Autobiography

Soon Ok Lee

I was born and raised in a non-Christian family. My mother was an orphan having lost her parents when she was 13years old during the Korean war. My father left his home town and his family and went to South Korea. All his family and relatives have been living in North Korea. My parents had attended church before they got married. It seems they had been just attending without believing Jesus Christ as their savior. After they got married, they stopped attending church anymore and started a “wildness” life not having God in our family. I am the first child for them. They loved me so much not having a second until I was 7 years old. They thought they could not have any other child but me. However, I gained two sisters and one brother, when I was 7, 10, and 13 years old. All of them are married and attending church and serving God. In God’s providence, I believe, I had been raised alone until 7 years old. This period is the most important time for building personality and character. Would I be an affectionate or cold person? But I could not have close relationships with my relatives so that we could interact to have a more broad view. My mother passed away 9 years ago.
Before my conversion, my parents were poor and I hated to study. I made up my mind not to attend college or university but to make money for me and my family. I worked as a secretary in a company for 7 years, ( 1975-1981). When I was 25 years old, my heart’s desire was to study in Bible college. I had prayed that the Lord would let me study in Bible college; otherwise, I asked him to take my life. From Monday to Saturday I worked as a full time secretary during the day and studied in the evening as a full time student. I also served as a Sunday school superintendent in a small church during this period. Every day I left home at 7 a.m. and got back home at 11 p.m. with no free weekends or holidays, but my heart was full of the joy of learning the word of God during 4 years of Bible college. After graduating from Bible college my physical body was exhausted. I thought it was enough to study in the Bible college. Nevertheless, six years later, I was challenged to study again and entered Chongshin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. It was also very tough for me to prepare for the entrance examination competing with students who were almost 10 years younger. The rate of competition was about 2:1. I pledged to God: if you allow me this opportunity to study in the Seminary, I will continue to study in Your will. Now as I look back, I believe God urged me in His providence through my mind. During my seminary period, I worked as an assistant to the New Testament professor who had studied in the Netherlands and got Ph.D. degree. I got a scholarship and learned how to study through this job.
After graduating from Seminary, I decided to study in a foreign country. It was the hardest decision I have ever made. One of my classmates suggested that I come to Canada. For the first time, I was so scared because Canada was a strange country for me and I knew nobody at that time. Soon after I realized all the time God is faithful and He would guide me the best way even though I knew nothing. I can never forget the period during which I spend time studying in the E. S. L. class and attending the Toronto Baptist Seminary for three years and three months.
Calvin Theological Seminary has opened my eyes in various ways about the importance of Christian education. I have almost completed my thesis titled “Responsible Action Theory of Nicholas Wolterstorff and Its Application to the Presbyterian Church Tradition in Korea.” Now I got a challenge to step forward to study pastoral counseling.
I have been serving God and children as a Sunday School supervisor from 1982 to 2003 in 6 churches. Besides, I have worked as a full time staff member an a church from 1986 to 1989. Throughout my church experience, I have known God’s touching hand upon me as His tool. I have not been alone but with Him. Serving God through the church gave me such a joy and happiness that the secular world could never me.
The significant relationship in my life is my father. He has never discriminated because of my gender. Instead of discriminating, he has given me encouragement and treated me as an equal as a boy. He said to me, “Though you are a girl you can stretch out your potential power and be a leader. Unfold your dream! I will just pray for you.” Now he is my earthly fortress. My mother had called me the first fruit of her love. She would have liked to be with me, to discuss with me, and to ask me something curious about the Bible. My professor whom I had served challenged me in the way he had studied in the Netherlands. He exemplified to me how to study. He said to me, “If you want to achieve something, you must study hard. Except for eating and sleeping, you should study at least 14 or 15 hours a day. Unless you do like this, do not think you will accomplish anything.” Though I cannot study 14 or 15 hours a day right now, still his word is whipping me.
I hope I will be able to serve God as a teacher and a counselor for the future. I have been enjoying working with children in church for a long time, and furthermore, I would like to serve, teach and train students in a Bible college or Seminary.