My Story and the why “Hands of Hope” became my cause.
My name is Josey Zadoria. I am a Motion Graphics, Digital Media Artist, and Film Director currently living as an American in Hong Kong. I am credentialed with a Master’s Degree in Film and Media, and have been using my expertise in marketing and design consulting.
I would like to share with you just a bit of my story….
My story began in New York, and it was quite a journey.
I was fortunate to receive a degree in Film and Media from The University of New York. Unfortunately, I did not follow my dream of film-making at that time.
Instead I moved to Beijing in 2010 to teach English. Some people that I met in Beijing along the way moved to Singapore to start a private equity company, and they offered me an opportunity to go work for them. This is where I met Julie. Julie soon became the love of my life. But as Julie had a good job opportunity in Macau, we began a long distance relationship. At last we were married in 2017, which I began to look for work in Macau, but to no avail.
Due to immigration policies like no other country in the world, Macau forces non-work permit holders to leave the country after being there for 30 days. Once they have been out of the country for 30 days, they may be permitted to return to Macau.
Because Hong Kong is a one-hour ferry ride from Macau, I would travel to Hong Kong where I worked as a consultant on weekdays. Then I would return to Macau to be with Julie. For just 30 days. We did some creative planning so that I could be with my wife for holidays. I am so thankful that I was able to be present on that most glorious of days when our son was born in November of 2018.
In the first quarter of 2019 an ominous shift began in Hong Kong. The riots began, and protestors started en masse to voice their opposition to an extradition law being enacted by the Mainland China Government. My business began to suffer, as the clientele I represented were mainly from China. The protests started to turn violent and street clashes became a regular occurrence for much of the summer and better part of the autumn. Things seemed to get worse from an economic standpoint as well as a political one. It wasn’t until the end of November that things started to die down and life in Hong Kong was returning back to normal. So it seemed.
Then—early in December of 2019, news of a deadly virus was making its way in the media. I began to notice on my daily commutes many Hong Kong residents taking precautions by wearing masks. In fact, news of this virus was spreading as early as October of 2019, but I like most people didn’t think it was all that serious and that it would pass. But by the time mid December rolled around, the intensity of concern about this virus grew hot, and corona virus began dominating media narratives.
January 2020. Economic situations grew worse as the COVID virus reached new levels. Our clients from China stopped coming to Hong Kong to do business. The company for which I was consulting no longer needed my services thus I was unemployed.
My wife was still working in Macau. We assumed that this was just a temporary phase that would soon pass. On February 16th I returned to Hong Kong to begin my 30-day absence in observance of the Macau immigration policy, with a plan to return on March 16th. On the very day that I was set to return home, it was announced by the Macau government that all travel to and from its borders would be suspended due to the Corona Virus pandemic. No one would be permitted to enter the country. I was stranded and isolated in Hong Kong from my family in Macau.
Now one year later, I reflect on the last day that I saw my wife and son Marco. February 16th 2020.
With each month passing in hopes the restrictions on the borders would be lifted, I soon began to realize that such hopes were becoming disappointments. My morale dropped lower and lower as each month came and went. Then in May of that year, I was encouraged by a friend of my former church in Singapore to seek out fellowship in Hong Kong. Soon after he put me in touch with a man who would be instrumental in getting me connected to other people. This changed the complete course of the following months.
I began attending different functions of this church in Hong Kong. This group of people were helping and serving those who where hurt by loss of jobs and COVID’s impact on the local economy. My eyes became wide open to an entire different world of people struggling to survive. The volunteers who dedicated their time, energy, and resources to helping those in need became my inspiration. They truly inspired me to get involved and to learn more about the many social issues surrounding them.
The most vulnerable groups—the homeless, the elderly, families devastated by the loss of jobs, and ethnic minority groups already struggling within cultural issues—these were impacted hardest by the COVID crisis. And it was the low income wage earners that would suffer the most as the economy would be hit hard with labor losses.
I also met different charitable organizations that were proactive in providing relief services in the form of food, masks, financial support, and school supplies to children. Also what I found truly amazing was how many different faith based groups worked together to provide help at a time when it was needed most. This was something I had never seen before.
It is through these experiences that I began to learn about the many stories of struggle, redemption, and the beautiful spirits of men and women enduring hardships and overcoming adversity.
I became inspired to tell their stories. Purpose and vision began to take shape. I could see a series of documentary films bringing awareness of the poor and disadvantaged people of Hong Kong, telling the stories of their beautiful enduring spirits. Also telling stories of the caring, giving, selfless people who served them. You see, in this world there is a goodness of humanity that doesn’t get broadcasted on the nightly news. In a time and place where hope seems to be in short supply, hope still abounds.
My situation, as painful as it was to me, it paled in comparison to what many others were going through, struggling to feed their families and pay the rent, or simply struggling to find some semblance of self worth or dignity in these trying times. I am grateful and so very thankful for the support, kindness that my friends, family, and fellowship of brothers and sisters have shown my family and me. Thus I am equally motivated to give back by producing and directing this documentary film series in hopes to put forth efforts to raise money for their causes. Even though I am still not reunited with my family, I am determined to make a difference by using my situation to help others by telling their stories.
Would you join me in this venture? I am seeking donations in order to help fund this film production. Financial contributions will go towards production equipment, filming and production costs, and living expenses. Whether by financial contributions or by spreading awareness of this endeavor, your support would be greatly appreciated. Please join me in sharing the good news — hope still abounds.
“Every person born into this world has a gift, and when one person dies without sharing their gift, the whole world suffers.”
~Dr Clyde Rivers
“I Change Nations”
Gratefully,
J. Z. Zadoria
Hong Kong
March 16, 2021
