The Anniversary Banquet

After the mass at the deaf school, most of the group went to a nearby hotel for an anniversary banquet that was really delightful. Throughout the dinner, a slide show prepared by Peggy Fung reminded us of people and events of the last twenty-five years, and at the tables, many old friendships were renewed. The banquet was a traditional Chinese meal, all the guests seated at round tables and enjoying nine or ten different courses of food.

Betty Tsui, Simon Chan, and Yeu Cheng Yuk were the masters of ceremony for the evening. Throughout the meal they arranged the distribution of door prizes and told stories and introduced songs and generally created a pleasant atmosphere and experience for everyone. A lot of planning and a lot of work decorating the church and the banquet hall helped to create a really friendly and lively get together.

 

I didn't eat several of the courses of the banquet because periodically I would get up to take a picture of the song or other activity at the front of the room, and then start talking to friends on the way back to my table. Here I am with some really dedicated past and present teachers at the deaf school. They have had an amazing impact on a generation of young deaf people in Hong Kong over the last twenty-seven years.

 

Near the end of the dinner, the leadership of the Hong Kong Catholic Pastoral Association of the Deaf offered a toast to all the past and present members of the group. Such toasts are very much a part of the Chinese banquet culture. All the drinks were tea and soft drinks!

 

 

 

At the very end of the banquet (which lasted about three hours and fifteen minutes!), Bishop Joseph Zhen, the new bishop of Hong Kong, said a few words of congratulations to the group. He has known the group well over the years, often coming to their masses and other activities when he was auxiliary bishop. Fr. Fernando Montano was interpreting into sign language for the bishop.