March saw Part 1 unfold of what we hope will be a three-year project to do church-based conflict transformation and mediation training in Hong Kong and Macau and China.  It builds off the leadership training I've been doing centered on the 10-day intensive Training of Conflict Transformation Trainers.  Jabbie Chia participated in the TCTT in Chiang Mai, Thailand in November 2012 (see my missionary journal about that event).  He had established a mediation center in Hong Kong, so the next step was to partner together to bring the training into the churches and to support Jabbie in the continued development of his training skills.  Together we designed the program and sharing the facilitation roles.  Ben Chan, IM's Area Director for parts of Asia including Hong Kong, Macau, and China, developed the vision for the three-year program, including training of church leaders, getting into theological institutions, and publishing resources in Chinese.  The three of us made a great team!

We had a excellent representation of pastors and evangelists from the Swatow Baptist Churches in Hong Kong for the two-day training.  We met in the 33rd floor of a skyscraper where one congregation is meeting as they expand their church building.  We explored various dynamics of conflict and positive ways to be engaged in transforming those conflicts.  On the second day Ben and Jabbie took us deeper into mediation with some case studies and role plays.  Some pastors were initially hesitant about the training, but by the time we were done they were eager for us to come again and go deeper into the topic.

So we laid out the next steps with Jabbie leading a "reunion" workshop in July, followed by still deeper work with Ben, Jabbie and me in November.  At that time we will launch another initial training for various lay leaders so that pastors and lay leaders can both be on the same page in healthy ways to handle conflict.

Macau is a new mission area for IM as we have entered into partnership with the Macau Bible Institute.  Just this year Emerson and Ivy Wu were deployed there to serve in administrative and teaching leadership.  We led a training there not only for people in the institute but for other Christians in Macau who had an interest, including one Baptist layperson who worked in the government to resolve conflicts with the hundreds of thousands of tourists who come to Macau each day, mostly from China and mostly to gamble at the casinos.  During the training we took some special time to bless the Wus and pray for their ministry in Macau.  I also had conversations with a couple people who see this kind of work as key components of what God is calling them to, so Jabbie will be able to begin to mentor them along with me.

The 2014 World Mission Offering is going to feature the work of Emerson and Ivy in Macau.  We were accompanied by a Hong Kong film-maker.  We also had many conversations to lay the plans for November's trip and the following two years.  We are developing conflict transformation resources in Chinese.  We debuted a new Chinese edition of my "Bible Study Manual on Conflict Transformation."  We're also working on a Chinese version of Christian Peacemaking.   A lot is happening!

Thank you for your prayers and support.  China is one of the most dynamic centers in the world for economic activity, but it is also a place where God's people are engaged with similar energy and passion.  Pray as we continue to explore and build positive partnerships for bringing God's blessing to this region of the world.

Peace,
Dan