Around the time of Christmas
In the senior apartment that I reside, there is a tradition the Korean residents holds every year. Everyone donates certain amount of money to give gifts to the apartment management and associates. 2014 Christmas, I had to do that task.
With the 4 longest residential members of the apartment’s help, we got the donations and had a discussion about what to give as gifts. I bought gifts from a nearby famous supermarket and placed it inside a decorated card. I headed down to the office to deliver the gift 3:00PM, December 12th.
I was asked to sit and wait while the manager was finish moving files around.
A short while later, I had delivered to the 10 workers around here, the manager gave me a small envelope. The manager explained that their father had taken action in the Korean War and was injured, and someone else who had taken part of the action in Korea had given the manager this envelope. Since it was such a rare item, it was most unique and fitting if someone Korean would to have it.
After saying my thanks, I came back and opened the envelope and saw it was a memorial stamp. The stamp was made in 1985 using a very thin sheet of gold. The decoration is of the Korean War memorial statue in Washington D.C. The stamp included the certificate of genuineness, and that this was made for the 32nd memorial of the Korean War. (The size of the stamp was 4cm by 2.6cm)
I cannot express in words enough of the gratitude I felt. Why 32 years after the war, I will never know, but out of all the things I had collected to save for my grandchildren, this is by the most worthy item to save. I had placed it inside a picture frame and placed it in front of my desk. As I write now, the gold plated stamp is shining brightly.
I am planning to give it to my oldest of the grandchildren, Eric. Since I had suffered the Korean War on my 1st grade, I had written already the hardships our family had suffered after the war. I wish that my grandson Eric would have this special stamp, since he is to continue our family line.
On the 20th of December 2014, Saturday, I had invited a deacon couple that I knew for the last 30 years or so to a lunch. I had met them during the time I was working to evangelize the youth, now they are in their mid-50s. The deacon’s father who was a college student back then, with his friend wanted to start a church. After the first meeting, for the next 3 months or so, I had preached on the book of Genesis and had leaded the service. Also during the early days of my immigration, I was requested by the Korean Student Group in a college in Florida, my wife was working so I couldn’t leave my 6 year old daughter alone, so they had taken care of her for about a week once.
In 2007, I had moved to California from New Jersey. At that time, the deacon (and their whole family)’s church did not have a senior pastor, so I had preached there for about 3 months. The deacons who had lunch with us, I would have conversations on the phone once a month, and once every 3 months would gather and have a meal together. I had many people in my life that had shared the faith together. But as time passes, many of the contacts are lost, but this deacon couple is the rare one that is continued to be connected.
After lunch, we were talking about things here and there, and eventually came to discuss about their elderly parent’s days ahead. Since the father, who never was pleased to talk about when talking about funeral preparations, insurance, or how to have a service? After that, the deacon couple left with saying that once they get to their father’s place with the rest of their siblings during Christmas would have a discussion about this.
But on the Christmas Eve, around 8PM, the deacon who had visited me called with a very heavy voice. The parents, who had finished the early morning service, had a delicious meal and gave a prayer of blessing to the family. After that, they had gone back home. The father had reclined to rest, when he suddenly passed away with heart attack. Hearing the news from his mother, he had called the emergency service. The medics came and despite all their attempts, the father never gained consciousness again. The reason of calling was to discuss the funeral plans and what to do next.
A deacon that I knew had a company made for elderly Koreans to help in their funeral plans. I had given the deacon the company’s number and the deacon, and ask them to give me mid progress report some time. Around 11PM in the late night, the father’s body was moved and the next day, despite being near impossible, (since everyone, even the funeral office was in vacation.) the funeral house worker had come and helped with the burial site.
On the 29th of December, the farewell service was held, and the final service was held on the 30th. There were many people who still hadn’t started working again, and since the elder had many acquaintances and family friends, many people came to both the services.
The elder who passed away was a Korean War Veteran. Many of the veterans in that area had attended the service to give their family prayer. The Korean Consulate sent a Korean Flag to cover the casket. During this Christmas time, I had received a 32 year Korea War memorial stamp as a gift. Oddly enough, the elder who was the veteran of that war had suddenly passed away.
(2015 1.11)
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Hero 
Around the time of Christmas