This is the story of the Vietnamese boat people-a real-life drama and action at sea, depicting the best and worst of humanity under adversity, trying to survive the journey fleeing Saigon The Stormy Sea is a true story about how ordinary men coming together to protect the vulnerable fleeing Vietnam on the Southern Cross ship. They ensured the distribution of food and water. The band of brothers dealt with everything from pirates, birth, fire and flooding on board to organising their own rescue from the Indonesia island where the Southern Cross eventually ran aground. The story is written by the protagonist, leader of the band, Lawrence.
The journey started with everyone assembling under the cover of darkness at a pig farm near a fishing village in Saigon. A total of 1,200 refugees were taken to sea on separate small fishing trawlers and arriving in open waters to rendezvous with what was to be the first steel refugee boat from Vietnam. The boat was the Southern Cross and it is currently resting on that small island of Indonesia.
To this day, Lawrence still remember in details the calm water and smell of diesel on the fishing trawler he was cramped in all night with his family. The calmness was suddenly broken by rough open sea and the commotion the next morning with the many trawlers docking against the Southern Cross to allow the refugees to climb on rope nets to board the ship.
Lawrence was appointed leader on the ship backed by the European Captain and his crew to lead the 1,200 refugees on the deck of the Southern Cross. This was prompted by a gang of young man confiscating food and extorting money for instant noodles. Lawrence realised his 5 young children won't stand a chance of surviving had he not taken charge.
Lawrence is a Vietnam-born ethnic-Chinese Australian novelist and poet based in Melbourne. He has published two novels, four collections of miniature novels, four anthologies of prose, two collections of poems, and another set of short essays, all in Chinese.
His achievements and recognitions include fourteen different prizes in literature from Taiwan, Beijing, and Australia; and has been awarded fifteen service-related awards by the different Chinese societies, the premier of Victoria State, as well as the Prime Minister of Australia.
In 2005, Lawrence received the 'Excellency in Contributing to Cultural Diversities Award' from the Governor of the Victoria State, Australia.
In September 2018, he received the Award of Distinguished Contribution to the Australian Chinese Cultural Heritages by the Federation of Australian Chinese Cultural Associations
His writing have been incorporated in various dictionaries, his novels and poems are incorporated in the Anthology of Australian Chinese Literature.
Lawrence helped establish the World Chinese Writers Association of Exchange Inc in 2010, and then served as its President for two terms until 2016. This association has a membership of 133 writer-members. He is now the Honorary President.
He is also appointed as Honorary Head of the Chaoshan (Teoswa) School of Literature of Guangdong and the Honorary President of the International Association of Teochew People's Literary and Arts.
