South Korea

A relationship with the South Korean Churches of Christ resulted from a conversation at the 7^th World Convention of Churches of Christ in 1967 between Eric Hollard (then SA Home Missions Director) and Sangook Choi (President of the Korean Christian College in Seoul). The visit by Dr and Mrs Yoon Kwon Chae in 1972 strengthened the new relationship.

Geon Children’s Home was started in 1966 by the Dr & Mrs Chae. Initially they took care of some children orphaned as a result of a flood. The children’s home grew from there. About one third of the children they care for are orphaned. Others are homeless due to their parents suffering illness, imprisonment, or abandoning them. Geon also cares for some babies whose parents are defectors from North Korea. Currently 83 children are living in Geon Home with 26 workers caring for them.

Profile

Population: 48 million (UN 2009)
Language: Korean
Literacy: 99.8% (age 15+ and can read and write)
Average life expectancy: 79.2 years (UN)
Major religions: Christianity - 25%; Buddhism, Confucianism, Shamanism - 25%; None - 50%
GNI per capita: US $21,014 (Wikipedia 2008)

Background

A relationship with the South Korean Churches of Christ resulted from a conversation at the 7th World Convention of Churches of Christ in 1967 between Eric Hollard (then SA Home Missions Director) and Sangook Choi (President of the Korean Christian College in Seoul).

Following this contact, Australian churches learnt that 5,000 members in South Korea were suffering because of a severe drought. A national appeal raised $3,000 and many gifts of clothing.

The visit by Dr and Mrs Yoon Kwon Chae in 1972 strengthened the new relationship. Dr Chae is the son of a Korean martyr. His father was the first Churches of Christ preacher in Korea, later murdered by the communists during the Korean War. Yoon Kwon Chae himself was also imprisoned by the communists but escaped and dedicated his life to Christ at the site of the martyrdom. He has been working in Korea and Asian countries for forty-five years as a minister, evangelist, educator, writer, radio preacher and social worker. His wife, Mrs. Kook Ja Chae, has been serving as the Director of Geon Christian Children's Home.

Geon Christian Children's Home

Geon Children’s Home was started in 1966 by the Dr & Mrs Chae. Initially they took care of some children orphaned as a result of a flood. The children’s home grew from there.

About one third of the children they care for are orphaned. Others are homeless due to their parents suffering illness, imprisonment, or abandoning them. Geon also cares for some babies whose parents are defectors from North Korea.

Currently 82 children are living in Geon Home with more than 20 workers caring for them. The Home consists of four units, including a chapel and a library.

Often the children arrive malnourished and their expressions blank. Sung Joon was found in a toilet at the railway station on 15th January 2007. He was only four days' old. He is now healthy and all smiles. Sung Joon is one of more than one thousand children to grow up at Geon Home. Many of those children are now serving Christ as ministers, professors, missionaries, doctors and social workers.

Gospel for Korea

Seoul Christian University was commenced in 1965 by Dr Chae. To date more than 2500 students from across Asia have been trained here and are serving as missionaries, preachers and evangelists throughout the world.

The Bible Correspondence School commenced in 1964 and has educated thousands of students including many in correctional institutions.

The Braille Bible School trains preachers in ministry to the blind.

Gospel messages are regularly broadcast to North Korea and China and Gospel tracts sent out.

Evangelistic meetings are held in many Asian countries including Japan and India.

Christian work in the border area of North Korea and China reaches out to the people of North Korea with the Gospel. Dr Chae also writes and publishes at least one book every year.

Other ministries

Gangseo Children's Welfare Centre was started in 1991 to provide a quiet place to study and assist the children of low-income parents in Gangseo, an area which has a population of half a million people. The Centre operates a library, after-school classes (including English education) and a counselling centre offered free of charge.

Prayer Points

• That the children of Geon Christian Children's Home would not be discouraged, but reach their full potential as God's loving children.
• For the students and graduates of Seoul Christian University to be brave in Christ as they witness in many difficult areas such as China, Russia and to the people of North Korea.
• For the Lord's protection, encouragement and guidance on the Korean missionaries who are serving in difficult areas.
• That there will be peace on the Korea Peninsula.
• That the radio messages and Gospel ministries are effective in their outreach.

Sources: Wikipedia, UN website, BBC Country Profile, Partners

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