I want to be a messenger of love delivering books of God's Word to all corners of the globe.
|
|
|
 18052 |
 |
February 12, 2007 |
|
|
|
 Senior Deaconess Boklye Kim (Mary's Mission; Manager, Book Ministry)
Meeting with God while suffering from complications of an operation
After undergoing an operation to remove cancerous cells in my neck in 1974 and from excessive drug treatment afterward, I had been suffering from complications of heart disease, gastroenteric trouble, migraine, ringing in my ears, and enteritis. Then my neighbor Senior Deaconess Jungnim Lee preached the gospel to me in December 1986.
"You know my brother-in-law, right? He'd been sick for a long time but now, God's healed him and he's now a pastor. Why don't you come with me to my church?"
Since Rev. Dr. Jaerock Lee had been my neighbor, I'd often heard about him. I was curious to see how he had been and excited to meet with him. With Senior Deaconess Lee, I went to Manmin Prayer Center. At the time, Mrs. Boknim Lee was leading a meeting and at that very moment, I felt a scent of mint surrounding my body, which began to feel lighter.
'This is odd. The migraine's gone! My stomach feels good, too!'
After experiencing God's wondrous power, I joined Manmin Joong-ang Church on March 1, 1987.
Devoting myself to book ministry in hopes of recompensing His grace
There was a Saemaul Library office, affiliated with Saemaul Headquarters, in the building in which I was working at the time. I would often go to the office and assist with the shelving and updating the inventory.
"Would it be okay for me to donate some books from my church?"
It was a rather difficult process to bring in religious publications but the manager gladly approved. In 1990, Rev. Dr. Jaerock Lee's testimonial memoir Tasting Eternal Life Before Death became available at the Saemaul Library. From that point on, I donated dozens and hundreds of church books to Saemaul Central Library, military bases, and prisons, often calling those places myself to make arrangements.
As I donated these books out of my salary, there were times of financial difficulty. The joy and bliss stemming from the depths of my heart, however, could not be exchanged with anything else.
Book Ministry in Mary's Mission
 With members of Book Ministry
In 1995, I was so thankful at the launching of the Book Ministry in Mary's Mission (a mission for single women over the age of 31) with 20 fellow members. I was very delighted to know that we could distribute more books to anyone and any organization that requested them.
Mary's Mission Guidance Pastor Gwi-ok Lee also promoted and supported the Book Ministry and the membership increased little by little.
At 70 members today, each of us prays to God to watch over the books during the shipment so that they will not be destroyed or lost, and earnestly hope for each of the readers to meet with God and arrive at salvation.
Distributing Rev. Dr. Jaerock Lee's books
With a steadfast heart, we have been continuously distributing books to the Saemaul Library, military bases, hospitals, the National Assembly, prisons, and police headquarters. As Rev. Dr. Jaerock Lee's books have been translated into and published in many different languages, we have been playing a role in shipping books overseas as well. Last year, we sent 5,000 copies of Rev. Dr. Lee's books to Africa, 1,000 copies to India, and we are also preparing to ship several thousand copies to the Democratic Republic of the Congo as well.
During the last 12 years as President of the Book Ministry, I have been and am grateful today for the help and the support of Senior Deaconesses Eun-hee Nah, Soon-joo Ryu, Jung-mi Jang, Hye-ok Hwang and Deaconesses Soon-lye Kim, Chul-soon Park, Hyun-sook Suh, and Jung-hwan Lee. They are all the more precious to me because the Ministry is funded by the voluntary fees from each member.
I have only done what I was supposed to do but God's abundant blessings have rewarded me with "The 1996 Plaque of Recognition" and a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
Blessings in spirit and flesh
One time, the Senior Pastor told us that there is a steady demand from pastors and ministers all over the world for The Message of the Cross, Heaven I and II, Hell, The Measure of Faith, and others. When the Book Ministry decided once again to unite our hearts, the Senior Pastor prayed for us and told us that our heavenly rewards were great. Just as he had said, today, the souls of the members of the Book Ministry are prospering and receiving the blessings of recognition and love at their workplaces.
I cannot contain my excitement and glee in knowing that one of the books I help distribute and ship breathes in an eternal life to all those who are spiritually dying. I can also say with full confidence that book ministry is not a difficult task; the most important aspect is the heart with which you want to partake in it. Remember that helping the church and its ministry starts with the littlest of tasks. Why don't you join us, too?
|
|
Manmin News 
