Travelling Hopefully
As we approach the end of an unusual year, I am reminded of a speech made by former World Vision President, Stan Mooneyham, called Marching off the Map. In his speech, Mooneyham describes World Vision as an organization that has constantly “marched off the map” to find new things to dare, innovative things to experience and risky things to explore. As we come face to face with the unknown, he urged his listeners to remain hopeful. As Robert Louise Stevenson once said “for to travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive”. I believe “travelling hopefully” was what sustained the founder of World Vision, Bob Pierce, and leaders like Mooneyham as he lead Operation Seasweep to save Vietnamese refugees left to perish at sea in 1979.
When World Vision decided to respond to the coronavirus outbreak in China in January, it was still an evolving situation with much uncertainties. Relatively little was known about virus at that time, except that it was highly contagious and poses a health and safety risk to the community and our staff. To top off a long list of unanswered questions, our staff were scattered throughout the country for the Chinese Lunar New Year, our offices were closed and we could not access our facilities due to the nationwide lockdown.
Since then, COVID-19 has practically overshadowed everything in 2020. But in the midst of all the gloom and doom this pandemic has cast, I am grateful for two things as I reflect upon the year.
Firstly is the unity and resilience demonstrated by World Vision team in China. Being the first office within the World Vision Partnership to respond to the coronavirus outbreak, we found ourselves in an unfamiliar territory. This meant that we had to march off the map to find new ways to get things done. We knew we had to be systematic and practical in our approach, but there were also times when we had to take steps of faith to where the needs of the most vulnerable children are.
Secondly, I am grateful each time I hear good news and small joys conveyed by our colleagues at the front lines. Despite the challenges this year, we were able to impact the lives of over 1.8 million people, including almost 46,000 children across China in the fiscal year of 2020. Surely this is worth rejoicing and it reminds me in my daily work that there is always light at the end of a tunnel, therefore, we should always “travel hopefully”.
Lastly, I would like to leave you with the story of Mr. Oh Sung-Sam, a former sponsored child under World Vision. Mr Oh’s story is just one in millions of lives World Vision has helped to transform over the past 70 years, and is still working to make it is a reality for every child we are serving today. I hope this story will bring comfort and warm to you to know that your support goes a long way and can truly change the lives of vulnerable children for the better.
On behalf of all of us in World Vision China, I would like to wish you and your family Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!
Our vision for every child, life in all its fullness;
Our prayer for every heart, the will to make it so
Sharing hope & joy for all children,
