The staff of Overseas Missionary Fellowship (OMF) offices in the USA northwest region is looking forward to being the first on U.S. soil to greet the fellowship’s first Asian International General Director.
"The West coast has extended an invitation for Dr. Patrick Fung to be the main speaker," said Dick Andrews, OMF USA’s Northwest Regional director. "It will be the first new leadership that God is bringing."
The 46-year-old Hong Kong-native will depart from the OMF office in Singapore in April for the fellowship’s Bay Area mission conference near San Francisco – marking his first appearance in the U.S. since his appointment to the position.
Andrews says Fung’s visit marks an important milestone to OMF’s 150 year history.
"It encourages other international leaders, and reminds them that this [fellowship] is no longer, and never has been, a British and American one," stated Andrews. "This [fellowship] belongs to God's. God is bringing a new level of leadership from amongst our Asian brothers."
OMF began life as the famed China Inland Mission, established by missions pioneer Hudson Taylor. Starting in 1865, CIM/OMF has the distinction of being the longest-surviving Protestant mission in the world.
"It is really the ethnic Chinese who will turn the tide of the world because of their vast numbers, education and spirituality," Andrews said, while adding that it was no accident Dr. Patrick Fung himself is ethnic Chinese. "The Chinese are potentially the largest mission gospel messenger we have ever seen."
Besides stopping in San Francisco, Dr. Patrick Fung will participate at the annual Bay Area Ministerial Prayer event involving 250 San Francisco Chinese Christian pastors. Fung will also be speaking at a second missions conference in Los Angeles with OMF personnel located there.
