Cart Witnessing in Hong Kong

scratchme1010

Hello all. I was away for a few weeks since I was on a nice vacation in Thailand, Hong Kong and Macau. During my vacationI saw several Jws in carts standing by different parts of the cities I visited.

I Hong King, however, I noticed that they were a lot more and in a lot more places where I wouldn't think I would see JWs with their carts. They were at the entrance of men's rooms (and not by women's rooms) in public and (what i imagine is) private property (entrances of public transportation places and shopping malls). Some were actually quite aggressive approaching men coming out of men's rooms. Also, there were some people from some kind of Christian denomination singing with guitars and other instruments, and the JW cart was right next to them. They looked as if they were part of the other group.

Has anyone seen that happening in any other place? In Macau and Bangkok they were like I've seen them in other places, just in a public high traffic area standing (looking silly) with their carts and not approaching anyone, but in Hong King I saw them being more aggressive and in places that I personally found odd for them to park.

Thoughts?

OrphanCrow

Scratchme, Hong Kong has a history of street vendors that is not seen on mainland China.

The "handover" from British rule back to Chinese rule only happened in 1997 - less that 20 years ago. Mainland China - where Macau is located (Canton) - had been under Communist rule since at least the early 50s. The laws against street vending on the mainland were established under Communist dictates. In Hong Kong, the history of prolific and uncontrolled street vending still impacts local ordinances and the enforcement of them.

The JWs cart witnessing's visibilty and aggressiveness, in Hong Kong, is simply part of the culture of street vending that Hong Kong has inherited from its history

Crazyguy

I drove by two woman each standing behind thier cart about eight feet from each other. On the Main Street of a old town in the middle of the road on a walk way. What was funny was thier posture. Both standing almost like at attention with thier hands behind thier backs. They looked like they were there to guard the carts. They looked totally un approachable, we're not talking, nothing just standing there looking forward. So unapproachable, so funny!

fulltimestudent

OrphanCrow : Scratchme, Hong Kong has a history of street vendors that is not seen on mainland China.

If you visit the PRC, you will find that street vendors are quite common. I've had 12 or more visits since the year 2000, and every visit, and in many cities I've noted street vendors. Food may be the favourite item, but clothing and household items are also common, as are things like shoe repairs, bicycle repairs and even clothing repairs, once saw a woman with a treadle sewing machine repairing clothing- all on the street.

\Just last night I watched a Chinese TV show on Australia's SBS called and one of the contestants described how he had made a lot of money through street vending.

On the other hand I know that there can be some harassment, but that could be related to the possibility that its possible that in some areas they need a city licence.

The reason there are no witness carts on Chinese streets, is that JWs do not have legal recognition*, so no 'legal' meetings or activity. ( NB. They also 'banned' in Singapore**)

* See: http://www.refworld.org/docid/45f147082f.html

** Quote: "In 1972 the Government deregistered the Singapore Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses on the grounds that its existence was prejudicial to public welfare and order because its members refuse to perform military service (obligatory for all male citizens), salute the flag, or swear oaths of allegiance to the state.At the time, there were approximately 200 Jehovah's Witnesses in the country; as of 2007 there were approximately two thousand. Although the Court of Appeals in 1996 upheld the rights of members of Jehovah's Witnesses to profess, practice, and propagate their religious belief, and the Government does not arrest members for being believers, the result of deregistration has been to make public meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses illegal." (See - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_religion_in_Singapore) The reasons for the PRC ban are likely to be similar.

hongkong123

As a former JW in Hong Kong, let me explain that.

I think that cart witnessing in Hong Kong is the most developed among all countries. It starts from Mandarin Congregation, then applies to all congregations. It had become the most prominent way as I observed before I left.

They usually put the cart in places with large pedestrian flows. They seem to look awkward by standing beside the cart as the organization do suggest them to preach only when the strangers show interest in cart's publication.