When asked what I treasure the most in my eleven years of service, I answer without hesitation: the team. As a finance officer in the Sichuan Chief Representative Office, I am responsible for regular financial reporting to headquarters, settling project funds with sites according to schedule, and ensuring that cash flow and project operations run smoothly, while maintaining compliance with financial and tax regulations in China.

In that respect, the teams I work with consist of colleagues from headquarters, local partners and long-term or short-term volunteers. We come from seven regions and countries, yet we share a common vision and mission: to reach out to the people we serve. At the same time, differences in culture and professional backgrounds can easily lead to intense friction. By grace, we are able to exercise love, humility and acceptance, which enable better communication, help resolve conflicts, and maintain unity.

One recent highlight we are especially thankful for is the collaborative effort of our finance team in compiling and streamlining our Financial Reimbursement Operations Guide. Our MSI President Cedric and colleagues from headquarters contributed a macro-level perspective, finance staff at the Chief Representative Office helped interpret local financial and tax regulations, and experienced long-term site personnel provided practical feedback from a project implementation perspective. What we achieved is a guide that effectively supports both new and existing staff in handling reimbursement processes in compliance with the local finance laws and regulations. This is a true reflection of our teamwork.