Part Three: Love is Enduring - My Family
	24. My Second Son, Young Min, and His Temperate Lifestyle
	Our second son, Young Min is very honest and has a calm way about him. When he was a boy, he asked his father to write the word "General" on the blackboard and when his father did, Young Min wrote his name below it. From his childhood, he had the potential to become a soldier. As a child, I once heard him say to his older brother, "I like war, because people shoot guns and cannons." But Young Tae answered, "Young Min, war isn't a fun game. If a war breaks out, countless people will lose their houses and their lives. They have to be separated from their parents, brothers, and sisters. Many children will become orphans. It is a terrible thing and you shouldn't say that." When I overheard their conversation, I realized that Young Tae, being older, was more mature in his understanding while Young Min was still a child. Young Min excelled in every kind of sport. The gymnastics teacher in his middle school entrusted him with all the sports facilities. My son seemed to be an all-round sportsman. He graduated from both the middle and high schools affiliated with Gyeongbuk Teachers College. When he was studying for the entrance exam to go to university, he never drank coffee. Since coffee was sold by Korean companies, I offered him some, saying, "It is made in Korea," but he refused and said, "Well, the ingredients are imported from foreign countries. In the old days, our ancestors ruled over half of Manchuria drinking only rice tea. I don't know when Koreans started to love coffee but if everyone stopped drinking coffee, our country will be able to save an enormous amount of foreign exchange." He added, "Since our country is being rebuilt, there are so many other imported goods for the development of our country besides coffee, wouldn't it be great if everyone abstained from drinking it?" He never drank coffee or Coca Cola, just water with ice and ate watermelons to quench his thirst. When he went to Seoul National University, he often went to school in white Korean rubber shoes. One professor, seeing his shoes, was unable to pass by without asking him, "Why are you wearing those?" and my son answered, "Professor, if Koreans don't wear these Korean rubber shoes, who will?" During his four years at university, he didn't want to own a suit. Once, a professor from Harvard University came and since he had a physical handicap, officials of Seoul National University tried to find a handsome, well-built student to escort him. Young Min was selected, but he was at a loss, because he had no suit to wear. He only had one day. Young Min decided to wear his elder brother's suit but as he was leaving the house, he said to me that the suit didn't fit him well. I answered, "Didn't I tell you to have a suit made for you?" Young Min laughed and said that it was all right. As soon as he entered the school his friends all laughed, saying, "Hey! That's not your suit, is it?" Young Min answered, "I don't own one." Just then, one of his friends looked inside the suit for a name tag and found one with the name Young Tae on it. At this, his friends all laughed loudly again, but Young Min didn't mind. As soon as he came home, he took off the suit and put on his old clothes. "I feel most comfortable wearing these. He decided not to have a suit made not because he had no money, but because he was keenly aware that even a simple, temperate lifestyle of a man like him might contribute to the development of our country. He is a true patriot. Young Min is also humorous by nature with the gift of laughter. Whenever he sees me, his own mother who lives in the same house, he bows deeply to greet me. Even though such formality isn't necessary, he did it just to make me laugh. His friends all loved him very much. When he went to university, his sister, Young Joo, also attended the same school in the College of Fine Arts and whenever she met Young Min's friends on campus, they asked, "What does your brother do at home?" She always answered "He studies." They were curious what he did because he always went straight home, "Not even a cup of tea at a coffee shop with us!" they would complain. Young Min always had many friends around him. Sometimes, when I went into his room, he would be studying while his friends were reading books. So I asked him, "Why are you studying, not playing with your friends?" Young Min then replied, "If I keep talking with all my friends who come over every day, when can I find time to study?" His friends laughed when they heard that and said they didn't mind. They were just happy to be near Young Min because they considered him to be their best friend. Even Young Tae's friends came and played in his room. When I asked what were Young Tae's friends doing in Young Min's room, they scratched their heads and said, "Young Min has something that draws people to him. He'll become an important man in the future." Everyone loved him very much, even our relatives, who said that they couldn't help laughing just seeing Young Min's face. During his military service, while he was in the R.O.T.C., I went to see him on a cold winter's day when the temperature was -15℃. He was in a big room where there was only one stove on the wooden floor. Worried, I asked him, "Aren't you cold?" and when he said that when they lit the stove that the room became warm, I believed him. But then, a friend beside him giggled. They said, "It is so cold that Young Min's ears are bitten by the frost. He is saying that it is warm so that you wouldn't worry about him." When I saw his ears, they were all red and swollen. How my heart was aching! Suddenly, the law of our country seemed rather unfair to me. While I have brought up my son with much care, he had to endure being in such a cold room, having his ears frostbitten, only to fulfill the military service required by the law. When he ran for president in his R.O.T.C. unit his opponents all made eloquent speeches, but when his turn came he said, "Dear friends, don't to vote for me. I didn't want to run for this post, but I stand here before you because my friends made me come out." That was his speech, yet he was elected. He led his unit well that they all became one in mind. Young Min's friend made this comment one day: "I thought that someone became a leader by pure chance, but after I met Young Min, I realized that it takes someone different to become a leader." I must say that Young Min was a very charming young man. When he went to study abroad in America, his father asked him if he needed some extra money besides his scholarships and he answered, "If I secretly take even $10 from our people, with what conscience can I speak out with I return home?" I later found out Young Min even left his gold ring, which his aunt had given to him as a gift, to his brother. The future of our country would be really bright if all the Korean youth could have as clean a conscience as he had. In the United States, he taught Tae Kwon Do to his friends. I was told that he and his friends all enjoyed his sense of humor. A person seems to be treated according to their personality, wherever they may be. I missed him very much when he was studying in America. After I fell down the stairs injuring my lower back, I received a phone call from him. I told him that I missed him a lot and he said, "I see you every morning, mother." What he meant was that he prayed for me every morning. How thoughtful his answer was! I thanked God that Young Min had been born again. I am also grateful that he never drank any alcohol, nor smoked. Because he had high ambitions, he was always concerned about the future of our people and our country. When I worked hard for KWCTU, Young Min was the one who was most pleased about it. When I was too tired and said, "The work is too hard for a woman," he comforted me by saying, "Please keep on working until we all grow up. If Reverend Grundbich in Denmark had stopped working, there wouldn't be a Denmark today." When I was going through difficult times in building the KWCTU Hall, he comforted me by telling me his precious dreams where God was with me in all my efforts. During his army years he served as an instructor in the Military Academy. One of the upperclassmen in the Department of History at Seoul National University had asked him to teach history there. How hard my son studied for it! I asked him why he studied harder than he did in the university. He answered, "Mom, if I didn't study so much in school, I'd be the only one stuck with the consequence of not learning much. But, if I'm wrong in my teaching, all my students will have the wrong knowledge. To teach is much harder than to be a student." It was an honest and sincere answer. His students didn't want to leave the room even though the bell rang at the end of the class. Since his students would become the future world leaders, Young Min fully realized the importance of his mission. He later studied Business Administration in graduate program at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles. In the winter of 1975, he accompanied his father, as an interpreter, who was a member of a national economic mission to observe Canadian coal mines. Wherever they went, people often asked my husband if Young Min was a preacher because he was so clean and neat. My husband said that Young Min had discipline in all areas of his life. My son tries to lead a shameless life, because he believes that God is always watching him from above in all his doings. I am ever so grateful to the Lord. In 1977, Young Min came back to Korea. That summer, he began working in his father's company. Knowing our son's potential and vision, my husband appointed Young Min director of the Overseas Development Department. My son went to Canada again with his father and another company employee. As he was filled with the Holy Spirit and a natural sense of humor, everyone liked him. His interpersonal or social skills were so good that in Canada, the Minister of a Province extended an invitation to them. My husband was very pleased and said that Young Min had become an accomplished person while studying abroad. After the start of a business relationship, the president of the C.P.A. Fording Company in Canada visited us in Korea on a business trip. The Overseas Development Department has grown rapidly under Young Min's management. He carries out work with great care while praying constantly. Young Tae and Young Min went to Canada on business in January 1978. At that time, the temperature was -25℃. Every dawn, I got up to pray to God that He would protect their health and keep them safe during their trip. I worried that I had sent them to such a cold region. On his way home from Canada, Young Tae visited Mr. and Mrs. DeVault in Michigan. They had become our good friends through their collecting of my daughter Young Joo's paintings. While he was there, Mrs. DeVault invited 60 friends who were executives of various companies and had a big party for Young Tae. The guests admired the paintings displayed in the house and ordered Young Joo's paintings. The next day, Young Tae went to meet Young Hoon, our third son, who was studying in Ann Arbor. He said that because of the heavy snow it had taken him five hours to get to Ann Arbor, a trip which otherwise would have taken him only 30 minutes. Although there was such heavy snow, Young Min traveled all over the United States to visit a variety of coal mines as well. Even now, as I think about Young Min, I feel so grateful and am pleased with him. Coming from an affluent family, my sons could have led the good life by wasting money and enjoying the pleasures of this world. But fortunately, on the contrary, they always worked diligently, as if they had nothing. I believe that God will bless them greatly in the future. Every morning, Young Min takes five minutes before leaving for the office to worship God with me. And at night, no matter how late he comes home from work, he goes to bed only after offering another worship time to God with me. As a Christian businessman, Young Min is a good soldier of Christ. Although he had a clean and pure heart, being honest and righteous, Young Min is enthusiastic about serving God and our country. After returning briefly to Korea, he went to Australia on business on April 14, 1978. I believe that the future of this young entrepreneur is very bright. After I finished the first draft of my autobiography in 1977 Young Min got married in 1979 to Myung Ok Min. She is a daughter of an elder, who had graduated from Seoul National University with a major in vocal music. They serve as a deacon and a deaconess and have three children: Eun Hae, Yo Hahn, and Jong Hahn. They live faithfully for God, for our nation, and for their home leading lives of servitude. Young Min now works as the president of Seoul City Gas. "How can a young man keep his ways pure? By guarding it according to thy word. With my whole heart I seek thee; let me not wander form thy commandments! I have laid up they word in my heart, that I might commit no sin against thee." (Psalm 119:9-11). "Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Ps. 119:105).
	22. My Husband, Soo Keun Kim, a Successful Businessman
	23. My First Son, Young Tae, Dedicated to God
	24. My Second Son, Young Min, and His Temperate Lifestyle
	25. My First Daughter, Young Joo, Born with a Talent in Painting
	26. My Second Daughter, Jung Joo, Dedicated to Jesus Christ
	27. My Third Son, Young Hoon and the Cross
	28. My Last Daughter, Sung Joo, a Businesswoman
	29. My Mother’s Advice
	30. My Conviction for Children’s Education

1