Testimony (선교사님의 간증)

Date: 3 Aug. 1995

I am from Korea. I was grown up in the Christian Family with 5 old sisters 1 older brother, I'm 7th son. I am a pastor of the Korean Presbyterian church which is the main stream of the church in Korea. I served in Wang Sung Presbyterian church in Seoul(12,000 members and 15 pastors of) Korea as one of the pastors for 6 years.

When I was a boy(5 years old) I promised God to I would be a Pastor. Since I grown up God has gave me a vision through the Word of God and what happended to me, but I didn't realise it. In 1992 I visited Eastern countries Russia, Romania and hungary with my 16 young singing and Drama outreach team, after this trip. One day I had a car accident at 4:30 a.m. when I was going to lead early morning worship service at 5:00 to the church. My car was severely damaged, however: I was safe. That accident reminded me of the promise I made to God. Thought I had worked for the mission department in my church and had organized many mission programs for youth the group and the church, I didn't want to be a missionary. At the moment of the accident, I realized why God saved me from the accident, and remembered that God had called me as a missionary but I disobeying like Jonas on the ship.

Then said "Yes, I will obey you, I will go to the mission field. In 1993, I visited several African countries, Egypt, Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia when famine overwhelmed those countries.

I prayed if you want me I will go one of these countries, ETHIOPIA. I visited Ethiopia twice 1993 and 1994 when I arrived at the airport in Addis Ababa, it seemed like a primary school play ground. I found North Korean exhibition poster on the wall of the airport, lots of taxi drivers tried to attract passengers, bargaing over the fare. all the street was full with beggars and cripples. Stinking smell hung in the air I was busy driving flies away from my face.

When my wife Grace found the surroundings like this, She asked why I should choose Ethiopia among many other countries as our mission field. I didn't give any answer. In Addis Ababa, I and grace saw noticed an announce at the SIM guest house that an English woman missionary bled to death on the way to hospital in Addis Ababa. She left her three children. In part of nothern area, Gondor, About 50 christians including a pastor were killed coming out of the church of the worship service. These stories discouraged us from coming into the country. But God led us to see His work among Ethiopian Christians. Wherever we visited the local churches(Langano, Awash and Dilla) many christians were gathering and praying loudly voice and in tongue. Though the churches were made of the bark of banana tree and had no electricity to lighten the room, they were praying for the country and the leaders to teach them. They greeted us with warm hands and modesty. They asked us to come and help them to know God's truth. Still I remember their eyes asking with tears!

Galatians 2:20 " I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live: yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me". Amen