Simba Mate means ‘from perseverance comes strength’ in Shona. This was our school motto at Hillcrest, or to put it more accuratly from the first Shona teacher at Hillcrest – Mr Rondozai (who could forget his lovely, kind, gentle character and the old car that he always drove) – came this excellent translation (thanks to Hillcrest College Website) ‘the strength that we have is inexhaustible, one can give freely of one’s talents and strength to society and other people without loss to yourself’. And Hillcrest College and Prep school definitely installed that in their students. We were taught to serve, to think of the community and to give of ourselves no matter the cost.
Strength
Isaiah 12:2: Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.
If strength is meant to be inexhaustible, where does this come from? I know that God is my strength and my salvation. I know it is not always possible to be strong. There are times when I feel exhausted, weak, and sometimes I want to get off the ride and just stop. There are times when I want to ask for help, but I don’t always know how to ask; I’m used to doing things myself. However, I also understand that this is ok. That it is ok to actually rest and recharge – I am, after all, not superwoman. It’s ok to ask for help, and most importantly, to allow yourself to be helped. This is a learning curve for me.
Back at the end of August, my strength was tested. I had to return to England to help out there for two weeks. When you are called upon, you act without really thinking – you just do. You go into big girl mode. You call people to find out information. You arrange the air tickets – again, I worried about when I was arriving there and when I would get back, but I didn’t think about the actual travelling as such. Going was fine, coming back was an ordeal – 2 hour train ride, 1 hour bus, then 4 hours sleeping (or trying to sleep) on the floor of Heathrow Terminal 2, then a 14 hour layover in Frankfurt, then 13 hour flight to Hong Kong, to say I was exhausted is an understatement. To also say that this is where my inability to ask for help was a hindrance, instead of asking the pilots in my family to help with the planning of the tickets, I went ahead and did it – hence the long stopovers. However, you do it, your strength holds out. God holds you and sustains you in these moments. I couldn’t have done it, though, without people praying for me, my boss sending a heart emoji every morning, and my cousin messaging every day. You clear the boxes, you sort the rooms, and you do what is needed. In the end, everything is well. I had a good two weeks with my parents; it was nice to be with them. I do miss them. It was also nice to surprise people by just turning up at church or at my old workplace.
Returning to Hong Kong after my trip back to the UK was not easy. I know I am where I am meant to be, but oh, the guilt (and yes, I know guilt is not from God, but I still feel it), the doubts, the mortality and realising how temporary life is, really drained my strength. But thanks to God, my wonderful boss and friends, I am persevering…
Perseverance
Romans 5:3-4: Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope
If we are to have strength, we need to persevere. We all get trials and tests. When tests and trials come, we have a choice: do we give up, or do we persevere? I persevere because I know God is with me.
I arrived back and decided to join another home group, for various reasons, all personal. The group I have joined has been a source of enormous strength and encouragement. I feel I am really me with them. I can see opportunities to grow, learn, and use my gifts again.
Hong Kong has recently experienced a tragedy. The fire in Tai Po has been devastating; it was hard not to feel the pain and anguish. It was vast and all-encompassing. When we experience these tragedies, we ask lots of questions, we ask God the why questions, and He doesn’t always answer, but in the silence in the midst of the suffering, people unite, people pray, people act, we come together, and maybe that’s part of how God works in this world. He uses us to be His hands and feet on Earth. He didn’t cause the fire; he may not ride in on a cloud and fix our problems, but He is always there in the middle, in the hands of the people, in the bravery of the firefighters, in the acts of service, in the arms of those giving comfort. And He is there as people persevere and rebuild.
Work is also going well. I am coming up to having been back here for a year, and it’s crazy how time flies. We have days where the children can drive us crazy, but then we have children who truly make your day, their smiles, their laughter, and their willingness to trust you is a real privilege. I have two gorgeous girls, for example, who come into the class. Thanks to Pepper Pig, insist on saying good afternoon Mr Miss Kate (they haven’t quite got the Mr/Mrs/Miss down yet, but they are only 4 years old), they procede to choose their library books happily chatting about something or singing their favourite song at the moment – which happens to be the songs from KPop Demon Hunters – thankfully we’ve moved away from Frozen. I turn around to put the library books away, which for them is a signal to hide under the table. I play along – I pretend to look in their bags, in the tiny bin, all with them going no and giggling (they don’t really know how to hide quietly), and then I’ll look under their table. They do all the work asked of them, they try their best to read the words – or at least recognise the first sound to find the word, and leave with smiles on their faces and a huge one on mine and a very warm heart.
Og Mandino said, ‘I will love the light for it shows me the way, yet I will endure the darkness for it shows me the stars.’ Life isn’t always easy, and we can often look at it and ask, “Where is the good?” or “Where is God?” But this reminds me that we cannot see the stars or recognise the beauty in life without hardship. I often feel like I’m tired of being refined by the fire, but I will always be grateful for the fire and the scars, as they are what make me appreciate the beauty, the stars, the simple things, and the goodness of God. The scars are part of me and make me who I am.
Hope
Hebrews 11:1: Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Advent is now upon us. Christmas is a joyful time of the year. The lights, the music and spending time with loved ones. I love Christmas time – I love the carols, the Church services, the feeling of new hope, peace on Earth, and the idea that maybe all will be well. I try hard to remember the true meaning of Christmas. I also find this time of year difficult. I know Jesus is all I need and that He only wants the best for me, but it is hard not to feel lonely at times. I do and am struggling with singleness (more so over Christmas), I do worry about my future, what will happen to me, where will I end up, but I live in hope. In my Advent devotion from the Salvation Army, it says this:
‘Some Bible commentators state that ‘hope’ and ‘wait’ are interchangeable in God’s Word. The season of Advent embodies this truth. The Jewish people waited centuries (and some are still waiting) for the arrival of the promised Messiah. This wait can only be persevered through the intentional stirring of hope.’
Another year has come and gone. I am in Hong Kong this year for Christmas and will spend it with special friends. I trust God has me in His hands; He has looked after me this far. He will continue to do. I will continue to have strength, to persevere and to hope in Him. And as my school song says at the end:
In the evening of my life I shall look to the sunset,
At a moment in my life when the night is due.
And the question I shall ask only God can answer.
Was I brave and strong and true?
Did I fill the world with love my whole life through?
Thank you for journeying with me this far and reading my rambling mind. I truly appreciate each and every one of you.
I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Blessed 2026.
katherineyiend 