2b

Then, just as Macau was within two day's reach, a test of their faith shook them all up. Isaiah collapsed with a stroke. Simon had managed to find a doctor, also a refugee. For his diagnosis, Simon had to promise a percentage of his future earnings. Recognizing Isaiah and the Ching family as devout Christians, the doctor made Simon promise on a Bible with Sarah as witness.

The prognosis wasn't good; Isaiah was completely paralyzed on the left side. Managing to create a make-shift stretcher, Sarah and the children took turns carrying Isaiah into Macau. Because of Isaiah's state, they almost weren't allowed into Macau, but Sarah slipped the border guard a very large emerald broach. The change in attitude was almost comical. In fact, it was the border guard who found them the residence in which they'd live for the next five years.

The first few weeks were spent in getting a doctor for Isaiah, a job for Sarah, school for the children and of course a church. The doctor and church were relatively easy to find; it turned out that the guard was a Christian as well, his parents having been converted by Portuguese missionaries. "Didn't I tell you God would provide?" Sarah would ask her children nightly as if to convince herself.

When it came time for the children to start school again, Carol decided to stay at home. "Baba needs someone to take care of him" was the reason given. Going around to the high schools in the area, she found that unless she had the proper papers showing proof of residency in Macau, she had to provide a sizable bribe. With the limited income she had and with Isaiah's rising medical bills, a bribe was out.

An answer came when Sarah was about to throw out Carol's application to the local university. Realizing that no proof of residency, age, OR graduation was needed to attend the school, she quickly enrolled both Simon and Barbara, counting on both their intelligence to keep up.

Another thing Sarah counted on was the fact that all three of her children had little deh tse or daam in the local dialect, Cantonese. No, daring was truly lacking in all three. Therefore, she had little trouble trusting them to stay out of trouble.

At 16 years old, Barbara enters the adult world of the university.

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