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20th Anniversary of the ‘Worldwide Blood Drive to Give Life Through the Love of the Passover’
Approximately 1,700 Blood Drives With 300,000 Participants, Practicing Christ’s Love Through the Gift of Life
The Church of God has actively conducted blood drives to save lives, commemorating Christ’s love, who granted eternal life to humanity through the Passover. Beginning in Seoul in 2005, the “Worldwide Blood Drive to Give Life Through the Love of the Passover” has now approached its 1,700th event over the past 20 years, delivering hope through continued acts of life-sharing around the world. In June, around 20 events were held around World Blood Donor Day (June 14), adding to the significance of the movement.
Ongoing Blood Drives Add Meaning on World Blood Donor Day
Amid increasing blood demand due to an aging population, wars, and disasters, awareness of blood donation remains low, and supply shortages are severe. Collected blood is separated into components and used for emergency transfusions or in the manufacture of medications for diseases like leukemia.
Members of the Church of God once again enthusiastically participated in saving lives through blood donation this year. Their commitment is year-round and unwavering. In early 2025, the blood drive included: January in Peru, February in Bangladesh, March in Brazil and Argentina, totaling over 30 events. In Bangladesh, where around 70% of the blood supply depends on one-time and paid donations, members and citizens together donated over 15,000 milliliters of blood, achieving a meaningful impact.
On April 23, 480 people joined a blood drive at the Church in Gumi, with 145 successful donations. The next day, the Church in Boseong continued the event with around 160 participants. Combined, the two days yielded approximately 101,000 milliliters of blood. On May 1, three churches in Virginia and Washington D.C., U.S., held a blood drive, donating 55,000 milliliters. On May 14, two churches in Andhra Pradesh, India, participated with 60 successful donors.
In June, 20 blood drivess were held in Korea, the U.S., India, Namibia, and other countries. World Blood Donor Day was established to raise awareness of the importance of blood drive and encourage blood donation. On its 20th anniversary in 2024, World Health Organization (WHO) Secretary-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized, “Blood saves lives. While it is universally needed, access to blood is not. Many countries face shortages.” He appealed for global solidarity in spreading the culture of donation.
The Secret to Consistent Blood Donation Is Love and Devotion
The primary reason the World Mission Society Church of God has been able to carry out blood donations consistently over the past 20 years is that blood donation is a simple yet powerful way to save lives. While the global health and medical sectors are striving to develop blood substitutes and perform bloodless surgeries, blood is still essential for saving emergency patients and manufacturing medical products. The WHO recommends regular, voluntary, and unremunerated blood donations to ensure a safe and stable blood supply.
Despite differences among countries, such as lacking infrastructure or cultural and religious hesitations toward blood donation, members of the Church around the world eagerly roll up their sleeves to donate. The blood drive has become a platform fostering a culture of healthy life-sharing in local communities and society.
Every step in preparing the blood donation involves careful attention and dedication. The Church has accumulated extensive experience over years of organizing these events. Through close coordination with blood centers and hospitals, they schedule donation drives, dispatch blood donation buses to church parking lots, or prepare spacious venues to accommodate many participants at once. Depending on local conditions, blood drives are held at blood centers, plazas, parks, and other locations to attract more community members. Event sites are equipped with necessities such as medical interview rooms, waiting areas, numbered tickets, snacks, and boxes to collect donated blood certificates.
Ahead of the blood drives, Church members are informed about how to improve their chances of successful donation, such as healthy diets and exercise routines. At the 1,623rd drive held in April at the Opo Church in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, volunteer Deaconess Kwon Ra-sim shared, “We shared information about iron-rich foods a month in advance to prepare thoroughly.” Park Esther, an office worker from Yongin, said, “I once heard that the moment blood is most valuable is when it’s donated. That inspired me to take a day off work and come today. I even took more supplements than usual to ensure successful donation,” she said with a smile. From 9 AM to 4 PM, the event welcomed participants not only from Gwangju but also from Yongin, Yangpyeong, and Yeoju, resulting in 205 successful donations from 500 participants and 253 collected blood donation certificates.
Sincere Hearts of Members Inspire a Broader Culture of Blood Donation
Blood drives have been carried out in over 60 countries, with around 300,000 participants and over 128,000 successful donations (as of the end of May 2025). Considering that one blood donation can save up to three lives, the efforts have helped save approximately 380,000 people.
Carrying out the biblical teaching, “It is more blessed to give love than to receive,” through their blood donations, Church members have promoted the importance of blood donation in their communities and inspired more citizens to join, creating a positive cycle. Oh Moon-seob, a member of the Hwaseong City Council, said, “The Church of God is an organization that consistently fulfills its social responsibilities. Its blood donation initiatives serve as an exemplary model of spreading good influence in the community.” Lee Jae-seung, Director of the Seoul Nambu Blood Center, commented, “Since 2012, we’ve been conducting group blood donations with the Church of God. Seeing how sincerely the members participate, I believe it is such heartfelt commitment that has enabled our continued collaboration.”
In recognition of the Church’s direct and indirect contributions to saving lives through the blood drive, the Korean Red Cross has awarded more than 190 honors to the Church, beginning with a Plaque of Commendation from the Director General of Blood Service Headquarters in 2011. Other accolades include the President’s Commendation and plaque of appreciation from the Director of North Jeolla Blood Center. In 2024, certificates of appreciation were also awarded by the Ministers of Health of Mozambique and Mongolia, as governments, local governments, and institutions around the world continue to acknowledge the Church’s efforts.
“Love one another as I have loved you” (Jn 13:34). Embodying the love received from God through action, the Church’ “Worldwide Blood Drive to Give Life Through the Love of the Passover,” spanning 20 years, will continue sharing the hope of life with the world.
