In
the National Reconciliation and Unity column of the Catholic Peace
Weekly, the principal of a Korean Language school in England titles her article: Begin and Someone Will Help.
In
the summer of 2019, there was a research presentation by young female
researchers at the Catholic Northeast Asia Peace Institute, and they
asked the writer to come if possible. 'Do I really have to go there?' She hesitated but went. The place was the Maryknoll Foreign Mission Society House in Seoul Korea.
One presenter talked about ‘remembering’. She said that memories that are not welcomed by the world are "like a self inflicted death." She remembered the back of an elderly Maryknoll priest she saw in the hallway that day, and mentioned it during the discussion. "Memories can be suicidal, but most are death from natural causes." The
lives and experiences of the elderly disappear with their death, so she
hopes that the young will be interested in oral history.
A few days later, the head priest called. He asked her to take the oral history of Father Hamjedo (Fr. Jerry Hammond of Maryknoll). The proposal came back like a boomerang. She soon had to return to England. 'Should I do it?' She had doubts, but decided to do it. Two talented young researchers soon joined. Thanks to their hard work, the project ended well.
She
believed in the ability and dedication of the people she was working
with, and it was already quite enjoyable to work with them. 「A Missionary's Journey: The Story of Father Hamjedo Who Loved North and South Korea」 was created that way. It
contains the love and adventure, disappointment and frustration, and
overcoming remorse of an American missionary who lived in Korea for 60
years.
The institute hoped to publish this book in English and asked her to translate. She thought this to be beyond her competence nevertheless, she decided to do it. Her husband helped. He is British and fluent in English.
On
May 10, the 100th anniversary of the Maryknoll Society's missionary
work in the Korean Peninsula, a translated version of 「The Romance of
the Mission」 was published. Sadly, the Maryknoll Society in Korea has moved out of the old building. Father Ham was heartbroken by the loss, and believes this book was a small consolation. It is fortunate that his memory of life in Korea has not disappeared from the world.
She
has constantly asked: "Why should I?" She hesitated, because she wanted
others to join in the effort and people joined. They turned the
hardships of work into pleasure, and we made up for each other's
deficiencies. So, if you think in your heart that something is the right
thing to do, but you wonder whether it's you who should do it, just
start. Then surely someone will help.
