What is trending here? BAC Children's Programs

June 2022  
Loran Tang, recruiter and training coordinator of Children Ministry

As we reflected what happened in the past couple of years, global and national headlines definitely wear us down. Covid-19 and its endless variants; extreme weathers such as drought in the State and record high temperatures in some parts of Canada, the war in Ukraine, inflation and gas prices that eat up our money. They are impactful, heavy and apocalyptic (I mean its original meaning here: reveal). Aren’t they?  If all these news are pointing that Jesus’ coming is closer than ever, let’s be vigilant and diligent in God’s work!  In fact, if you are abreast of the new trends in Canada and also in BAC, you would agree that “NOW” is another defining moment for us!    

Since Canada has offered “Open Work Permit” as a rapid access to Hong Kong people who seek for a new home, we see a big influx of immigrants in the past year. According to CIC news, a new data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) showed a 50 per cent jump in Hong Kong permanent residence landings and four-fold increase in study and work permit applications compared to pre-pandemic levels.    

To me and many other brothers and sisters at Cantonese congregation in BAC, they are not just a series of data. We are actually absorbing the impact!! In the past year, we have welcomed 24 families with kids that go to elementary and secondary schools, 15 older couples and a few college students from Hong Kong settling down in our Sunday worships (Cantonese and Re-Fresh), Fellowships and small groups while their young children participate into different children programs. As we are approaching summer, we were told by these families that we should expect more is coming as immigrants are trying to settle down in summer as to prepare the next school year for their kids.  

God has provided us numerous new members within a short time. I have never seen a rapid growth like this in the past 20 years I attended BAC. You can imagine many of us are busy to help these new members to integrate into our community. Like many other ministries, Children Ministry is also catching up by recruiting more volunteers.   

I hope brothers and sisters in English and Mandarin congregations will join us to welcome these families. Even though most of these parents join Cantonese services and Fellowships, their kids are becoming your kids’ new friends in Sunday School or worship. We, as a community that makes discipleship, are here altogether to support these new immigrants with God’s love!  

Will you see this as a golden opportunity for BAC to grow in quantity and quality? Will you reach out to these families by offering their kids a ride or inviting them to lunch together after Sunday service? And do you believe they are the new generation to enter the Promised Land with us?  

 “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.” (John 9:4). God has opened a door for us to win more souls and make more disciples in the crisis of the pandemic. Waste no time and do His work. Won’t you? 

To see the details of HK immigration to Canada in the past year, please click here

If you want to be part of the Children Ministry to welcome these new families, please contact Loran Tang