Built on a Meeting from Decades Ago

 Built on a Meeting from Decades Ago

By Pastor Park Ok-soo (Good News Gangnam Church)

Wanting to Teach the Bible to Children in an Orphanage
More than 50 years ago, after my wife and I got married, we lived in Gimcheon. At that time, we were very poor and often went hungry. Once, my wife was pregnant with our first child. Her belly was big, but we had missed several meals. My wife and I went together to an orphanage in Gimcheon and said to the director:

“Director, hello. The children living here will eventually have to step into society when they grow up, but they have no parents. When they face difficulties, how painful must it be? If they have Jesus in their hearts, they won’t be swallowed by darkness and will be able to overcome it well. We would like to teach the children the Bible here. We don’t want anything—only to plant the faith of believing in God in their hearts.”

The director looked me up and down, and then agreed.

From that day on, we gathered the children in the orphanage and began teaching them the Bible. My wife taught the children hymns:

“Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me. The Lord bore the cross for my sins. Jesus loves me.”

The children followed joyfully and sang wholeheartedly. After that, I preached the Word. The director also sat in the back and listened attentively to what I shared. After the morning class ended, the director prepared lunch for us. They prepared it with great care, and it was very abundant. We had been hungry for several days, so we felt extremely happy. My wife and I, with thankful hearts, ate well.

After a short rest, we began the afternoon session. Again, we sang hymns and preached the Word. We were thankful, and the children were happy. Living in an orphanage, the children longed greatly for love and were very fond of my wife. They hugged her and touched her big pregnant belly with their hands—they were so delighted. After the afternoon class ended, the director again prepared dinner for us. My wife and I ate together, not knowing how happy we were. After dinner, we taught the children the Bible once more. Late at night, we walked a long distance back home.

After teaching the children for several days like that, I became close to the director of the orphanage. His name was Pastor Lee (name omitted).

Thinking of Raising Countless Gospel Preachers
Many years later, something happened while the Gracias Choir was on tour. When we were performing in Gumi, a man who introduced himself as the chairman of Gimcheon Korea–Japan Girls’ Middle School and Korea–Japan Girls’ High School greeted me.

“I know this school very well.”

“How do you know it?”

“It was founded by Pastor Lee (name omitted).”

“Yes, he is my father.”

In this way, I met the son of Pastor Lee, and spent a pleasant time with him. Later, he treated me to lunch. I finished my meal quickly, pushed the dishes aside, opened the Bible, and preached the Gospel. He and his wife received the Word and were saved—it was truly wonderful.

Some time later, in early 2024, he came to see me again, this time bringing along the president of a university. With the declining young population in our country, the school’s enrollment had dropped severely, and it was difficult for the university to continue operating. Since we were able to solve this problem, we took over the school.

The university has many departments, but what I most wanted to do was raise young people who preach the Gospel. I had cherished this dream for a long time and had always wanted to take over a university. Through the son of Pastor Lee—whom I met many years ago—God opened this path.

Right now, I am especially happy. Just thinking about preaching the Gospel to students in the university fills my heart with excitement. And thinking of raising countless young people from all over the world to become workers of the Gospel, my heart is filled with endless gratitude toward God, who has allowed us to do this work.

在几十年前相遇的基础上

作者：朴玉洙（好消息江南教会牧师）

 

想为孤儿院的孩子们教《圣经》

50多年前，我们夫妻结婚后，在金泉生活。当时，我们很贫穷，经常饿肚子。一次，我妻子怀了第一个孩子，肚子鼓鼓的，好几顿没吃上饭了。我和妻子一起去了金泉的一家孤儿院，对院长说：

“院长，您好。生活在这里的孩子们，长大后要走向社会，可他们没有父母，遇到困难的事情时，该多么痛苦啊？如果他们心里有耶稣，就不会被黑暗吞噬，能够很好地战胜黑暗。我们想在这里教孩子们学习《圣经》。我们什么都不要，只想把相信神的信心栽种在孩子们心里。”

院长上下打量了我一番，之后同意了。

从那天起，我们就把孤儿院的孩子们聚在一起，开始教他们学《圣经》。我妻子教孩子们唱赞美。

“主耶稣爱我，主耶稣爱我。主为了我的罪背负十字架。主耶稣爱我。”

孩子们跟着一起踊跃地唱着赞美。接着，我来传讲圣经话语。院长也坐在后面，专心地听着我讲的内容。早上的课程结束后，院长为我们准备了午饭。他们准备得特别用心，特别丰盛。我们已经饿了几天了，感到特别幸福。我和妻子带着感谢的心美美地吃了起来。

休息一会儿之后，我们便开始了下午的时间。我们又开始唱赞美，讲话语。我们也感谢，孩子们也开心。孩子们生活在孤儿院，特别渴望爱，特别喜欢我妻子。他们拥抱我妻子，还用手摸她鼓鼓的肚子，特别幸福。下午课程结束后，院长又给我们准备了晚饭。我和妻子一起吃着饭，不知有多幸福。吃完晚饭，我们再次教了孩子们圣经。到了深夜，我们走着很远的路回家。

就这样，给孩子们教了几天圣经后，我和孤儿院院长亲近了起来。他就是李某某牧师。

 

一想到能够培养无数福音传道者

这是多年后，格拉西阿斯合唱团正巡回演出时发生的一件事。当在龟尾演出时，一位自称是金泉韩日女子中学、韩日女子高中理事长的人来跟我打招呼。

“这所学校我很熟悉。”

“您是怎么知道的？”

“这是李某某牧师创办的学校。”

“是的，他是我的父亲。”

就这样，我见到了李某某牧师的儿子，和他度过了愉快的时间。后来，他请我吃了午饭。我很快地吃完午饭，然后把桌上的餐具推到一边，翻开《圣经》，传讲了福音。他们夫妻接受了话语，得救了，真是幸福极了。

又过了一段日子，2024年初，他带着一所大学的校长来找我。随着我国年轻人口的减少，这所学校的学生人数严重不足，学校难以为继。因为我们可以解决这个问题，所以接手了这所学校。

学校有很多学科，但我最想做的是在这里培养传福音的年轻人。我已经怀揣这个梦想很久了，一直想接手一所大学。神通过很多年前遇到的李某某牧师的儿子，打开了这条路。

现在我特别幸福。一想到要在大学里给学生们传福音，心里就无比激动。一想到要把从世界各地来的无数年轻人培养为福音的工人，我心里向允许我们从事这件事的神，充满了无尽的感谢。