After I turned 18 my father enrolled me in a summer floating university that brought participants to Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan. All classroom sessions were held on the ship, of course.

In Hong Kong I met a young man, then 16, named David Mok Chow Shing, who was born in Hong Kong and grew up there, yet dreamed of returning to mainland China someday in order to serve. This was in 1971, when Mao fever raged not only in China but in other parts of Southeast Asia as well, including the Philippines.

David must also be in his sixties now. I wonder where he is, what he has turned out to be, and whether he is happy.