I want to talk about what I felt last
Sunday, when I first visited 덕천 church.
To start with, I am a Christian, so I used
to go to church every Sunday. But then, because I got too busy since the 9h
grade, I “abandoned” the bible. I guess that has made God upset, but he was generous
enough to let me enter KMLA by giving a question about bible in the English
interview. So then, I decided to go to church again! I thought it is a way of
returning God’s favor.
Last week, 10:40 am, I met some of seniors
and friends in front of the dorm, and we went to the 덕천
church right beside 파스퇴르 Factory. It was quiet a rough
path to go there; through the snow, high hills, and forests, but I could know
it would worth that to go to church.
Arriving at 덕천
church, I was quiet surprised. The church I use to go before was big enough to
hold more than 2,000 people. But 덕천 church, it was so
tiny, it was even smaller than the conference room in 다산관. I could actually see the minister’s nostrils, and recognize
everyone’s face in the church since there were only a few people. At first, it
was kind of awkward and shocking to attend chapel in such a small place like
that, but soon, I could find many advantages. I could more concentrate on the
speech that the minister delivers, and since I know that people can easily know
if I dose, so I could try my best to stay awaken, and not fall asleep.
Beside the size, I was also surprised at the
topics they were praying for and the fact that there are only old people except
for a little boy who is mentally challenged. In church in the city, people were
always praying for “nothing”, actually. How great the God is, how we can live
happily ever after we die…. Those stuffs are really useless. However, in 덕천
church, since most of them are old farmers, during the pray,
people there were really praying for the food to eat tomorrow, and life to live
tomorrow. Also, they talked about the loneliness they feel. Young adults have
left to the big cities, and only the old people are left. The population
unbalance problem is getting serious. This kind of problems has been rampant around
me, but it was “stupid me” who couldn’t notice, I should’ve paid more attention
to things going around near me, not stuffs in the National Geographic or the
newspapers. In contrast to these people, I have lived a life full of
everything, but I was not clever enough to figure it out, and be satisfied. I
should have been more thankful to God, and the opportunities he offered for me.
After coming back from the church, I applied
for all the clubs that do activities that help the surrounding society, so that
I can do my best to help neighbors around, and close to me.
Interesting. The depopulation of the countryside is a serious problem, and once you become more involved in the local community you will begin to see other aspects of it. I am curious: how do you feel about the importation of women from poorer South East Asian countries, as wives to the many farmers?
ReplyDeleteThank you for giving me a great topic to think about.
DeleteWell, generally, I do agree with the globalization and importation of foreigners, I think they can have great impact on both our country and thiers. Just like we did right after the Korean War.
However, importation of women with purposes of marrying someone who they don't even know just because the mans are too poor, isolated and old to marry a woman in Korea is a whole different story. It is not the problem of money and depopulation but the problem of cognition. I think by having people from poorer countries as wives, we are actually thinking that those foreigners are no better than Korean, and they are just an alternative. So, unless a man and woman have met in a normal way, I disagree with the importation of women from poorer countries as wives to many farmers.
To solve the problem of depopulation, the government and the society have to find another way, such as improving the condition of counryside.