Hong Yu-ri
In mid-July, torrential downpours caused widespread damage across South Korea. In Dangjin, rainfall reached what was described as a “once-in-200-years level.” With water rising so quickly, firefighters had to rescue residents by boat—a scene that made national news.
A few days later, about one hundred church members from Dangjin, Seosan, and Taean joined forces for flood recovery efforts, aiming to bring love, comfort, and support to those affected and help them return to their daily lives. Intermittent showers until the day before had raised concerns about potential delays, but thankfully, the skies cleared by dawn on the day of our volunteer work.
As we drove to the village where the recovery work awaited, a scene of devastation unfolded before us. Bridges lay broken, soil had been washed away, and the riverside trees were bent low by the force of the floodwaters. The roads were completely submerged under gravel and mud.
Upon arriving in the village, we split into groups and went to the homes that needed help. The house I was assigned to had been flooded to about a meter high. The stains on the wallpaper clearly reflected the severity of the disaster. The water-damaged furniture had already been discarded, so our task was to remove the soaked wallpaper and scrub the mud-covered household items in the yard. As I rinsed the mud from the dishes with clean water, I found myself wishing all traces of the disaster could be washed away just as easily, so that this family could return to their normal life as soon as possible. That thought made me even more determined to clean their belongings with care.
As we finished the work and turned to leave, my steps felt unbearably heavy, as if weighed down by stones. Though we had only given a few hours of our time, the victims still faced an uncertain and overwhelming reality, filled with hardship and despair, and my heart ached for them. The grateful yet anguished look in the eyes of a resident who thanked us sincerely stayed with me, etched deeply in my memory.
I could not help but imagine how our Heavenly Father and Mother must feel. Unable to ignore the pleading look in our eyes, They came to this earth to bring us salvation. How anxious and heartbroken Their hearts must have been, waiting for Their children to finally receive it. We, who once lived in hopeless uncertainty, were shown the light of life through the Passover by God Elohim, who guided us toward heaven and cleansed our sins with the water of life. The boundless depth of Their love touched my heart profoundly.
I give thanks to Heavenly Father and Mother for giving us the opportunity to share God’s love with our neighbors through the flood recovery efforts and for helping us recognize the boundless grace of our Heavenly Parents.