~ Deacon Byong-chul Lee (2-8 Parish; 2-3 Men's Mission; President, Sukji Trading Company)

Dismal outlook on life with more than $645,000 in debt

After graduating from college and while working at a clothing company, I married my wife Deaconess Hye-hyung Cho. As many newly wedded couples do, my wife and I both worked in hopes of enjoying a better life. Thinking that we could not really live comfortably by working for someone else, I quit my job and founded in 1999 Sukji Trading Company, a manufacturing supplier of children's clothes.
Things seemed to be working out great in the beginning but the firm began to falter during and after the financial crisis that swept through Asia in the late 1990s. In 2003, the company ran a debt of over $210,000 when we could not receive the payment from a client, and when one of our main clients went bankrupt in 2004, our firm was left a debt in excess of $645,000. As pressure from subcontractors for the payments on the goods we'd received built up and expiration dates came and went on the promissory notes that had gone into the private money market, threats from moneylenders were relentless. On top of all that, I always feared for the safety of my family.

Repenting of the past, devoting to a life of prayer

Even in the midst of such dismal reality, my wife's word of encouragement provided strength and courage.
"Honey," she said. "Let's overcome this trial of blessing by faith and in gratitude. Take courage!"
We decided to cling to God and strove to call out to Him in prayer.
After withdrawing the last $700 we had from all of our bank accounts and sowing it as a seed of faith, we told everything that had been going on in our lives to Senior Pastor Rev. Dr. Jaerock Lee and received his prayer. As he prayed earnestly for us, the Senior Pastor urged, "Do what you can to please Father God." Peace then immediately settled in our hearts.
While praying early in the morning one day, tears began to trickle down my cheeks uncontrollably. Upon hearing that one of Korea's broadcasting companies broadcast a distorted report on Manmin Joong-ang Church in May 1999, I had stopped coming to church for about three months. I could return to Manmin in large part due to the love of my wife and family, but during the next four years I simply "went to" church.
Once I realized how arrogant I had been as I abandoned the church and failed to live by God's Word despite His immeasurable grace and love, I could not help but rend my heart in repentance.
In early 2005, I repented wholeheartedly with fasting. The only thing I could do, especially at a time when I felt as though it was me (and my business for that matter) against the whole world, was fervent prayer and each moment I could feel God's grace and how He was touching my heart. Hatred and grudge I held against those who had injured me disappeared as forgiveness, love, and faith began to blossom in my heart.

Blessings at my business as my spirit prospered

As my heart began to be transformed, blessings came my way little by little, as if a tangled bobbin were coming undone, beginning in the middle of 2005. Upon seeing my truthfulness, subcontractors who had been pressing me to pay them back willingly agreed to postpone the payments on the goods and even manufactured my company's products first.
Moreover, evidently touched by my diligence and sincerity in making every effort to collect the payments on the dishonored bills to pay back the debt, moneylenders helped me get out of the colossal debt by turning over the necessary funds.
God led each step of my way with people He had prepared for me in advance. Above all, however, He blessed and led my spirit to prosper.
As I humbled myself in serving other church members and looked after with love the ones who found themselves in various types of difficulty, God blessed me with heavenly duties including sub-district leader, cell leader, and a member of the Financial Committee. Even when my company wasn't doing too well, I made sure to give God my very best and everything in Mission Offerings and sowing seeds of faith.
After receiving the Senior Pastor's prayer in December 2006 for the increase in the volume orders for the 2007 summer clothing line, the volume more than tripled from the usual average of about $182,400 to $590,000. In the month of May 2007, I could give God more than $3,200 in tithes.
In fact, God had known everything in advance and had prepared close to $110,000 needed in operating costs by the way of the National Trust Guarantee Funds.

Flower of joy at home

When I closed the subscription account and gave the amount as a Mission Offering for "The 2006 Men's Mission Devotional Service," God blessed my family to purchase an apartment close to the church for almost $43,000 cheaper than the market price. My children have also become subjects of envy from our neighbors as they had never suffered from any illness and have been good ever since first attending Manmin. Our oldest daughter Hyun-ji, a seventh-grader, especially had rough times adjusting to a new school and neighborhood when she transferred in the middle of her final year in grade school but after receiving the Senior Pastor's prayer, she has since adapted well and quickly. Hyun-ji has also received numerous awards at composition, drawing, and reading competitions all the while placing first in her class academically.
As my wife Deaconess Hye-hyung Cho, who always strengthens me with her prayer of love, is faithful to God as sub-district leader and looks after the less fortunate, joy in the Lord always abounds in our family.
I give all thanks and glory to God and would also like to express my sincerest gratitude to Senior Pastor Rev. Dr. Jaerock Lee for his life-filled messages and heartfelt prayer.