Magnificent Hong Kong People

Hong Kong people pulled off another gigantic protest march against the proposed extradition bill.  When the police responded to the first one with violent suppression, when the government insisted that the people simply misunderstood, when the pro-establishment politicians decided to continue to push through the bill brutally through the legislature, when the government insulted all mothers by claiming to be a mother to the citizens and turned out to be an abusive mother, Hong Kong people decided to march again, in greater numbers, with greater determination, to tell them NO.  

At this great moment, we need to step back and take a longer and broader look at what we are doing.  We are not just demanding the withdrawal of the terrible bill.  We are fighting for a better Hong Kong, with justice, freedom and prosperity.  Even if the establishment delays or withdraws the bill, they may come back with a worse one.   They may continue to turn more oppressive in many other areas.   If we win this fight, it is not the end - there will be more.  If we lose this light, it is also not the end - there will be more.  Our persistence is our best hope for a better future. 

I could not participate in this march because I am in Rwanda, with 3 teams of students working on 3 projects: installing solar panels to generate electricity for 150 households, helping the local village people to build cheap, efficient stoves to improve the cooking, and helping them to plant small vegetable gardens to improve their diet.  

Being in Rwanda gives me another perspective to our struggles in Hong Kong.  In 1994 Rwanda went through a horrible genocide.  The depth of suffering went way beyond what we have suffered in Hong Kong.  Yet the people did not despair.  They punished the killers, then proceed to reconcile the belligerents and rebuild the country.  Today the country is still very poor but growing.  The people are poor but hopeful.  The country is clean, physically and in governance.  They may be materially poor but strong in character and spirit. 

I do not wish to play down the problematic governance and oppressive tendencies in Hong Kong.  But Rwanda does teach me that life is long term.  We should not and cannot not give up in the depth of despair.  Nor should we gloat and be complacent at the moment of apparent victory.  All are in the hands of God, and we should continue to do the right things no matter what happens.