ABRAHAM LAM – THE BOY

My dad’s father was the headmaster of a village school, a huge 6-foot tall scholar with a baby face. Kind, gentle, loving, and very much respected in the village.  My dad was the eldest of his 3 children.  As the eldest boy in the family,  he was loaded with responsibilities.  He had to help his mom in tending the family live stocks of pigs, goats and a cow, in feeding the poultry and planting vegetables in the backyard, carrying water from the well to the kitchen, collecting fire woods, and an endless list of household chores.   Besides helping his mom, he had to run little errands for his dad in the school.  He was also the school janitor.  At home, oftentimes he had to baby-sit his little sister and brother.  In spite of his triple responsibilities,   which was more than a full time job, dad still found time     and energy to play other roles in the village.

a)  A teacher  –  giving private tuition to students  who needed help in catching upwith their school work.

b) A mediator –  whenever there was a major dispute or problem in the village, dad was able to give an opinion or solution acceptable to all the parties concerned.

c) A detective – Because of his many playmates and   friends who are his eyes and ears,   dad was able to quickly trace out who was the culprit when somebody had stolen something from somebody.

d) A sharp shooter –  Dad’s father, who being very pleased with his diligent work at home and at school, gave him a hunting rifle as a gift.  Dad loved it and played with it whenever he had time.  He was known as a sharp shooter and was always invited to join the village game parties.  Dad often brought home birds and hares for mom’s kitchen.

e) A witty boy –  Dad was a boy with a stock of jokes, humor and stories.  He was the        life of all school parties.  He brought fun and laughter to all village gatherings.

ABRAHAM THE MAN

His role in the revolution and in the new born Republic

As I mentioned earlier,  I leave this part to historians to write and to comment.  I was not born yet at that time. I had no first hand information in the historic events.   However,  history remembers my dad and makes him   stand out as a hero and a leader in battles during the revolution.  His dauntless spirits and his dedication to the cause will be high lighted in the pages of history of China. Those were the early days when the Republic was still in its cradle, and the nation was fighting desperately for a place in the World of Democracy and Freedom. I wrote an article in WordPress titled ‘Escape from the Jaws of Death’ , telling the story of an insurgent plot to kill the President and my  Dad, and all the Ministers and Officials in the Presidential Headquarters.   It was a very narrow and hazardous escape.   Impenetrable lines and lines of insurgent soldiers were surrounding the Presidential Headquarters.  Every streets in the whole city of Canton were guarded and patrolled by the insurgent troops searching and questioning every passers-by.  It was a sure death trap.  But my Dad and the President out-witted them all and came out of it unharmed. This historic melodramatic event was recorded and applauded in some history books.

RETIREMENT PHASE OF HIS LIFE

In the 4,000 years of Chinese culture, it was the retirement dreams of people of all walks of life, to return to the quiet life in a village of natural beauty and peace.  My dad had his dreams come true when he retired from his active military services and rejoined his family with 21 kids. He had chosen for us a permanent home by the seaside in a quaint fishing village about 16 miles from downtown Hong Kong.

A home by the seaside

Our home was situated at the seaside overlooking a winding bay which stretches out to sea. The house was like a painter sitting in front of a panoramic view of the sea and sky.   The bay, blue as jade and sparking with waves under the sun, was dotted here and there with exotic fishing boats,     going out to sea or coming home with their catches. The sky was a dome of blue,  displaying dreamy clouds,with ever-changing shapes of horses, dragons, whales,    dolphins … in their various sizes and moods. Such views, such sights would fascinate and inspire any painter, any poet, anybody!
And, in a moonlit night, the bay was like a basin of liquid silver, so unreal, so like magic.  Moonlight, beaming down  upon the earth, would take us by the hand and lead us waltzing away to another planet of dreams. Dreams of strange adventures in the outer space.

No lack of Entertainment

There was no lack of entertainment in this quaint little village. The Big Circus would come around once every year, which   grownups as well as children anxiously looked forward to.     Elephants, lions, tigers, horses and all sorts of circus animals would be transported into the village, and the big tops put up.  It was then great excitement in the villages for miles and miles around.  There were then parades  of Circus animals and clowns, flower floats with bands playing and pretty costumed dancers dancing. The streets were lined up with crowds and crowds of cheering kids and curious adults. Tickets were sold out quickly and every show was fully packed.

Then there were the Annual Chinese New Year Operas, showing the Classic Chinese Operas with colorful costumes and exotic Chinese instrumental music. There were also street shows of “Lion Dances” .. “Kung Fu Dances” .. and Ethnic Tribes Dancers in their attractive traditional clothes.. etc.etc.

Such were occasions of infinite excitements for all the villagers!

Sun-deck, Moon-deck, Star-deck And A miniature Hollywood Bowl

Our home, a huge village type house with many rooms, had  a huge kitchen and dining room much like a school canteen. Pots and pans hung around kitchen walls. Barrels of foods and drinks lined up at kitchen corners. The dining room had tables of different sizes with table-cloths of different colors and designs to suit the different tastes and moods of the     family.  At dinner times, Grand-parents, Parents and visiting Guests sat at the Head Table, and kids packed themselves at the tables befitting their ages and sizes. Meals were served and dishes were cleaned by house maids.   The prime hours of the evenings were after dinner meals, when everybody moved out onto the Sun-deck which would turn into a Moon-deck or Star-deck when the Moon or the Stars began to shine. To us the deck was like a miniature Hollywood Bowl, where Grandma and Mom,  who were great   story-tellers, told their inexhaustible old time legends and stories. Grandpa would gather as many kids around him as he possibly could, with the smaller ones climbing up onto his laps and shoulders. He liked watching them playing games, yelling, laughing, chasing each other.  They would sing songs and perform dances which they learned at school. The climax of the evening came, when on occasions, such as after a Circus Show or a Chinese Opera Show, the children (some got talents !) would imitate the Circus clowns or the opera singers.  They could put up some hilarious shows that made everyone roar with laughter.
God be praised that some of them were born performers. They came on the stage with no rehearsals, no directors. They just did it !   And not bad at all !

Once a soldier always a soldier !

What happened to Abraham the soldier? My dad was never able to wean himself of his habits and lifestyle of a soldier.  He had thick dark hair and could let it grow as attractive as Valentino.  But he still kept his army short-cut hair which nowadays in the United States is called the ‘ G.I. cut ‘  !   He said it was a no-fuss-cut ! with which he could jump into a shower anytime and keep himself clean from sweat or dirt. He was always  an early bird  –  getting up with the first light of dawn. He love watching the gorgeous sunrise !  He said those were moments of magnificent colors and infinite inspirations.   When he was in the army, those were moments for him to make his battle plans, which often surprised himself as well as his enemies.

His morning exercises were a 1/2 hour run along the freeway or railway nearby our home.  He would then eat his breakfast like a hungry tiger.  There were 2 hours every afternoon reserved solely for his study of Chinese classics and calligraphy.

He would not let his spare time run waste.  He would make repairs around home, or trim trees, or clear away clutter  – always doing something.

* A quiet peaceful Retirement Life ? *

Such things do not exist in the world of Abraham!  Contrary to what he thought, my dad’s retirement turned out to be busier than he ever was  –  the word ‘busy’ in his dictionary took up several pages.   He was truly busier than a bumble-bee.

*Abraham the swimmer*

He was a born swimmer, like having propellers in his feet, he would spin around in ponds, streams, rivers, lakes and sea. He said swimming had once saved his life when he
was actively involved in the revolution and the Imperial troops were searching everywhere for him day and night.  There was one night when his only chance of escape was swimming out to sea, taking refuge in fishing boats, disguising as one of the fishermen.  He was finally taken to safety at another port.

His retirement dreams came true when he could enjoy to his heart’s content those beautiful sandy beaches or picturesque mountain streams, which were abundantly
found nearby his retirement home at the seaside. His greatest joy was to take his family of 21 kids out to swim.  He would hire a motor boat to explore those quiet bays with golden sandy beaches.  We would anchor our boat.  Mom would cook on board some simple noodle meals for us.  We could then eat, swim and snorkel there all day. Other times,  dad would take the family for a long hike up the mountains till we reached our favorite natural pond with water running down from a mini waterfall.  There again, we could swim with the cliffs echoing back loud and clear our screams and our laughter. Mom always made sure that she had prepared enough food to feed the 21 hungry mouths of kids.

* Abraham the hunter *
My dad was fond of hunting.  He loved to get into the deep forests to have a closer view of nature with all its trees, plants and animals.  China is the best place to find such magnificent and spectacular forests.  So, his retirement plans included organizing hunting parties in China with his hunting friends.  They would map out target trips during the months of Autumn when weather was mild and wild animals and birds were abundant for hunting.  There was one year, the hunting party brought back a baby tiger and a baby
deer from China and Dad presented them to the Zoological Garden in Hong Kong.

* The Mountain Trail Hiker *
In the Kowloon Peninsular, across from the Island of Hong Kong,  there are some very picturesque mountains with queer shaped peaks which people can see and
admire from miles away.  The most popular of these mountains are :-

a) The big foggy mountains –  As the name suggests,   they are most of the time covered in thick fog.   On a cold wintry day, people like to drive up to   the tops to see the frosted trees and plants and the mountainside thinly covered with snow.  It is
an exciting sight for the local residents who rarely see any frost or snow.

b) The Horse-saddle Mountain  –  A comparatively   low mountain, very green and beautiful, like a horse-saddle sitting along the side of a bay. It is easy to climb and is very pleasant to roam around on a weekend.

c)  The 8 Fairies Mountains  –  so called because it is a chain of mountains with 8 steep peaks towering on the tops of these mountains which look like 8 fairies sitting up there, blessing the villages down below. These mountains are popular for their  exquisite scenery and spectacular views. There are innumerable rock cliffs, caves, water falls, streams, murmuring brooks,cascading rapids … for the adventurers to explore, ….for the photographers, painters  poets to amuse and enjoy. My dad liked most of all those almost endless trails for hiking.  At every turn of the trails, there is a different view to charm you and to give you the feeling of entering in a fairy land.

My dad was a frequent hiker on those trails with his ardent friends.  There were a few occasions when he wanted to take his children along.  He would announce his wishes at Breakfast! And we, his 21 kids, knowing well that we were only Ducks !  and NOT Goats !  and that those high mountain trails are No Place for Ducks !   We ran and hid,  disappeared like a breeze ! Dad quickly and loudly yelled,  ” Come back !   Come back !  Those who come hiking with me will have a nice supper with me at the restaurant and each will get on top a silver coin ! ” 21 kids quickly reappeared like little ghosts from behind nowhere ! The mountains would then witness the strange sight of 21 little ducks trailing behind their dad  – happily parading and waggling their little tails.

* My Mom *

It is generally believed that behind every successful man there is a woman who makes his success possible.  My dad used to say that it was my mom who gave him the spirit of the dragon in battles and in life.

* A small farming village *

Let me start my mom’s story with the place where she was  born and where she grew up to her teens.  It was a small farming village, about a day’s driving distance from the           world famous scenic city of  ‘Kwei-Lin’ ,   renounced for its queer shaped mountains and jade blue streams.  Just like the majestic beauty of the Canadian Rockies tailing off in the  region of Banff which people called the ‘little Switzerland in Canada’ ,  the natural beauty of ‘Kwei-Lin’ tapers off here in  the area around this small village which abounds in the       charms and magic of mountains and streams.

It was also believed that In an environment of such peace  and beauty, boys were born strong as rocks, and girls as attractive as the streams.  My mom was one of those girls.

But my mom was not contented to be the little bird hopping from tree to tree in this village.  She was born an audacious little eagle that flies, up high over hills and vales, exploring   neighboring villages and towns. visiting relatives and friends.  And that was how mom met dad, and how her vivacity and intelligence had won the hearts of dad and of his parents.     She was married to Dad at the age of 16.

* A favorite and a welcome visitor *

In my dad’s family, mom was a favorite, and in dad’s village she was a welcome visitor to relatives and friends.  She had a way of endearing herself to people she came to meet. Her cheerfulness and readiness to help was her key to open up almost very heart and every door to receive her everywhere she went.

* A lover of nature *

Mom was a lover of nature.  She loves all trees and plants, flowers and butterflies, birds and fish  –  in fact she loved all the animate and inanimate objects of God’s creation.  She talks even to rocks and plants.  She says that if we listen carefully we can hear them talk and sing.  She says that they understand us and share all our joy and tears.  Such         are glimpses of her many incredible deeds and beliefs.

* A honey bun for children *

Children flock to my mom like little bees to homey.  She would tell them fairy tales and teach them to sing songs. She knew how to make very pretty toys with wood or           bamboo,  and from weeds and tree leaves.  She gave them as presents to children who scored high grades in schools or who did something very sweet and praise-worthy.  She had a way of wiping away their tears and making them smile again their great big smiles   She was the honey bun to all of them.  It was very touching to hear children greeting her so sweetly almost everywhere in the village.

* A mother of 21 kids *

Incredible ?   Yes, mom had 21 kids  –  born of 3 mothers.  In those days, a husband could have more than 1 wife and my dad had 3. !   It was not his lust for many wives.  It was his mother’s idea that he should have 1 more wife to help in the daily household chores.  So, while his mother was busy selecting a suitable girl for him, my dad’s fancy was caught by a girl whom he wanted to bring home as a second wife. So it came to pass that 2 girls were brought home at the same time,  one selected by the mother and one picked by himself.  So, instead of rejecting one of them, both were accepted by dad’s mother. Approval was also given by my mom who was given the final say.  So that was the story of how my dad had 3 wives and how my mom had 21 kids  –  9 by herself and 12 by the other 2 wives (concubines). Incredible as it might seem,  all 21 kids looked to mom as  the one mother we all loved and the one mother around whom we huddled and played.  In another article written  by me, published earlier titled  ‘Ducks! ducks ! ducks !’,  I wrote about my 21 brothers and sisters. We were a strange sight to the villagers of a quaint seaside     village where we lived.  When the family went out on a swimming trip and passed by the market place,  we could see and hear the people there, pointing their fingers, and curiously counting , Papa duck ! Mama duck !  1 2 3 and 4,   ….. 9 10 11 and 12………18 19 20 and 21 !   Altogether 21 little ducklings !  Happily parading with waggling tails !

* She dares to dream and she has visions *

As a young girl, my mom had ideas, notions and daring  dreams of her own  –  crossing countries to distant lands, or even putting on wings to fly off this planet to reach the moon and other planets in the outer space.  She owed this attribute of visions probably to her father who was in the shipping trade, who made full use of the inexpensive water-ways  –  rivers and canals, lakes and open seas.  Their ships brought cargoes, traders and travelers to all parts of China and even overseas to Malaysia, India and Indonesia.  He believed in free trades and in unhampered exchange of cultures and beliefs.  From him, my mom got  her vision of stripping down all walls between nations, let there be only  ‘One Nation under the Sun’  –  One Nation of all races and creeds !  This notion coincides with the hopes  and dreams of my dad.  The dreams of a New China.

I have reasons to believe that these stories when written will make interesting readings, and that readers will like to hear more.  It was because each and every time I told and retold these stories to my children, I could plainly see the bewilderment and thrill in their wide-opened tell-tale eyes  – wishing earnestly to hear more.  The same kind of thrills were also clearly displayed in the much amazed eyes and delighted faces of my friends in church and at work, when  I happened to be telling some of these stories to them.

So here I am, putting pen to paper – hoping that, in reading them, readers will fall in love with my mom and dad too!

* The Scene of the stories *

They all took place in the Land of the Dragons, the land  where all the people living in it, believed that they were, ever since the world began, the sons and daughters of the peace-loving and spirited dragon.

This Land was also believed to be the Center of the Earth, surrounded by mountains and oceans on all sides.  And, over this good Earth, the Sun, the Moon, the Stars and all the heavenly bodies revolved.

In this Center of the Earth  (???, through the 4000 years of written history, Empires were built  –  with good Emperors continued to rule, to maintain peace and to look after the welfare of the people, and with the bad Emperors quickly eliminated.

The only threat to peace in this Land was from the barbaric nomad tribes who in their search for food and shelter made attacks from over the mountains in the North. To keep them out, the `Emperor Qin` built the Great Wall, stretching over a thousand miles, on the mountain tops overlooking the wilderness of the North.  On this Great Wall, signal towers were built within sight of each other, to give smoke warnings to the garrison troops nearby. This formidable Wall did successfully keep all invaders away.

* The  Period of these stories *

These stories occurred at a time when this Great Wall was no longer able to keep off undreamed of enemies from the countries in the West  –  enemies with battleships, armed with modern weapons of guns and canons, capable of making attacks to the ‘Center of the Earth’ from across oceans and seas.

It was at a time when the ignorant ruling Empress was totally unaware of the rapid advances in war-weapons in the western countries.  She was still complacent in the defending power of her Imperial Armies, with heroes and masters of swords and arrows!   Her complacency led her to empty out all her Treasury Reserves to build an ‘Imperial Garden’ resembling the incredibly beautiful `Kun Ming Lake`,  and capturing all the attractions of the picturesque `Hang Chou` City. The vast expenditures involved, included the use of the budgeted fund for the ‘modernization’  of the Imperial Navy –  the replacement of old warships in wood with modern battleships in metal.  This resulted in the total annihilation of  the Imperial fleet by the modern Japanese Navy in a naval battle at the Yellow Sea, during the War with Japan in the early 19th century.

This national shame and disaster had awaken the Sleeping Dragon.  A revolution was underway.  Dr. Sun Yat-Sin was the leader. Under his leadership were gathered together all the sons and daughters of the dragon who were ready to dedicate their lives to overthrow the corrupted Imperial rule and to the building of a new democratic Republic with freedom and equality for all the people.  My dad was one of those revolution pioneers.

….more to come!

*    The flight.   *

It’s a scary long flight of 14 hours ahead.  Scary ?  Yes, for an old guy way past his 80s approaching his 90, it is more than a challenge to fly across the ocean in a fully packed Boeing with hardly any room to stretch one’s legs or back – especially for me who has got a pain in the leg and a hurting denture in the mouth.  I do need a special blessing from the Mighty God  to get through the flight, at 30,000 feet above the big wide Pacific Ocean.  Getting off the plane, it would still take another 2 hours of bus ride to get to my little home town in the far suburbs of Hongkong, and it needs another taxi ride to reach home  I really sighed a big Sigh of Relief when I stepped inside my home –  gazing at the Pictures and Icons of Jesus and Mary on the walls of the sitting-room – thanking them with deep gratitude and joy !

The flight itself was not as bad as I thought.  The ordeal was much lessened by the sweet smiling hostesses who gave me food and wine abundantly.

Sitting beside me in the plane were two Canadian ladies from Saskatchewan. They were on their long-dreamed-of holiday to Bali in Indonesia.  They were more excited in getting there than I was getting home.  They were very pleasant to talk to.

I envied those young executives who could settle into a deep restful sleep with their dreams of potential business ahead.

Young couples on their honeymoons were of course more than happy.  Their gay laughter and sweet smiles did brighten up the plane cabin and make the clock turn fast. The young students too, in their casual dress and holiday mood, turned the cabin alive with an atmosphere of a school campus.  The young girls especially (with their bare legs, ….  and with whatever in their pretty body that can be bared)  were more than an ice-cream treat to the admiring eyes of man,.. or even to the dim dull eyes of old guys like me, ha ha !

In short, the flight, in God’s grace, went off like a Breeze !

*   Caught in the rains.   *

It was the next morning after my arrival,  I was on my way to the Church and the Bank.  Tropical rains suddenly poured down like torrents from the sky.  Adding terror to the fury, thunders were roaring and lightnings flashed.  The howling winds swept across everybody in the streets and drenched everyone of us with rains from head to toe.  Some people, including me, took shelter in a public toilet kiosk nearby.

A few gave up and went dashing through the rains for home.

I was half a mind to call it quits too.  But I didn’t budge and kept hiding in the stench of the toilet for about half an hour.

Then lo and behold, the torrential rains eased off just as quickly as it came.  I was then able to brave forward on my way to do what I intended to do.  And the rains, finding itself no match for God’s mighty Grace, retreated and disappeared in shame for the rest of the day.

God is good, and my important errands were done –

Again like a Breeze !

*  God created fine men and fine women  *

Monday, July 9, 2012.  I met four nice warm good people today.

(1)  The 1st two were a grand-father and a grand-daughter from Indonesia:-

I met them in the city tram on the Island side of Hongkong.   I was returning from a visit to a Church in Happy Valley  ( a church and a district of sweet memories.)

These 2 fine looking people, sitting beside me on the tram, kept smiling at me. Till finally they began talking to me.  They told me briefly that they were overseas Chinese from Indonesia, and had returned to Hongkong 15 years ago. They were Buddhists, and were in silk business. They had no trouble with the local intense heat which was mild enough compared to that of Indonesia !

They jokingly said that I had two biggish long ears which looked like their Buddhas and which appealed very much to them. Ha !

(2)  The 2nd pair are two Philippine girls :-

They were sitting and playing with their i-phones in the shady Park of the Statue Square in the central district of Hongkong.  I was also there resting from the heat of the sun.  They kept playing and running around.  They looked and smiled at me from time to time.  They looked so happy and care-free – two little joyful souls on earth !  They then started to play with their digital cameras, taking pictures of each other –  posting and making gestures like 2 little models – indeed very pretty, very natural and very sweet.

Suddenly, to my great surprise, they  came to me and asked, in their very girlish and playful ways, whether they could take pictures of me with each of them, I of course said it would be my pleasure.

They then went off bidding me a very warm and sweet ” adios ” !

*  A pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes *

I made a visit to the St. Joseph Church in Hongkong Island where there was a beautiful Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes !  I did feel like making a pilgrimage as I walked up the steep mountain road under the scorching sun at a temperature of 100 F.  It did seem like making my way to Jerusalem – just as far away,  with no less difficulty, and with the same firm faith and gratitude.

When as a kid in school, I was taught to pray to Mary, the Mother of Jesus, Son of God.   All my life, she has answered all my prayers – making all my hopes and dreams come true !    And, even blessings which I dared not ask, were granted to me abundantly and graciously !

I could have stayed there whole day –  praying and thanking the good Lady – and still felt not ready to leave.  There is so much to be prayed for !  I need so much courage and guidance  to be good and  worthy !

Her image of Glory and Grace,  Beauty and Perfection, will always be with me –  sculptured into my body and soul !

*  The Treasury  *

In order to find out how I could get the $6,000 bonus money for every individual Hongkong citizen, I had to go a long way to find the government Treasury in Wanchai district in Hongkong.

It was a long and treacherous way from home.  It took several transit transfers from trains to buses and to underground … plus a long tortuous walk …asking directions all the way… and finally to a maze of high-rise office buildings which were like a bee-hive leading you to nowhere !

It took me a full half day to locate finally the “Treasury” .  And, at the end of the endless stresses and torments, I was told that I need not come to the “Treasury” at all. I could simply apply to my local Bank to get the whole thing done for me. I could get the money paid into my personal account.

I really need some super humor in me,  to laugh out loud at myself,  for having spent a whole day playing ” A Perfect Fool ”

*   The Lawyers   *

It was my big relief to have come to a  (very much delayed but satisfactory) conclusion to the whole affair of the Estate of my late sister Dora.  There had been so much head-aches, fighting all the way, month to month, to get it done !

It was also very fortunate of  me that I had come to 3 good lawyers to handle the whole affair.  They had not only dealt with those very delicate and complicated legal matters with expertise.  They had also become my very warm friends.

The total bills for all the legal services could have been colossal, if calculated according to their professional charges.  But, the total sum came out to be only minimal  –  with many items at much reduced costs, and many other items free of charge.

The bill to me is a bill of warm friendship, and not a bill of legal charges !   Besides,  this precious friendship had been well proven and demonstrated from beginning to end, requiring more than 140 exchanges of documentary emails in dealing with the matter.

I thank God for this grace and their friendship !

*    The Weather    *

The Boeing  giant  plane seemed to have taken me out from an icebox of 6 – 7 C in Vancouver, and then dropped me off into a hot oven of 100 F in Hongkong.  I was simply being roasted alive, in the relentless heat !

Even sitting quietly indoor with an electric fan going,  I had to change my sweat shirts several times a day.  I had to take long drinks of water to abate my thirst and take repeated showers to cool off – not unlike an elephant dipping his long nose down into a pool to drink, and to shower himself with his trunk.  I now understand why ducks prefer paddling in the ponds or streams where there is ample cool water to duck under !

*    The People    “

The younger population, the young dragons, have now learned to be more polite and more respectful to older people.  They readily give their seats on buses and trains to Seniors, and always ready to help them in whatever way they can.

But, the people in general,  in both China and Hongkong, they were all given away to material comfort and tempted to live beyond their means.  They seemed to live only for today.  Yesterday to them was too far gone, and tomorrow might not come.  So, what’s more real than today, and what wisdom is there other than seizing at all pleasures here and now ?

However, it appears that this is not only a problem in China, it is becoming a world-wide trend !

*    The Outlook    *

The sleeping Dragon, lying asleep for centuries, is now fully awaken.  It is fully aware of the need to keep abreast with other nations in economics, politics, technology, as well as agriculture, industries, education and culture …..etc.etc.  The nation has the advantage of a vast population which provides a huge market to support all forms of economic growth.  Light industries (for garments and daily use products, electrical and plastic articles for home use, books and stationery for schools,  everything we buy in the dollar stores) are developing rapidly.  Heavy industries like car production and ship building are catching up with other advanced nations.  Cities are being modernized and linked with a dense network  of road and rail communications.

In short, the nation is moving fast ahead, and in the right direction.

*    Communication    *

I’ve personally seen some of those modern freeways.  They were not only well designed and built, they are also made pleasing to the eyes with landscaping on both sides of the roadway – reducing eye-fatigue for drivers and adding safety to driving.  Railways and trains are also being built with speed, comfort and safety in mind.  The world’s fastest bullet trains from Beijing to Shanghai have recently been open for use.  Business executives can now come and go between the two cities to conduct their business in one day, on a round trip.  These roads and railways are masterpieces of art and engineering.  We can see many of them in Videos and T.Vs.

*    Education    *

Full efforts are being put into the education fields.

Very well staffed and equipped elementary and secondary schools had been built in most towns and cities.  Full fledged sporting fields and swimming pools have become the pride of each individual township.  Kids are being taught to grow strong in their bodies as well as in their mind.

Academic studies and degrees in universities are awarded to those endowed with the zeal and talents for them.  Shorter technical courses for business or engineering etc. are provided in Technical Colleges. Students can go straight into jobs in their specialty fields. Scholarships and study loans are given to students qualified for advance courses or degrees in countries abroad, such as England, the United States, Canada, Germany, France, Australia etc.etc.

There are now ample opportunities for talents.

*    Farming, irrigation and flood control    *

China, with its vast territories, is mainly a farming country.

A good irrigation system is therefore most important to provide water for farming.  An extensive network of irrigation channels and canals is underway for purposes of farming as well as for controlling floods which were disasters plaguing many provinces in China.

Modern machinery and farming technology are being introduced to farmers.   And their produce were quickly sold due to the  much improved network of communication.  The farmers are now much better off than before.

*    Cultures    *

The Chinese are quick in absorbing new cultures.  Throughout the centuries,  China preserves and promotes even the  very rare cultures of the small ethnic groups.  And now, doors are wide opened for all the cultures of the Western world.  Most western dresses, foods and lifestyles are being fully blended into the Chinese cultures.  Coca Cola and McDonalds are now a familiar drink and favorite eating place in China.

China is in essence a multicultural nation !

*    Leaders    *

In every country, even in every little groups of people, we need leaders.  And in our olden days, we chose our leaders from the older folks who had more education and more experience in Life.

But, now in China, we see a very surprising new trend.  This very heavy duty of leadership is being put in the hands of newly trained young boys or girls in their early 20s.  I’ve personally met some trade groups of young people in New York while on-board  ferry boats.  They were all young Managers of different pharmaceutical or garment companies on their world tour of business and orientation.

My own reasoning for this new trend is perhaps similar to putting new young drivers in very expensive race-cars.   Their daring and soaring spirits might sometimes crack up costly cars.  But they are the ones that can create new records and bring new results !

Well, good luck to this new trend.

Good luck to the young leaders.

Good luck to  China !

*    Epilogue   *

I have learnt on this trip the importance and beauty  of “Patience” and “Acceptance”.   Move anger out of the way, and put in its place understanding and pardoning by reasoning from all possible angles.

There is a Chinese saying that “Stepping back one step will leave plenty of room (spacious as the sky and wide as the ocean) to move ahead again.”  and “Holding one’s anger for one single moment can calm the wind and waves in a  stormy sea and restore peace over an ocean.”

I’ve also learnt to keep in mind and bring to life those quotable quotes, such as:-

“If you see someone without a smile, Give him / her one of Yours ! ”

or

” A cheerful heart and a smiling face, bring sunshine in the darkest place ! ”

etc. etc.etc.!!!  !!!   !!!

(my sister 七家姊)

She is now resting in peace and happiness
in the Lord’s home in Heaven.
She has taken a long long journey on earth of 88 years,
with love to share in abundance.
She has climbed many mountains, forded many streams,
following her dreams.

It will be too long a story to tell, re-capturing those years one by one.
And it will be sad to hear again those days of tears and fears,
in the midst of war and roaring guns.
with homes completely shattered
by Japanese merciless bombs and cannons.
So, in this short eulogy of my sister Lam Fun,
we will only recall those times when Life was smiling on her
with days filled with songs, dance and fun.

First in her teens.
Let us then start with those golden years when she was in her teens,
when every young girl’s heart was dreaming of her prince,
and of sitting on top of happiness and becoming a Queen.
Truly, in her young days, she was pretty, lively and charming,
very much admired by people around her, and
very much envied by other girls of her age.
Yes, she was a little queen in the eyes of our parents;
and, in the hearts of her brothers and sisters,
she was even a little bit more than a queen.
She was more like a star shining, beautiful and bright,
in the darkness of nights.
she was a little bird singing way up high.

War broke out.
But then, just when she was completing her grades at school,
and was on her way entering university, The Japanese Invasion started and took all her dreams away.
She was however not frightened by all the horrors on the way.
Instead, the killing and miseries before her eyes, fired up her
patriotism and courage, and made her spirits soar.
She joined the youth army and was marching forward
shoulder to shoulder in the national defense against
the Japanese invading forces.

War is over.
At the surrender of the Japanese, her military services also end, and
she joined the government in civil services.
She built an image of a good civil servant
by her hard work and willingness to serve.
.

Return to Hongkong.
Retired from her public services, she returned to Hongkong,
settled down, got married
and had a fine family of her own,
happy with a loving husband, and
proud of a pretty clever daughter
very much like herself.

Immigration into Canada.
The most rewarding part of her life came
when she immigrated into Canada,
living in the garden city of Vancouver,
where skies are blue, and flowers
blooming everywhere.
The most fascinating moments were visiting
the numerous lakes and parks
shimmering and shining
like jade and gold.
The most joyful times were picking apples and
gathering berries, from trees and fields,
with her own face beaming red, and
her lips smiling sweet as the berries.

So, with all her smiles, let me end
my eulogy of my sister Fun
with Praises to God blessing her in Heaven
with loving memories of
her courage and her fun.

By Bernie Lam

What’s this? Ducks! ducks! and ducks ?
Yes, yes and yes! That’s the nickname given to my family
by the villagers of a quaint seaside little village where we
lived, about 16 miles from Downtown Hong Kong.
And this queer name brings out :-

“The Story of My Family”
Mine is a Family of Papa Duck, Mama Duck and 21 ugly little
Ducklings! 21 children? That is correct! Very much like the
movie story of “Sound of Music” where the Captain has 7 children,
and we had 21, out-numbering them by 3 fold. The people of my
hometown village keep counting again and again, as the family
passed by the market place, 1 papa duck, 1 mama duck, 1 and 2,
3 and 4 ………20 and 21 little ducklings !

Why ducks and ducklings ? All because the whole family were
born swimmers. Papa, after his retirement from active military service, took up a seaside residence in a fishing little village
in the suburb of Hong Kong. It was his retirement dreams come
true – he loves the ocean, the sea, the lakes, the mountain streams,
any pool,… anywhere he can swim ! And all his 21 children took
to the water like little ducklings, paddling away and splashing
around, happily and fearlessly.

“A Home by the Seaside”
Our home, overlooking a deep bay which strethes out to sea, was
like a painter sitting in front of a breathtaking picture of sea
and sky! The sea, blue as jade and sparking with waves under the
sun, was dotted here and there with exotic fishing boats coming
home with their catches. The sky was a dome of blue, displaying
dreamy clouds of ever-changing shapes of horses, dragons, whales,
dolphines … in their various moods. Such views, such sights
would fascinate and inspire any painter, any poet, anybody !
And, in a moonlit night, the bay was like a basin of liquid
silver, so unreal, so like magic. Moonbeams, filling the whole
sky, would take us by the hand and lead us to a dance – waltzing
away to another world of dreams. Dreams of fairies coming down
from the Moon chosing husbands of heroes and scholars from our
planet.

“No lack of Entertainment”
There was no lack of entertainment in this quaint little village.
The Big Circus would come around once every year, which grownups
as well as children anxiously look forward to. Elephants, lions,
tigers, horses and all cicus animals would be transported in and
the big tops put up. It was then great excitement in all the villages for miles and miles around.
Then there were the Annual Chinese New Year Operas, showing the
Classic Chinese Opera with Chinese instrumental music. There
were also shows of “Lion Dance” .. “Kung Fu Dance” .. Singing
and Ethnic Dances in exotic traditional clothes.. etc…etc.
Such were occasions for added excitements for the villagers !

“An Education straddling 2 Systems, 2 Cultures”
Our Education straddled two systems. The classical Chinese
system in the Elementary grades, and the British system in
Secondary grades and in University. These 2 systems, in their perspective, covered Two Cultures in all their Complexities
and Beauty !

Chinese System : found in all the elementary schools in the
villages. Here, kids were taught to read and write Chinese
characters (which might at first seem complicated, formidable
and incomprehensible, but they could be picked up by kids and
vertually printed into their heads with time and patience –
learning from simple to complex characters).
They had to learn simple poems and classics with standard texts
from centuries-old Chinese Classics. They had to do recitations
(in a singsong manner) and dictations from those texts which
in their contents introduce elementary knowledge of history,
geography, social etiquette, attitude and morals in philosophy.

British System : Being a Britiah Colony, this system was adopted
in Secondary grades and in University. Teachers and Professors
(who are enthusiastic in, having a passion for and thrilled by
a desire to educate and to blend the Two Cultures of the East
and the West into One.) were sent from England, with numerous
Missionary teachers from France, Italy, Spain and…Germany.
English was the teaching medium. So, with this multi-cultural
teaching staff, bringing in their individual cultures, students
reaped the benefits and enlightenment from various cultures.
It was here that was conceived and born the Historic Revolution
to overthrow the corrupted Empire and to create a New Republic
constituted in Democracy and Freedom.

“Sun-deck turning into
A Moon-deck,
A Star-deck,
and
A miniature Holliwood Bowl.”
Our home, a huge village type 14 room house, having a kitchen
and dining room not unlike a school canteen. Pots and pans
and barrels of foods and drinks hang and lie around the
kitchen walls and floor… AND the dining room had tables of
all sizes and shapes with table-cloths of all colors and
designs to fit the moods of adults and kids.
At dinner times, Grand-parents, Parents and visiting Guests
sit at the Head Table, and kids pack themselves around tables
befitting their ages and sizes. Meals were served and dishes
were cleaned by maids.
The prime hours of the evenings were afer dinner, when everybody
moved out onto the Sun-deck which would turn into a Moon-deck
and Star-deck when the Stars and the Moon began to shine. The
deck was large enough to be a miniature Holliwood Bowl, where
Grandma, a great story-teller, told her inexhaustible oldtime
legends and stories. Grandpa would gathered as many kids around
him as he possibly could, with the smaller ones climbing up onto
his laps. Then came the games of the children, yelling, laughing running, singing and dancing round the deck. But the climax of
the evening came, when on occasions such as after a Circus Show
or a Chinese Opera Show, the kids (some quite talented) would
imitate the Circus clowns and put up some hilarious shows that
made everyone roar with laughter. And sometimes the kids were
daring enough to perform a little part of the Opera Show which
they had seen. And God be praised that some of the kids were
born performers. They came on the stage with no rehersals, no
directors, … They just did it ! and not bad at all !

***** ******
There will be more stories about My Dad, My Mom, My Brothers,
Sisters…Our fun, our ballgames..our own teams…..
And if readers are interested, please watch out for them
in my next issues on the Word Press.
Many many thanks from Bernie Lam.
And
Please forgive my many errors and mistakes.

When I was a child, I used to fret over rains. They seemed
to send me the blues which made me feel miserable as I gazed
and gazed at them. But, as I grew older and on occasions when
I had no choice but to walk out in the rains (such as coming
home from school and being caught in an unexpected shower..),
I began to understand that I’m never gonna stop the rain by
complaining. I then learnt to find fun with the rains – I
let the raindrops fall on my head and drip down my face. I
jumped in or over puddles and splashed about like birds with
their wings. I even learnt to sing and dance in the rain like
the popular songs “Raindrops keep falling on my head.” or
“Crying is not for me!”. Or I simply just yell and laugh out
like a simpleton playing the fool !

But, later in life and now, I have learnt the wisdom of
“I cannot ….. , but I can …… !”
Such as
“You cannot change the weather,
But you can change your mood ! “

“You cannot change the look of your face,
But you can display your great big smile !”

“You cannot foretell what tomorrow’ll be,
But you can make full use of today !”

“You cannot succeed in everything you do,
But you can do everythig the best you can !”

“You cannot decide the span of your life,
But you can deepen and widen its meaning !”

……etc.,etc…..

And, if the rains do not please us at all,
There is always the rainbow they bring
which will certainly delight us !

*********** **************** *************

This is a simple prayer written by Bernie
with words bubling from his heart like a
glass of sparkling wine, whispering constantly
in his lips, and softly sung in his soul like
a lullaby ! … A prayer to share with you.

Any prayer, any wish,
Feel it in your bones，
and
It will come true ！

頌 恩

天父 賜愛子
人間 伴我行
世途 多險惡
無須 惊与怕
全心 信賴主
乘风 与破浪
邪惡 尽滅蹟
温美 降人間
主恩 千生頌
主愛 万世傳

亞 孟

P.S. This Prayer, conceived in Chinese,
now tanslated into English, for your
reading and sharing.
Here it is :

**** Glory and Praise to God ****
Creator of Heaven
And Earth.
Maker and Father of
All Man .

God the Father, gave us Jesus, His Beloved Son.
To be born to our World, to walk with us side by side.
For it is a long and tortuous journey we have to go through.
In Him, we’ll find all the courage and strength to chase away
All the blues, all the wickedness, evil and vice .
And in Him, we’ll have no more fears, only be filled with pride.
We’ll glide along on top of waves and soar way up high,
Believing and trusting that He’ll bring back to all man,
Joy and cheers and Smiles.
!!! !!!
Let us give Him Glory and thanks !
To Him,
Our Loving God.
Today and Everyday
!!!
from Generations
to Generations
!!!
for Always and
Always.
!!!
With love and gratitude from Bernie.

Dear, dear Bishop Ken,
Our most reverend and
Most beloved Bishop in Christ Jesus,

With Easter fast approaching, may I take this opportunity to send my
warmest regards and best wishes to you and your Mom for
A most joyous and blessed Easter !
Please forgive my absence in Church since my return from China. This
Vagabond will soon come back home to our most beloved Church and to
Thee (Our dear, dear Bishop Ken who loves us and keeps us blessed,
guided and loved by our Savior Jesus Christ). This Vagabond has always
been holding very dearly our Church and Thee in his heart, and has never
for a single moment forgotten those happy times we had together.
Please convey my apology and warm regards to our dear Father Yury and
Anna, Father Phil, all our dear Sisters and all our dear friends in Church.
Let them know that they are always in my thoughts and prayers. Let them
know that my heart joins them in their prayerful Divine Liturgy in this festive
season of LENT.

I am sure Dora (in her home in Christ in heaven) is joining me in this message
to you and your Mom, and to all our dear friends in Church whom she loves
and belongs !

With gratitude and love to all of you,
from Bernie Lam
and Dora (in her heart and soul)

********************************

Glory to Jesus Christ!

My dear Brother in Christ Bernie,

Thank you for your Easter Greetings. Please be assured of my prayerful best wishes for you and your family. Your presence is with us in spirit and the memory of our dear Sister Dora remains in our hearts.

May Our Risen Lord of life bless you and keep you safe, we unite our prayers with those of yours as we celebrate Palm Sunday and Holy Week!

Christ is Risen!

With my Episcopal blessings, I remain,
Sincerely yours in the Lord,
Bishop Ken

****************************************

Dear. dear Bishop Ken.
Your kind and loving email brings out grateful and
joyful tears in my eyes !
Your words, “….be assured of my prayerful best
wishes for you and your family…”
And your words ,”… Your presence is with us in spirit
and the memory of our dear Sister Dora remains in our hearts …”
They are the words written and spoken with the grace
of Christ in you, O our gracious Bishop Ken. Please know that these words
will be carved onto the hearts of myself and Dora, and will be burnt into our memories in the eternity in Christ Jesus !
Please also know that our bodies and souls are being
united with you in your prayers as you celebrate Palm Sunday and Holy week.
And we are so joyfully blessed by Your Episcopal
blessings at Lent, and for always. Christ is risen !

Thanking you and loving you,
from Bernie Lam
and Dora in her home in Christ.

Hi, dear all,

****************      ********************

An Epilogue.

Thank You !

In fact, I should have added an Epilogue to the Melodrama to

illustrate what kind of a soldier my Dad was.  He was noted for

his Humor, especially at times when it was a matter of life and

death.  He used to joke about the difference  between courage

and cowardice in a soldier.  He said that a soldier who is not

afraid to die in a battle would often come back alive with joy for

himself and pride for his family and friends.  And the other soldier

who is hiding behind would often die with urine in his pants and

shame in his heart !

In this Escape from death for the President and Himself,  many

people asked him how could he and the President put up such

an excellent performance as to raise compassion from heartless

soldiers ?  And how could they act up so much miserable ugliness

as to make the relentless soldiers turn their faces away without

taking another look ?  And why didn’t their tears run dry while

passing through check points to check points ?  where did those

buckets and buckets of tears come from ?

And to such infinite questions of How, and Why, and What, and

Where ……..etc. etc.,  my father used to laugh out loud and reply,

” In a drama on the stage,  a bad performance would, at its worst,

be hailed with a shower of foul eggs or tomatoes !  But, in this Act

of Life or Death for the President and myself, any slightest mistakes

or betrayal in our acting would be condemned with a barrage of

merciless bullets through our heads !   And, those tears and tears

were drawn from every drop of fluid in our flesh and bones, and it

was a miracle that they did not run dry before we got out of danger !”

……..  Those were the humor which seemed inexhaustible in my

father, General Abraham Lam ( A Soldier, a General and a Hero in

the History of  China )