[An epitaph about Reverend KyungJik Han I wrote for The Korea Daily, San Francisco]

Reverend Han!

After hearing your sermon on the 2^nd week on May of 1963, I was convinced to serve Jesus as my Lord. The Hymn #373, “Do You Know the World is Dying?” which was a special hymn after the message, was my all time favorite and I often sang it when I was in thanks, and always had enjoyed it. One day, while preparing my Easter Sunday sermon in the church office while hearing that hymn, I got a call from an old church member residing in Oregon. “Reverend Han had passed away on Wednesday 1:15PM.” After I hung up I cried a lot. It was because he was the man who had saved me, and gave me the direction of my life.

Reverend, after graduating high school, I was living in despair for about a year now. My sister in law had suggested attending the YoungNak Presbyterian Church. That Sunday, the sermon was centered around John 3:16, titled “God’s Love” When I heard that sermon, my cold heart slowly started to thaw out. Even I was able to be loved by God, by believing in him, do I have a brighter life. I had repented of my past sins and of my wrong thoughts. I had sworn myself to live for the Lord, in a fulfilled life.

After the service was over, I headed down to the 1^st floor of the Education Building to register when the reverend took my hand and said, “Young man! I hope today is your turning point in your life.” Reverend! That was the turning point of my life. During the early years of my belief, I was in a conflict of my faith and when I had written a letter, you had written back in your own writing to give me better foundation in my belief. After that time, I had prayed that I would become someone like you. After returning from the mandatory military services, I was able to have the opportunities to study in college and into theology school as well.

Reverend!

There is a different reason unlike most people’s view of you being the greatest preacher, and an educator as the reason of my respect for you. Your consideration towards the future of generations was unlike any other. I wanted to follow your example of following and acting upon the words, giving all the best you had to the Lord. I was always able to witness the peace that no worldly ways can give. Also the healing touches that a shepherd gives to the hurt flock. You made a special church for the mute, and made the first mute church in Korea’s history. You also had dedicated a donation box for many poor students in many places within the church. YoungNak Foster Care, For the Elderly, and for Mothers and Children Center - Through those places you showed your love, and taught to the members as well.

You were always very modest to everything. When the elders of the church reported what you had achieved within the church during your pastor emirate ceremony, your reply was “All those are not true; it was all through God and you, fellow members of the church. I had simply just borrowed my name on it.” Even you had shown your passion to evangelize the entire nation, crossing the boundaries of churches within Korea, and had a banner of “500 million to Christ!”

Reverend, you were well known for having a clean, open life. You didn’t own one home, even a bank account. But you had lived a full, sharing life. When the young adults were gathering funds to evangelize in the countryside, after the church members had all left, you had come quietly and gave a funding and said, “do well.” While holding the fundraisers’ hands, smiling and encouraging for the gathering.

Rain or snow, you always stood in the stairs in-front of the church, waving your hand after finishing the first service (which was held 7:00AM,) greeting the teachers and students in gladness (The Sundays school started around 8:30AM). That one time during winter, I saw that you had a pair of knitted gloves and a very old, worn jacket greeting – something that showed of how to be clear as Christian and how important the Christian education was.

Before the retirement as the pastor emeritus, there was a question and answer session which was held by young adults that I remember. “What was the most regretful thing you had about retiring” – which you replied after a short time of thinking, “Because I was always so busy with my pastoral work, I did not have enough time to do individual evangelizing and teaching in Christ.” This was the thing that made me remember the right path of life as a pastor. It was the importance of one person, feeling the need of finding that one lost sheep, the pathway which Jesus taught, something that was glad to be felt when around you reverend.

Reverend, I still carry in my bag, “YoungNak Presbyterian Church Pathway of Laymen” and I still remember what you taught me during that time. Through the Good News, one soul can change, which in turn can change the entire society around them, changing the entire ethnic and the world around them – you had wished for that. The lecture’s central point of was, Faith centered around the Good News (Bible Centered), Pious Lifestyle (Controlling one’s self – like the Puritans), Gathering of churches around helping each other’s (Ecumenical thinking), Social Reform of one’s faith (involving the church in one’s faith). The paper had turned yellow from aging, but the words still rings in me to this day, reminding me again and again of how important that is.

Reverend, you had shown me the path of being a child of God through your sermons. The passion of which you preached the Gospel, and the clean life was something that I always wanted to follow. You also taught me of how important to save a soul.

Reverend!

I wish to run into the path like you had done. I would like to love a single soul to help them grow. A reverend that gives Vision to others, living a clean life – following your exact path as a great worker of God, and meet you once again in Heaven

Reverend! May you rest in peace in the arms of the Lord.