My name is Mary Khawn Mai. I come from Myanmar and work as a teacher at Kachin Theological College & Seminary in Myitkyina, Kachin State, which is in the northern part of Myanmar. First, I am very grateful to God for being a participant in the Hong Kong study tour, and I would like to extend special thanks to DSCCC and Professor Rev. Tobias. Not only did Professor Rev. Tobias serve as our subject teacher, but he also guided us throughout this tour. Thanks to this tour, I have learned about many invaluable cultural diversities, different perspectives, different values, and different beliefs, even though we are all in the same boat. It is very attractive to have guidance amidst the different traditional beliefs and cultures to create a good system. And I realize that Jesus is the Messiah for all of us, despite having different perspectives, cultures, and beliefs. Through our diverse experiences, we can appreciate the meaningful concept of a global world. Additionally, even though we have learned different notions and values, I believe that we all have a common respect for each other, which is beautiful and contributes to humanity in the world.
Secondly, everything is new to me, and every place is unfamiliar because there is limited public transportation in my city, Myitkyina, except for express buses. There are no skyscrapers or tall buildings; most structures are only three or four stories high. Furthermore, I am impressed by the unique and varied designs and decorations of every building in Hong Kong, which are remarkable, impressive, and spectacular. I believe that these distinct designs contribute to the global community and provide numerous benefits through tourism.
Thirdly, honestly, it is the first time I have been to some of the biggest churches like The Vine Church and Bread of Life Church in Hong Kong. However, what I have noticed is that these churches can effectively engage their congregation in worship and spiritual connection through singing, meaningful prayers, and the concept of unity, despite their modern approach. In my country, most churches still have a traditional design and worship style, despite the global trend towards modernization. Moreover, what I appreciate the most is that churches and religious communities value and respect gender equality. The promotion of gender equality is cherished and beautiful in building a healthy community and progressing in the global world. In my country, some people might say that there is no gender discrimination in terms of leadership, education, and work in Myanmar because some are aware of gender equality. However, it can be a sensitive issue for our Kachin society because most churches and religious leaders are still influenced by patriarchal and hierarchical systems and find it difficult to address certain issues.
Finally, what impresses me the most and earns my respect through this tourism experience in Hong Kong is contextual dialogue. I have learned about the value of contextual dialogue during conversations with members of various churches. It is invaluable to learn new insights on how to empower, adjust, respect, and value others, even though I am struggling to adjust to everything because it is unfamiliar. Furthermore, I am very happy to interact with students from other divinity schools and leverage the benefits of diversity to promote personal growth and respect for others in both family and church settings, in order to enhance a healthy community. This experience provides an irreplaceable opportunity for me to initiate constructive improvements in my community.