Cantonese College Fellowship of St. Louis: A Joyous Beginning (1994-1997)

Cantonese College Fellowship was the result of a vision of Hong & Linda Lo, supported by two devoted Christian couples & the leaders of the St. Louis Chinese Gospel Church. In the fall of 1993, Hong and Linda had contact with undergraduate students from Hong Kong studying in Washington University in St. Louis more than 50 of them, mainly through their daughter Erin, who was also studying there. Among the 50, a few were Christians but most were not. They missed Hong Kong and still stuck to her culture. Through Erin, Hong & Linda invited 22-25 of them to a picnic held by St. Louis Chinese Gospel Church. There was no group that could accommodate their needs, psychological and spiritual needs. At the beginning we invited them to Friendship Fellowship, a mandarin speaking fellowship mainly for Mainland China scholars. We also invited them to our home for dinner and tried to give them warm welcome and support.

After half year, only about 6-8 College Christians constantly attended Friendship Fellowship and many of them didn't feel comfortable attending Friendship Fellowship because of the language and age differences. In the Spring of 1994 Hong & Linda shared with 5-6 Cantonese speaking Christians their vision of establishing a Cantonese College Fellowship for them and prayed with them for the vision. More and more they came to the conclusion that they needed to start a fellowship among Cantonese speaking undergraduate students. Hong & Linda also shared their vision with Gordon & Annie Wong and Terry(Sing) & Ling Lum who attended Chinese Gospel Church as well and they showed their great support and concern. So we invited them to be CCF advisors. With the support of the leaders of the St. Louis Gospel Church the first committee was formed in summer 1994 and the committee members were Erin Lo, Kitty Leung, Wei Rong , Stephen Chan, Wayne Lu and Jonathan Cheung. Erin & Kitty were the coordinators. We were so impressed that they collected the names of new students from Hong Kong and went to welcome and pick them up at the airport. They tried their best to help and give support whenever they were needed. In late August, 1994, when the new school year started, they organized a welcome party for all Wash U. Cantonese Students and drew nearly 20 students.

The first formal fellowship meeting started on August 26, 1994. At first biweekly meetings were held in Gordon and Annie's house on Saturday evening. All committee members served faithfully and tried their best to outreach and invite their schoolmates to hear the Gospel. But attendance was not regular and the sense of belonging was not strong during the first semester.

After half a year, all began to seek for change. In a bold move, they voted for weekly fellowship meeting every Friday evening. The spirit suddenly changed to the better; students soon regarded the fellowship as a place of warmth and fellowship. In 1995 Spring, Hong and Linda were able to borrow the Memorial Presbyterian Church nearby Washington University as regular meeting place. About 12-16 Christians and non-Christians attended CCF here afterwards at regular meetings and sometimes more than 20 came depending on the nature of meeting. Besides Bible Study, the fellowship also organized gospel meetings, special talks, picnics, fruit picking trips, and social gatherings. We invited non-Christian students of Wash U. on special occasions like Thanksgiving & New Year Celebration Dinner and the responses were overwhelming. At Thanksgivings in 1994, 1995 and 96, the fellowship hosted dinner parties boasting of 30-40 students at our home. As advisors, Hong & Linda always opened their home for students and cared for them individually all those years and so did Gordon & Annie. The fellowship took every opportunity to share God's love and His gospel with Cantonese speaking non-Christian students at Wash. U and other universities. The members eagerly invited them to attend evangelistic rallies. We remember the occasion when a few Hong Kong Artists led by Mr. Roy Chao(**) under the name of Gospel Carrier Int. flew in to lead a city-wide concert gospel meeting. 3 to 4 students came to the Lord through their efforts. Some others also professed their faith at other gospel meetings. These new fruit of the gospel eventually blossomed and grew in faith. They served our Lord faithfully after graduation in St. Louis or elsewhere. For others, we believe that the seed of the gospel would always remain in the hearts of those who have experienced the love and hospitality of the Lo, the Wong and the Lum families.

We would not forget the dedication and the unity of all committee members of CCF especially the Coordinators/Chairpersons in 1994 Kitty & Erin, l995 Erin & Ka Ling, 1996 Ka Ling & Erin, 1997 Alan, Ka Ling & Kelvin. Kitty became the Junior Advisor of CCF after she graduated in 1997. We show our appreciation to Kitty for her continual ministry in CCF after graduation until she left for Hong Kong in 1999. We thank God for having Gordon & Annie and Terry & Ling as co-advisors through the years until their graduation. We also give thanks to God for Norris Wong who succeeded us to be the advisor of CCF when we left to answer a call to be pastor of the San Francisco Evangelical Free Church in l997. Thanks be to CGC leaders for their total support of establishing CCF and for their continual ministry among Cantonese speaking students.

To God be all glory.

(The above are mainly the reflections according to Hong & Linda Lo. Rev. Hong Lo is now serving as Senior Pastor of Grace Evangelical Free Church of San Francisco. We also thank Gordon, Erin & Kitty for their supply of recollected materials of the early days of CCF to make this article more accurate and memorable.)

--- Hong & Linda Lo ( 9.6..2004 )

Thank God for His provisions and it is with great thankfulness that CCF (CCYPCF) has been continuing its ministry to serve college and graduate students in St. Louis.

My 3.5 college years at Washington University-St. Louis laid the foundation of my spiritual life and through those years attending church and fellowship, helped me to draw closer to the Lord than ever before.  The tranquility of the Midwest lifestyle gave me more space and time to meditate on the meaning of life.  It is also because of the fellowship ministry that I started to realize the importance of outreach and evangelism.   

Shortly after graduation from college, I relocated to San Francisco Bay Area along with my family.  It is with God’s grace that I met my present husband, Frank, in Fremont Chinese Evangelical Free Church six years ago.  He is the greatest gift God has given to me.  We were married in July 2001 and are presently living in Fremont, only five minutes away from our church.  Currently I am serving in the worship team as vocalist and pianist, and am involved in the church’s mission ministry and children ministry.  Frank and I are also leading a Couples Cell Group that focuses on enhancing marriage relationships and couples’ spiritual life. 

--- Erin Lo (Graduated from WashU on Dec 1996)

Greetings in the name of the Lord!

It has been more than a month since I first set foot in my new condo. I praise God for this spacious and peaceful nest of mine. Still trying to set up my home and often wonder what I'm going to do with all this space! (Yeah, I'm so used to live in a closet :)
I am more than thankful as I reflect on the blessings God has granted since I graduated and left St. Louis about two years ago. I thank the Lord for allowing me to join His work by participating in the college student ministry while I was in St. Louis. God gave me numerous opportunities to evangelize to some student seekers and share their growing process after they accepted Christ. Even my contribution was minimal, but there are many lessons learned through this ministry.
I hope and pray that all the college students coming through this fellowship will know Christ and His saving grace and will become a faithful servants of our living God.

I thank the Lord for giving me this new job in southern Virginia. Can't imagine what would happen to me if I was still in central Florida with 3 hurricanes passing by. The small town I used to work and live in is truly a disaster zone without power and phone service for weeks after hurricane Charley, but I thank the Lord for protecting my friends there. I continue to love the job I have. The past year I was chosen as the employee of the month by my peers and also got an 8% raise working for just one year. However, the greatest joy is to see my patients getting strong and regain their independence once again. Of course, there are some sad moments... I actually witnessed a patient died in front of me while she worked with another therapist. That reminded me life is indeed very fragile. I need to cherish people around me and seize the opportunities to share Jesus. Please pray to God for wisdom, opportunities, and abilities to witness to my co-workers. I'm really humbled by the fact that some nursing aides are more bold in sharing their faith at work while I'm always busy running around to merely intervene physical problems.

I recently encountered a Chinese patient working on a ship from China. The Chinese workers are not allowed to leave the ship the entire time being in the U.S. I asked the patient whether visitors were allowed, he told me there were people from church visiting them with Christian literatures. I think it is a great opportunity to minister to these Chinese workers. Please pray that God will help me to develop a burden, locate the ship, have the wisdom, and the support needed to witness to those workers.

God has taught me numerous life lessons and expects me to continue to walk with Him humbly, serve Him faithfully, and love Him wholeheartedly. My focus at times is shifted toward worldly pursuits, yet the Lord has gently and patiently redirected me with His loving hand. I know my life is always a working progress. :)

I thank God for your support in prayers, phone calls, e-mails, and visitations (past and future :) as I'm living miles away from my family. My cat, Niele, has been a good company making me feel less alone and brought me joy. (Although she is getting fat by being spoiled & overfed by her owner) Please continue to pray for my life's direction and a spiritual home to serve.

May the Lord bless the work of your hand wherever you are!

--- Phoebe Au

Thanks Be To God

I give thanks to the Lord for His abundant love especially during the time of my seminary study in St. Louis. God gives me such a group of wonderful college Christians in St. Louis Chinese Gospel Church that I can learn and grow together in the Lord. I love this Fellowship very much as the Fellowship loves me. I thank God so much for this Fellowship. May the Lord continue His work in it.

---Siu Ling Phan

( Siu Ling has been an advisor in CCYPCF. She got her Master of Divinity in Covenant Theological Seminary in 2004 and is presently working part time in her home church, Houston Chinese Christian Church. )

Providence of God

In the Fall of 2003, I was invited to be the chairperson of the Cantonese College Christian Fellowship (CCCF), what is now known as the Cantonese College & Young Professionals Christian Fellowship (CCYPCF). Initially, I was a little reluctant to serve as the chairperson. However, I knew it was God's calling. Hence, I obeyed.
God was faithful and good. In the year and half of being the chairperson, I came to experience His mighty hand. He provided other godly brothers and sisters, who encouraged me during hardships and worked alongside with me to build His kingdom. He listened to our prayers for our fellow Christians and seekers. He also gave us one vision, one heart, and one mind.
I was truly humbled by God's love and grace! Despite my shortcomings, He called me to serve Him and others. God allowed me to have a taste of Acts 2:42, 46b-47:
"They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.... They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."
It is my prayer that this fellowship will continue in the Lord and experience the entirety of Acts 2:42-47. May God grant the committee members the love, unity, wisdom through the fear of the Lord, in order that the Lord may "...add to their number daily those who were being saved" through this fellowship.

---Cynthia Chiu

過去三年裡﹐我看到這個團契在不斷蛻變、成長 --- 「成長」當然不是指著團友年齡而言﹐雖然每次背團訓讀到「不可叫人小看你年輕」時已經開始令我感到汗顏﹐但我所說的是團契的運作方式和整體方向。我自己在這個團契就經歷了生命的蛻變﹕從對神、對聖經、對基督教信仰的深痛惡絕﹐到被聖靈親自把話語刺進我頑梗的腦海﹐然後讓基督的恩典征服我的心﹐我經歷和分享了神在我生命裡所獲得的勝利。

對於一個決志信主不算很久的人來說﹐這個團契提供了雙重的祝福﹕從成功、從合作、從學習、從歡笑中給予了我靈命成長所需的養份﹐又從失敗、從摩擦、從疑惑、從憂愁中給予了我靈命成長的機會﹐讓我體會到「跟喜樂的人同喜樂﹐跟哭泣的人同哭泣」的意義。

由於這個團契一直以來都是以粵語大專生為主﹐而這些留學生有很大部份都是留學生﹐所以團友流量比較大。歸根結底﹐聖路易對很多人來說只是求學生涯裡的一個跳板﹐並非落地生根的居所 ---工作機會及不上東西兩岸﹐更不用提中式食物的質素和選擇了(如果你們像我一樣曾經在中部一些鳥不生蛋的鄉間大學呆過幾年﹐你們可能會有完全不同的感受) 。團友流量大﹐團契參與人數自然很難有數字上的增長﹐可是縱然大部份團友在這個團契停留的時間只有幾個月到幾年﹐而且不是每一位團友都成為了基督徒﹐我相信神一直在使用著這個團契﹐在團友的心田裡播種、澆灌。

感謝多年來各位導師的扶持﹐也感謝各位團契職員付出了時間和心血。


---Stewart Hoi(師傅)