Russian Refugees at the Hong Kong YMCA

Sat, 02/02/2019 - 09:21

Continuing from the previous image:

Notes from my mum (the Eurasian child, front row, 2nd from right)

This was taken at the YMCA in Tsim Tsa Tsui, same site as the current YMCA hotel. Most of the people were from Xinjiang, China. The elderly lady without a scarf, back row, first person in the row on the left standing up is someone special. She was a missionary in China for many years, she read, wrote and spoke Chinese perfectly. Once the Communists came to China she went over to Hong Kong and carried on with her missionary work with the refugees from China, mainly the Russians. She was from Sweden. Came over to New Zealand to see us when she retired.

Mum can't remember her name though as she was just a child. Does anyone whose know or perhaps some other names of people within this and my other photos?

This wonderful woman made it possible for 2 widowed women and 4 children to make a different life in New Zealand. Our family is eternally grateful. From 2 strong women and 4 children, our family has now extended to 8 grandchildren and 16 great grand children for my now sleeping grandmother.

Date picture taken
1 Aug 1964
Author(s)

Comments

The building in these photos doesn't look like the old YMCA building in TST where the hotel is today. I wonder if these photos show another YMCA building, or perhaps a building that the YMCA was allowed to use temporarily to house the refugees?

There's a pylon in the background at the left of the photo. There were several pylons near Hung Hom (see https://gwulo.com/node/6736/photos) so maybe the building was near there.