A HOME FOR ORPHANS.

Yung huddled closer to the wall behind the old trash can in the Korean village.

A tear wobbled down his grubby cheeks as he folded his skinny arms for warmth in the freezing night air, because nobody cared for the lonely boy. People pushed past him.

Nearby in her simple office, Miss Hung Ho sat at her table and sighed, ‘ What can I do for the orphan children in this town?’ She had very little money, because she supported her widowed mother. ‘Please, Lord, help me to rescue some of these orphans,’ she prayed.

At work, Miss Hung typed her employer’s letters and paid his accounts. Often she enclosed small booklets about the Lord Jesus Christ. One morning she typed Mr Leng’s letter, her employer, to Mr Kim. He was very rich from the rent from the shops and buildings he owned. Because he also gambled his money Miss Hung Ho thought Mr Kim needed the message which she enclosed in his envelope that day.

Next morning Mr Kim opened his office mail, quite surprised to find a small book inside a letter, together with a cheque for Mr Leng’s office rent.

A surprised Mr Kim read the title, ‘ Four things you should know.’ Mr Kim had studied at University, so why should he need to learn more.

Curiosity prompted Mr Kim to read the first page. ‘You are a sinner.’ Mr Kim said to himself, ‘No, I am not a sinner.’ And he counted his good acts.

He gave money to the poor - sometimes. He treated his wife kindly - usually. He told the truth - mostly. He obeyed the law - often.

He read on. ’ You cannot work your way to heaven.’ Well, Mr Kim earnestly kept his religious beliefs. He burned incense before the idols, prayed and gave money and food to the priests and monks. Surely that was sufficient to earn him a place in heaven.

He read on - ’Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. He died and rose again.’

‘Hummm! That sounds interesting,’ mumbled Mr Kim at this strange story, as he fingered the next page.

‘If you know that you are a sinner and you receive Jesus as your Saviour, you will have life that never ends. That surprised Mr Kim who looked for someone to explain this strange message.

That night after work Mr Kim walked to the home of a christian pastor. He knocked on the door. Pastor Leng gladly received Mr Kim into his simple home, and happily explained the good news of Jesus, Who paid the price for our sin, when He died on the cross. The Bible says, ’After three days He came alive’.

Mr Leng said, ‘ If you believe and turn away from evil, you can receive the Lord Jesus Christ right now, and accept His forgiveness and grace.’ Mr Kim sat quietly thinking.

After a few silent moments, Mr Lim looked up and simply said, ‘ I believe,’ It was a new beginning for Mr Kim when Mr Leng kindly gave him a bible, showing him how to find new treasures as he read this precious book about God’s love. Mr Kim specially held it as a special present.

Now Mr Kim began to tell his friends about the love of Jesus. But he also caringly noticed the poor people out in the cold. Actually he had seen them every day without any concern for them. Because he had christian eyes to see them, he searched for a way to help the street children.

When he next saw Mr Leng, Mr Kim explained, ‘Sir, I have two homes. I wish to use one as a home to care for street children, with food and clothing, and to tell them about Jesus.’ Mr Leng smiled. He knew about Miss Hang Ho’s longing to help the children.

An excited Mr Leng arranged for Mr Kim to meet Miss Hang Ho in his home the following day.

Together with Mr Leng and his wife, they made plans for the Home for the children to receive loving care, education, and the good news of Jesus. An excited Miss Hang-Ho happily helped to prepare the home.

Other Christians assisted furnish the home, although Mr Kim generously gave most of the furniture. He cheerfully used his money for God. The City Council helped Miss Hang-Ho rescue children who roamed the streets or sheltered in doorways at night. A sympathetic policeman found Yung, who cringed in fear at the sight of the policeman, but Miss Sang Ho kindly held Yung’s hand, explaining that he would live in a clean, warm home. She walked with Yung to the police barracks to meet children like himself. Mr Leng, Mr and Mrs Kim arranged for a friend to drive to the beautiful home prepared for them.

Warm beds at night. Clean clothes to wear. Nourishing food to eat. Their thin bodies soon filled out. Best of all were the nightly stories about God’s love for them.

Before bedtime one night, the children eagerly sat on their cane chairs to listen to the story. However, there was a knock on the door, and Miss Sang Ho opened it to Mr Kim and his friends, who carried in a box of apples for the children. Red, rosy apples, and the children clapped delightedly at the spicy smell of the freshly-picked apples, and said their ‘Thank-you’s.’

Mr Kim asked, ‘May I tell you how I became a christian?’

Eagerly the children clapped their hands, ‘Yes, yes, please tell us.’

‘Well, one day I opened a letter and inside was a small book telling me ‘Four things God wants me to know.’ I do not know who put that book in my letters,’ said Mr Kim, while Miss Hang-Ho smiled, but it was God’s message to me that day. I believe what it said, and with Mr Leng’s help, I became a christian.

Miss Hang Ho smiled, thinking that some day later she could tell Mr Kim she put the booklet in his letter, but now she desired God to receive all the thanks.

Mr Kim went on, ‘Because I love Jesus I wished this home to be used for children, so that they could learn to love Him, too.’

After the visitors left, the children went to bed , and when they were fast asleep, Miss Hang Ho went to her own room. She read her Bible and the kneeled to pray. She held in her hand own of the little booklets, ‘Four things God wants you to know.’ She often slipped one into a letter to a business office or to a friend. And that was how Mr Kim received his copy. She was so glad that Mr Kim trusted Jesus, and she thanked her heavenly Father for the lovely way He had used her little book with the message, that saved Mr Kim, who provided the home for the children rescued from the streets.

And it was not long before Yung, too, confessed his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.