Sisters act in hunt for long-lost sibling

Oliver Hu

The Hong Kong Red Cross is helping a middle-aged woman find her younger sister who had lost contact for five decades as the family was torn apart when she was young.

At an event organized by the Hong Kong Red Cross yesterday, Ting Kwai-heung, 64, the second sister of the family, asked for a social media release to find her long-lost fourth sister Ting Mei-lan, who might also be known as Man Sau Kuen or Tai Yuk Ying.

The family used to live in Shek Wu Wai, San Tin, as farmers. The father, Ting Kam-pong, and his wife came from the mainland and had nine children. Due to poverty, the parents had no choice but to leave their three children to other people, hoping they would grow up in a better environment.

Mei-lan, now 62, was one of the three children who were given away to a childless friend of the parents after careful consideration and on the condition that their daughter must keep in touch with them.

Mei-lan later changed her name to Man Sau-kuen and attended the same primary school as her second sister, Kwai- heung. The two families still kept in touch with each other.

"My fourth sister was pretty with big eyes and was always active in various school activities. She loved to play mahjong even at the age of eight," Ting Kwai-heung said.

"I do remember that when we moved, she came to stay with us for a night, and we were able to sleep together."

By the age of about 12, Mei-lan's family moved to the distant Lo Wai, Tsuen Wan. From then on, the two families have only met once.

Later, Kwai-heung heard that Mei-lan had moved away with her stepfather and changed her name to Tai Yuk-ying, and they lost contact.

Until they passed away, the parents blamed themselves for the disappearance of their fourth daughter. The rest of the Ting siblings also hope to fulfill their parents' regrets.

A younger sister, Oi-heung, who was also found by the Red Cross in 2000 in foster care, said that although she resented being sent away, she was relieved when she saw her biological parents in tears at the nursing home when they reunited.

"I want my fourth sister to let go of her resentment; mom and dad sent us away for our own good. We can still make up for lost time by reuniting," she said.

Bessy Tam Pui-see, community services assistant manager of the Red Cross, said that it would do its best to help find the missing woman.

The Red Cross has been providing tracing services since 1951, and as of 2022, it handles an average of 220 cases each year, with a success rate of about 35 percent.