~ Sister So-young Lee (2 College Mission; Sophomore, The Korean National Arts School, majoring in Vocal Music)

"I've begun to see!"

Remarkable musical skills in given to someone with horrendous eyesight

Born with congenital cataract, I've undergone four major operations to this day. Still, because the objects appeared only as blurs, the government decreed that I had the third-degree eyesight disability in 2001. Three years later, I ended up completely losing the sight in my right eye.
The only friend I've had has been the piano, which I'd begun playing at the age of three. No one's taught me how to play it but I could play from memory any song or piece of music I had heard just once. To me, all the sounds in the world, everything from the sound of a hammer from a construction site to the sound of the wind, became notes to me.

Overcoming adversity; accepted to a music school

I applied to a music college at the end of 2001 but on the grounds that I was disabled, I was rejected. Overwhelmed by a sense of failure and feeling like I'd been robbed even of the last ray of hope, I was quick to get angry and ran away from home for extended periods of time.
Then in 2003, my mother's business, which she'd been running since my father passed away when I was in second grade, went bankrupt. As making ends meet became increasingly difficult, my mother took me and my mentally handicapped sister to a corner of a park and hesitated for a while. Then she opened a bottle of rat poison and said to us, "Let's all just die."

"Mom! Can we try to live the best we can? We don't want to die!" The three of us sobbed as we hugged each other. From that day on, I vowed to look at the world from a positive perspective and began studying desperately. In 2005, I was accepted to the conduction technique at the Korean National Arts School but because I wanted to major in vocal music, I transferred to the Voice Performance Department. Music became my whole life while I could begin to do with the piano things normal people could not even think of doing, such as playing it with my back against the keyboard or with hands stretched over my shoulders.

Led to Manmin through Manmin News

After finding a copy of Manmin News on the subway one day, my family and I joined the church in July 2005.
My spiritual thirst was quenched by life-filled messages of Senior Pastor Rev. Dr. Jaerock Lee and my life turned upside down. As I began to feel the delicate love of my Heavenly Father, everything in the world looked beautiful. I'd always thought, 'Why was I born like this and why must I suffer this way?' My heart soon changed, however. 'I'm so thankful that He's given me the things that I am good at!'

Abundant blessings in a life of thanksgiving

As I rid my heart of resenting, complaining, grumbling, and temper and began to fill it with joy, thanksgiving, happiness, and hope, God began to bless me in flesh and in spirit. During the second part of an Friday All-night Service in March 2006, I gave glory to God through a special performance with a song I'd composed and in January 2007, I posed a challenge to people all over the world as my praise performance was broadcast on the Global Christian Network. The news about me began to spread television stations, magazines, and other media outlets. I appeared on Korea's four largest television networks (KBS, SBS, MBC, and EBS), cable channels, and on radio stations. I was interviewed by popular magazines and daily newspapers and my autobiography is scheduled to be published soon.
I'm even more delighted because, with Rev. Dr. Lee's prayer, my deteriorating eyesight's begun to improve and the level of the intraocular pressure, which had always been high and caused me to fall or a tremendous amount of pain, has begun to drop as well. My left eyesight is also improving gradually; I can now tell apart expressions on people's faces and different objects.
The purpose of my life is to tenderly and humbly magnifying the Lord and presenting hope and joy to those who find themselves amidst despair. It is my desire to praise the Lord with all my heart with the talent He's given me. Hallelujah!