by Jeremy Chu
In the past two years, there’s an ambiguous term called “Post-80s” arisen in the Hong Kong society. I call it ambiguous because there are at least two distinctive meanings for the term. First, it seems to refer to all young people born in the 80s, this is exactly how the mainstream media is using it. However, the gang who uses the term to self-nominate seems to have a different view on its meaning. As a member of the society, we see that the mainstream churches appear to be confused about this growing “Post-80s Movement”. Hence, SCM Hong Kong launched the “Post-80s Self-Research Program”. [read on]
A Reflection by Yustin Pasaribu,
WSCF AP ChairpersonFrom November 12-16, 2010, 60 participants from 19 Asian countries gathered at Choi Jasil Memorial near Seoul, Korea for the Asia Regional Meeting on the Global Christian Forum.
They represented national Councils of Churches and Christian Councils, National Catholic Bishops’ Conferences, National Evangelical and Pentecostal Alliances and Fellowships, Regional Ecumenical, Catholic, Evangelical and Pentecostal Bodies, and Churches. The meeting was held on the premises of the Fasting Prayer Mountain of Yoido Full Gospel Church in Seoul. [read on]
by Eechia
“I’m inviting you to participate as an observer to come and learn more about the SCM,” said Necta, the Regional Secretary of World Students Christian Federation, Asia-Pacific (WSCF AP).
Such was the welcoming words of Necta as I joined the 19th Regional Committee Meeting (RCM) last July. Indeed, my perspectives had widened as I learned more about the life of the Student Christian Movements (SCM), of how our faith can be transformed into action, throughout my 7-day stay with the wonderful people from all over the Asia-Pacific region, in Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia. [read on]
by Monika Biswas, SCM Bangladesh
Participating in the 54th United Nations Commission on the Status on Women (UNCSW) was a unique experience The First World Conference on Women, almost thirty-five years ago, promoted the vision of “equality, development and peace” as a guide for enhanced global, regional and national actions to advance the status of women. In Copenhagen and Nairobi, commitments to women’s rights continued to be articulated. The adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action for Equality, Development and Peace was, then, a consolidation of previous efforts to link the issues and major obstacles for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of women. [read on]
by Paddy Noble
My people are a proud people. Sometimes I think we are too proud we forget those around us. My people, Maori, are not always accepting of me and people like me but we manage to get along at certain times. I once thought God existed only the in Church my family attended nonetheless as I grew older God was beyond my own reasoning and I gave up trying to define God, the gender of God, and the scope of God’s love. We as theologians tend to put God in our box of reasoning and should let God be God, the Great Spirit, and let us be who we are in Peace and Love with each other. [read on]
by Hannah Angus, SCM Australia
What can bring together the youth? This is a question that has plagued me throughout the recent World Council of Churches AGAPE consultation in Chiang Mai. It is rare indeed, as a young Australian woman, to sit with such a diverse group as we were—ecumenists, students, church youth workers from the Eastern oceans of Tonga and Fiji to the Asian West of Pakistan and India, from as far North as Korea to the Southern continent of Australia. [read on]
by Lam Hiu Fan, Fanny, HKSCM ExCo
After joining the WSCF School for Ecumenical Leadership Formation (SELF) Programme in Manila, Philippines on 4-28th October, I developed a firm commitment to the Ecumenical Movement. During the SELF Programme we understood the history and development of the Ecumenical Movement, studied different issues in the globe context, studied the Bible with an ecumenical perspective and learned practical leadership and movement building skills. [read on]
by Doim Bang-joo,
WSCF AP Human Rights CoordinatorWhy me? This question bothered me every night on this trip, because I did not have enough time to digest the information about Zimbabwe and their story. Initially I thought, as a layperson, I did not exactly fit in the composition of the WCC visiting team, composed mainly of church leaders from other countries and meeting the church leaders in Zimbabwe. [read on]
by Kim Hyeong-Yong,
KSCF Chairperson of SKK University SCAI met women workers in a garment factory in Dhaka Bangladesh during the WSCF AP Human Rights Workshop's exposure program in July 2009. They were facing similar situations with those of Korean women in the 1970's. They were not receiving salaries commensurate with their long hours of working, and sometimes they are sexually assaulted by managers in the factory. [read on]
by Azusa Nakamura,
senior friend of the SCM/YMCA JapanMy friends from other Asian countries are usually surprised listening to my story, and then they ask "are there any homeless people in Japan, in Tokyo?" and my answer is yes, there are so many! According to government record (which is not reliable) there are about 25 thousand homeless people, and in Tokyo, about 5 thousand. [read on]
by Hemal Wickramathilake,
SCM Sri LankaThe South Asia Regional consultation on "Engendering Theology from Dalit – Tribal Perspectives" featured nearly 40 participants from five countries representing church agencies and regional organisations.
The programme was held at The Park Hotel, Vishakapatnam, A.P in India from March 10-15 2009. The programme was hosted by Churches of South India and organized by Council for World Mission, London. [read on]
by Cha Cha,
Peace Intern to Burma from KSCFMea la camp is the biggest camp in the border line between Thailand with Myanmar. There are about 5,000 refugees staying at this camp. I was a bit scared with the idea of going to this camp. But when I arrived at the refugee camp, my apprehensions were proved to be baseless. I saw a big market there and a lot of schools for them. It was more like a country village. There, I visited Karen Women’s Organization (KWO). [read on]
by Paddy Noble,
WSCF AP Human Rights CoordinatorDecember 13, 2008
One of the most controversial issues globally is our understanding, concepts and attitudes towards gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and people of many genders. From my perspective is that we don't engage enough in this issue given that even in our so called liberalism we still hold dearly to the fundamental conservatisms that we all grew up with—yes queer people do too!. [read on]
by Immanuel Gopala Kitnan,
SCM Sri Lanka General Secretary
WSCF AP Human Rights Committee MemberNovember 16-21, 2008
The fourth Annual United Nations Advocacy Week (UNAW) featured nearly 120 participants from around 45 countries*, representing diverse constituencies of churches, church agencies and regional ecumenical organizations. It was held at the Church Center for the United Nations in New York, from the November 16-21, 2008. [read on]
by Poon Wan Yu, SCM Hong Kong
I wish no one remembers what I have done in this morning! This morning a statement was read on the state before the very first session started. I was so sleepy at that time because of the tight schedule and jet lag, what can I understand from the statement on "sexual orientation" and "homesexual". [read on]
by Jazz Dron, SCM Australia
The Spirit in me greets the Spirit in you Hallelujah God's in us and we're in God, Hallelujah!
I applied to be the delegate for ASCM to the GA because I believe the Church has a prophetic task, and I believe that if the table ministry of Jesus was to be lived by the Church the world would be radically different. [read on]
by Leni Valeriano
The program has begun when I arrived, having faced some hurdles in securing a VISA. Since Filipinos are one of the most “mobile” people in this era of neo-liberal globalization, and present in more than 100 countries as migrant workers, one can only obtain a VISA to Mexico after some scrutinizing. I find it ironic though that Mexico lays very stringent migration rules for Filipinos, since Mexico itself is topping in world’s three greatest recipients of migrants “dollar remittance”, including Philippines and India; and also one of the biggest “labour exporter”. [read on]
by Biyaya G. Quizon, WSCF Asia-Pacific Vice Chairperson
Choosing Hope, Taking Action! was the theme of the three-day “Post Assembly Summit of Asian Religious Youth Leaders of the Religions for Peace” held from September 5-7, 2007 in Singapore. Taunted as the world’s largest coalition of religious communities accredited by the United Nations, Religions for Peace is a prestigious organization that works through its affiliated inter-religious councils in 70 countries in six continents. Representing the Student Christian Movements (SCMs) in this Youth Summit was a great privilege. [read on]
by Necta Montes Rocas
The Amity Easter Tour 2007 is an annual activity of the Amity Foundation in cooperation with the China Christian Council (CCC). The Tour aims to strengthen links between the Chinese churches and the international ecumenical community through a 10-day visit to the different churches, church educational institutions and seminaries, government offices working with churches and other religions in China, and Amity’s project sites and programs. [read on]
by Ashani John, SCM Sri Lanka
Youths from different South Asian countries, gathered at Fireflies Bangalore India, for a workshop aimed at fostering peace and bringing about social and ecological transformation from the perspective of religion, spirituality, and secularism. Thirty participants from five South Asian countries such as Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Sri Lanka participated the meeting. [read on]
by Hannah Angus, SCM Australia
The WSCF AP Human Rights Workshop was held from 3 to 10 September in Parapat, North Sumatra, Indonesia. It brought together participants from across the region, to discuss issues of human rights, the way they affect our individual countries and ways in which participants could be, or already are, involved in our work as part of WSCF or as ASCM. [read on]
by Anna Cho
Anna hails from KSCF had spent 3 months with an NGO, Youth for Change, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, as part of her internship with the Women’s Programme Internship. Below is a short account of her experiential time in Kuala Lumpur.
I have been doing the internship with Youth for Change (Y4C) for two months already. [read on]
by Eloise Wright,
Australian Student Christian MovementFrom July 31 to August 9 this year, a WSCF Inter-Regional Programme on the theme of Empire was held in Nairobi, Kenya. This programme brought together 22 participants from 19 different countries for the purpose of critical analysis, theological reflection and action-planning on this topic. I attended as an Asia-Pacific delegate, along with Freddy Pandiangan from GMKI. [read on]
by Kim Ling and Cathy, SCM Hong Kong
China is a fast-growing country. But at the same time, it is misunderstood by both foreigners and overseas Chinese, especially regarding religious matters. Most of us might still conjure images of religious suppression during China’s Cultural Revolution. Undeniably, the communist government did demolish thousands of churches and temples and imprisoned numerous devoted religious leaders during this dark era. Still today, China imposes heavy restrictions and control over religious affairs, like refusing to acknowledge Vatican authority and designating its own bishops, forbidding all forms of preaching outside of churches, and sending political officers to ‘attend’ various religious activities. [read on]
by Jonathan Ah Kit,
Student Christian Movement AotearoaThe third and final reading of the Civil Union Bill 2004 (CUB) was a step in the best direction for New Zealand's rainbow community, many of whom are by the nature of their life partnership with another of God's blessed creations, are unable to legally marry. While it was sad personally to see my rainbow friends still unable to marry, the extension of the concept of civil unions in to New Zealand law is a welcome step in that eventual direction. [read on]
by Sayun/Chiang Wanchen
During those days when I was staying in Hong Kong for the events related to the anti-WTO activities, I kept questioning myself, “How will I remember the numerous statements declared by the different groups and organisers of those events when I am back to Taiwan? And, how can I share with my friends the feelings that the WTO has a huge impact on our livelihoods as well? How can we all be aware on this issue? Compare to other developing countries in Asia, what are the influences of the country which I am living in which seems to be more developed economically or perhaps more capitalist?” [read on]
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