Born in Taiwan as Gin Ling Fu. My screen name is Cheryl Ling, also known as Cheryl Monk. My father is from the North East province of Shantong, China, my mother is a native Haka Taiwanese. 

We didn’t have much money to buy toys, so I‘d play in the rice patties. Catching small fish from the stream and bringing them home for dinner lead to my life-long interest in fishing and diving. My mother left for Africa to be part of a medical team when I was 4, my father

could not bear the burden of raising me so my aunt took me in. My dad visited me on Sundays, I would ride his scooter through the streets of Taipei; I remembered him singing old songs in the rain. I’d be crying as he dropped me off - then I wouldn’t see him for another week. Haunted by the sudden break up of my family, I immersed myself in a different world, a world of make-believe. I read lots of story books, watched TV, cartoons. “I love Lucy,” “Leave it to Beaver” and “Combat” were my favorite shows.  

Fast forward to later days, after I was saved by Jesus, I moved from California to Hawaii, took on Drama and Acting at the University of Hawaii, joined an improv troupe and started to write my own skits. I produced and acted in them on cable access TV in Honolulu. I’d put on a wig and play Margaret Thatcher hitch hiking at a bus stop. I also wrapped myself up in a bed sheet and played a Camel Herder from Kuwait and later,  created Windy’s Adventure,  which became an inspiration for “Rice Girl”, the movie.

In 1997, I moved back to Los Angeles where my mother has been residing for over 20 years. It was awkward for both of us, since she left when I was four. God began to heal my relationship with my parents, there was a lot of unforgiveness and resentment that I have to deal with. My father presently lives in Taiwan, analyzing sports for Chinese TV. Praise God both of them accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior a week and two months ago, respectively, as of this writing. They are going to heaven someday!
 
The road to the making of “Rice Girl” was long and hard. I would have given up a thousand  times due to lack of funds and resources. God miraculously opened doors when I ran into dead ends. My desire to make a 35mm movie that will entertain and show the Father's Heart has driven me thus far. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we are still sinners, Christ died for us.”  Romans 5:8  

While still shopping for a bigger distribution deal (movie industry is very tricky, I have seen other producers give away all their rights and never see a dime of their blood money back). I am confident that you’ll enjoy this movie and I need to present the movie directly to you, right now. (Thank God for the Internet)
 
You can order a VHS of the movie directly from me, not available at any store yet, and I’ll include an autographed poster as a thank you gift until they run out. I am also making the DVD version of the movie as the funds are made available from the sales of the VHS.