By Tze Pui and Caoji

Both Tze Pui and Caoji are qualified researchers. Caoji has a special interest in research methods. Tze Pui has served in church contexts for over a decade.

Mission Round Table Vol. 18:1 (Jan-Jun 2023): 34-38

To download a PDF of this edition, visit this post on Mission Round Table 18:1.

Introduction

Founded on 25 June 1865, the China Inland Mission (CIM) had all along recruited members from the West. In 1961, the Lord led the organization to begin accepting non-Caucasian members born in homelands where CIM had offices.[1] The decision was that “married non-Caucasians of any race who are born citizens of our homelands and who have been reared therein … can be received into membership on the same basis as Caucasian candidates.”[2] However, Asians who were single or born outside designated homelands were still not eligible to join.By October 1964, the CIM took another progressive step towards internationalization by lifting all restrictions and accepting Asian Christians as full members.[3] This move was reflected in the reconstitution of the CIM into Overseas Missionary Fellowship (OMF),[4] signifying the CIM had ceased to be a Western mission to the East.[5]

To demonstrate “oneness” in Christ Jesus, and that OMF was neither Western nor Eastern, qualified Asians were to be admitted into all administrative levels of OMF’s structure.[6] Dr. Benjamin Chew (本杰明周), a Singaporean doctor, was invited to serve as the first Asian OMF Director, to share the administrative responsibility at the International Headquarters (IHQ).[7] This was followed by the admission of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Pang (彭子材伉儷) as the first two Asian full members of OMF in June 1965.[8] In the one hundred years from its formation, the CIM progressively moved towards internationalization according to God’s plan.

The newly reconstituted OMF also invited Rev. Theodore Choy (蔡錫惠) and Rev. Moses Chow (周主培)—the first two Chinese members of the North American Council—to evaluate the entrance of qualified Asians into all administrative levels of OMF’s structure.[9] In 1963, Choy and Chow co-founded Ambassadors for Christ, Inc. to reach out to Chinese students.[10] Choy remarked that Chinese Christians had long appreciated the open hearts of CIM members, but the steps working toward oneness in the task of “preaching the Gospel to every creature of East Asia” lagged behind.[11] Chow commented that the decision to incorporate Asian Christians into a longstanding organization with a deep-rooted Western culture amidst surging nationalism was an innovative and forward-looking move. Though there was a prevailing sense that the change was overdue, its implementation was still striking and timely.[12] The submission to the prompting of the Lord to “open its … ranks to its Asian brethren, this middle wall of partition was not merely leaped over; it was broken down in the truest Biblical sense!”[13]

With the establishment of home councils in Japan, Singapore, and Malaysia in 1965, and in Hong Kong and the Philippines in 1966, the CIM was transformed into a truly multi-national international organization.[14]

Tumultuous years in Hong Kong

Being a British colony, Hong Kong was under the governance of Britain from 1842 to 1997 (except for four years of Japanese occupation from 1941 to 1945). Hong Kong was only thirty miles from Mainland China, which was experiencing economic and political upheaval in the 1960s: the Great Leap Forward (1958–62), followed by three years of great famine, and the Cultural Revolution (1966–76). Thousands of refugees, including many Chinese Christian leaders, came to Hong Kong. Churches flourished, increasing from 190 in 1955 to 376 within ten years.[15] However, Hong Kong itself also faced many upheavals in the 1960s, including the April 1966 protest due to a fare rise on the Star Ferry, and the 1967 large-scale anti-government riots when the use of roadside bombs and petrol bombs resulted in the deaths of a number of policemen and civilians. The political instability led to an exodus of capital and people from Hong Kong during those years, but also served as a catalyst for reforms to address the underlying social causes and grievances.[16]

Despite a tumultuous decade of civil unrest, and the additional social anxiety caused by severe water rationing and intense tropical cyclones, OMF formed a council in Hong Kong as led by the Lord.[17] This paper, based mainly on the council meeting minutes from 1966 to 1995, describes the formation, growth, and development of the Hong Kong Council. In highlighting the sequence of events and challenges leading to the establishment of the Hong Kong Council of the Overseas Missionary Fellowship, the paper will also look at factors that helped to resolve the issues encountered.

The Chairmen of the Hong Kong Council

The Hong Kong Council was a branch office of the China Inland Mission Corporation, a UK company that was registered as a non-Hong Kong Company in Hong Kong on 7 June 1957. In 1966, Ronald B. Roberts (羅柏士)—the Director of Christian Witness Press, OMF’s literature arm in the Far East—on behalf of the Corporation, chaired the Hong Kong Council Inaugural Meeting that was held on 8 September at 144 Boundary Street, Kowloon. The founding members were Mr. Woo Yan Tak (胡恩德),[18] Rev. Philip Teng (滕近輝),[19] and Rev. Dr. John Pao (鮑會園).[20]

From its inception, the HK Council attempted to find a suitable local person to fill the role of Chairman. From 1966 to 1970, the HK Council was still headed by Western missionaries, Mr. Ronald B. Roberts, Mr. Marvin H. Dunn (鄧茂登), and Mr. George A. Williamson (衛理生). Williamson, who succeeded Dunn as the Director of Christian Witness Press, was appointed by the General Director, Mr. John O. Sanders (孫德生), to be the Acting Chairman of the HK Council in July 1968. Williamson expressed time and again in the subsequent two years (May 1969 to January 1970) that the appointment of a local Chairman should take place no later than January 1970. He also pointed out that it would be good to have such a chairman before the IHQ Central Council meeting to be held in September 1970. Council members were encouraged to make recommendations to him or the General Director in private, but no suitable candidate was in sight. Williamson was thus requested to continue to act in this capacity until such a person could be identified.

A breakthrough occurred when the Assistant General Director, Mr. Arnold Lea (李亞農), attended the HK Council meeting in May 1970. Having been brought up in China with other Asian children, Lea was familiar with Chinese culture.[21] He suggested that the General Director write to each of the HK Council members for their nominations to appoint a Council Chairman. With the General Director, Mr. Michael C. Griffiths (高力富), putting into practice the Chinese idiom “禮賢下士”—respect the virtuous and honor the worthy—the Chairmanship issue was resolved within two months. Mr. Theodore Hsueh Hung Ki (薛孔奇), who became a member of the HK Council in 1968, volunteered to be the Chairman and was appointed in October 1970 for an initial period of one year. It was noted that from 1971, Mr. Hsueh also wore another hat—serving as the general manager of Christian Communications Limited, a merger between the China Sunday School Association of Hong Kong and Christian Witness Press of Hong Kong.[22]

Hsueh was born in Chongqing, Sichuan in 1940 during the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945). His father was the president of the Farmers Bank of China, one of the four largest banks in China at that time. Hsueh went to Hong Kong via Macau in 1950. He accepted Jesus Christ in 1953 at a school evangelistic meeting, and went to the United States in 1958 after completing secondary school education. While studying chemistry at the University of Washington in Seattle, he felt a call from God to go back to Hong Kong. After much thought and prayer, Hsueh returned to Hong Kong in 1964 and devoted himself to full-time ministry until his promotion to glory in 2023.[23]

Through the twenty-five years from 1970 to 1995, three local Chairmen, Mr. Hsueh, Rev. Wilson Chan Hay Him, (陳喜謙), and Rev. Kenneth Lo Ka Man (盧家駇), served the HK Council mainly on a voluntary basis. Over the years, they developed a tight-knit relationship that is possibly reflected in the formation of the “Three-Family Village [三家村]” with Rev. Chan as the village head.[24] Their families would get together almost every Chinese Lunar New Year.

The OMF operated as a matrix organization with grid-like governance structure. Council members were burdened with heavy workloads as they had to report to multiple leaders. In the first decade of its development, when there were no fulltime office staff members, the workload of the HK Council was extremely heavy and demanding. In a review on Asian Home Councils dated 9 August 1973, Hsueh wrote:

We now have two missionaries and the third will join in September, 1973 … Because of the shortage of home staff (at present, no full time home staff, and most of the works are handled by the Chairman), the deputation and recruitment have not been taken up as much as it should … And since time is limited, the Council is afraid to plan any specific project, because then only the Chairman again be the person handling all the details … Full time staff is a number one item to be considered.

Almost eleven years passed before the HK Council had its first fulltime employee. In 1977, Miss Bibiana Yung (容聖莊) was employed in the capacity of office secretary. She was requested to prepare a handbook for office use and to assist with the recording of Council meeting minutes. Miss Grace Yu (余月妍) succeeded her in June 1978. A little more than a year later, she was succeeded by Mrs. Lisa Yu (余吳麗清), who stayed for over forty years. She is referred to as the “walking dictionary” of key milestones and events of OMF Hong Kong.[25] In 1980, the HK Council was also able to recruit its first fulltime Promotion Secretary, Mr. Christopher Chung (鍾炳權), a graduate from the Prairie Bible Institute. Although manpower was now stronger, Rev. Lo (the third Council Chairman) also felt overwhelmed by the heavy workload.

Like his predecessors, Lo wore more than one hat when he was appointed HK Council Chairman in 1982. He had served as the fulltime Executive Director of the Far East Broadcasting Company since 1974, as well as a part-time voluntary Executive Director of the Hong Kong Association of Missions since 1978, with the approval of the Far East Broadcasting Company.[26]

One can get a glimpse of the large volume of work facing Rev. Lo through his workshop, “Would it be possible to form a United Chinese Missions Association (「聯合華人差會可能嗎」) ?” He reflected that since his time was so stretched, the office staff needed to underline the important points in all the correspondences, and to provide him a weekly summary for his follow-up actions.[27] The Field Office in Hong Kong also helped by taking up the preparation of the accounts of the HK Council. During the period that the Chairmanship was vacant from September 1979 to December 1981, the Council work was overseen by an Honorary Secretary.

The appointment of an OMF-HK Home Director

Though initially both Western missionaries and local Asian Christians were to serve together in the HK Council, the ultimate goal of OMF was to appoint a local Home Director under the direction of a wholly national Council.[28]

From 1974, requests were constantly made that a full-time Home Director should be appointed to take responsibility for communicating with headquarters; taking charge of the office, financial matters, recruitment of missionaries, etc.; and, externally, to promote OMF and attending public and other meetings. In early 1975, the HK Council almost appointed its first Home Director—Rev. Chan Hay Him. Having served as the General Secretary of the Hong Kong Fellowship of Evangelical Students (HKFES) for more than fourteen years, Rev. Chan joined the HK Council in November 1974. He was well accepted by the churches and by young people in Hong Kong. Knowing that Rev. Chan was leaving HKFES soon and that his involvement in China Graduate School of Theology (as Dean of Studies) was not likely to be full time, the HK Council unanimously recommended Rev. Chan Hay Him to the General Director to serve as the Home Director (part-time). However, Rev. Chan was a “renaissance man” with a wide range of interests. He thus only served in the capacity as Chairman of the HK Council for three years before taking a position offered by Ambassadors of Christ in the United States.[29]

As early as 1968, a recommendation was also made regarding the necessity of a full-time worker (preferably a national) to represent the HK Council and promote the work. The HK Council had ten cross-cultural workers in 1987, consisting of one couple, one man, and seven women. In those days, men were more likely than women to occupy the administrative positions,[30] thus, only two candidates could be further considered. Mr. Ernest Ng (伍國華) was busy building a home for his newly-wed wife (สายพิฌ ครัวเมือง顧詩屏), a sister in Christ from Thailand. Daniel and Gretel Lau (劉樹森伉儷) had just applied for temporary absence from Japan to pursue a one-year course with the Columbia Graduate School of Missions and Bible in the United States. In 1987, with no available candidate in sight, Chairman Lo—who had already indicated his wish to step down—submitted a request to IHQ for help recruit an Executive Secretary. The post was filled for about two years by Rev. David and Mrs. Esther Chan (陳大衛伉儷) from Canada.

After it was announced in 1990 that Dr. James Hudson Taylor III (戴绍曾), the General Director of OMF, was to move to Hong Kong in May 1991, a request was made for Dr. Taylor to serve as HK Council Home Director and to train a local person to take up the position in the future. Only willing to serve as Acting Home Director, Dr. Taylor took up the position in June 1991, taking care of administration and pastoral care for the missionaries. In September 1993, upon Dr. Taylor’s recommendation, the HK Council proceeded with the search process. Letters were sent from IHQ to HK Council cross-cultural workers and Council Members to invite nominations, and the appointment of Dr. and Mrs. Patrick Fung (馮浩鎏伉儷) as OMF-HK Home Director was endorsed. They assumed duty on 1 January 1996.

The HK Council had started the registration process in the early 1990s to facilitate its transition to becoming a local organization. Mr. Timothy Symonds (施憫添), the Area Director of the Hong Kong Field, was invited to join the HK Council in 1992. Before joining OMF in 1982, he had already taken a two-and-a-half-year intensive language course in Cantonese at the Ministry of Defense Language School in Hong Kong, and was qualified as a Cantonese interpreter.[31] In June 1993, he began to serve as a vital link between the HK Council and solicitors facilitating the approval and adoption of the proposed Memorandum and Articles of Association in September 1993 and registration of OMF Hong Kong as a charitable organization on 14 March 1995. During the registration process, he also assisted the CIM (UK) to transfer all assets and liabilities in Hong Kong to OMF Hong Kong.

Responsibilities of the Hong Kong Council members

As early as 1965, IHQ had given thought and specified the responsibilities of Council membership. First, members must accept the Principles and Practice of OMF that had been adopted from the CIM and considered to be basic and essential to the new OMF.[32] Second, members were to give advice to the General Director or his representatives so their decisions would take into account the customs and culture of Hong Kong. Third, members should not be “yes” men, but rather be willing to share their ideas so as to “stimulate new thoughts and progressive outreach.”[33] All council members had to sign the agreement on the last page of the “Principles and Practice of the OMF”. The agreement submitted to the Home Council was then sent to Singapore for filing.

The road towards autonomy

In the following years, a number of issues or differences between IHQ and the HK Council were ironed out to reach a mutual consensus. A few of these are highlighted here. One was the co-ordination of fellowship finances worldwide. In the early days of the CIM, the policy was for home countries to deduct necessary expenses before sending funds to the field. Expenditure exceeding US $300 required the approval of the General Director. In a memorandum dated 13 February 1970, the General Director asked Home Directors and Chairmen of Home Councils to begin discussing whether it was time for the expenditure (worldwide) to be cleared through one central body. Though the proposed idea would provide a clearer picture of worldwide income and expenditure, it did not receive support from the HK Council, which considered it a healthy step for the younger Home Councils to be responsible for their own financial matters.[34] In view of the policy to work toward decentralization and to increasingly place the initiative and responsibility with the local administrative bodies, centralizing finances was considered a backward step.[35] Hong Kong thus retained the legitimate financial responsibility.

The second issue was that the requirements for admission to OMF’s membership had changed little over the years. In the process, a candidate was required to pass four clearances[36] and complete a multi-part questionnaire. One question in the personal section of the application form was “Do your parents have any objection to your serving in the fellowship in Asia in a country other than your own?” IHQ stated the preference for new workers to have their parents’ approval (whether or not they were Christians) as they came forward for missionary service. A case came up for discussion for a candidate in relation to her parents’ attitude. Mr. Hsueh reflected that when he himself returned from the United States to Hong Kong to serve God full-time before his graduation, he faced his parents’ disappointment. However, their attitudes changed over time and they were later proud that their younger son had become a full-time pastor.[37] Many Chinese parents might oppose their children becoming missionaries, but would passively accept it as they were already adults. After further communication, IHQ consented that parental opposition was not considered a major hindrance to someone being accepted into membership.

Another challenge was the invitation of female members to join the HK Council. While attending a meeting in Hong Kong, J. O. Sanders, the General Director of OMF, suggested that more young members should join the Council to gain experience. In response, five names (two males and three females) were put forward for prayerful consideration. IHQ was concerned that the introduction of female council members would be out of line with OMF policy, as it was the practice to confine membership to men. Further, the inclusion of more than one female member was considered unwise due to the small number of Council members. In response, the HK Council considered it an advantage to include a female member, for instance, to interview and counsel women missionaries and potential women candidates from Hong Kong.[38] Two members, one male and one female, were shortlisted. After further exchanges, IHQ issued a memorandum stating there was no scriptural objection toward including women members, and also that such a precedence had already occurred in another Home Council. The HK Council was pleased with the official clearance, but they had one more hiccup to overcome regarding IHQ’s concern over the suitability of the proposed female candidate. The scrutiny and seemingly lack of trust from IHQ raised objections from some HK Council members. An official clearance was then given for HK Council to invite the female candidate to join the council. Between 1974 and 1995, the HK Council had five female members but with no more than one serving at a time.[39]

Fourth, a sharp difference in opinion occurred between the IHQ and the HK Council over the medical clearance of an applicant seeking to join missionary service. Considered physically fit to work in the missionary field by two local physicians (though one also recommended avoiding vigorous physical work), and with preliminary clearance from the IHQ Medical Officer, the HK Council officially welcomed the applicant. A turn of events occurred when the IHQ Medical Officer changed the recommendation to say that the applicant should not serve as a missionary, not only in the proposed field, but also in other fields of work. The proposal from the local doctor and HK Council member, Dr. Ng Yik (吳𦏵),[40] for further medical investigation was considered expensive and unnecessary. The HK Council wondered at which stage a decision was considered final, and requested an explanation for the change of opinion. Mr. Hsueh also tendered his resignation from the post of Honorary Secretary and requested IHQ to seek a Chairman or Home Director to carry out the full leadership responsibility within four months. The issue was resolved at a meeting attended by a group of IHQ Directors and Medical Officer giving green light to the application, with the condition that the candidate would work in an urban area where medical attention was more easily available.

Resolving organizational difficulties

This paper provides a snapshot of some major issues encountered by the HK Council. Many of the highlighted episodes and differences were operational rather than doctrinal in nature, reflecting the diversity of cultures and opinions among the participants from multi-national backgrounds. However, these differences provided opportunities for those involved to gain understanding of each other’s deeply held but unspoken personal and cultural values. Though occasionally the stand on a specific issue was retained, consensus was often reached through distinguishing between principles and methods, and making necessary adjustments to the organization’s structure without altering its foundation.[41] The historical account also underlines the valuable lesson that the key to arriving at an acceptable solution requires active listening and mutual respect, and the determination to seek common ground while respecting and acknowledging differences.

[1] List of countries by year of formation: England (1872), Shanghai [the base for the headquarters of the mission] (1873), North America (1889), Australia (1890), New Zealand (1894), South Africa (1943), and Switzerland (1950).

[2] J. Oswald Sanders, “Facing the Clouds and the Winds,” East Asia Millions, North American edition (August-September 1963): 116.

[3] Suzanne E. Green, “The New Instrument: What Tune Is It Playing?,” East Asia Millions, North American edition (January-February 1990): 295–96.

[4] The Overseas Missionary Fellowship changed its name to Overseas Missionary Fellowship International in 1993.

[5] “A New Instrument: Announcement of Decision Taken at the C.I.M. Overseas Missionary Fellowship Council Meetings Held in Singapore Headquarters, October 2–15, 1964,” The Millions, British edition (December 1964): 115.

[6] “1955–1965,” East Asia Millions, North American edition (December 1965): 162.

[7] Guy Longley, “Playing the New Instrument,” East Asia Millions, British edition (April 1967): 25; Green, “The New Instrument,” 296.

[8] “I Never Thought… Yet God…,” East Asia Millions, North American edition (November 1968): 167–68; “Pangs Welcomed,” East Asia Millions, North American edition (July 1965): 108.

[9] “Men of God,” East Asia Millions, North American edition (March 1965): 35.

[10] Ambassadors For Christ, INC, AFC History, n.d., https://www.afcinc.org/en-us/about/afchistory.aspx (accessed 16 March 2023).

[11] Ted Choy, “New Council Members Comment on the New OMF,” East Asia Millions, North American edition (March 1965): 36; “A New Instrument,” The Millions, 115.

[12] Moses Chow, “New Council Members Comment on the New OMF,” East Asia Millions, North American edition (March 1965): 37.

[13] Choy, “New Council Members Comment on the New OMF,” 36.

[14] “Significant events in the mission’s history,” Records of the United States Home Council of Overseas Missionary Fellowship (China Inland Mission) – Collection 215, Billy Graham Center Archives, Wheaton College, https://www2.wheaton.edu/bgc/archives/GUIDES/215.htm#507 (accessed 16 March 2023); “A New Instrument,” The Millions, 115; “Internationalizing an Inland Mission,” East Asia’s Millions, North American edition (October-November 1982): 262–63, 271.

[15] Max Hui-Bon-Hoa, “The Christian Association of the University of Hong Kong and Its Response to the Outside World (1953-1993),” in Christian Mind in the Emerging World: Faith Integration in Asian Contexts and Globl Perspectives, ed. Peter Tze Ming Ng, Wing Tai Leung, and Vaughan King Tong Mak (Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2018), 501.

[16] Gary Ka-wai Cheung, Hong Kong’s Watershed: The 1967 Riots (Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press, 2009); 蘇穎睿, “一個港人自講的故事,” 蘇Sir天地, n.d., https://www.sosir.org/一個港人自講的故事 (accessed March 16, 2023).

[17] Arnold J. Lea, “Speaking Frankly,” East Asia’s Millions, North American edition (February 1965): 19–22.

[18] 鄭以心, “初探胡恩德先生的屬靈取向對喜樂福音堂的影響,” 教牧期刊 11 (2007): 83–124.

[19] Kate Tracy, “Died: Philip Teng, Unanimous Choice to Help Billy Graham Evangelize China,” Christianity Today, 4 February 2014, https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2014/february/died-philip-teng-billy-graham-evangelize-china-alliance.html (accessed 16 March 2023); 梁家麟, “滕近輝牧師生平簡述,” Chinese Coordination Centre of World Evangelism (April 2014), https://www.cccowe.org/pdf/cct/201404/p04.pdf (accessed 19 April 2023).

[20] “鮑會園牧師安息主懷,” Christian Weekly 2557, 25 August 2013, http://www.christianweekly.net/2013/ta2020445.htm (accessed 16 March 2023).

[21] Green, “The New Instrument,” 296.

[22] “News and Views: Hong Kong C.W.R. and C.S.S.A. Merge, East Asia’s Millions, North American edition (June 1971): 109.

[23] 薛孔奇先生, 迴響 28, n.d., 福音證協會; 薛孔奇, 同顯主榮, 薛孔奇 • 觀 —從主日學到教會教育並向華人基督教文化邁進3 (Hong Kong: Everyone Press, 2020); 吳思源, “薛先生的笑容,” Christian Weekly 3050, 5 February 2023, http://www.christianweekly.net/2023/ta2042353.htm (accessed 22 May 2023).

[24] 薛孔奇, “以生命寫下歷史的巨人,” in 同顯主榮, 76.

[25] 余吳麗清, “迎向150週年紀念使團香港區歷史點滴（一）” 使團快訊49, no. 3 (2014): 1, https://issuu.com/omfhongkong/docs/omf-issue49-0508 (accessed 16 March 2023).

[26] Kenneth Lo, “Friends Speak Up,” East Asia’s Millions, North American edition (August-October 1988): 91; 盧家駇, “一個不自量力的傢伙,” 宣教分享 12 (1982): 10–11.

[27] 盧家駇, “聯合華人差會可能嗎?” 華人教會網絡 (n.d.), http://www.church.com.hk/acms/content.asp?site=cdc&op=show&type=product&code=000175&layout=sermon (accessed 16 March 2023).

[28] Guy M. Longley, “Playing the ‘New Instrument’,” East Asia’s Millions, British edition (April 1967): 25 and North American edition (May 1967): 75–76.

[29] Rev. Wilson Chan rejoined the HK Council in 1988.

[30] Ford L. Canfield, “The Lord Giveth the Word,” The Millions, British edition (September 1955): 74.

[31] Tim Symonds, “Chinese and Vietnamese Church Planting,” Diocese of Truro International Links Stories, January 2022, https://trurodiocese.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Tim-symonds-article.pdf (accessed 15 June 2023).

[32] Arnold J. Lea, “Speaking Frankly,” East Asia’s Millions, North American edition (March 1965): 22.

[33] Lea, “Speaking Frankly,” 22.

[34] The Council Members of the Hong Kong Home Council. “A.178 Coordination of Fellowship Finances Worldwide” Meeting Minutes, 19 May 1970, OMF Hong Kong.

[35] “A.178 Coordination of Fellowship Finances Worldwide” Meeting Minutes.

[36] “Joining, Serving & Partnering with OMF International,” 1 October 2021, https://omf.org/resource/joining-serving-partnering-with-omf-international/ (accessed 15 June 2023).

[37] 福音證主協會–迴響 , 征途, n.d.

[38] As a side note to this information, both Dr. Jennie Fung (wife of Dr. Patrick Fung, General Director of OMF International) and Dr. Leung So Ka Yee (wife of Dr. Leung Chung Ying (梁松英), Executive Director of OMF Hong Kong), joined the organization a few years earlier than their husbands.

[39] Ms. Praise Yung (容瑞華) (1974–1981 [left for Canada in July 1975, but was requested to retain Council membership until mid-1981]; Dr. Helena Wong (王勵嫺) (1978–1979), Ms. Susie Cheung (張旋穗) (1979–1983), Dr. Jennie Cheng (鄭珍妮) (1985–1989), and Dr. So Ka Yee (蘇嘉儀) (1990–2017).

[40] Dr. Ng Yik joined the HK Council in 1969 and served faithfully until 2018 when he passed away due to a sudden illness. His tenure lasted 50 years, making him the longest-serving member of the HK Council.

[41] Choy, “New Council Members Comment the New OMF,” 36.