Kang Byoung Hoon

 

Memorial Shrine and 60th Anniversary with four children who are all Reverend Doctors like their father

 

 

Ahhhh I’m so touched seeing his face again.   We spent many years in Korea and in his presence.  For sure he and his wife probably saved our lives. They came to meet us not long after we arrived one late fall sunny day and discovered a crack in our bedroom floor.  Anyone who was in Korea in those days remembers  heating the floors with coal bricks underneath.  Unknown to us they emit deadly carbon dioxide.  Rev Kang and his wife spent the afternoon repairing our floor and welcoming us to Korea.

          ~~  Dianne Greenwald

 

Grateful for Rev. Kang Byoung Hoon’s powerful, inspiring leadership in the OE/EI/ICA and in the Korean Methodist Church, for the gift of living and working with the Kang family in the Seoul Religious House, and for staying in touch all these years both in trips to Korea and in the US. Blessings to the Kang family. Gratitude for his life and our many years of loving colleagueship.

          ~~  Robertson Work

 

Such a lovely photo, and just as I remember him when I first met him as a participant at the Singapore ITI in 1969.  He was in my pedagogy guild and ever thereafter addressed me as “teacher” — quite humbling to me.  So I learned to address him “mok sa nim”, an address of respect which I’ve probably misspelled.  It was an honor for Joe to be asked to preach at his church when we were in Seoul for the Jeju Consult in 1976.  Our UMC New England Conference has benefitted for years from the service of capable Korean pastors and laity.

          ~~  Marilyn Crocker

 

 

Journey on, faithful servant.

 

It is clear how many lives have been touched by this man of beautiful deep, spirit. I too, like Marilyn remember him well at the Singapore ITI. 103 participants at that event, from something like 20 nations ( someone can correct)!. Then again at the HDTS on Jeju Do Island, he visited us and brought a number of his colleagues as participants.

 

 

A man of both dignity and humility. I always enjoyed seeing Kang Byoung Hoon sitting discussing life as theology with Joseph Mathews on his visits to Chicago. Thank you for the memories of this servant of Jesus the Christ. Journey on, journey on. In peace and gratitude.

          ~~  Isobel Bishop

 

 

Rev. Dr. Kang Byoung Hoon was a kind and caring MENTOR for both George and myself when we were on a “special assignment” to help Kwang Young Il Human Development Project prepare to move forward on their plans and to hold the 24 Global International HDP Celebration. 

 

 

Rev. Kang Byoon Hoon has been such a powerful presence in our lives and the church in Korea. I remember how he broke through the appearance of piety of clergy during an International Training Institute. I think the last time I saw him was in 1975, but I can still hear his voice.

 

 

He told us the story of being on his knees in gravel under the sun because he spoke Korean during the Japanese occupation, and of seeing the man who killed his father every day after the war ended.  He said forgiveness was the only option.

          ~~  Bill Schlesinger