Taiwanese pastor Hui Lan Wu, a younger voice in global missions leadership, brought a fresh perspective to COALA3.0 this year. In an interview with Christian Daily International, she encouraged greater inclusion of women, young people, and Chinese-speaking congregations in the future of global missions collaboration.
Wu, who ministers in a local church in Taiwan and also goes by the name "Patricia" for ease in Western settings, has long worked with younger generations, church planting initiatives, and church revitalization efforts. She was ordained as a pastor in Taiwan, a country where, she noted, female leadership in churches is not uncommon.
Her church's international connections helped open the door for her participation in COALA3.0, a conference gathering mission leaders from Christ Over Africa, Latin America, and Asia.
"Our church leaders have strong relationships with both English- and Korean-speaking ministries," Wu said. "They encouraged me to come and see Latin America—a place we in Taiwan often view as ‘the ends of the earth.'"
A new perspective on global missions
For Wu, traveling from Taiwan to Panama was more than just a geographic shift; it was a profound encounter with new cultures, languages, and ways of collaboration.
"We are not so open-minded about different languages in Taiwan," she admitted. "While we have some experience with East and Southeast Asians in Taiwan, encountering Latin Americans has been a fresh and inspiring experience."
She praised the "beauty of God's creation" reflected in cultural diversity and emphasized the importance of learning to "dance with others" in mission work—a metaphor used often at COALA3.0 to describe cross-cultural cooperation.
Wu observed that while English is more familiar to Taiwanese Christians, the predominantly Spanish-speaking environment at COALA3.0 and the COMIBAM congress last week presented a "fresh, interesting, and enthusiastic" challenge. Despite the language barrier, she noted the hospitality and warmth of participants: "Everyone makes you feel like you've known them for a long time."
Learning from humility and collaboration
One of the most striking elements for Wu was the humility displayed by senior mission leaders. "Most of the people here are top leaders of their organizations, but they are very humble," she said. "We could sit together, talk, and learn from each other."
She contrasted this experience with her observations in Asian culture, where hierarchical structures often distance senior leaders from younger voices. "Here, leaders are more like friends. That’s beautiful."
Wu said her experience at COALA3.0 highlighted the value of "coaching" relationships across generations and the need to intentionally involve younger participants in mission leadership.
Championing the role of women and young leaders
As a younger woman leader who was invited to give a plenary presentation on missions in East Asia at COALA3.0, Wu offered a unique perspective on the conference's future.
"In some Asian cultures, women leaders are expected to be either very strong, almost like men, or they stay silent," she explained. "But we don’t need to prove ourselves. We have a role to play—and it's important."
Wu highlighted the example of another female leader she admired at the conference, who had served as vice president of a major mission agency. "She played an important role by simply being herself," Wu said. "That’s a powerful model for us."
Wu also brought a young participant from Taiwan with her, underscoring her belief in discipling the next generation by including them in leadership experiences.
"Every day I listened to him, learned from him," she said. "Younger generations have opinions and perspectives that we need to hear. We faced challenges together—even doing laundry and preparing presentations—and that builds real cooperation."
She suggested that every senior leader attending future COALA conferences should bring at least one emerging leader to mentor through the experience.
"When you coach and involve young leaders now, you make leadership transitions easier later," Wu said. "They are leaders-to-be."
Building bridges between Asia and Latin America
Wu’s participation also spotlighted the potential for greater engagement between Asian and Latin American churches, particularly among Chinese-speaking congregations in Latin America.
"Before coming, I didn’t even think much would happen afterward," she admitted. "But being here, I see so many connections we could make."
She has already begun sharing information about COALA with Chinese leaders she knows in Latin America and Taiwan, encouraging them to get involved. She envisions a future where Chinese-speaking congregations in Latin America are better represented in global mission discussions.
"There are Chinese communities all across Latin America—some Spanish-speaking, some Portuguese-speaking," she said. "They should be part of this movement too."
Wu hopes that future COALA gatherings will feature even greater diversity, bringing together leaders from Chinese Latin American congregations, Taiwanese churches, and other Asian communities that are often underrepresented.
Looking ahead to COALA4.0
Reflecting on the next steps, Wu said she dreams of a COALA that embraces "more diversity of leaders and backgrounds," not only in terms of nationality but also in terms of age and gender.
She also recommended creating specific tracks or workshops designed for emerging leaders and younger participants, allowing them to engage meaningfully even if they cannot attend the full conference schedule.
"Most senior leaders are very busy," she acknowledged. "But including younger leaders in even part of the program could have a big impact."
For Wu, her time at COALA3.0 was transformational, both personally and for her ministry back home.
"I may not be the most important person," she said. "But God has given me connections, and if I can be a bridge, that's a beautiful thing."
Her hope is that her experience can inspire others—particularly women and younger Christians—to see themselves not as voiceless or secondary players in global missions, but as vital contributors to the unfolding story of God's work across nations.
"Missions needs every generation," Wu said. "And we need to listen to every voice."
