Faith & Life

A Book Compiled With a Father’s Sincere Love

In the Joseon Dynasty, the last dynastic kingdom of Korea, there was a custom among the noble families. The family would put the book called ‘Cheon-In-Cheon-Ja-Mun 千人千字文’ on the main feast table when their son celebrated his first birthday. The name of the book means “Each of 1,000 people write one character.” As the name suggests, this book comprises Chinese characters written by 1,000 people. When a son was born into a noble family, his father would visit officials who had accumulated academic literacy through examinations and ask each of them to write down one character from the Cheon-Ja-Mun 千字文 (Thousand Character Classic in English), which is a book of Chinese poem that has been used as a primer for…

A Bow and Dojigae

Gakgung is a representative traditional bow in Korea. Since it is water buffalo horn-based, it is called Gakgung, using the Chinese character called Gak 角, meaning horn. In addition, the bow is made of various materials such as bamboo, mulberry, oak, cow tendon, and the bark of cherry trees. It has great elasticity because each material pushes and pulls each other. When you release the strings that hold both ends, the bow bends back and curls. The process of making Gakgung is a complicated and delicate process; it does require a lot of effort so that it can perform well. It can take a year to prepare and process the materials. When the final stage of making of the Gakgung…

The Tardy Deputy Minister

One day in January 2018, a meeting was held at the UK Parliament Building at 3 p.m. Michael Bates, the Deputy Minister for the Department for International Development, was supposed to answer questions about income inequality during the meeting; however, he came to the meeting and suddenly announced his intention to resign. His reason was because he arrived a few minutes late. “I sincerely apologize for having failed to make it on time from the beginning of a very important meeting to answer inquiries. I am ashamed of it. I will immediately submit my resignation to the Prime Minister.” People usually apologize to others if they are not on time, and move on. Michael Bates, however, did not regard his…

The Best Vacation

Every summer, my husband and I go for a two-day trip with his hometown friends and their wives. He’s had this trip with his friends for more than thirty years since before marriage. The ten families remember their childhood, traveling together around mountains and seas. My husband and his friends grew up together from childhood, and they spent much time together, raising children. So he had made efforts to preach the truth to his friends. Unfortunately, however, the majority of them were not interested in the truth. This year, we decided to spend our vacation quietly in the hometown. One of his friends, the leader of the gathering, had an operation for cancer; so they decided to support his medical…

Kim Sang-hui from Anyang, South Korea

Blessing Granted Through Love

My family is pretty close and open to each other. My parents are always like friends to me, and we are always bright and active when we are together. My friends who have older brothers say that they often argue with each other, but I have good relationship with my older brother, too. That’s probably why my family was the first one that came to my mind when I received the truth through my friend when I was in high school. Since I had just moved to a city from a rural area, I was worried that I might meet some bad friends, but Zion members were so kind that they made me think, ‘I didn’t know there were still…

Kim Hye-ji from Anyang, South Korea

The Courage to Save Lives

Those who pass away or get injured while trying to save another's life in danger or disaster, even though it was not their responsibility, are considered righteous. Some became famous like Lee Soo-hyeon who saved someone who fell on the tracks at the subway station, and Ahn Chi-beom who ran into an apartment on fire and helped the residents escape by going to every door to let them know. Nimal from Sri Lanka, who was burned while saving an elderly neighbor whose house caught on fire, is also regarded as righteous. Those people are remembered as the righteous for a long time. It is impossible to risk their own lives to save others in such an urgent situation without outstanding…

Apology Brings Home Peace

Everyone makes big and small mistakes. We sometimes step on another person’s foot in a crowded bus, spill water on someone and get their clothes wet, hurt someone’s feelings with too much joke, or make someone angry with actions that lack consideration. Not only the immature children but also the elderly who have abundant experiences of life are constantly experiencing trial and error because they are not perfect. What is important is the attitude to cope with the situation in the positive direction when we make a mistake. It is natural that compensation should be followed if you have done harm to others by careless words and actions. The best compensation you can make in a situation where you have…

A Rejection Letter with Consideration

Due to the competitive job market, there are many things job seekers must go through in order to find employment. Receiving constant rejections after taking assessments or going through many rounds of interviews can hinder a person's confidence and passion for their field. In addition, many companies do not let applicants know if they were hired or not. This in turn leads to frustration because the applicants made many preparations to apply for the positions. Although receiving a rejection letter can impact the applicant’s self-esteem, there are companies that send a rejection letter with thoughtful words. One company sends a text message to the applicants who did not make it, saying, “It is our fault that we cannot hire more…

An Actor Who Gave the Gift of a Special Memory

“My grandson said you are famous. May I have your autograph?” An old man approached Roger Moore, who was reading the newspaper in the airport lounge. Roger Moore is an actor who played the role of James Bond in the 007 Series. He gave his autograph on the back of his plane ticket, however, the 7-year-old grandson, who did not know his real name, was disappointed that the autograph did not say, “James Bond.” When his grandfather asked him to give him another autograph for this reason, Roger Moore whispered to the grandson, “I had to use a different name. Otherwise, Blofeld (the name of the villain in the movie) can notice that I am here.” The little boy was…

A Tower of Strength to Me

Recently, I had to prepare something personally, so I worked till late at night for several days. I could neither sleep nor do housework properly. One day, I came home around eight in the evening, utterly worn-out after work. When I entered home, the light was on and the grocery store leaflet was opened wide on the table. I laughed in spite of myself. My husband, who came back from work, must have gone grocery shopping after seeing the leaflet put on the front door. When I looked at my cell phone to call him, I already had a few missed calls from him. I called him. “Did you go grocery shopping?” “Oh, you’re home early! I wanted to cook…

Ahn Ha-jeong from Hwaseong, South Korea

The Street

During commuting times, we can easily see the streets messy with all kinds of garbage. I want to go to work with a refreshing mind and return home in a good mood. However, when I see cigarette butts and garbage in every corner of the streets, I come to frown. There came a good opportunity to change such an environment. Young adult workers living near Songdo New Town planned to clean up the streets. Songdo New Town is a cosmopolitan city with more than 10,000 companies and 110,000 employees. I volunteered to help them work in a pleasant environment. On a holiday at 10 a.m., more than 120 young adult workers overcame the temptation of oversleeping and gathered at a…

Lee Gahng-hui from Incheon, South Korea

The Talent of Hard Work

The 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics ended with great success. Regardless of the results, the athletes who endured until the end received loud cheering and applause from the audience, which moved their hearts. Among them was a Korean female figure skater who made constant efforts and broke her best record in the Olympics. Because of this, she was able to compete with other world-class athletes. In order to become a competitive figure skater, one must master difficult techniques and have a good presentation. As she was practicing, she felt she was lacking in these areas and complained to her mother, saying, “I don’t know why I was born without any special talent or skills.” Her mother, however, responded, saying, “It’s also…

Kindness to a Stranger

In August 2016, Kasey Simmons, a 30-year-old man who lived in Dallas, TX, went grocery shopping and saw an elderly woman with a gloomy face. Other people passed by without noticing her, however, he talked to her because he was concerned. He couldn’t find out what happened to her, but he comforted her with warm words and paid 17 dollars for her groceries. The next day, Simmons encountered an unexpected incident at the restaurant where he worked as a server. A customer ordered a glass of water and paid 500 dollars as a tip. It turned out that the customer was the daughter of the elderly woman whom he showed kindness toward. The day he comforted the elderly woman was…

Special Bus Stop

There is a special bus stop on a mountain road in Taebaek-si, Gangwon-do, Korea. It is a bus stop called, “In front of Kwon Chun-seop’s House.” The bus stop, which opened in 1999, was originally called “In front of Kwon Sang-cheol’s House.” Kwon Sang-cheol always worried about his wife who was struggling with an illness because she would have to walk a long distance to take the bus whenever she visited the hospital. He repeatedly requested the city hall to build an additional bus stop. As a result, a bus stop was built near the house, but the city could not figure out a name for the bus stop. It was because the bus stop was built in a remote…

Be the Same Person Inside and Outside!

Some family heads are friendly to their colleagues but abrupt with their families; some wives are kind to others but blunt to their families; some children are very considerate and sympathetic to their friends, but not to their families. Your family can be more hurt and heartbroken by the words and actions that you express without a second thought, thinking, ‘They will understand because we are family.’ This month, how about treating your family just as you do others? This doesn’t mean you should keep your distance from your family, but be polite and careful as much as you treat others. When you become the same person inside and outside, don’t you think you’ll be able to find your true…

Even If Everyone Gives Up

On May 8, 2019, a woman in her thirties named Amanda Aller got lost while walking in a nature reserve in Maui, Hawaii. Since she left her cell phone in the car, there was no way for her to contact anyone. The more she walked to find the way out, the deeper she went into the woods and the darker the day got. Then, she had to go through all types of struggles to survive. At night when the temperature dropped, she covered herself with leaves or dug into the mud to keep her body warm. During the day, she wandered around and looked for food such as fruit, water, and insects. One day, she fell off a cliff and…

Guan Zhong and Bao Shuya’s Friendship

During the Spring and Autumn Period in China, there were Guan Zhong and Bao Shuya. They were very close ever since their childhood and became government officials together. Guan Zhong became an aide to Gyu, the son of Yanggong, the monarch of Qi, and Bao Shuya served Gyu’s half-brother, Xiǎo bái. However, when Yanggong was killed, the two brothers and their supporters fought over the throne. When Xiǎo bái succeeded the throne and tried to kill Gyu and his supporters, Bao Shuya earnestly asked the king to appoint Guan Zhong as a government official. Guan Zhong helped the king wholeheartedly with the governmental affairs and was eventually appointed as a chancellor. Bao Shuya was happy for Guan Zhong’s success as…

My Wish Was Granted

It was always my dream to preach overseas. My dream grew bigger and bitter whenever I heard the fragrance of Zion from young adults of my age that they bore many good fruits by preaching the gospel overseas in the scorching heat or piercing cold. However, the situation was not favorable for me. I was anxious to go overseas, although I didn’t express it. As I tried to console myself, God comforted me with a sermon during worship. After listening to the sermon, I came to realize the fact that God loves me more than I love myself and eagerly wants me to be saved and blessed. My heart was overflowing with gratitude when I realized that the path given…

Ryu Ne-ip from Goyang, South Korea

Family Glory

Treasure No. 182, Imcheonggak, is located in Andong, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Korea. It is the oldest house that exists in Korea. It was a private house during the Joseon Dynasty and the largest mansion built with 99 rooms. In January 1911, at the peak of Japanese imperialism, Lee Sang-ryong, the owner of Im Cheong-gak, gathered about 400 servants. He then burned their slave documents and told them to leave to help the country regain its independence, and he himself went to Manchuria to fight for independence of his country. When his family members, including his son, grandson, younger sibling, and nephew, joined the independence movement, the Japanese imperialists set out on a railroad track across the center of Imcheonggak in 1941, saying…

Happy Bronze Medalist

There is an athlete who suddenly became a star after winning a bronze medal at the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games. The athlete is a Chinese swimmer called Fu Yuanhui (20 year-old). She became famous because what she said during the interview after the women’s 100 m semi-finals drew a lot of attention. When she came out of the pool after the game, the reporter said to her, “Your time was 58.95 seconds. It’s a bronze medal!” Then, Fu Yuanhui opened her eyes wide and asked with amazement, “Was I that fast?” Then, with a joyful expression, she said that she was completely satisfied with her record. When the reporter asked her if she was disappointed because it was…