Chinese Hope TV Retreat Encourages Staff to Look Back, Move Forward

From January 15 to 18, 2019, Chinese Hope TV (CHTV) staff and their families joined a retreat on the island of Okinawa, Japan. Chinese Hope TV Committee chairman Stanley Ng spoke at the retreat and shared words of encouragement each morning.

On the first day, Ng briefly reviewed the timeline and history of CHTV in the last decade, in what he described as “God’s leading.” He also expressed appreciation to all the staff who have contributed to the Adventist TV ministry in the region.

“Now all staff temporarily left their daily busy schedules and duties behind to rest for a while, as Jesus said to His disciples,” Ng said. He was referring to the moment recorded in Mark 6:31, when Jesus told His disciples, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” “It is a special blessing and time for CHTV staff to rebuild the team spirit and have more time together for sharing the work challenges and building friendship,” Ng said. “This time we invited staff family members to join our retreat, and we can openly show our appreciation to their support in many ways.”

On the second day, Ng encouraged the team to be like the children of Issachar, who, according to the Bible, had “understanding of the times” (1 Chronicles 12:32). “[We must] understand the times we’re living [in]and some of the challenges from the post-modern society and the e-generation,” he said. Ng challenged the CHTV staff to remember the “Four Es” — to be “energetic,” “evangelistic,” “engaging,” and to “envision” when programs are produced to reach the community and the e-generation.

A day later, the staff visited the historic site of Hacksaw Ridge, where Japanese and American soldiers engaged in severe fighting in World War II. Before the trip to the site, Ng reviewed the story of Desmond Doss, a conscientious objector in the US Marines who saved 75 American soldiers during the battle. Ng challenged attendees to pray to God with the same prayer as Desmond Doss: “Lord, give me one more soul!” He also shared one of Doss’s favorite Bible verses: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5).

On the last day of the retreat, former Northern Asia-Pacific Division Publishing Ministries director Teru Fukui led the group on a visit to the Adventist Medical Center and Sahmyook Elementary School on the island.

Chinese Hope TV was officially established in 2007. On July 1, 2011, CHTV launched round-the-clock satellite broadcasting. Since reaching that milestone, CHTV has been broadcasting and distributing biblical messages via satellite, local cable TV, Internet Protocol Television (IPTV), and mobile apps to reach millions of Chinese-speaking peoples around the world.

Leaders and staff said they are fully committed and asking God to bless the mission of CHTV. “It is our prayer that CHTV will continue to serve as a powerful tool to spread the wholistic health and biblical messages,” they said. “[We want] to prepare more people for the second coming of our Lord.”

The original version of this story was posted on the Northern-Asia Pacific Division news site.