Hong Kong Leader Refuses to Resign, but Says He Will Talk with Protesters—Meanwhile, Chinese Christians Pray

Aimee Herd : Oct 2, 2014
Christian Today

"We feel very strongly that we have to be doing something, and it begins with prayer. Prayer may not be our only response, but it should be the loudest."

(Hong Kong)—As the deadline set by protesters in Hong Kong for the Chief Executive CY Leung to resign, came and went, Leung refused to quit, however, he did say that there would be "talks" with the protesters. (Photo via BBC News)

"The Hong Kong government is always willing to discuss the (political) reforms," Leung said in a news conference.

Those protesting for democracy in Hong Kong have now massed outside Leung's office and the Central Government Complex, said a BBC News report.

In the meantime, and all during the protests, prayer vigils have been going on throughout the city of Hong Kong, according to a Christian Today report.

Some of those protesting for open elections in the city in 2017 are Christians themselves; including Baptist minister Rev. Chu Yiu-ming, and former Catholic Bishop of Hong Kong, Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun.

And an international church called, The Vine, has reportedly opened its doors as a "place of prayer and intercession, refuge, rest and support" for those in the streets. (Photo via BBC News)

Senior pastor, Andrew Gardener said, "As a church we felt that our response should be to have a response. We feel passionate about justice, it sits at the heart of God and we feel God has been stirring it in our hearts over the years, so our building is open as a place of refuge for anybody that needs it...we want to make sure we're open for anybody in need."

He added, "We feel very strongly that we have to be doing something, and it begins with prayer. Prayer may not be our only response, but it should be the loudest."

A professor of politics at Hong Kong's City University, Joseph Cheng Yu-shek also spoke with Christian Today about the protests, noting that: "Christians by nature are anticommunist, as the Communist party [is] atheist and the tolerance for Christians under the Communist regime is extremely limited. Also, Christians believe in the next world, and so are more willing to sacrifice, and to fight injustice."