'Turkana Mom' Im Youn Sim’s Dream School Opens At Last
2013-12-24 17:32
Late missionary Lim Youn Sim (photo)’s years-long mission for orphans in Turkana, Kenya, is finally bearing fruit. Good People (President: An Jeong-bok), the international relief and development NGO, held the building dedication for ‘Lim Youn Sim Good People Mission School’ on the 16th, Kenyan time, in Napeikar of Turkana, Kenya. This middle and high school for 200 students in Turkana was built in one year with a budget of approximately one million dollars. There are 11 buildings (gross floor area: 4,500 square meters) with modern classrooms, science lab, library, multi-purpose hall, teachers’ residence and students’ dormitory on a 500,000 square-meter site. The opening of a school in Turkana, a remote area of Kenya, is welcomed especially for the high level of education it will provide, and its dormitory for children who live too far away to commute.
Among the 800 persons who gathered to celebrate the building dedication were President An Jeong-bok and Vice President Kim Du-yeong of Good People, Assistant Pastor Han Sang-in of Yoido Full Gospel Church, President of the Kenya General Assembly of Assembly of God Church, public education officer of Turkana, President An Jong-ju of the African Mission Council and many local residents.
President An Jeong-bok said, “It is a miracle that the students of missionary Lim grew up with her loving dedication and education to become strong human resources in Turkana, where illiteracy reaches 95% and the daytime temperature is more than 45 degrees Celsius. Good People will carry out 1:1 sponsorship with the children of Turkana to continue her warm love.” Rev. Han said in his sermon that he is grateful for Missionary Lim and all of those who contributed to building the school, including special support from Yoido Full Gospel Church and Good People, and that he hopes this school becomes a foundation for development of Africa.
Missionary Lim ran an orphanage, a children’s school and a literacy school with so much sacrifice and devotion that she was called ‘Turkana Mom’ in this remote region of Northern Kenya. She planted 25 disciple churches and supported 48 churches. She was particularly dedicated to taking care of orphans. Her 80 students, who were able to study with missionary Lim’s help and are now active in various parts in the society, were moved to tears at the building dedication, remembering her.
The official opening of the school is February 2014, with the first class numbering 50 students. These children, aged 12-14, who have not been able to continue their study following elementary education, are longing for the day their new school begins.
Good People plans to accept new students every year to expand the opportunity for local children to receive education.
From Turkana, Kenya, by senior reporter Kim Moo Jeong (kmj@kmib.co.kr), Yeara Ahn-Park (yap@kmib.co.kr)
Click here for the original article in Korean
