7.5 Million People in 100 Sq. Miles
Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated cities in the world and one of China’s major population centers. Though 92% of Hong Kong’s population is Chinese, the other 8% is made up of people from Europe, Pakistan, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Nepal, and Thailand. Hong Kong is one of the great melting pots of the world! With so many nationalities who call Hong Kong home, you can reach China and the whole world from one place!
As a Special Administrative Region of China, Hong Kong enjoys more religious liberties than the mainland. The vast majority of HK-ers claim to be non-religious or hold to a form of Buddhism or ancestor worship, while many foreigners still hold to their Catholic, Hindu, or Muslim roots. As one of the world's "banking centers," Hong Kong's main god is money. Hong Kong is a city of economic extremes- the wealthiest people in the world mixed with some of the poorest. Hong Kong also has the most expensive housing market in the world. For most people, this makes life very hard- all work and no play. The culture also places a very high priority on children's education. Many young students work tirelessly to compete for acceptance into good schools throughout each stage of their education. This places tremendous pressure on both parents and children to achieve. As a result, most people believe they have no time for God or for meaningful relationships. Life is all about desperately trying to get ahead.
Sadly, right now, many church-planting missionaries and local church leaders in Hong Kong are retiring or leaving the field and very few new families are stepping up to take their place. Multiple mission board websites state they have NO MISSIONARIES in Hong Kong! Due to the political uncertainty, many local Christian families and local pastors have recently immigrated overseas, leaving many churches struggling to survive. Because Hong Kong has one of the highest costs of living in the world, raising the necessary funds to live and work here is very difficult. However, opportunities for sharing the gospel, discipling believers, and planting new churches abound all over Hong Kong.
