December 14, 2006
Christmas in October
Dear Friends,
We are often warned that if something looks too good to be true,
we had better not believe it. So when the offer of a free air
ticket from Hong Kong to London came my way, I was naturally skeptical.
The offer was from a new Hong Kong budget airline, Oasis, and
free tickets were being given to local pastors as a love gift
from the directors.
Why would an airline be giving away free tickets to clergy? As
it turns out, Oasis was started by committed Christians. In thanksgiving
to God, the directors wanted to find a way to bless Hong Kong
ministers. So 500 pairs of free tickets to London were given out
on a first-come, first-served basis for travel from October 25
to December 15. I signed on right away.
Since my husband teaches school, I realized a second honeymoon
in Europe wouldn’t be possible because of his schedule.
Yet, I’ve had another secret dream for the past couple of
years. I wanted to visit the British Broadcasting Corporation’s
Religion Department in Manchester, England. As a former British
colony, Hong Kong has historic ties with the BBC in terms of training
and models for broadcasting.
The BBC also puts out some of the best programming on religion
in the world. I knew I could learn a lot from them and now is
the time to do it, because Hong Kong’s public service broadcasting
is currently being restructured. I also have a friend from seminary
who lives in Manchester and is married to a BBC senior producer.
Could this be God’s way of allowing me to finally make
that trip?
Rev. Judy Chan at the BBC's Religion Department in Manchester,
England, October, 2006.
On October 28, my dream came true. I boarded Oasis just after
midnight, arriving in London after a pleasant night’s journey.
From there, I took a train to Manchester, where I spent three
glorious days watching live productions, talking with executive
producers, and absorbing how a world-class broadcaster covers
the world of religion.
One of the most important conversations I had was with Christine
Morgan, who heads the radio division of BBC Religion. Since most
of my work in Hong Kong is on public radio, I wanted to know how
she did her job. And boy did I find out!
All around Christine’s office are awards that her division
has won for their programs. Some are Sony Gold Awards, which are
the equivalent of winning an Oscar. I was stunned that religious
radio programs could compete with everything else out there on
the airwaves. That’s because Christine demands the highest
standards for her programs and demands the best from her producers.
She says religious programs shouldn’t expect to be protected.
They have to be as good as or better than the rest of BBC’s
programs to make an impact—otherwise, religion is pushed
to the margins.
I took her message to heart. Christine inspired me to work harder
and aim higher for our Christian radio programs in Hong Kong,
whatever shape they take in the future. While we have nowhere
near the resources or output that BBC has, we have the same raw
materials every communicator has at her disposal: imagination,
intelligence, drive, and stories that need to be told. It’s
up to us to use them to the fullest.
During this Christmas season, I give thanks to God for this trip
of a lifetime. Sometimes things that look too good to be true
actually turn out to be real. That was my thrilling experience
and that’s the thrilling message of the gospel as well.
And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have
seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full
of grace and truth.
John 1: 14
In the peace of Christ,
Judy Chan
The 2006 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p.
246 |
