Listen to God - Wong Song-Song
Pastor of Evangelical Free Church of China - Kong Fok Church
MDiv 2014
Interviewed by : Chan Hing-Ling (Alumni Relations, MCS 2011)
Written by: Tong Fung-Ping (MCS 2013)
God’s calling is far-reaching. One step after another, His children will walk in His way.
Song-Song grew up in Shandong, China. The Province of Shandong has a long history and rich culture, which provided a fertile land for the young Song-Song to grow up. Song- Song loved to explore life since childhood. She always thought that there must be something beyond the value and meaning of the material level that worth serious pursuit. The young Song-Song wanted to explore different ways of life and wished to see through its meaning.
Having graduated from the Department of Geographical Information of Shandong University of Science and Technology in 2005, Song-Song continued her studies in the Hong Kong Polytechnic University with the recommendation of her professor. The application had been a tedious process, involving many departments and complicated procedures. It was quite a bumpy experience with twists and turns. She thought of giving up during the long wait, as there were oppor tunities in her home town anyway. However, her persistence was unexplainable. Whenever she was about to give up, new opportunities emerged that made her willing to try one more step.
Step by step, hurdles after hurdles, Song finally came to Hong Kong, a place that is unfamiliar to her. Apart from studying in Hong Kong, by the grace of God, Song-Song found the treasure of her life. In 2006, she decided to follow Jesus and became a Christian while studying at the University. In the beginning, she resisted it. Her education in atheism during childhood influenced her thought that believing in God was superstitious. Then she was enlightened by Luke 4:18, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free.” All her life she had been pursuing a liberation of life, which she found in the gospel. What Jesus Christ declared was not bondage but complete freedom.
Song-Song was certain that only the Lord Jesus could unravel the bondage of the human mind. She became steadily clear about her vocation of serving the intellectuals from Mainland, which was leading her into full-time ministry. In 2007, having graduated from the Poly U, she worked as a research assistant at the University for two years. Afterwards, she worked as a pastoral assistant at Hong Kong Mandarin Bible Church for almost two years. In 2011, Song-Song was admitted into the Master of Divinity program at CGST and formally equipped herself for full-time ministry.
Studying at CGST broadened Song-Song’s intellectual thoughts, allowing her to seek freely so that she could deepen her understanding about herself. Most importantly, with the care of her teachers, she confirmed her calling and became clearer about her future direction. After graduation from CGST and the one-year internship at her mother church, she faced two choices: continue to serve at her mother church or at the Evangelical Free Church of China – Kong Fok Church. The decision was a difficult one.
Song-Song understood that she needed to listen to God at that moment. From Shandong to Hong Kong, from seminary to church, God guided and led her step by step and she listened. At that critical moment, she needed to listen more humbly and attentively. She planned to pray for this matter for fifty days, hoping to get the answer from God. In a retreat, she clearly heard what God said to her, “Whether you choose A or B, you can fulfil your calling. Wherever you go, I will be with you. Now you have grown up, I want you to make your own choice.”
Fifty days passed. Song-Song finally decided to share her struggles with her mother church. They were very supportive and understanding. With the blessings from her mother church, Song-Song embarked on a journey to the new world.
Graduated from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Stepping out from the greenhouse, the once protected young girl becomes a mature adult who shoulders responsibilities at Kong Fok Church. Song-Song had to put aside her framed mind and be open to the diversity of life. It was not an easy task, but she is willing to learn. Now it has been more than a year since she served at Kong Fok Church. Looking back at God's guidance for bringing her to Hong Kong, the most important thing Song-Song experienced is to understand more about the Mainland people. Having lived in Hong Kong for many years, she personally experienced the difference in cultural habits and view of life. She left the country and hoped that she could think out of the box. The ultimate goal of this experience was to go back and serve the country, especially the college students in Mainland. Song-Song has a special burden for college students because she feels deeply for the intellectuals from Mainland whose lives are bound, not free. Just like what she had experienced before, the goal of her life used to be a successful career but God implanted another meaning in her life.
Although it has been many years since Song-Song resided in Hong Kong, her heart is still with the young people in China. She came to Hong Kong for she had listened to the calling of God. From now on, whenever she hears the voice of God again which would ask her to return to China Mainland, she would answer the Lord and say, “Here am I, send me!”
Explored Israel with CGST schoolmats
Preaching at the first Putonghua Worship Service at Kong Fok Church
