Grace Wu | Connecting Lives with Art

Interview with Grace Wu -oneYoung missionaries are alsoart creator , building bridges through art and groups that want to help. explore himMissionary InspirationAnd the process of co-creating with others, how to experience how to make "creative" become complete and beautiful.

Grace is an artist and a missionary worker. She integrates pastoral care and missionary work into her artistic creation, hoping to let more people know the gospel and influence lives through art.

1. How do you combine creation and belief/Are the souls connected??

Last summer, she co-curated with several creators in Kam Tin to introduce this group of asylum seekers from other places to the community and visitors.. They live as tourists and are generally considered to be filthy and vulgar, but the opposite is true. Grace hopes to discover more of their stories and bless them by getting to know them. "From understanding why they are in Hong Kong to what they are doing in Hong Kong, I would love to express all these stories in an artistic or more interesting way, reflect on them, and send them a blessing," she said.

"Refugees" is a difficult topic to attract attention in the local area, so Grace and other creators hope to express their feelings and care for them in various ways, such as composing music and lyrics, painting, making short films and other creator togetherInvite them to teach Hong Kongers how to make milk tea, thereby increasing interaction between groups.

"Behind helping the disadvantaged is the hope of building bridges with them through art. Building relationships takes time and is more personal. However, doing missions through art feels more comfortable and comfortable, and minimizes embarrassment." Grace will draw, Photography or text to convey prayers, Bible verses or God's Word to them in different mediums. In contrast, sending handmade and artwork is more thoughtful than sending masks or supplies, and they can feel the temperature of the gift better.

2. Do you think God has called you to do something?

"It is better to obey than to sacrifice" is Grace's constant reminder. She served God with a heart of obedience that was more important than the results of her ministry or the size of it. She believes that when God has given her a gift, she will use it to great effect. So Grace hopes that her gifts will bring life to her, rather than limit her creativity to commercial use. This led Grace to begin serving in Hong Kong.

3. What kind of growth have you had on your artistic path and spiritual life? Do you think the two are related to each other?

In the past, Grace has been thinking about the relationship between "creativity" and God, she said: "God is a God who pays attention to creativity, and all of this is based on the Bible. For example, in "Genesis 1:27" the mention of "God He created man in his own image, in the image of him, male and female." This is already a creation. So he values every creation, and when he creates each of us, he adds creativity to us. body."

Grace didn't grow up enjoying art. Before starting full-time ministry in 2019, she had always paid little or no attention to the importance of art. When she was a child, she was always under the influence of the pragmatism of the mainstream education environment in Hong Kong, and she was used to hiding herself and burying her artistic gifts. She also regarded the gifts bestowed by God as ramblings, and regarded them as useless things, and those who played art were not doing their jobs properly. . But through the creative process God gave Grace inspiration to guide her with content and images. Devotional prayer is an indispensable source of inspiration in her creation.

4. Does the community mean anything to you?

"Creating" has always been a personal thing for Grace. But when Grace first started her mission, she met a group of people who could serve and create together. In ministry, they create together, support each other's lives, brainstorm ideas, and make the results of ministry stronger and stronger. After Grace first tasted the fun of group creation, "group" became the main axis of her service. She has experienced the importance of community and hopes that creators in Hong Kong can enjoy and understand the true meaning of "creating together".

In the past few months, Grace and some art friends have launched a psalm campaign, bringing together different artists to write or hand-paint the content of "Psalms" according to chapters, and then publish them on social platforms. From ideas to actions, from a person to a story of a group of people, slowly, they established the prototype of her ideal group.

"Creativity" is not ashamed, but it is a gift, a blessing, and brings more beautiful relationships and the power to unite the group. Her mental journey makes the concept of "creativity" more complete.

Interview: Olivia Mok

Words and Images: Jeanet Wong

Follow Grace Wu: https://www.instagram.com/lespetitsmomentscaptured/