And the ransomed of the LORD shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
Isaiah 35:10 (King James)
The Advent season is a sacred time of waiting, preparation and hope. And this season truly matters to the migrant community. It is not just a countdown to Christmas – it’s an invitation to recognize that God sees the migrant community; God honors them; and God is with them.
I am surrounded by the migrant community here in Hong Kong every day. Seeing them – their situations, their longing, their hardships, their tears and joy – has made me realize that every moment matters to them. As a migrant myself, I deeply relate. Being away from home, I feel the same emotions they do.
In Hong Kong, the voices of migrant workers are often unheard. As a volunteer case manager, I assist those migrants who are in need – those facing labor disputes, illegal termination and other violations of their rights. I hear countless stories: devastation, fear, loneliness, sadness. And yet, I also see their resilience, their joy, and the many emotions written on their faces. I do my best to help them, to bring smiles and comfort to their weary hearts.
I am deeply grateful that God placed me here as a Global Mission Fellow. Every act of kindness – every shared meal, prayer, or word of encouragement – is a candle lit in the darkness for them. Advent calls me to be that light for the migrant community here in Hong Kong.
This moment – now – matters deeply, especially as Christmas approaches. Many migrants long to go home and celebrate with their loved ones. And while technology today allows video calls and messages, that can never replace the warmth of presence: hugs, in-person conversations, shared laughter and tears. These are sacred connections that no screen can replicate. What they truly need is family and home.
That’s what the Mission for Migrant Workers strives to offer: a family here in Hong Kong. A reminder that they are not alone, and that we walk with them through their journey.
This is a season of compassion, of creating spaces of belonging, of lifting up the weary, and of lighting candles of hope in the lives of the migrant workers.
Prayer
In this season on Advent, as Christmas comes, God be with migrants in strange and unfamiliar lands. We pray that they will not feel forgotten or isolated. I pray that this season, Isaiah 35:10 will be fulfilled in their lives – that joy and gladness will be upon them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.
Shiela Mae Aguilar-Hablan is from the Philippines, a member of Lalawan United Methodist Church in the Mindanao Annual Conference. She works as a volunteer case manager with the Mission for Migrant Workers (MFMW Limited) of St. John’s Cathedral in Central Hong Kong.
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