Born in 1943, during the twilight of Japanese colonial rule, I was too young to relish the joy of liberation. Yet, the weight of that era settled heavily even on my small shoulders. In the immediate aftermath of liberation, Korea was gripped by poverty, and many of my peers succumbed to epidemics. I was fortunate to survive, but the memories of those times remain vivid.
Just as I entered elementary school, the Korean War erupted. That conflict, which we called the "Yukyosa Incident," became a major turning point in my life. Clutching my mother's hand as we fled to the mountains, I witnessed the horrors of war firsthand at a tender age, and in the chaos, I lost my father.
My father's absence plunged our family into extreme poverty. Even after graduating from middle school, attending high school was beyond our means. But in those days, almost everyone was poor, which was oddly comforting. As the saying goes, "shared suffering is half the sorrow."
Looking back, that poverty was an insurmountable wall that I couldn't overcome through willpower alone. Watching my mother struggle alone without my father was the hardest part. Those experiences left deep scars but also taught me valuable lessons.
Life's greatest trials often stem from circumstances beyond our control. For me, it was poverty. But through these experiences, I learned an important lesson: while we can't choose the trials that befall us, how we face and overcome them is what truly matters.
These experiences of poverty and hardship greatly influenced the direction of my life. Despite the difficult circumstances, I never lost my passion for learning, which later became the foundation for my path as a theologian. These experiences also profoundly impacted my theological thinking and pastoral activities.
The experiences of my impoverished childhood instilled in me a deep empathy and compassion for the socially vulnerable and marginalized. This became the fundamental reason why, as a theologian and pastor, I later became interested in social justice and protecting the weak. Moreover, the experience of persevering through difficult circumstances gave me strength in pursuing my academic path.
In the end, the hardships of poverty and trials made me a stronger and more empathetic person. Without these experiences, I would have become a different person. That's why I sometimes feel grateful for these difficulties. They shaped me into a better person.
Just as I entered elementary school, the Korean War erupted. That conflict, which we called the "Yukyosa Incident," became a major turning point in my life. Clutching my mother's hand as we fled to the mountains, I witnessed the horrors of war firsthand at a tender age, and in the chaos, I lost my father.
My father's absence plunged our family into extreme poverty. Even after graduating from middle school, attending high school was beyond our means. But in those days, almost everyone was poor, which was oddly comforting. As the saying goes, "shared suffering is half the sorrow."
Looking back, that poverty was an insurmountable wall that I couldn't overcome through willpower alone. Watching my mother struggle alone without my father was the hardest part. Those experiences left deep scars but also taught me valuable lessons.
Life's greatest trials often stem from circumstances beyond our control. For me, it was poverty. But through these experiences, I learned an important lesson: while we can't choose the trials that befall us, how we face and overcome them is what truly matters.
These experiences of poverty and hardship greatly influenced the direction of my life. Despite the difficult circumstances, I never lost my passion for learning, which later became the foundation for my path as a theologian. These experiences also profoundly impacted my theological thinking and pastoral activities.
The experiences of my impoverished childhood instilled in me a deep empathy and compassion for the socially vulnerable and marginalized. This became the fundamental reason why, as a theologian and pastor, I later became interested in social justice and protecting the weak. Moreover, the experience of persevering through difficult circumstances gave me strength in pursuing my academic path.
In the end, the hardships of poverty and trials made me a stronger and more empathetic person. Without these experiences, I would have become a different person. That's why I sometimes feel grateful for these difficulties. They shaped me into a better person.
