More refugee aid urged

Press, 21 June 1980, Page 23

More refugee aid urged

New Zealand should share more of its land and its love with refugees, especially those from Vietnam, according to two Chinese Anglican ministers who visited Christchurch recently. “There is a lot of land

in New Zealand, and lots of open space compared with Hong Kong, and I think New Zealand should accept more refugees,’’ said the Rev, Mary Au. She and the Rev. Jane Hwang have been in New Zealand since last September, working in an Anglican-Chinese mission cultural centre at Wellington.

The two were in Christchurch to visit refugee families.

Misses Hwang and Au were among the first Anglican women to be ordained into the priesthood. Miss Hwang was ordained a deacon in 1958, and a priest in 1971; Miss Au became a deacon in 1975 and a priest in 1977.

After studying theology in Canton and education at the university of Central China. Miss Hwang completed her master of arts degree at Columbia University, New York, in 1948. She returned to China, but because the communist regime would not let her teach Bible studies she fled to Hong Kong in 1950. Apart from a year of study at the University of London in 1976-77, Miss Hwang has been headmistress of several schools in Hong Kong, including Yuek Wing Primary school, which has more than 2000 pupils. As well as teaching she has been vicar of several churches.

Holy Trinity Church, with more than 4000 members, was one of the biggest.

Miss Au moved from Canton. China, to Hong Kong in 1959. where she continued her secondary education and did four years work for the Anglican Church. She graduated Bachelor of divinity from the University of Hong Kong in 1974. Miss Au is now a psychology student at Victoria Univesity, in Wellington. and is also studying counselling, guidance, and childhood adolescence at the Wellington Polytechnic.

The two women will be in Wellington until September, when they are due back in Hong Kong.