There Should Be No Student Who Can't Study Because They Can't Afford it. - Ten Thousand Manmin Students Are Awarded Scholarships
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November 22, 2009 |
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One Hundred-Thirty Eight Students Receive Scholarships for the Fourth Quarter
The Fourth Quarter Scholarship-awarding Ceremony was held at the main sanctuary during Sunday evening service on November 8, 2009.
A scholarship-awarding ceremony was held under the auspices of the Scholarship Department of the Church's Charity Committee in the main sanctuary during Sunday Evening Service on November 8, 2009. The scholarships were awarded to 138 students (from elementary to high school) including Sinhee Na, 13, of Sohwa Elementary School, Yumin Kim, 14, of Yeongseo Middle School, Soovin Park, 19, of Doksan High School.
The students who qualify themselves for the scholarship are elementary to university students who are without parents or cannot afford to study due to financial difficulties, or students who display academic excellence. The scholarship department selects students by the recommendation of a guidance pastor or a parish pastor and offers scholarships on a quarterly basis. (College students each semester)
Pastor Youngsin Choi, in charge of selecting scholarship recipients, says "Senior Pastor always stresses that there should be no student who can't study because they can't afford it."
Nowadays, Korea has a better welfare system than it did in the past. But our church finds students who aren't able to receive the national support due to sudden, unexpected events, such as diseases or business failure in the family. The fund for the scholarship is raised from the church's finance, revenues from the snack bar and vending machines and donations from Senior Pastor Dr. Jaerock Lee and Elder Kyudong Lee.
Elder Kyudong Lee (Founder of Urim Asset Plus Insurance Co.), who has been participating in the student's scholarship program since 2005, opened Urim Asset Plus Branch of Shinhan Life Insurance Inc. with a vision for the blessing from God. "Things didn't go well as I thought, and I was in a situation in which I had to choose whether or not to continue my business. But I thought, "No, this is the right time to plant the seed of faith!" so I participated in raising the funds for the student scholarship. From that point on, blessing came pouring down on me from above. It makes me so happy when I see those students growing up beautifully in the Lord."
Senior Pastor Dr. Jaerock Lee is especially interested in taking care of members who are in need because he himself experienced severe poverty when he suffered from diseases for seven years before he met God. So, he has been helping under-privileged students since he founded his church in 1982, and in 1995 established the Charity Committee (President: Pastor Soojin Lee), which consists of the Charity Department and the Scholarship Department. As of now, about 10 thousand students have received scholarships through this scholarship program.
Pastor Choi, Director of the Scholarship Department said, "One day, I remember the Senior Pastor was looking for a student who had been missing church for a long time, a student whom even the guidance pastors had forgotten about due to his long absence, so the church found him and gave him help. Since then, many students have successfully finished their studies through the scholarship program and are working in many fields as important contributors to society; some as church workers, and some as members of the Nissi Orchestra."
The Scholarship Department is planning to expand its support so that more and more students can study and accomplish their dreams, regardless of their economic backgrounds.
Where the Scholarship Recipients Are Now…
To the students who couldn't continue their education due to family crises or hardships… the Manmin scholarship program planted God's dream and love into their lives.
Taegyu Moon, 48
Pastor Taegyu Moon, ministering the Miryang Manmin Church, received a scholarship in 1990 while he was a senior in college. "I had taken out student loans and was working part-time to pay my tuition. But in that year, I was voted for the president of the Youth Mission, so I had to quit my part-time job to prepare for the church summer retreat. I didn't know what to do, because I couldn't afford to pay the tuition for the next semester. But when I heard that I could receive a scholarship through the recommendation of my guidance pastor I was very encouraged.
Nakyung Han, 24
Nakyung Han, who works in the cooking culture R&D lab at Samsung Electronics, confessed, "I was able to study without any concerns thanks to the scholarships that I received during my middle school and high school years. I was always grateful for the help that the church offered me, despite the difficult financial situation. Even now, as a working professional, I still remember the grace that I received.
So I hope to devote my passion and ability to the church, and right now I am running toward that dream.
Choreum Kim, 21
Choreum Kim, a student at Seokyeong University majoring in Dance has received scholarships from the church since elementary school. "Despite my economic situation, I wanted to learn dance. This wouldn't have been possible without the scholarship I received from our church. For the grace I received, I study hard and do my best to use my talents at church for God." Last semester she received a scholarship for academic excellence at her school. She is now serving the church as a member of the Artistic Dancing Team of the Performing Arts Committee of the church.
  
1. Taegyu Moon, 48
2. Nakyung Han, 24
3. Choreum Kim, 21
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