Some of On Yoo’s students have been baptized into the SDA church.
“No, Mother,” said Yin Soo,* “I cannot bow anymore to honor my ancestors.” Shocked at his apparent disrespect, Yin Soo’s parents hit him a few times, hoping to knock some sense into the boy. But he wouldn’t give in. Yin Soo is one of my students.
I arrived at Hartland in 1996, while still in my teens. I was young and inexperienced, and I struggled to learn English. But I praise the Lord for loving Christian friends and teachers who helped me. They taught me through their example what true Christianity is all about. The Bible classes at Hartland answered my questions and helped me get rid of the doubts and discouragement that plagued my mind.
One of the most important lessons God taught me at Hartland was that I should live for others and for God, not for myself. Life isn’t only about making money and having a comfortable life. For that main reason, I have been working at self-supporting academies ever since I came back to Korea. At one point, I got discouraged and gave up. I thought, It’s no use educating kids in this kind of setting. But God showed me that I was actually doing a great work. He helped me to see the future, not the present condition of my students. Although they might be rowdy teenagers today, tomorrow they could be great workers for God. I am taking part in raising the future servants of God! What an honor!
Recently, God called me to help start a self-supporting academy, following the principles outlined in the Spirit of Prophecy. It opened in March 2006, with six students. Now He has blessed us with more students, several of whom are non-Adventist, like Yin Soo. Since Yin Soo started attending our school, he has stopped eating pork and dog meat, which he used to love. His parents have noticed that he has become more spiritual.
We have seen God’s working not only in the lives of our students, but also in the lives of their parents. Some of them have been baptized into the Seventh-day Adventist church as a result!
I don’t know what God has in mind for my future, but I want to help expand God’s work here at the school until He calls me to some other place. Whatever I do, I want to glorify Him and serve my fellow human beings. After all, isn’t that what I learned at Hartland? May the Lord keep and sustain me.
*Yin Soo is a pseudonym.
