Many mourners, including Korean church leaders and homeless persons, flocked to the memorial prayer altar (photo) at Seoul Red Cross Hospital in Jongno-gu, Seoul, from January 29~31, to pay their respects to the late Rev. Kim Beom-gon (former Representative of Truly Good Friends) as he departed on his final journey.
Rev. Kim collapsed with a serious stroke on December 14, and passed away on January 29. He was 65 years old. Since 1989, he had been providing free meals for homeless persons near Seoul Station. During those 25 years, he lived together with the homeless, helping them find jobs and “return” to society. They called him “father.”
“Rev. Kim was named ‘everlasting friend’ and ‘father’ by the homeless persons,” Rev. Kim Jin-pyeong said in his funeral message on January 31. “He not only served marginalized persons living on the streets, but also did many good works at disaster relief sites in and outside Korea… We need to imitate his life, always moving in response to God’s call.”
“He was always smiling as he ladled out our meals,” said a homeless person, recalling Rev. Kim as he placed a rose on the memorial altar.
Reporter Yeong Dae Yoo (ydyoo@kmib.co.kr), with Yeara Ahn-Park (yap@kmib.co.kr)
Photo courtesy of the Truly Good Friends
Click here for the original article in Korean
Related Article in Korean
Korean Church Remembers the Late Rev. Kim Beom-gon, “Father of the Homeless”
2015-02-03 13:19
