Walled City and the Atonement

We had a small "teaching moment" when we went to visit the "Kowloon Walled City" last week. It is an area that was off limits to missionaries 40 years ago, and happened to be in my first area as a young missionary. The stories of corruption and crime in the tiny "city" were known by most of the missionaries, yet we walked by the 6.5 acre block of buildings every day. I recall wondering if the people there would ever be able to hear the gospel. 

Our visit to the site last week brought back memories for me. Now, it has been transformed into a beautiful, serene garden. Laraine and I were touched by what we saw, and the Spirit whispered to us something about the Atonement's redemptive powers.

Painting in the lobby of the Church's Asia Area Building

First a little history:

In 1898, the British government extended their control of southern China by signing a 99 year lease to include more land area (called  the "New Territories). However, a Chinese fort sitting on a tiny 6.5 acre piece of land on the peninsula was excluded from the lease because it contained a small Chinese military contingent assigned to protect the area. The “walled city” soon became the subject of jurisdictional controversy and eventually neither government maintained a presence there.

Without government enforced standards of sanitation, engineering or police presence, the city had serious problems. By 1990 the area had become a ramshackle heap of multi-story apartment buildings five to fourteen stories tall. The crumbling apartments were not built according to approved standards, had very little water or utilities, few elevators, poor drainage and very dark, narrow passageways. An existing building would be surrounded by newer buildings on all sides, with only a few feet between. The area became the mostly densely populated piece of land on earth. With as many as 50,000 residents packed together, the population density of over 3.2 million people per square mile stood in contrast to Hong Kong’s density of a mere 17,000 people per square mile. Residents also had to contend with a powerful crime syndicate, a thriving drug trade and miserable, unhealthy conditions. (For a better description of living conditions, click here)

In the mid 1990's the government of Hong Kong cleared away the buildings, brought in Chinese landscape artists from the mainland, and created an incredible garden. As Laraine and I walked around the quiet ponds and waterfalls, we sat to consider the significance of what we were seeing. It brought to mind the tender mercy of the Lord in offering Himself as a sacrifice so that we, too, could transform our sin-scarred lives into something of beauty. 

We are so grateful to our Father in Heaven for His plan of happiness, for the transformations that take place every day in the hearts of His children, no matter how dark and miserable they have become. 

Note: Our P-days are being transformed into opportunities to receive inspiration and take pictures for potential Mormon Newsroom or Church News feature articles. These thoughts about the Walled City of Kowloon may end up in a publication near you!