My husband, Pastor Paul Hartman, and I are in Hong Kong to help SALEM (a WELS sister Lutheran church) with its publishing efforts. Paul is the coordinator for WELS Multi-Language Publications.

Last week I was baking brownies to take to the home of Cici and her husband Angus, an evangelist in one of the SALEM congregations, when I smelled something burning. No, it wasn’t the brownies! One of our eighth-floor apartment neighbors had built a fire in a metal box out in our hall. Later as we left our apartment, we saw another neighbor doing the same thing. Thankfully the building walls are concrete with tile on both the floors and walls – and there’s a fire hose right outside our door.

We found out that last Wednesday was the most important day for the month-long Hungry Ghost Festival. This festival runs throughout the seventh month of the Chinese calendar. It is believed that the gates of hell open and hungry ghosts, especially those who do not have relatives tending their graves, are allowed to roam freely into our world. Many people perform various rites to appease the wandering ghosts, such as offering food and burning paper gifts and money.

Angus and Cici are both first generation Christians. Cici said her mother really appreciates the Hungry Ghost Festival, since she doesn’t know where her grandmother’s grave is. Parents also warn their children to come home early that evening, because they are afraid of the ghosts.

We discussed the need for Gospel-based children’s materials in the Chinese language. When they were in Wisconsin, where Angus spent a year at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, they became aware of the many resources the WELS has for children’s ministry in English. Now that they have a 3 month old son, this becomes personal for them. Yes, Christians teach their children that they don’t need to be afraid of ghosts. Jesus is more powerful than any evil in the world. Chinese children’s materials will need to have applications oriented to their own culture, including burnt offerings and ghosts.

Carol Hartman