This is the story of how fate played a cruel trick on a baby who was partially disabled in the foot at birth. Her China born parents, who had just arrived in Sarawak, thought that she was going to bring bad luck to the family and tried to drown her but she was saved by a boat man who brought her to a towkay who gave her to be raised by his sister, a married woman in her 30's
His sister was already a mother of several children and this little baby girl was taken care of by her eldest daughter.
When the girl grew up they gave her a name of Miang (or fate) and their surname. So the girl at least had a Sarawak colonial birth certificate.
But her fate was not a good one because she was often beaten up.People thought she was slow in her work and deemed not very bright by her adoptive family. She had to do all the lowest of the household chores. Neighbours dared not intervene because this was the norm : adopted children were not well treated.
The adoptive family grew richer by the day because the father was good in doing business. In fact he was keen to give tuition to all his children including Miang. But the mother not happy to hear that.
Miang secretly took the elder sister's exercise book and learned to write Chinese characters with a broken pencil she picked up. That was how she learned a few Chinese characters. She was quite smart as she picked up local Pasar Malay and Iban and soon she was helping with the customers in the shop. The father found her very useful and was grateful. Miang continued to do all the household chores and kept the shop tidy.
By the time the adopted father was in his 70's and bedridden, Miang was the only one who could carry him (no wheel chair in those days) and she faithfully looked after him until he passed away. None of the adoptive children ever thanked her and in fact the adoptive mother was very jealous of her as the father had depended so much on her to serve him his meals.
After the father passed away the family decided to "sell" Miang to a bidder who was willing to buy her as a concubine. They wanted RM3000 as dowry. But by that time Miang was already passed her prime as she was almost 35 years old.
In those days it was a handsome price. And as her fate seemed to favour her for the first time, a man came to offer the price and took her. He had been a widower for many years and his children were adults and away from home. He just needed some one to look after him. To him it was a good deal and he was sure she would not run away because of her foot. She was sent off by her adoptive family with only a sling purse and a free old travel bag (from a tour that the mother had taken a few years ago) and some personal belongings.
Indeed when the widower brought Miang to the priest to solemnize their marriage, the priest was surprised when he found her to be very intelligent as he explained to her the duties of a good wife. She understood every thing well and was able to read her vows.
Miang started to clean the house of her husband and kept it well and soon she was able to earn her own keep. She started to sell kuih she had learned to make from the adopted mother. She started to clean the church whenever she was free as her husband was a devout believer.
She once told the priest very seriously, "I was a free gift to my adopted mother. But she never loved me and she even sold me to this man here. But I am grateful that I have found our Heavenly father had a purpose for me after so many years of suffering."
(Adapted from an adoption story recorded in 1995)
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