Home > Praise and Thanks Volume I
Rise HeungGu!
Chapter 5 - Rise HeungGu!
 
During the literature class during freshmen year in high school was fun.
The literature class teachers name was WonYoung Dong.
He was probably past 50, very kind and had a lot of consideration towards students.
During the time when it was this class he made us stand and read a paragraph down by the student number in the class. During my turn I would read as well. But if there was a poem in the textbook the teacher would say “Rise and read HeungGu!” I would jokingly ask “Why teacher?” then he would answer “Rise and read the poem.” So I read SoWol Kim’s (A famous poet) “Azalea (Jindallae)” and many other poems that came out of the textbook, and many times. Sometimes he would make me read a poem before the class would start.
 
The way I write my hymns now is special thanks to the very kind literature teacher who taught me how to appreciate with poems before I met Christ. Though he no longer is of this world, he gave students inspirations, and the ability to be able to appreciate and write hymns to praise the Lord.
 
During high school I was also fond of the music class. I enjoyed listening to some of the famous composers’ music such as concertos, chorus and many others. From the delicate part, to grand ending, sometimes a small pool of calm flat water to a stormy waterfall. Sometimes during spring time I would go up to a mountain nearby and would sing Classical songs I learned during class time.
Some of my friends loved music, and they wanted to go to the “Seoul Choir” and listen to them perform. Turns out the conductor were a professor of Kyunghee University of Music Department by the name of SooJoon Suh. I learned later that he was also the church choir conductor in Seoul SaeMoonAhn Presbyterian Church (which was the first Presbyterian Church to be opened in Korea by Missionary Dr. Underwood). During the time when I was living in Mapo (a district in Seoul) I would take the bus to come home and sometimes I would sit with a member of the Seoul Chorus who goes to I-Hwa Women’s University.
 
She was really kind to me. Her father was a pastor, and during the Korean War he was kidnapped and ever since has not known what has happened to her father. (He probably got executed.) Her house was few bus stops away from my house and would often visit her, and would also be in the church choir team as well.
She was always kind and listens to me well, comforting and being warm to me. After she graduated from university she worked in KBS International Channel – in the Foreign Language Department (as a French announcer). I still remember the time when she would sometimes meet me even with her busy schedule during the time I was on a break from military service. She later married an ambassador of Korea and had lived abroad for a long time, but retired and now is living in Korea. I tried to contact her many times but as of now it is impossible.
 
There is a reason why I am writing about her.
It must have been around Christmas time in year 1961. Because of personal issue and reason I could no longer come to the choir meetings, she sent me a Christmas card. Inside it said “Heunggu, Jesus was born for you and me!” and had a poem written in a beautiful handwriting.
I was overjoyed. Problem was I didn’t have the money to buy a present and I couldn’t just let this moment pass, I also wanted to write a poem back to her but could not think very well of a subject so I wrote a poem about time, even thought it was not the best of my writings I still sent it back to her.
 
The basis of my life and its well being was the meeting of the choir members and literary teacher WonYoung Dong. Also another great influence to my hymn writing is Pastor KyungJik Han. (A well known pastor of the YoungNak Presbyterian Church in Seoul – where I met Jesus)
After the Japanese Occupation and before the Korean War when there was lot of chaos especially around Mt. Jiri, where a lot of Communist Guerilla members were hiding, he would go and evangelize around the mountain towns and would sing a hymn that he wrote, and Pastor ShinMyung Kang composed the music to the hymn.
 
We as people want to be like those who we admire the most and look up to. I wanted to write a hymn like Pastor Han who was a great influence in my life.
 
(2011 January)
Number Title Reference
6 Rise HeungGu!
5 Is money that important for your life?!
4 Narrow escape from death experience
3 “Die Together!” (Mother)
2 Birth and Childhood Memories
1 Prologue - Praise and be Thankful!
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