St Margaret's Church Prestwich

On Palm Sunday 2025, Franki began a training placement with us. She introduces herself here:

The Journey of “Being”

The word being can feel abstract to Chinese speakers. In English, it’s more than just “existence”. The “-ing” form shows that it’s something ongoing—something that’s happening. When God said to Moses, “I am who I am”, the original meaning gets lost in the Chinese translation “我是” because Chinese doesn’t have verb tenses. But in English, “I am” expresses that God exists in every moment—past, present, and future.

To me, being means that each life created by God exists in a particular time, place, and design—each with God’s intention and uniqueness. 

When I began applying for ordination last year, I shared my calling with my Director. She told me, “We care more about your being.” That comment started me on a journey of reflecting on what being really means. So today, I’m introducing myself through the lens of being.

Roots and Early Life

I was born in Hong Kong, back when it still had a strong British colonial vibe. I went to a primary school run by the Anglican Church, though my family followed traditional folk beliefs—worshipping ancestors and Buddhist deities. Even though I attended two Christian schools, I didn’t know anything about Christ. 

When I was in Primary 5, my mom left to work in a takeaway shop in the U.S. That marked a turning point in my family role. My dad couldn’t cook, so I had to take over buying groceries and making meals for my family.

Later, in a non-religious secondary school, I first heard the story of Jesus when my music teacher explained the meaning of B.C. and A.D. That sparked something. Then, a unique art teacher shared the gospel with me. I rejected it at the time, but looking back, she was a truly respectful and kind Christian. After finishing secondary school, my mom applied to have my siblings and me move to the U.S. I didn’t want to go at all. Hong Kong was buzzing about the Sino-British Joint Declaration. My dad convinced us to join our mom in America—for the sake of the siblings. 

Moving to the U.S. as a young person was hard. I had no friends, the culture and language were unfamiliar, and the weather was extreme. I would write and draw daily—though I didn’t realize then that it was my way of processing emotions.

Faith and a Calling

Even after years in the U.S., I felt out of place. After graduating university, I couldn’t find a full-time job. During that hard season, God sent someone—an older schoolmate I knew from middle school. She came to the U.S. and stayed with me for six months. She shared her experiences with God, and I started reading the Bible she brought. One night, during a trip with her family, I couldn’t sleep. So quietly, I prayed: “God, I’m a sinner. You know everything about me—you even know my struggles. Would you accept me?” Later something unexpected happened. One morning, she told me she had a dream and wanted to go to church. I went with her to a fellowship group. On the second visit, the lyrics of a worship song deeply touched my heart. After while, I realized something: I still didn’t have a full-time job, but I was full of joy.  That’s when I understood that being isn’t about success or status—it’s about being reconciled with God’s truth and walking the journey of faith alongside His people.

God is dependable and merciful. I eventually got a full-time job at a well-known design firm. Years later, I was recruited by a Hong Kong company. I was excited but unsure. I prayed for direction, and God led me to the story of Abraham leaving his homeland. So I accepted the offer. I spent four years working in Hong Kong, gaining great design experience with international brands. But the culture of overtime working hours took a toll on my regular time with God. I knew I needed to return to the U.S. to restore my relationship with Him.  Back in the U.S., less than two years later, God used two missionaries to call me again—this time clearly into full-time mission work.

Being in Mission

God confirmed this calling again and again—through my church, through the mission agency, people around me and through stories from Scripture: Abraham, Moses, Paul, Peter. Their lives became personal conversations between God and me. I have to say it is so amazed.

In 2007, I officially became a missionary and was sent to the area where reaching an unreached people group. Life there felt like every step was uncertain—full of both possibilities and impossibilities. I had to be the leader to rely fully on God: for open doors, for strength, for wisdom. Again, the culture, language and weather are so different.

We started the eco-farm from nothing, working alongside local villagers—people I had built relationships with over two to three years through Bible storying. The farm mainly raised pigs and chickens—and amazingly, it was a pig farm with no bad smell! Many locals and visitors were surprised and impressed. Our farming techniques became a real blessing to the village. The villagers began to see the value of practical knowledge and farming skills, rather than relying on superstition.

Later on, we expanded the vision. We trained other missionaries who had a heart for reaching unreached people groups through farming. We also ran internship programs with a theological school, hosted summer camps in nearby villages, and formed a home church with the farm family. Together, we wrote worship songs, created gospel animations, and translated the Jesus Film—adapting it into the villagers’ unwritten mother tongue dialect.

I lived there for 13 years. We were more than just a community—we became an eternal family. Life on the farm gave me deep insight into Jesus’ parables and Gospel stories. I could truly experience how amazing God’s work is—connecting believers in different roles: the sending community, the target community, and the faith community.

New Chapter

During the early pandemic, local policy changes forced me and other missionaries to leave. It was a painful time with many pressures. We had many stories behind, but I found peace in God’s being. One verse felt so real: “If not for the Lord, I would have lost heart.”

That season gave me time to reflect on God’s guidance from the past. From Abraham to Moses, to Peter, John, and Paul—He led me to a new place: the UK. I remembered the times in the U.S., I had once felt so out of place—until I found joy through connection with God and His people. I hope to be that companion and presence for other HongKongers who have moved to the UK. Whether inside or outside the church, I want to walk alongside them without pushing faith on anyone—just sharing life and showing respect. You might ask, “So how do you share the gospel?” 

I believe in another eternal being—love. When Jesus washed His disciples’ feet, He wasn’t just teaching with words—He showed love in action. I hope people can see Jesus’ love through me. That’s how our being reveals God’s being. 

Belonging and Becoming

In February, I had the opportunity to observe hospital chaplaincy for ten days. What moved me the most was seeing chaplains from different religions working in harmony. My beliefs haven’t changed, but the experience reminded me how Jesus didn’t condemn people of other faiths. Instead, He corrected those who misrepresented God and placed heavy burdens on others through religious pride and rules. This experience gave me a different lens: to see the dignity in every person and the importance of presence, compassion, and humility. 

That reminds me of my own journey, someone who once feared not being accepted by the Church, now welcomed by Emmanuel Church, an inclusive church where I can be honest about my journey and identity in Christ. A church where God can use my being to bless others in the UK. Jesus said that someone born with weakness isn’t being punished—it’s so God can show what He can do through them. I believe God knew me in my mother’s womb and called me by name. My Chinese name means “colorful jade”—a stone that looks ordinary on the outside, but becomes a treasure when broken and refined. Jesus mentioned God can raise up even stones to praise Him. Maybe I’m one of those little stones.

Conclusion

Though I’ve had many experiences, I know I’m not fully HongKonger, fully American, or maybe even fully British one day. But my being is fully covered by the blood of Christ. Wherever I live, I need to keep learning, adjusting, and growing. Through the Church of England, I hope to keep living out the gospel in every place God sends me. I want to walk humbly, respect others, and journey with people—until the -ing is complete.

Franki Choi Yuk Kam