THE KUKMIN DAILY

[Shinchon Methodist Church’s House-Repair Service for Needy Neighbors]


Shinchon Methodist Church (Rev. Im Jae-ung) members participating in the “House Repairs of Love” service came together on the morning of November 7 (photo), one day before Ipdong (the start of winter by the 24 solar terms), at the home of Park Bok-seon (69, third from left), located in a redevelopment area of Yeomli-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul. Since 2012, members of this church have been repairing the houses of low-income residents in Yeomli-dong and Daehyeon-dong, working every spring and autumn for five weeks at a time. More than 20 persons are taking part in the service. During the service period, they meet each Saturday at 9 a.m., divide into three or four teams, and go to their places of repair work.

The church members visit the homes of the low-income persons and assist them in various ways. They do wallpapering, replace flooring, and fix broken sinks and toilets. They replace old lighting fixtures with cost-saving LED lights. During the past four years they have provided such services to about 100 low-income households. The church pays all the costs of the repairs.

When asked the reason why Shinchon Methodist Church chose to do “House Repairs of Love,” when there are so many possible ways to practice sharing, Rev. Im Jae-ung (46) replied, “Because house repairs are a way to show the world Jesus’ will.” He explained, “More than spreading the Gospel, the important thing is to reveal Jesus’ existence to the world. The ministry of helping repair the homes of our lonely and alienated neighbors is an activity that accords with this purpose. In future, our church will continue doing our best to serve people in society’s ‘low-ranking’ places.”

Article and photo by reporter Park Ji Hun (lucidfall@kmib.co.kr), with Marion Kim (marionkkim@icloud.com)


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