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Once again, a newly planted church
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Chapter 35 - Once again, a newly planted church
There are two reasons why I had move to Southern California, leaving all my memories behind. My mother wanted me as the youngest son to live in an area that was close to her. I had always told her “When Hanna starts attending college I will move south.” For about 14 years. But with that I was able to open a new church and also have Youth Born Again Mission America. The other reason why I didn’t move to Southern California area was to keep a promise for my children. I wanted my children to graduate from one unified school district. Therefore my son and daughter both attended schools from elementary to high school in the same district. During this time there was lot of Caucasians students. If my children were to move to another district, they had to re-do an evaluation on education, and would have to make new friends. If a child does not fit well with the area around, they may lose their interest in education. Or becomes a problem child by getting into fights, or become a loner. So it was easy for my children to graduate from elementary, middle school, and high school with their friends.
I had finally decided to live up to my words after my daughter had moved out to college. This was the one reason why I had moved to Southern California. Another was to make another YBA in Los Angeles area to reach out to the young adults there. A short period of time after I had stayed in Los Angeles I had reconnected with a college lower classman. When I had first come to United States and lived in San Jose for a very short time, then moved to Los Angeles for year and half. That’s when he had come to USA to study abroad. I was glad to see him. At that time he was just started in his Christian faith. I had done bible studies with him during Saturday early mornings. After I had returned to San Jose he had entered Seminary and became a pastor. When I had moved back to Los Angeles he was the senior pastor of a church with 200 members. He had invited me to lunch and he came with an elder.
His church was growing well and said he needed workers and wanted me to be the “associate pastor” and to take care of Bible study. I could only thank to this day for the suggestion. I would need a place to meet people, and to be able to meet young adults whom I can work along with. I had taken charge of the staff and senior classes. I had many preparatory meetings in the church’s education hall for the foundation of a new YBA. I went back to visit the YBA Korea for a Bible seminar at a church in Anyang on “Book of James” in winter of 1994. When I had returned the formation in church had changed so I had almost nothing to do. It had come in time for me to decide.
I had opened a map of Southern California and prayed for a church that had no affiliation with my denomination. I started to pray about Cerritos which was about 45 minutes away. I knew no one from there. There were several members from the church in Los Angeles who wanted to follow me, but I did not wish for people who served another church to follow me. I wanted to plant a church for non-believers, people who had stopped coming to church, and for people who had moved far away and needed a church. It was said but being done was very difficult.
A pastor whom I knew had a friend by the name of JuDong Ahn who lived close to Cerritos. Evangelist Ahn had graduated from seminary in Korea, but majored in Oriental Medicine and was working as an Oriental Medicine doctor. Thanks to evangelist Ahn I was introduced to Pastor SoonSik Kim who owned a small bookstore. I was able to have a small space to work. I did office duties and had small prayer meetings and held bible studies. One family I was introduced had barely immigrated to United States. They had lived about an hour and a half away. I had gathered with them to start a group. After two other families joined we had worship service and rotated houses. After some time we had rented an American church to settle down near Cerritos. We had worship service during afternoons.
In the beginning our newly church instrumental accompany was sister in Christ SangHee Kim. After, elder HyeSook Kim took in charge of the piano. I give thanks to them for their help. If I had stayed as associate pastor I would’ve planted another YBA in Los Angeles. But God wanted me to take in charge of planting a new church which I found difficult. After time passes I could only thank God. I give thanks to also Evangelist JuDong Ahn and Pastor SoonSik Kim
(February 2011)
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Epilogue 
Once again, a newly planted church