Cadet-Lieutenant Ho Janie, Patrick – Officer of Kowloon City Corps
I give thanks to the Lord for the opportunity to serve Him in The Salvation Army. It is my conviction that every one of us received the same calling from Jesus Christ, and it is to ‘go and make disciples of all nations’ (Matthew 28:19). To answer His calling, however, each of us has a different role.
In 2000 at a Christian Conference, God has given me a new heart through a song that I have been so familiar with.
Shine Jesus Shine.
Fill this land with the Father’s glory.
Blaze, Spirit blaze. Set our hearts on fire.
Flow river flow, flood the nations with grace and mercy.
Send forth your word, Lord, let there be light.
As we gaze on your kingly brightness
So our faces display your likeness.
Ever changing from glory to glory,
Mirrored here may our lives tell your story.
Shine on me…
Here I am, send me
God has opened my eyes to see what Jesus once saw, that the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few. At that time, I didn’t feel it was God’s calling on me as a full-time ministry servant, but I knew it was Him saying “Whom shall I send?”. Even I had not yet known my service position, I responded, “Here am I, Lord. Send me!”
At the beginning, what I did was helping out at children’s Sunday school. I didn’t do it very well; I have not done it before and I did not know how. So, I asked God to equip me, and God teaches me through different people over time. I also found that my biblical knowledge was insufficient. So, I prayed to the Lord to provide all my needs to train myself in a seminary. The Lord leads me step by step.
Renewed the strength to serve
In 2007, after graduating from the seminary, I began to serve the Lord as a minister in the church, a role which I then took for almost 10 years. I had many trials in the past decade and I was so drained in the end. I was so ready to give up. But I was blessed and God spoke to me through a brother in Christ, who said, “God will neither stop you from changing a career nor trying to make a living, but I am worried that for the rest of your life you will keep on thinking ‘I have tried but I am not a good fit for minister.’”
After a break, God renewed my strength. He sent me to serve in Kowloon City Corps as a Ministry Coordinator and my heart was attracted to local community services. In my past role, I put most of my time and focus on the “second generation”, that is the children in the church; I rarely had chances to serve at the front line.
I will fight
Later when I learnt about the vision of General William Booth, I realised why God sent me to serve in The Salvation Army. Jesus has been working hard in saving the lost souls from the sea of sinners. If we believers only care about our own rights at church, we will quickly forget those who are drowning and not be able to hear God’s calling. We will not feel the weight of our responsibilities and we will not bear much fruit.
Our founder’s speech was entitled “I’ll fight”, a motto that has brought me to a point where I made the decision to enrol myself as Candidate. What does my life fight for? What is my purpose in life? Am I fighting along Jesus’ side? Or am I wrestling with Him? Are we willing to partner with one another to spread the good news? Lastly, I hope to share with everyone another song recently sung in a Holiness Meeting, a song God once used to call me. I hope this song can serve as a prayer, touching the hearts of those who are called and bringing them to join the fight with me. Amen.
So, take me as you find me,
all my fears and failures.
Fill my life again.
I give my life to follow,
everything that I believe in now I surrender.
Saviour, He can move the mountain.
My God is mighty to save.
He is mighty to save!
