活動報導

Shuttered schools in Hong Kong
Our sister church has closed its schools and holds the services of the church online. The situation is demanding now, but they are happy that the celebration of Holm Glad College's 50th anniversary was held in December. Both schools, kindergartens and church services have been closed in Hong Kong due to the danger of the Corona virus. Our sister church, which runs this, reports that this will last at least until the end of April.
The Missionary Church in Hong Kong (MCCHK) today has thirteen congregations in Hong Kong and one in Macao. In addition, they run four kindergartens, the junior and high school "Holm Glad College" and two kindergartens; "Holm Glad Primary School" and "Holm Glad No. 2 Primary School ». In addition, they are behind a retirement center and a retirement home.
In order to prevent the virus from spreading, the churches from February have stopped all services. Instead, they invite to online meetings.
MCCHK was established by Mission Church Norway through missionaries and envoys such as Annie Skau Berntsen, Torunn Ropstad and Egil Torp. MCCHK became an independent church community in 1993.
Mission Church Norway also had the deployment of two Norwegian youths who were to work in Hong Kong this school year. This did not happen, both because of political turmoil and the virus outbreak.

Great celebration of secondary school
On December 13, 2019, Holm Glad College celebrated its 50th anniversary. Principal Philip Lap Chung Lee says that the school today has 750 pupils aged 12 to 18 years. There are 65 teachers and 25 staff at the school, and since its inception in 1969, about ten thousand students have graduated.
Head of International Mission in Mission Church Norway, Jon-Arne Hoppestad, and former missionary Egil Torp participated in the celebration, which brought together hundreds of students and staff. In addition, the school held an open day with over 500 visitors.
Leaders in Hong Kong today are pleased that the celebration of the school with all guests and visitors came before the outbreak of the Corona virus. At the same time, they know the challenge it is these days, when schools have to stay closed.

A special meeting with the son
On January 30 this year, a group of students from the Hong Kong school were traveling in Norway. They visited, among others, Oslo Mission Church Bethlehem. The students talked about their school and their country. Also present was the youngest son of Thorleif Holm Glad, who has the same name as his father.
Thorleif's son could tell that after his father's death, he, as a young man, joined the others in the family on a boat trip shipowner Torry Mosvold invited them on board one of Mosvold's ships.
The trip, among other things, went to Hong Kong, where they visited the mission led by Annie Skau. Thorleif had bought a movie camera for the occasion and filmed diligently from the trip.
He was seized by the opportunities and needs of Hong Kong. When he returned home, he set up a collection with the film as a starting point. Around NOK 200,000 was raised. This was used to buy an apartment in Hong Kong where kindergarten was started. This developed into the school work, which today bears the name Holm Glad.
Thorleif Holm-Glad (1902-1965) became after the mission school, ordained in 1928 as pastor of Oslo Mission Church Bethlehem. He was a committed leader in youth work and was employed at UNG where he was leader for many years from 1938. Later he became leader (missionary secretary) for the international work of the Mission Church Norway, and then general secretary (1959-1965).