Life is for a Long Time

Book excerpt: Dr. Li Khai and Dr. Kong Heong, the author s parents, were just twenty-one years old when they set out from Canton to practice Western medicine among their people in a strange new land. Hawaii at the turn of the century had in store for them plague, fire, starvation, drug problems, mutual mistrust by different nationalities thrown together, jealousy, and slander. Against all this, Li s became a part of the new Hawaii, keeping their faith in the American promise of eventual fairness for all. They worked for the health of the people s hearts and minds as well as their bodies, encouraging others in difficult times while they introduced modern health measures. They established not only a hospital for all Hawaiians, but a school to teach Chinese children for philosophy of the sages, and a newspaper and political party to encourage Overseas Chinese to work for constitutional reforms in Manchu-ruled China.