In 2011, Eldress Shim Yoo-ho, who lived in Suwon, went to a well-known kalguksu (Korean noodle soup) restaurant in Gwang-myeong market place with her younger sibling. At this restaurant, which was so packed that customers usually have to share tables, an elderly couple sat at Eldress Shim’s table. They were Eldress Park Young-Ja and her husband who served at the Memory Church within Eighth US Army. Eldress Shim was just giving an advice on living a life of faith to her younger sibling, who had just been entrusted with a duty at church. Eldress Park, who overheard that conversation, started talking with Eldress Shim, thinking that she was a believer with an uncommon faith. Their talk immediately turned into a deep conversation. Hoping to spend more time with her, Eldress Shim visited the couple’s house in Yongsan to give them the Book 1 and Book 2 of the History of Redemption series as a gift. The couple said that they finished reading all the books in just one night. Seeing that they enjoyed the books so much, Eldress Shim again gave books 3 and 4, and they were deeply drawn into the History of Redemption series.

They insisted on purchasing the books from book 5. After receiving the History of Redemption books from Eldress Shim, the couple shared them with the army chaplains of the U.S base that they attended. We asked why and Eldress Park answered, “I received the book as a gift without expecting anything.

I am always moved and inspired whenever I read the Bible, but this book explains the Bible. I realized my limits on reading and understanding the Bible since the books enabled me to see and understand?as if seeing through a microscope?what I was unable to see before because of my weak eyes of faith. I was thrilled and shocked. Whenever new pastors were appointed at the U.S Army church, I share with them the English version of the History of Redemption series. It was a gift that I wanted to give more than anything.”

Thereafter, the Modern History of Korea series was published in 2012. The elderly couple had personally experienced the Korean War, but they only had a vague understanding of the war itself. Through the series, however, they finally came to an accurate understanding of the Korean War. Just at that time, Eldress Shim’s son began working at the U.S Army base and Eldress Shim moved to Yongsan. The couple visited Eldress Shim’s house, who had become their neighbor, and saw stacks of the History of Redemption series and the Modern History of Korea series. Although Eldress Shim did not have any financial difficulties since her son had a good job, she wanted to earn money even if she had to find a job as a housekeeper.

The next time they visited her house, the couple found that Eldress Shim had really filled her house with the books through the money she had earned while working as a housekeeper.

The elderly couple was moved and supported her with some creased bills amounting to 200,000 won that they had been saving. Eldress Shim bought 60 more books of the Modern History of Korea series with that money. Eldress Park suggested that instead of leaving the books in a stack, they should go to Mt. Namsan to find people to share these books with. The Namsan Octagonal Pavilion was where Eldress Park and her husband prayed every dawn. Thus, Eldress Park, her husband, and Eldress Shim packed three sets of the Modern History of Korea series (a total of 12 books) in their backpacks and went up to Mt. Namsan at 3:30 AM. It was 5 AM when they reached the top. They shared the books with the people who were exercising at Mt. Namsan early in the morning. The 12 sets of

books that the three shared quickly ran out. Although they were physically tired, they were

excited. Next day, those who read the books came to express their inspiration and amazement. Even today, two of them still remember that day as being fun and truly worthwhile. Although the Park couple was from another church, they worked together with one heart and one mind to share the History of Redemption series and the Modern History of Korea series. Eldress Shim believes that the Holy Spirit had led them to meet those people.

Eldress Shim Yoo-ho’s life was neither plentiful nor trifling. Her husband’s early death left her with a young son and a daughter. She spent most of the 33 years of her life of faith in Suwon where she would catch an early train every morning to take off to hear the Word. She would beat her head while praying that she could also understand the Word with her dull head. She is currently managing a health care center near the church. By the entrance of the shop, a bookshelf is filled with books that seem irrelevant with the shop. They are the History of Redemption Series and True Peace magazines. They are Eldress Shim’s pride and passion for the Words of the History of Redemption.

I threw a final question at Eldress Shim who had been hiding in the back throughout the entire interview: “There are those who show no reaction to the Words of Redemptive History. So with whom should we share this Word?” “These days, there are many who believe according to their own opinions. There is a scripture passage (Hosea 4:6), “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” When I evangelize, I come across people who love the Bible and thirst for the Word. I think the Holy Spirit guides me to people like this to share the books with them.”

By Kang, Myung-sun