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It was a sweltering day in New York five years ago. I was in the basement, escaping the obnoxious heat of the afternoon. Standing in front of a brown bookshelf, I was looking through a large selection of books that had never sparked my interest before. I randomly selected a book and began to flip through it, unable to read the tiny Korean text. At the last page, I came to a stop. There, in the book, was a blurry black and white picture of my grandfather, In Jae Lee. It didn’t take me long to figure out that the book I was holding was his biography. Shortly after my discovery, I found out that my grandfather had been a hero. A hero is someone who is brave, even if it means risking their lives. A hero is someone who is gentle and humble and doesn’t accept recognition. A hero is someone who uses their strengths and talents to change the lives of other people. These characteristics are true of my grandfather. His story has inspired many people and has earned him my greatest respect. Never will there be another person as wonderful as my grandfather. One of the main things my grandfather is respected for is his bravery. In 1940, the Japanese in Korea imprisoned him for five and a half years. He was treated harshly with barely any food or water, and bravely withstood torture. He had to endure freezing cold nights on a hard prison floor with nothing but a threadbare blanket. All he had to fill his stomach was a bowl of frozen water and a cold ball of rice barely big enough to fit in the fist of a child. He was supposed to be executed on August 18,1945. My grandfather was persecuted in this way because he refused to worship Japan’s god. Fortunately for my grandfather, Japan surrendered to America three days before my grandfather was to be executed. “Why didn’t he just run away?” I asked my dad one day. My Father answered, ”most of his friends went to hide in the mountains, but your grandfather wanted to prove the Japanese wrong. He wanted to go to trial and preach the gospel. He wasn’t afraid. ” Another example of my grandfather’s bravery was when he ran inside of his house which had caught on fire to rescue his sister in-law. Burning and Scarring himself, my grandfather put his life on the line for another person. In Jae Lee will always be remembered for his incredible courage. In addition to being courageous, my grandfather was humble. After coming out of prison, he became an instant hero in Korea. However, he didn’t want recognition. Most of the other people who were captives of the Japanese, accepted roles of becoming pastors in large, well-known churches. My grandfather was also offered the important position, but he declined. Instead, he began preaching and started small churches in the county sides. Once he had established a church, he moved on to start others. He was a hard worker who devoted his time and strength to his ministry and yet he was always modest and never bragged about his many accomplishments. My Grandfather used to always say, “Be faithful, meek, gentle and humble. These are the most important virtues.” Every single human being has an affect on another, but not everyone affects others in the same way. My grandfather brightened up the lives of hundreds of people. His sermons were always positive and the people who listened to them were always filled with joy. His heart was a fountain of kindness that never ran dry. One example of his positive affect on people was when he changed my maternal uncle’s life. When my uncle was young, his father had lost his business. For the next year my uncle and his family barely managed to get by. He was depressed and his future looked bleak. My uncle even contemplated suicide. One evening their attitudes changed forever, when they heard my grandfather’s sermon. From that time on, My uncle and his family began to laugh and smile. In Jae Lee committed himself to helping other people. On April 29,2000 my grandfather passed away. Although I am sad about the lack of his presence here on earth, I feel the need to rejoice. My grandfather faithfully served our God all throughout his life. He lived out a fulfilling life, dedicating his entire being to spreading the good news and bringing peace and goodness to everyone whose heart he had touched. And now, finally in the glorious splendor of Heaven, he is face to face with his master accepting his well- earned reward. I know that I will not be seeing him for many years to come. Still, he is a hero to me and I will never forget what a difference he has made in this world. His courage, modesty, and kindness will always be remembered. My grandfather will always be my role model, my inspiration, and my hero. |
| A granddaughter's memory |
| June Kyu-ha Lee Granddaughter at age 10 California May 2000 |
