Brothers and sisters behind the wall, I am sorry to inform you about a piece of bad news: the situation on the other side of the wall has got worse! Law enforcers were impotent, but the reporter who investigated the case was convicted. Yet, in the Hong Kong where absurdity has become normal, this had been anticipated earlier on! However, did you anticipate that everyone wouldn’t give in, would continue to hold fast to the promise and stand on the faith?

A reader said: “So long as there is still faith, a spark of life, patience and a glimmer of hope, there is miracle.” All of us ought to believe this. Another reader encourages all of you in a letter to foster a sense of humor during your confinement so as to present clearly to the world how contradictory and preposterous things are here, which is the way of life nowadays. Admittedly, the current situation is tough, but we will see each other under the pot (Government Headquarters), though it is going to take time.

Dear Miss Gwyneth Ho Kwai-lam：

I read from newspaper that in 1973, a bunch of political prisoners in Uruguay finished Holy Communion by gesticulating at each other in an empty cell. If everyone of us knew sign language, we could confide in each other about what we think remotely, so that we could give more support. It seems we need to learn sign language! For the time being, we hold dear your body language – a wave, a heart-hand symbol, adamant thumbs-up and standing tall, all of which are solace to us during tough times! Your “spiritual-boxer style” (Leaping Dashing Finding channel) tactics were really impressive!

You could even understand without being told what a piece of broken-up music from the radio was supposed to deliver and put your comments and impression on paper, which has proved that your unshakeable thoughts are not confined to anywhere behind the wall and bars!

Foster a sense of humor during your confinement so as to give prominence to the profundity of the absurd pantomime! Professor Johannes Chan Man-mun said: “A lot of humor originates from irony, and well-presented irony can show clearly how contradictory and preposterous things are. “Taking things easy and going casual, one exudes humor naturally.” That is a portraiture of you!

Wish you many strokes of genius, so that we can show our appreciation on the other side of the wall!

Lay down a gloomy mood, and take good care of yourself tonight

Dear Carol Ng Man-yee：

I am a Hongkonger born in Hong Kong.

I became acquainted with you via live/recorded relays on TV. What you impressed me with most is your proficiency in delivering speech in both Chinese and English. It is really awe-inspiring. Your demeanor of a person of big deeds demonstrated at the talk show called Reception for Young Masters also gives me a feeling that you are an exemplary woman in Hong Kong.

Anyone who has intuitive ability to tell right from wrong is enraged at your being unjustly arrested this time. However, as what English philosopher Alan Watts said in his celebrated remarks, “No amount of anxiety makes any difference to anything that is going to happen.” Try to ease up, or sing “Let it be” at one time or another like me to relax (“Ah Q jingshen” or “Ah Q’s spirit, a term of mockery to describe someone who chooses not to face up to reality and deceives himself/herself into believing he/she is successful/fine).

I wanted to tell you：

You’ve got a friend.

Please lay down a gloomy mood and take good care of yourself tonight.

Please pass on to every brother and sister my gratitude and tribute to them. All of them are my family members, whom I will walk hand in hand with. I pray to God for all of you day and night.

Wish every brother and sister health and safety. Hope your low back pain would get better soon.

Brothers and sisters, all of you are a source of pride to Hongkongers who can tell right from wrong.

A Hongkonger who is proud of every brother and sister.

Dear brothers and sisters in Hong Kong:

Every time I read the news about you coming up for trial and the verdicts, I was indignant over the degradation of the legal institutions, as well as being concerned about and grateful to all of you on the front line who have to pay for Hong Kong.

I remember I came back to Hong Kong for casting a vote in the District Council election in 2019, which was worth it. I kept chatting and exchanging information with a Uber driver. The last words: Cast your vote tomorrow bro; take care. In June that very year that 2 million people took to the streets, I arrived in Admiralty in time to chant Sing Hallelujah of one mind with brothers and sisters I did not even know, to weave white ribbons and clean up the mess on the ground with them. All of this has been embedded in my memory. Hongkongers, you are a source of pride. We are so proud of you!

Today, a lot of things are already prohibited. I cried for quite some time when I first listened to the lyrics written by Lin Xi(Albert Leung) for Nathan Law Kwun-chung. I consent to the decision made by brothers and sisters to flee from Hong Kong for survival, for there is no point sacrificing oneself for such a brazen government which is already out of control. In the meantime, I feel grateful to the brothers and sisters who readily chose to stay behind or are being confined. A lifetime fleets. We may not know exactly whether the choice we pick is correct, but all of you have been standing guard over Hongkongers’ dignity, and standing up straight in a big era to preserve the strength of your character.

I remember pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer chose to stay in Germany for his fellow Germans, and even conspired to assassinate Hitler. Arrested, he was tortured to death. From the perspective of a Christian, he is as much praised as blamed. But the verses he left behind speak out that “the peace that comes as a surprise” is not from a secular appraisal, but strength of beauty and righteousness bestowed by God which would grow stronger in life for one to cope with situations where he/she feels helpless and bemused.

We will pray to God for you. Support for all of you, be you named or unnamed, comes from every corner of the world. “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart…”(Ecclesiastes 3:11)

Hopefully one day we will meet each other with joy, either under the pot or in a new Hong Kong. Forever love.

A prayer who is concerned for you

Haely

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