Cooperation with Hong Kong had started already in 1990’s with Seurakuntaopisto (Parish College in Järvenpää) where former Diak’s
interna-tional coordinator Dr. Kari Latvus was teaching. He had also been a missio-nary to Hong Kong in years 1992-94 which gave a firm basis for cooperation.
Hong Kong program was very well structured and the contract was made between Diak- Lutheran Theological Seminary (LTS) and Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Mission (FELM). The first contract was made from 1997 to 2002 and Kari Latvus says that out of the 23 Finnish students that went to Hong Kong over those years the first ones were from Järvenpää Parish College but stu-dents since 1998 from Diak. (Latvus & Malkavaara 2002.)
As going through the reports and contracts from the early years of Hong Kong project it could be seen that the planning was very well done and many principles that became Diak’s common practise only later were already taken into consideration in the exchange. What I mean is that students were offe-red at least theoretically orientation in the environment, cultural and religio-us issues, finances, study and placement programs, language requirements.
In the early years of Diak’s exchange the selection process was very individual depending on who was in charge in which Diak’s unit. (Latvus 2002.)
Basically the division of labor with the partners in Asia was such that FELM gave the orientation in form of pre missionary course and supervision in Hong Kong end. Students took two days a week theological studies at the se-minary and three days a week they went to placements, some of which were found through FELM and others through direct contacts. (Latvus 1998, 2002.)
The first group of students going to Hong Kong did only part of the preli-minary training course normally required by FELM but later on it was decided by FELM that all students should go through the same process. During these years 16 Diak students did studies and placements in Hong Kong. (Leena Haavisto, personal communication 9.2. 2012.) Personally I did not have a chance to know these students from the early and have not seen their feed-back. But I did know three students that went to Hong Kong after 2003 and their feedback was very positive.
Since 2005 FELM could, however, not receive Diak students in Hong Kong which meant that also interest in the program that had started strongly in Järvenpää had vanished. The importance of students coming back from their exchange as promoters has been the most important means of activating new applicants for certain places.
When looking at this history of cooperation with Hong Kong I regret that a program that had started as well structured did end quite soon. We can think about the reasons as well as with all other programs. One obvious reason is that Hong Kong was very strongly connected with Kari Latvus. After he stop-ped working as international coordinator and the emphasis in Järvenpää was more on European partners no one was there talking for Hong Kong. Also it could be said that going to Hong Kong was not made very easy for Diak
students. Not everyone could fill the requirements of FELM nor wanted to fill them. Diak started to offer many attractive placements in Asia that were far more accessible. Thirdly, the number of church oriented students at Diak has reduced and interest in theological studies has declined.
You can imagine how welcome a new approach to Diak from Hong Kong a couple of years ago were! Ms. Cynthia Ca Abdon-Tellez from Mission for Migrant Workers (MFMW) in Hong Kong contacted Diak through a former FELM missionary and wanted to visit us 2010. Riikka Hälikkä and I myself met her in June 2010 and the discussion was most fruitful. Cynthia told us that Diak students had been with Migrant Mission through FELM before but for years they had not received anyone. She said that she would like to make a contract directly with Diak and open the place for 2-4 mature female stu-dents who have previous experience of group work and empowering and counselling vulnerable women. MFMW helps abused and maltreated mi-grant domestic workers to defend their rights. (Meeting 2010.) It seemed almost like a circle had closed again. We returned back to one of the same organizations introduced by Kari Latvus hoping that a vivid exchange could start again.
However, it seems to take time to find the right students, when a new part-nership opens up. This time two qualified girls in their last phase of studies were found to go in the autumn 2011. They were also interested in making their thesis in the organization. Challenging in getting students to Hong Kong directly, without any FELM connection were the authorities of Hong Kong. Receiving an appropriate visa was quite difficult in both ends but after the process has been done once it will be easier.
The students faced some problems in finding a common understanding with the organization which is also understandable during the first time. Yet the feedback was most encouraging for the future cooperation.
After small hardships all went well. English was adequate language because all spoke English. I learned a lot about immigrants and about Hong Kong law towards migrant workers. Our course on therapeutic art was successful and we shared many kinds of feelings during the course. We laughed and cried together. (Viena 2011.)
PICTURE 3: Viena Koponen and Satu Kippo were leading an art course for domestic helpers in order to help the girls express their feelings. Hong Kong 2011. Photo owned by Satu Kippo.
PICTURE 4: Pasi Parila and two girls at Iper 2011. Photo owned by Pasi