Macau's fascinating history and makes it a must-visit destination for cultural enthusiasts.

While there is no distinct Anglican Church of Macau in Macau, the Anglican Diocese of Hong Kong oversees Anglican activities and congregations in Macau as part of its broader mission. St Mark’s church in Macau was celebrating its 75th anniversary, so clergy and friends from Hong Kong were invited to celebrate with them.

Our journey to Macau from Hong Kong was an adventure in itself. We had two options: a ferry ride that would take around an hour or the ‘golden bus’ that traverses the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. Opting for the bus, we not only saved some money but also treated ourselves to breathtaking views along the way. This unique mode of transport added an extra layer of excitement to our trip.

The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge is one of the world's longest sea-crossing bridges, spanning approximately 34 miles in total length, including a series of bridges and tunnels. It was indeed a sight to behold!

After arriving in Macao, we were picked up and taken to St Mark’s, where we arrived just in time for the service to start at 4 pm. The service was in Cantonese, but I could follow along with a headset.

And then it was on to the Thanksgiving meal. We were whisked on a shuttle bus to a beautiful hotel for a traditional Chinese buffet! Some of the items on the menu were things I hadn’t tried before, but I gave them a good go! One of the things the Church does here so well is welcome and hospitality, often with food!

At 9 pm, it was time to head home, arriving back at the mission at midnight!

My thanks go to Fr Peter and his family for travelling with me and showing me where to go:)

Monday and Tuesday were again spent ship visiting at the container port. Again, It was great to hear from the seafarers about their lives and families and pray for them. I had a fascinating conversation with a Russian Captain who began our conversation sternly by asking me why the Brits hate the Russians so much! After I didn't quite know how to respond, he laughed and told me he was joking and I was most welcome! The captain was in command of a ship with many different nationalities, including Ukrainians. ‘We are all one when we are at sea; we are united, we are all human beings, and whatever our nationality, we have no animosity towards each other.'

As I may have mentioned before, although often very busy in port, the seafarers are always welcoming, offering us drinks and food. I have particularly enjoyed trying some Filipino food, including Pandesal (Filipino Rolls), Lumpia (Filipino Spring Rolls), and Filipino-style beef Curry!

On Monday evening, I strolled along the Harbour to watch the ‘Symphony of Lights Show’, where all the skyscrapers are lit up to music. The city does have a beautiful backdrop!

I also strolled along the Avenue of Stars—think of it as the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Hong Kong celebrities!

Wednesday I got to have my first hike of the week! This time, I cheated a little! I got the tram from Hong Kong Central up to the peak, where there are breathtaking sights of the city. I then made my way down through the Pok Fu Lam Country Park and completed a circular route of around 10k back to Hong Kong MTR station. The scenery here really does not disappoint. I’ve intentionally not worn headphones or listened to music. Instead, I’ve just taken in the natural sounds. It’s incredible how noisy nature is! I found these times of walking a gift to pray to the Lord and listen. It’s definitely something I want to continue when I'm back in the UK.

On Thursday, I was invited to Diocesan of Western Kowloon’s Clergy Meeting at All Saints Cathedral, where the focus of discussion was ‘Lay Readers’ Currently, the Hong Kong Church doesn’t operate with Lay Readers and so there are proposals for this to begin, including training, licensing etc. It was great to be able to share about Lay readers in terms of the Church of England and also my experience at St John’s; it goes without saying they were all positive comments:)

Lunch with some of the clergy at a Dim Sum restaurant followed before having some downtime in the afternoon.

I was back in Mong Kok for some dinner with Fr Peter before heading to the Cathedral for their excellent Accession Day service. I partook in the procession and served Holy Communion. The service was in Cantonese, but they had kindly printed me a whole copy in English:)

On Friday, I had a chance for a slightly shorter hike. I took the ferry from Central to Yung Shue Pier on Lamma Island and then walked across the island to Sok Kwu Wan to get a different ferry back to Central. This was probably my favourite walk so far. Yung Shue has an almost Mediterranean feel about it, with lots of narrow streets and small local shops. There are also no cars on the island, although you have to be careful of the small motorised bikes flying around.

It was nice to walk from one place to another, and the views again were breathtaking! The whole island has a wonderful character, with beautiful beaches too. I will hopefully get a chance to visit again when the family come over:)

Today (Saturday), I returned to the launch boat to visit some more ships. I have visited most ships with Fr Kim, the Port Chaplain here. I thoroughly enjoy spending time with him; there is lots of laughter. He is incredibly knowledgeable, and he cares deeply about the seafarers and their lives. He is a gifted chaplain, and I have learned much from him in this short time.

And here’s a short video of me making a fool of myself climbing back down from a ship visit. I was thankful I didn’t fall in!

This afternoon, after being dropped off by the launch at Central, I visited the Hong Kong Maritime Museum. It was interesting to trace the history of Hong Kong back over 2000 years and the vital role that shipping played in creating the city as we know it today. It also mentioned the Brit’s addiction to tea!

I will begin my final week at the mission tomorrow before my family arrives. I can’t wait to see them! Hopefully, I will get one or two blog posts in before then, and I'm gutted I missed the northern lights you have been experiencing! xxx