In February 2006, Emily Foster ventured from Canada to China, following in the footsteps of her grandparents and great-grandparents, who had worked in China from 1920 to 1968. Throughout the course of her journey, Emily discovered a powerful new sense of family roots. She now shares her passionate account of their experiences to inspire others to make the most of life’s adventures.

Emily’s great-grandparents left their Saskatchewan farm in 1920 and immigrated to Szechuan province, West China. Their daughter, Muriel Kitchen, grew up surrounded by missionary compound walls, amidst battling warlords, Japanese invasions, and the rise of Chinese Communism. After obtaining a nursing degree in Canada, and marrying Walton Tonge, Muriel returned to China with her new husband. They were expelled two years later by the Communist regime.

Banned from China, Muriel, Walton, and their young children moved to Hong Kong. There, Muriel worked as the superintendent of an orphanage where she helped save the lives of many abandoned infants. The Banquet: My Grandma’s Memories of China chronicles Muriel Tonge’s unforgettable experiences in the East, and celebrates her tireless dedication to people in need.