Our father, Mr. Chan Lap Lai, was born on March 10, 1930, in the Chaoyang District of the Guangdong Province. He was the third of eight siblings, with one older sister and seven brothers. They lost their father when our father was a teenager and as a result, their mother was the sole caregiver for eight young children. When he was fifteen, due to the Second Sino Japanese War, he was unable to continue his studies. Instead, he followed his uncle to the Port of Shantou and was introduced to business and trade.

In 1948, our father came to Hong Kong on his own to forge a life for himself. He was introduced to our mother, Hui King Po, through Mr. Hou Tak Chun in 1953. They were wed in 1954 and had five children, two sons and three daughters.

Our father was a clever, ambitious, self-motivated, and determined man. He was honest and always willing to go above and beyond in his work. This hardworking attitude was frequently praised by his managers.

In 1954, our father established China Union Embroidery Factory and later on, Wearworth Manufactory Co Ltd.

After his career was settled, he focused on caring for his family. Not only did he ensure his own family was cared for, but he also took care of his relatives in his hometown and his wife’s family. He was a selfless man who thanked God for his many blessings and he often shared his resources with those in need.

Our father first heard the Gospel message from Reverend Timothy Dzao in Hong Kong. Later in 1951, Reverend Dzao held a 100-night evangelical conference to mark the opening of Kowloon Ling Liang Church, of which our father attended for 40 nights. At the time, he went with the intent to challenge the Christian faith; unbeknownst to him, the Holy Spirit was using this conference to sow the seeds of the Gospel in his heart.

After attending church with our mother, our father was baptized in 1954 at Kowloon City Swatow Christian Church. Once he accepted Christ into his life, our father served the church with devotion. He participated in the youth fellowship, choir, men’s fellowship, and also served for many years as a committee member of the men’s fellowship. Our father wholeheartedly loved the Lord our God. In our youth, he made sure to dedicate one night each week to family worship with us. His greatest desire was for his whole family to come to know Christ. For many years, we hung a plaque on the wall declaring that, “Christ is the head of this house”. He similarly cherished the plaque gifted to him by Reverend William Woo on our parents’ 50th wedding anniversary, which read, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”. Our father’s vision deteriorated over the past year. Eventually he could no longer read the bible, but he continued to listen to “Our Daily Bread” to receive God’s word every day.

In the evening of April 23, 2021, our father was called home to be with the Lord, leaving peacefully after having sojourned on earth for 91 years. Through a video call on our brother’s phone, the three sisters and grandchildren in Canada were able to see and speak to our father. One by one, we bid a sorrowful goodbye to our dear father and grandfather. We kept watch over him from morning until his passing. Peacefully, he passed on to be reunited with our mother and our brother, Stanley, in Heaven.

Glory to God in Heaven!

In Loving Memory,
Lori, Raymond, Anita, and Phyllis.