FallQuarter _ W 4 assigment- Gratitude to a Stranger

Take my hand or give me yours

" In my experience, immigrants help each other whenever we can".

In 1977, due to terrible circumstances,  my parents were forced to make the decision of sending me and my younger brother out of Vietnam illegally - on a boat. That lonely little fishing boat floated on the open sea.


Boat_people

 It sailed without meeting other companion  for days. One day we saw bigger ships in the distance, we sent out signal for help, but without responding. We watched the moving objects disappear in the horizon. On the last day of our food supplies, we saw a bigger sailing vehicle in the distance, as  before we send out a help signal. This time there was good sign . The vehicle sailed to us. Many of us were so happy that we were saved. The ship stopped its motor, when it was getting closer,  and few of the sailors jumped on board to our boat. They did not look friendly, we feel threaten by their attitudes and movements. We did not able to communicate with them, we only could  interpreter their non verbal language. All of us quietly realized,  we met "the sea pirate", which many "boat-people" were afraid of. The compass and food supplies, the most important thing were taken from our boat,


The pirates

then they began to rip off a  gold  and brand name watch from one of the male members  on broad.
We strove to communicate in as many languages and dialects we could, but it was no use. Most of us on board were Vietnamese - born Chinese,  so besides Vietnamese we were also able to speak Chinese in several difference dialects. Many of us knew there are  lots of over-sea Chinese living in the Southeast Asia. We hoped they were able to understand - even just one of the Chinese dialects. Since we were in the Thailand Gulf area, we tried to speak in "Teochew" dialect (Chaozhou/Chiu Chow , literally "Tide Prefecture"). At last we saw an older man from the other boat come over. Finally he spoke in the family tone "Teochew",  One of many south Chinese’s dialects. On board the Teochew speaking members started a dialogue with him. We asked his kindness to help. After long conversation with the Teochewnese speaking group, he turned into discussion with his members in his native language. Suddenly, all sailors went back to their ship and returned our food supplies and the compass. In addition they gave us  some more consumable food, but the gold watch was kept by one of the takers. The old man told us which way we needed to go and advised us not to sail  near Thailand, because chances were bigger to meet an other similar kind of ship as his. We need to go towards Malaysia, it was a safer trip for us. 
A week later the litter fishing boat arrived safely into "Pulaur Besar" refugee camp in Malaysia.


Together we stand

 My experience was mild in comparision with many others. The man was unbiased to help us. I did not find out what nationality he belonged to, The only thing I knew, he was able to speak "Teochew ". He was willing to stand up and take the risk to help. This “no bias help” saved me and 30 more others lives. 
Today with recalling these memories  I relize this is one of the most   valuable experiences in my life. I truly believe, all humans are born with hearts full of love and kindness, but many factors in life and society affect us, that we suppress these feeling and turn skeptical. Our good hearts turn into  stone hearts. We tend to lost  in custom of thinking as ourself . We have all learned the help from the unexpected critical moment are most appreciated valuable in life.  Compassion  of providing help without asking for return or none bias  help are the most purities qualification everyone can have. My motto is " I benifit the most when I help other "