Image courtesy of yule.sohu.com

Let me repeat: Leanne Li attended Ada Choi’s wedding. Ten years from now this could be a momentous occasion because it could mark the passing of the banner of Hong Kong’s Most Popular and Holy Celebrity from the present titleholder Ada Choi to up-and-comer Leanne Li.

Maybe.

Or it could just mean that Leanne Li attended Ada Choi’s wedding…and that’s it. We shall see…

[Stay tuned as I will soon post pictures from the wedding, and my own commentary.]

There had been various tabloid rumors over the years that Choi and Zhang were dating, but such gossip had died down recently. In fact, at the time that Choi announced her engagement and marriage plans, the Hong Kong tabloids were circulating reports that she was involved in a lesbian relationship with good friend and fellow Hong Kong Christian actress Monica Chan!

Whoops! Guess not… Good work, Hong Kong Tabloids! Caught in another lie, you scumbags!

[Sort of. News reports indicate that Zhang Jin doubled for Zhang Ziyi (no relation) and Michelle Yeoh in some of the martial arts sequences in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (1999). So I guess that means he...looks like a woman? Of course, just because Choi is marrying someone who looks like a woman doesn't mean she's a lesbian, right? Right?]

Interestingly, this wasn’t the first time that Choi was rumored to be a lesbian. The tabloids have raised the possibility at least twice: once when Choi played Billie, a lesbian bar owner, in Love & Sex Among The Ruins (1996), and again when she complimented a female Cantonese opera singer known for her cross-gender roles.

It was also interesting how Choi kept the relationship secret for all these years and then suddenly announced that she would be marrying Zhang. This is interesting because for years that’s exactly what she told the tabloids she would do: deny and lie to them about if (and who) she was dating, but then promising to announce when she would be getting married when the time was right. As it turns out, Choi is a woman of her word. [If you tell someone you're going to lie to them, does that still make it lying?]

I look forward to seeing who her bridesmaids will be and who attends her wedding because she’s pretty much the Kevin Bacon of Hong Kong Entertainment Christendom – she’s somehow befriended or connected to virtually every Hong Kong Christian entertainer there is. Her wedding could be the biggest event in Hong Kong Entertainment Christendom this decade. In fact, it could be bigger than that since she’s well respected in the wider HK entertainment industry and has good relations with all her colleagues, Christian or not.

No doubt she will use her wedding as an opportunity to convert them. I predict that there’s going to be at least one altar call, maybe two…and that’s just during the ceremony, itself. Who knows what’s going to happen at the wedding banquet? The over-under on the number of people who will be converted is currently four…at least according to Hong Kong bookies. [Hongkies will bet on anything...]

Anyway, congratulations to Ada Choi, perhaps the paragon of what an HK Christian entertainer should be: a person who loves her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, above all else, and a person who also loves her guns. [Amen.]

Ada Choi: Everything This Website Aspires to Be – Holy, Dangerous & Not A Lesbian.

Congratulations!!

The tabloid press made a big deal of this because Gigi was the ostensible star of the series and her absence would cause numerous production complications, including re-arranged filming schedules for the cast and crew. This delay generated some debate on the internet as well, with one side praising Gigi for her devotion to her brother, and another side criticizing her for holding up production, jacking up costs, and inconveniencing the general viewing public. They also criticized TVB for their failure to boot her off the show and re-cast her role.

As you can tell, netizens can be a fairly hard-bitten lot.

TVB was probably in a Catch-22 situation because Gigi had filmed enough scenes that re-casting and re-shooting would be just as costly as delaying production and re-scheduling the filming of Gigi’s scenes. Plus, over the years, TVB has promoted her to such a degree that she’s now one of TVB’s most popular actresses, and they would boot her from the series at their peril. As powerful and monopolistic as TVB is, it’s still a good idea to maintain good relations with powerful/popular actors and actresses.

TVB executive Virginia Lok has kept close tabs on the situation and has been saying all the rights things, trying to downplay the cost of delays, asserting the concern of the entire cast and crew for Gigi’s situation, and stating that the most important thing is the recovery of Gigi’s brother. Over the past few months, this has been how TVB was spinning the circumstances to its advantage. Interestingly, amidst all this damage control, the name of one of Gigi’s co-stars kept popping up in the press coverage of the situation…

1. TVB Executive Virginia Lok: “Without everyone’s support and SMS text messages, [Gigi] would not have been able to hang in there. Co-star, Ada Choi Siu Fun will also be praying for Gigi’s brother.” 6/15/07 Oriental Daily (Translation by Jaynestars)

2. Lok again: “Due to Gigi’s family situation, it was necessary to readjust her onscreen time. Ada Choi Siu Fun met with Gigi to give her support through this difficult situation.” 7/21/07 Ming Pao (Translation by Jaynestars)

3. [Lok] expressed that Gigi has lost quite a bit of weight recently, but emotions wise she is slowly returning to normal, and had met up with Ada Choi. 7/27/07 The Sun (Translation by blotty)

4. Gigi, herself: I received numerous SMS and calls, especially [from] Ada Choi. She called me as soon as she found out, and then onwards, on every other day she would call me. She is one of my little angels. 7/27/07 Apple Daily (Translation by Paige)

This would not be the first time Ada Choi has proactively reached out to friends/colleagues in the industry to offer them care and comfort in their times of need. When Stephen Ma’s mother was suffering from cancer during the filming of Healing Hands, co-star Ada Choi was there to help him bear his sorrows. When Catherine Hung was struggling over her decision to keep her baby and raise him as a single parent, Ada Choi was there to offer support and guidance, subsequently becoming the child’s godmother. And now, when Gigi Lai’s brother, a rising young doctor whom Lai put through medical school, was seriously injured in a car accident, who do you think was there, reaching out with concern and kindness? That’s right: Ada Choi.

Now I’m pretty sure there were other family members, friends, and colleagues that reached out to Gigi and her brother in this time of need, but for some reason, the name that was most often highlighted in news reports was Ada Choi’s. Why, I have no idea. All I know is that Ada Choi simply has an enormous capacity for compassion, which was deepened through her own personal sufferings. These difficulties were so great at one point that she contemplated suicide before timely divine intervention pulled her back from the brink (at that very moment, no less), revolutionized her existence, and unleashed a wellspring of practical kindness that has flowed to those in need ever since.

It’s now flowing to Gigi Lai, which is somewhat ironic since the HK tabloids had tried to imply that Ada harbored some animosity towards Gigi. I think this rumor was fueled by a number of things: (1) Gigi’s rise to popularity at TVB; (2) Ada’s lowered profile/prominence in Hong Kong due to increased filming in the Mainland; and, perhaps relatedly, (3) Moiselle’s decision to “dump” Ada, who had served as the HK fashion label’s main spokesmodel since the late 1990s. Instead, Moiselle retained Gigi, who had only been with them for the last three years, as their sole HK spokesmodel.

But whatever animosity or jealousy Ada Choi may have felt towards Gig Lai (if any), it apparently dissipated after the tragedy that befell Gigi’s brother. All that was left was a colleague – a human being – in need, and Ada Choi, exemplifying the best qualities of a true Christian, responded accordingly.

God bless her for that.

(Thoughts and prayers to the Lais, too.)

That’s pretty much the first time I’ve ever seen a celebrity thank the Holy Spirit publicly for, well, anything. And to think it was some random TV actress from Hong Kong doing the thanking. Love that.

Meanwhile, fellow Christian TVB actress Maggie Cheung – on hiatus fighting disease – blogs about Proverbs on her own web page.

Sad.

The immediately preceding episodes featured Eric Tsang visiting Brunei, a country which is known for its oil wealth, in order to attend the birthday gala of its Sultan, one of the richest men in the world.

Hmm, Hong Kongers more interested in riches than in holiness? Stunning.

Or maybe Hong Kongers are just burned out on Ada Choi and her incessant chatter about her Christian faith and testimony, which were interwoven into the Holy Land episodes.

Well, maybe in Hong Kong…but not here, baby!

In fact, since I’ve managed to watch the relevant episodes, I’m seriously considering generating an episode-by-episode recap, including in-depth analysis of every single moment that Choi broke out into tears. Maybe it will happen, but probably not.

Until then, one observation: in packing for this trip, Ada Choi made some seriously bold fashion choices. Especially for the Holy Land, a region of the world where a significant portion of the population dresses so conservatively that they make the Amish look trendy. Since it was winter in Israel, Choi packed a lot of scarves and neckware, as well as a huge hairy turtleneck that must have been jacked up on steroids. The material that went into the neck alone must have denuded an entire flock of sheep. Also, it’s kind of incongruous to see a tall Chinese woman click-clacking around the cobblestone streets of Jerusalem’s Old City in stiletto boots. If I ever get around to a recap, it should be interesting. Stay tuned.

(BTW, remind me to write about Leanne Li’s performance at the evangelistic Yeah Show 2007, and to compare/contrast her with Fala Chen, who was the runner-up to Li at the 2005 Miss Chinese International Pageant. Remind me also to write something about Marsha Yuan and Men Suddenly in Black 2, a movie whose casting director appears to have simply run down the Home of Artiste’s roster when filling cameo roles. Ugh, too much to do…)

In December, Ada Choi and a TVB camera crew went off to Israel for ten days of filming for On The Road, TVB’s celebrity travel program. Previous installments have featured notables such as Karena “The Canadian” Lam visiting a children’s acrobatics academy in Mainland China and Helena “The Catholic” Law visiting Vatican City.

Ada Choi’s Israel installment had long been planned, but often delayed for a variety of reasons, including the outbreak of a mini-war between Israel and Hezbollah during summer 2006. However, in December 2006, Choi’s dream of visiting the Holy Land was finally fulfilled. It can’t be overstated that going to Israel was a raging passion of Choi’s. In a newspaper interview given just prior to her departure, she said something to the effect of, As long as I make it to Israel, you can kill me before I even get off the plane!

Whoa, eeeeeeasy, Ada. Let’s not go crazy now.

For whatever reason, I, myself, have never had the burning desire to go to Israel for a visit. I don’t think it has anything to do with being incinerated by a suicide bomber with visions of 70 virgins dancing in his head or the threatened outbreak of another mini-war or whatever. There are just other places that are a higher priority for me. Like Hong Kong…Australia…Edmonton…the Greek Isles.

During Christmastime, I purchased a bundle of Rick Steves’ PBS travel shows on DVD, and was much more intrigued by his show on the Greek Isles than on Israel. In fact, I was mesmerized by Greece. White stucco villages nestled into cliffs that overlook the azure Mediterranean! Absolutely lovely.

Anyway, speaking of Chinese people going to Jerusalem, apparently there’s a movement underway by Christian elements in China called “Back to Jerusalem.” If I’m not mistaken, the movement is not specifically targeting Jerusalem for evangelism, but more broadly focusing on sending Chinese missionaries to various countries and nations along the Silk Road, from China to the Mediterranean Sea, within the 10/40 window. Which is cool. Chinese Christians are evangelizing countries along the Silk Road. Americans are evangelizing China. And the Koreans are sending missionaries to America. (Does anyone want to evangelize their homeland?) As for Europe, Australia, Siberia, and every place outside the 10/40 window, they can just burn. Burn, baby, burn!

(A joke!)

Uh, let’s move on to some of Ms. Choi’s travel pictures…

Courtesy of Ada Choi / ACFC

“Can I offer you a pita?” Yes, nothing says “kosher” like the pork-loving Chinese. After I saw this picture, I immediately ordered take-out Israeli food from one of my favorite local restaurants. Mmmm, turkey shawarma… And pork…

Courtesy of Ada Choi / ACFC

Here, you have Ms. Choi holding a frightened Israeli child, who’s dressed up like a Swiss Guardsman. (The Pope! Who’s protecting The Pope!?!)

“Hi, I’m Christian Hong Kong television actress Ada Choi, and this is one of my souvenirs from my recent trip to Israel…an Israeli child! Duty free! Haha! He (she?) may not look very happy, but trust me, this is his ‘ecstatic face.’ You’d lose the ability to appear genuinely joyful, too, if you had to face the daily threat of violence and suicide bombings…or imminent adoption by Angelina Jolie.”

Courtesy of Ada Choi / ACFC

I’m guessing that this is on the way to the Dead Sea.

Courtesy of Ada Choi / ACFC

Here’s Ms. Choi with the Temple Mount and Jerusalem’s Old City in the background. The gold thing is the Dome of the Rock, a.k.a. Mohammed’s Launch Pad, the third holiest site in Islam. Beyond that is the Western Wall, a.k.a. The Wailing Wall, the holiest site in Judaism.

Recently, I read a New York Times article about Americans and foreigners buying vacation homes in Israel, a recent trend that has fueled the high-end real estate market there. One of the major amenities that ratchets up the price of any house/condo/apartment in Jerusalem is a view like the one above of the Old City and the Dome of the Rock (minus the Hong Kong actress). Other pluses include designer reinforced-concrete bomb bunkers and machine gun-wielding security guards with shadowy special forces backgrounds.

Anyway, the Israel footage TVB shot in December has now been edited down into four episodes of On the Road and Ms. Choi has recorded the voice-over narration. The episodes are scheduled to be broadcast in Hong Kong in late March, most likely to coincide with Easter.

Okay, that’s all for now. Until next time (if there is a next time), be well!

In any case, we’re back for the moment, so let’s get caught up on those missing six months with a cursory look at some of the more notable events that took place in Hong Kong Entertainment Christendom since my last post.

First, in September 2006, Ada Choi & Company came to evangelize North America…and I was there! I went to see their show in Pasadena and even dragged my parents along. Ada Choi talked about her gambling-addicted mother. TVB actress Esther Wen talked about beating cancer. Singer Angela Pang talked about getting knocked on the head, losing consciousness, and then ending up in the hospital for six months. TVB character actor Wong Cho-Lam talked about being a short, unattractive teenager who couldn’t get chicks (until he started doing impressions…and found Jesus…and started doing impressions of Jesus). And veteran actress Tomi Wong pretended to be even older than she already is by performing as a geriatric grandmother in some skit with Wong. Interestingly, one or more members of my immediate family could directly relate to the experiences of four out of the five entertainers who spoke. Afterwards, we went to Monterey Park and ate dinner at a Chiu Chou restaurant.

In October, news emerged that TVB actress Maggie Cheung Ho-Yee had converted to Christianity while taking an extended break from acting to recuperate from Graves disease. If you can read Chinese or are adept at snatching coherency from the snapping jaws of obtuse translation software, then check out her blog here.

As most observers of Hong Kong pop culture know, this is the “other” Maggie Cheung, not the more internationally renowned film actress who was severely miscast as a recovering wannabe punk singer/addict opposite a raggedy-looking Nick Nolte in Oliver Assayas’s Clean. Perhaps Nolte and Cheung should have switched roles. Ironically, both Maggies spent their formative years in England, both participated in the Miss Hong Kong Pageant, and both were/are actresses for TVB.

December was a huge month for news and happenings. First, after numerous rumors and tabloid allegations, Sammul Chan pulled a Mike Piazza and announced that he is NOT gay. Well, then.

Second, former TVB actress Fiona Leung was injured in a car accident while in Australia to film a program for The Media Evangelism, Ltd. Reports indicated that Ms. Leung suffered broken ribs, as well as a broken face. Thankfully, the most recent reports indicate that she is more or less on the road to recovery.

Third, a December news article revealed that former TVB actor Kong Wah and his wife had become Christians within the last year…although their kids did not, which is interesting.

Fourth, actress May Kwong got married. Christian artistes in attendance included Angela Pang (she of the bopped head and six-month hospital stint), Gary Chan, Noel Leung, and Leanne Li.

Finally, after several aborted attempts over the last year or so, Ada Choi managed to make it all the way to Israel to film a travel program about the Holy Land for TVB. More on this in another post.

The new year has also brought news of babies, babies, babies. The following Christian actresses are either pregnant or have already pushed out a kid: Noel Leung; Cecilia Cheung; Eugenia Lau; and Pauline Yeung. (Wait, is Cecilia Cheung still Christian? Or was that just a phase? Uh, will have to get back to you on that one.) Also, Boston-bred Catholic Flora Chan got married for the second time, to her manager.

Alright, now we’re pretty much caught up with what’s gone on in Hong Kong Entertainment Christendom during the last six months or so.

Next time: “Ada Choi in the Holy Land…” Or, “Who Took My Pita?” Or, “That Sea May Be Dead, But I’m Alive in Christ!” Or, “Kiss Me, I’m Israeli!”

Also, a “Vintage Clothing Expo” will be taking place at the Masonic Center earlier that day (as well as the next). Come for the vintage clothing, stay for the Chinese musical religious concert and sermon.

Courtesy of TungStar by way of ent.sina.com.cn (obviously)

Recently, Sheren Tang and Ada Choi made a joint promotional appearance on behalf of the Hong Kong Christian Council. They were promoting and raising funds for a charity project aimed at repairing damaged schools in the mountainous regions of Mainland China. Apparently, the Chinese name of the project can be roughly translated as the “Rebuilding Collapsing Schools Project.”

Indeed. Brutally descriptive and bluntly literal. Very Chinese.

Ta Kung Pao published an article about the event and solicited Tang and Choi’s thoughts on Chinese mountain folk (read: hillbillies). Here’s the relevant excerpt from Em’s translation at TVBSpace News Roundup:

After the event, Ada and Sheren went to a mock up of one of these schools to experience for themselves life for these children.

Sheren says that she visited the mountainous areas of Xian in 2004 [with World Vision] and it was very inspirational for her because it changed her outlook on life. During that time, it was at the peak of popularity for her ‘Yu Fei’ character [from War & Beauty] and the press were often asking her if [she] had made a lot of money, but there was also a lot of gossip. After hearing the stories of the people from the area, she felt that the people there are full of [vitality] and compared to the many miseries of city dwellers, it made her cry as she was overcome with emotion.

Although this is the second year that Ada has taken on the ambassador role, she is yet to go and visit the people in the hills because she does not have time. She can only listen to the stories from those who have been there, but she is often moved to tears by what she hears.

Some of my own thoughts…

Is it me or have Sheren Tang and Ada Choi been making more joint public appearances lately? They’re two of Hong Kong’s most outspoken and prominent Christian entertainers, but I can’t recall them publicly appearing together all that much in prior years. Yet now they’re hanging out together in collapsing schools.

I think it began in April 2004, when they were both bridesmaids at Kitty Lai’s wedding. Then, earlier this year, they and two other HK actresses embarked on a three-week evangelistic speaking tour of Europe, that Old World bastion of humanism, skepticism, fascism, Nazism, etc. Otherwise known as Agnosticism’s Mead Hall.

They visited London, Manchester, Barcelona, Rome, Milan, Lausanne (site of the 1974 International Congress on World Evangelization), Paris, Amsterdam, and Maastricht. (Another source of unknown dependibility listed Rotterdam and/or Tilburg instead of Maastricht. Frankly, my money’s on Rotterdam. Maastricht? Come on.)

In London, they spoke at All Souls Church, where John Stott, a prominent figure in evangelical Christianity, serves as Rector Emeritus. Hopefully, they met Stott. Hopefully, they hung out with Stott. Hopefully, they partied with Stott.

How crazy would that be? John Stott, author of such books as Basic Christianity, The Cross of Christ, and The Incomparable Christ (as well as the chairman of the draft committee that produced the Lausanne Covenant, “one of the most influential documents in modern Evangelical Christianity”) chilling with four Hong Kong actresses whose collective filmography includes such sketchy-sounding cinematic masterpieces as Rape Trap, Love & Sex of the Eastern Hollywood, Love & Sex Among the Ruins, Bloody Friday, Angel or Whore, and my personal favorite, Tsimshatsui Floating Corpse. John Stott partying with four HK actresses in swingin’ London. I can’t think of anything else that would advance the cause of Christ further than that. And at 177 years old, I hear that Stott can still drop it like it’s hott.

Interestingly, after England, Choi flew back to Hong Kong, purportedly to participate in some promotional events for her latest biennial TVB serial, which happened to be concurrently showing during the European evangelistic tour. Personally, I thought Tang and Choi were purposely separated because if they had gone down in a plane together, there’d be a 70% chance that the Gates of Hell would have prevailed against Hong Kong…or something like that. However, Choi only skipped out on Barcelona and eventually rendezvoused with the tour in Rome in what must have been a crazy marathon of plane flights boomeranging between Asia and Europe.

And now Tang and Choi are hanging out together in collapsing schools.

This is a transcript of a November 2003 interview with Ada Choi mainly, but with some Adrian Kwan thrown in. The interview was conducted for The Media Evangelism, Ltd.‘s five-part series From Stars to Rainbows, which focuses on various Hong Kong personalities who happen to be Christian. This interview was Part Three.

There are three sources for the following transcript: (1) the program’s own English subtitles (terse, abbreviated, and of questionable accuracy); (2) an English translation made by “Angela” for the old adacache.com website (much more wordy and expansive than ME’s translation, perhaps too much so, but spot on in capturing Ada Choi’s effusive tone – if you read it really fast, you’ll get a sense of Ms. Choi’s conversational tempo); and (3) my own select re-translations of certain sections, hopefully for accuracy’s sake.

VOICEOVER

Ada Choi participated in the ’91 Miss Hong Kong Pageant, was named the 2nd runner-up, and started her career in entertainment. In 1998, with her acting talent and perseverence, she won the Best TV Actress Award and became recognized in the entertainment industry.

Adrian Kwan is a director of gospel movies including Sometimes Miracles Do Happen and Life is a Miracle. He is a nominee for the 2003 Hong Kong Film Award for Best New Director.

The two have different backgrounds, but possess a similar wish…

ADA CHOI

I was praying to God and said to Him, “This year I have earned quite a bit of money, Lord Jesus. It is time to do something for You.”

ADRIAN KWAN

I hope God will use me until I die. I think it is a blessing to be used by Him.

VOICEOVER

They are both touched by the sacrificial spirit of Dr. Joanna Tse during the SARS crisis and are willing to work on the upcoming gospel movie [The Miracle Box].

The Wong: Sometimes Miracles Do Happen, Life is a Miracle, and The Miracle Box – all directed by Adrian Kwan. Hmm, do you see a trend?

Sometimes Life is a Box of Miracles… The Canton Heavenly (God)Father… Mr. Canton & Lady Madonna…

Bizarre.

ADRIAN KWAN

I remember a few months ago, while I was helping write a screenplay, I saw a funeral on television. They played a Christian song there called Covenant Under the Rainbow. I prayed to God, “God, what power prompted the television media to broadcast Your song for a Christian?”

I said to God, “God, Tse’s story is beautiful.” Then I prayed and asked, “God, is it possible to turn her story into a gospel movie?” Because I don’t know how to write, act, sing, or do anything else – I only have a little bit of skill in directing – I asked God, “Could You use me, an ordinary person, to tell the story of another ordinary person?” It was a story about an ordinary person, but it was God who made the story extraordinary.

Then I said to God, “But a good vessel is needed to play the role [of Dr. Tse].” We then prayed, “God, who can play this role?” One day, I saw an advertisement…

(They laugh.)

…I said, “This one. She’s the one.” So now I am sitting next to you.

ON-SCREEN GRAPHIC

What is Ada’s view on this?

ADA CHOI

Actually, I always say to the Lord, “I am really useless.” I wasn’t very good at studying and I am not that pretty. My family background is not as good as others. I really don’t have very much. However, I feel that God loves me a lot. To the weak, He shows His power and strength, and I am particularly weak.

When you told me about this project, I thought to myself, “Sigh! How should I do this?? This woman has won the hearts of the people of Hong Kong.” Although she was humble and didn’t boast to others about her greatness, no one could replace her radiance. So I asked myself how should I play this role, a role of someone who has shaken the hearts of Hong Kong people? So I have been under tremendous pressure even though I haven’t even seen the script. And I tell the Lord, “Sigh! I don’t know…”

However, I believe what God has told us: He only gives us burdens that we can bear. So even if I can only do a little bit, I will be able to do it.

ADRIAN KWAN

I hope that you can recall how God made an ordinary little girl like you experience a lot of tragedies in order to shine His glory through you. Apply your own experiences to the character.

ADA CHOI

I also think that there are a lot of ups and down in my life. My experience helps me to empathize with others. If you have been sick, you can really understand the patients more.

ON-SCREEN GRAPHIC

What do you want to achieve through this movie?

ADA CHOI

I hope that this movie will attract people to know more about God and to find out who He is. Everyone has unpleasant incidents in their lives: sickness in the family, your own sadness, losing your way, death. But in the midst of these difficulties, people can still rely on God and Jesus to have joy and peace, to know how to face these situations, and to love. I want them to understand this message and thus get to know God.

And I also hope God can use me just to do something for him. I am just an ordinary person and wonder how God can use me. I hope I can partner with the Lord Jesus and see Him work.

ADRIAN KWAN

I also hope that God would use me. Asking Him to use me has been my daily prayer in the last two years. I want Him to use me until my last breath because it is a blessing to be used by God.

ADA CHOI

This is definitely so! There are many times in whatever I do, like sharing the gospel, I will say to God, “Lord, I am foregoing a whole month of work for You, even turning down a [role in a ] grade-A TV drama!”

But actually at the end of the day I was the one who was blessed to be able to share the gospel. Every time when I stand on stage to give my testimony, I am reminded of how blessed I am, how much happiness I have in life. I pray with my brothers and sisters [in Christ] everyday; we gather together and share; we share our love with one another.

VOICEOVER

Ada joined the entertainment sector at a young age. Working in such a “polluted” environment for over ten years now, how does this Christian actress handle and tactfully face conflicts between work and faith?

ADA CHOI

When I was a new believer, I refused to offer incense. The wife of a director said to me, “Everyone has to offer incense. You also have to do so.” I said, “No, I am a Christian. I won’t do it.” However, she insisted. At the time, I didn’t know how to react, so I said okay, but said to the Lord when I offered the incense, “Lord, You know I don’t mean it.”

Afterwards, I burst out into tears, cried very hard, and apologized to God: “I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I know I have shamed Your name and what I did made You sad. Even though You know I didn’t mean it, you are still sad. I’m sorry.”

(Laughing.)

As I walked, I kept saying, “Sorry, Lord, I will not do it again. I know You have forgiven me, but I can’t forgive myself. Please help me. I’m sorry.” I even asked the Father to comfort me! Afterwards, I vowed never to do it again.

Once, the boss of a film house said, “Ada, offer some incense. Otherwise, everyone would be in bad luck.” Then I said to him, “I will pray for you! My God will bless you all!!”

(Laughing.)

I thought I was quite gutsy to refuse him! But thank God he accepted! After that, when he hired me for another production and I was asked to offer incense, he replied for me, “No! Ada won’t offer any incense because she is a Christian!” I said, “Thank you!” I was so thankful.

It depends on whether you can take the first step. If you take the first step, God’s blessings will come. After encountering all of this, I know it’s not necessary to be afraid.

ON-SCREEN GRAPHIC

???

ADA CHOI

I was about to accept a horror movie; the price was quite attractive. I really wanted to get the job because I was in need of money at the time. I really wanted to get the job, but I was also about to be baptized. A sister said, “If you are willing to give it up for the Lord Jesus, God will reward you a hundred times more. He will not let you become a beggar.”

After I turned down the job, I lamented to the Lord, “I really wanted that job.” But suddenly my heart felt very peaceful. I don’t know how to describe it, but I just wanted to cry because it was like my heart could just let it go. I was eager to tell the Lord, “I have decided! I won’t accept the job!” After I said that, I felt very peaceful. I really wanted to cry, but was sure that I did the right thing. I didn’t know how to express the happiness. I thanked the Lord with tears. But I had nothing at the time, no one had signed me, the television network had yet to renew my contract. I had been really anxious and at a loss. Still, I felt happy to turn down that movie. I think it was really special. My brother asked me if I was crazy for crying about that. I said, “I don’t know, I just feel happy and relieved, like a weight was lifted from my shoulders.” I was so sure that this was the right decision.

[Break.]

VOICEOVER

The popularity of artists in the entertainment industry rise and fall easily. Under these circumstances, how does Ada achieve balance through her faith?

ADA CHOI

Every industry has its own problems, physical pressures, and other difficulties. The entertainment industry is only more transparent to the public, so people may feel that it is more complicated. But people are just being realistic.

For example, if you are being interviewed by the press and a more popular artist shows up, everyone runs over to him or her, and you’re like, “Huh? Where did everyone go?” You may feel embarrased. I have encoutered many similar situations. But after I believed in the Lord and began attending church, I accepted this reality. I felt that this is the nature of the world and you have to accept it. Maybe after interviewing them, they’ll interview me. And maybe when I’m being interviewed, someone else may be ignored. Why should I always expect them to come to me? It will not always happen.

Also, I have read something meaningful: “The higher you fly, the more you should know how to carefully land when you fall.” I always remind myself of this. The Bible also reminds me. A rich man wanted to tear down his barns and build bigger ones to store his grain and goods. But God said, “This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?” I think what I need to do today is to live well for God and treasure my life. I also need to understand that the entertainment industry is like a roller coaster, with ups and downs. When I am playing this game, I have to respect the rules. I should accept and follow them. I understand that I will not always stay on the top. I need to know what it’ll be like when I come down, how to land safely and nicely.

ON-SCREEN GRAPHIC

In the midst of her busyness, how does Ada find her happiness?

ADA CHOI

In my line of work, sometimes I don’t even have time to sleep. I would pray at night or when I get up in the morning, I say, “Father, good morning. I am very tired,” or something like that. It’s like conversing with God twenty-four hours a day. Even when I am acting, “Lord Jesus, take my hand and guide me.” When I am asked difficult interview questions that I don’t know how to answer, “Help me.” I always pray to God.

(Laughs.)

Even now I am praying: “Lord Jesus, I don’t know how to answer, please help me.” Before this interview, I didn’t know what to say and was very scared. “Father, I give it over to you.” When I am asked difficult questions, I leave it to the Lord Jesus, and He will do the rest.

(Animated.)

Besides praying to the Lord twenty-four hours a day, every visit to church gives me the greatest support. This is something I can’t miss. Even when I am in China for work, I will find a local church. I don’t know the brothers and sisters there, but they are as close as my own brothers and sisters because they are children of God. Sometimes I cannot fully understand their Mandarin, but when I hear a hymn or a single phrase my soul is fed for the week. Perhaps I don’t feel anything at that moment and sometimes I even fall asleep, but when the pastor pronounces the benediction, I feel very warm. I also find the smiles of the brothers and sisters warm.

Like right now, I am working on a TV drama in Suzhou. I found a church in Suzhou. There was a granny who asked me, “Do you want to take communion?” I said, “Yes, yes.” She said, “Good! Let’s take it together!” I was so touched.

(Laughs.)

That granny knows the meaning of communion, even though she is illiterate and cannot read the Bible. Many elderly in China are like her, but they are truly good. They might sometimes doze off during the sermon, but they are still very lovely. I am very touched by them and the love of brothers and sisters. I am touched by every word of God. Yes. I am often so tired and lack motivation to read the Bible or sing hymns. I also go to church with my tiredness. But when I sing hymns, tears come out from my eyes. It is like washing off the dirt in my heart. The stress, pain, and all unpleasant things are being scrubbed and cleaned by Him. Going to church makes me very happy.

ON-SCREEN GRAPHIC

How do you renew your strenth?

ADA CHOI

Church life renews my energy. When I first believed, I enjoyed the company of brothers and sisters. Even now, too. We have gatherings, dinners, Bible studies, hymn singing. This happiness cannot be replaced by any award. I feel my heart is smiling. Even if you don’t read the Bible every moment, it doesn’t mean that you are not near the Lord.

(Laughs.)

When I sweep the floor or clean my home, I am praying and talking to God: “Father, I am very tired.” I can feel God is close to me. He is a living God. Even if you are not at church or reading the Bible, God is with you. Of course, you must read and obey the Bible because it is His word – His word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. So of course I should read and follow the Bible.

VOICEOVER

How does Ada treat her family?

ADA CHOI

In 1996, I said to the Lord, “I hope my family will be baptized some day. I hope that they would get to know You.” I thought that was impossible. Until 1999, I was still asking the Lord this. At the time, I was in the middle of a scandal. The media kept stirring things up while I was witnessing for Christ in Seattle. I was on stage and said I hoped that one day I could hold hands with my family to testify about God.

I didn’t know when that would happen, but now my first wish was realized. Father has His blessing on them. I will leave my second wish to the Lord. I don’t know when I will be on stage with them to share our testimony together. I leave it to God. But now my first wish has been realized. Because I really don’t know when it will happen, if it comes true, I’ll definitely cry with joyful tears. It would be very precious because it seemed impossible for them to have been converted.

VOICEOVER

The media used to tail them to find out Ada’s family affairs by all means. At present, what does Ada really want to tell us?

ADA CHOI

My family has been reported on in the entertainment news and I really don’t want to mention any more because I don’t want people to write any negative or false reports. But I must give thanks and I want to share with brothers and sisters how powerful the Father is. Actually, I learned last year… This year, a lot of problems have happened in Hong Kong and I am also very sad to hear this news. But this year, God has given me many, many gifts. It started in December with the relationship between my parents and me. Now they all believe in the Lord. They go to church, their faith is growing well. You may say that theirs is better than mine. I heard from others, including their brothers and sisters, that my parents are determined to know God.

Do you know how they treated my brothers and sisters? My parents scolded them disrespectfully. But today my parents praise God with their mouths and sing Hallelujah. They even praise God themselves, sing hymns, get to know God, or surf the internet to find related matters and buy VCDs to watch. Some I haven’t even seen yet, but they bought it already. I was very touched when I heard these things. Today I can tell you that they have even been baptized. Indeed, I think this is a miracle.

My aunt told me that they shared the gospel with her: “If even I believe in the Lord, then who cannot? Please come quickly to accept the Lord! I wish I had known God earlier. I made a lot of mistakes in the past. If I had believed in God earlier, I would be more blessed. I really regret now. But thank God, He saved me now when I am not too old.”

I am also thankful that my grandfather also accepted the Lord. It was my mother who led him.

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