Awk Haw
Awk Haw: My Chosen Country and My Home Country
I was born in South Korea and lived there for 36 years. Then, I immigrated to Canada in 1971 and have lived here for the last 46 years. I worked very diligently in Canada until I reached the age of 65 as a federal auditor, public accountant and college instructor. I have three children: my oldest is my son, a neurosurgeon; second is my son, a computer specialist; and lastly my daughter, a school teacher. I am now happily retired and enjoying the remaining years of life with my lovely wife.
Canada is a great country and I am very happy to live here. However, my heart is always wandering to the Korean peninsula. I watch the Korean news three times a day and am concerned with events in the country. Korean people have been working vigorously and have developed the economy incredibly rapidly but the country continues to be in turmoil. There remains tremendous risks due to the geo-political situations surrounding the country.
My chosen country, Canada, is a good country which is helping other countries around the world, including Korea. During the Lee Dynasty (1880-1910) in Korea, Canada sent hundreds of missionaries. They not only taught Christian doctrines but also shared knowledge about medicine and helped to gain independence during the Japanese occupation. The follow are a handful of trailblazers whose lives have had a transformative impact on Korea’s future.
James Scarth Gale (1863-1937) was sent to Korea on December 12, 1888 as the first missionary from Canada. His presence marked the beginning of Canada-Korea relations. He translated the New Testaments; Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and Acts into Korean, and published the Korean English dictionary. He also translated Korean classics such as Choon-Hyang-Jon and Gu-Woon-Mong into English and The Pilgrim’s Progress written by John Bunyan into Korean. He established the Yondong Church as well as the Jungshin Girls High School and the Kyungshin Boys High School.
Oliver R. Avison (1860-1956) was the father of western medicine and medical education in Korea. He dedicated 50 years in Korea during which he served as the personal physician to the Korean Emperor, Gojong. He also founded Severance Hospital, the first western style hospital in Korea, with the support of Louis H. Severance, a millionaire from Cleveland, USA. This hospital later evolved into Yonsei University, College of Medicine.
Rosetta Sherwood Hall (1865-1951) was born in New York and married a Canadian missionary, Rev. William James Hall, MD. Sadly, her husband died young while treating Korean patients, but this didn’t stop her and she spent 44 years in Korea helping to develop educational resources for the disabled. She founded the Chosun Women’s Medical School which later become Korea University, College of Medicine. Along with her son, Dr. Sherwood Hall, MD, she contributed to eradicating phthisis from the Korean Peninsula.
Francis Schofield (1889-1970) contributed to the 1919 Independence Movement in Korea. Importantly, he shed light on the injustices born by Korean citizens during the Japanese occupation. Francis was a revered Korean Independence Fighter, so much so that at the time of his death he was honoured with a burial in the Korean National Cemetery in Seoul (1970).
William John Mackenzie (1861-1895) arrived in Korea in 1893. He adopted Korea entirely, wore Korean clothes, ate Korean food and lived in an old Korean style house. He was extremely enthusiastic in disseminating Christian doctrines and built the first Protestant Church in Korea. He was devout in sharing his faith and died peacefully in 1895.
Robert Hardie (1865-1949) was a famous evangelist in Korea who spread Christianity. He was central to promoting the Korean Great Revival Movement in the first decade of the 20th century.
There are countless Canadian missionaries devoted their lives to spreading their faith in Korea. It is impossible to commemorate all of them, but hopefully this handful provides a snapshot their tremendous contributions in faith, medicine and community. Korea is proudly a country that is able to help economically disadvantaged countries. The Christian faith is incredibly strong today and Korea is now the country which disseminates the second largest number of missionaries around the world.
I would be remiss to exclude an pivotal moment within Canada-Korea relationship and recent history, specifically the Battle of Gapyong during the Korean War (1950 -1953).
The Battle of Gapyong started on April 23, 1951 and lasted for two days. Gapyong is located approximately 60 km northeast of Seoul, the capital of Korea. During the War, the retreating Chinese forces regrouped and counter attacked the UN troops with incredible force. The Chinese military out numbered the UN troops by five to one. If successful, this strike would enable them to overwhelm the 6th South Korean Division and secure ground to overtake Seoul. It was a very dark moment during the Korean War with much on the line to stop the Chinese military.
In the dark of night, the 2nd Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry charged with its forward battalions. Accompanying these troops were the Australian forces supported by New Zealand artillery regiment. These men, along with the 27th British Commonwealth Brigade, were tasked to block the Chinese advance into the Gapyong Valley route. Within hours, they moved into their defensive positions and a fierce fight that ensued during the night and into the next day. Despite the incredible number of Chinese soldiers on the battle field, the Canadian army and UN forces rose victorious defeating the Chinese battalion. In this key moment, these troops prevented the fall of Seoul into the hands of the Chinese. This win was not only symbolic but also critical to winning the war.
The Canadian forces lost 10 men with 23 wounded during that singular battle. To commemorate this key moment in the Korean War and as thanks to the Canadian soldiers, the Gapyong Canada Monument stands tall in Gapyong, Korea. Korea is forever thankful for the Canadian forces that fought for the freedom of the Korean people. Of the 16 countries which served the Korean War within the UN forces, Canada contributed the third largest contingent. In total, 26,791 Canadians served, 516 of them lost their lives and more than 1,200 soldiers were wounded.
As I look at my life in Canada today, I am so happy my children and their children are in this great country. They will have happy lives in this free, peaceful and prosperous country, generation after generation. Canada is beautiful with abundant natural resources, helps numerous countries around the world.
At the same time, I can never forget my home country, Korea. There was a small farming village where I was born. There were friendly low mountains at the back of the village where I climbed almost every day and golden waves of rice paddies in front of it in the late autumn. I went to a school which was located about 4 km away, singing and laughing with my friends. In the summer, I caught fish in the stream and my mom made it into delicious soup. I was dreaming of a beautiful future in my heart as a young child with my loving family. I still have deep ties to Korea with siblings and close friends I speak with over the phone and internet regularly.
Korea and Canada, these are the two countries I am always praying for peace, freedom and prosperity. Canada is doing well, whereas Korea is presently (2017) in very difficult situations internally and externally. May God wish prosperity on both Korea and Canada.
(2017. 4. 12.)