God’s Calling Unto Nanoom
“How fed up I was with my former days!
Crack-cocaine had completely wrecked my life.
I had nothing left: my parents, my wife, even my children had left me.
My reputation and my pride were long gone.”
“I hate drugs now. I really want to be freed from drugs.
If only someone would help me stop taking drugs….”
This is how it all began.
One day, back in 1991, a young man had chosen suicide to free himself forever from the forces of darkness that assailed him. God, however, had never consented to such a death. God would bring this young man back to life after allowing him to see, through the eyes of the soul, his most wretched side, even to the point of collapse and death.
As the young man was awoken from death, he cried out:
“God, if You really exist, help me stop taking drugs.
If You help me stay clean, I’ll offer You the rest of my life.
See, I can’t even die of my own will.
If You want me to live, help me live without drugs.”
“Your sins have been forgiven.”
God had called Pastor Young-Ho Han out from the grip of death.
In a vision, the words of Acts 20:24 appeared before him:
However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace (NIV).
“[Remember] the children of God who have hit rock bottom because of illegal drugs—the last tool of the enemy here on earth!
[Remember] the addicts who hunger and thirst after love and attention!
Stay by their side and become even the smallest encouragement to them!”
With this message, the young man began his seminary studies.
Everyday, after his day’s work was over, he would spend eight hours working for the needs of drug addicts. His mission was to alert the Korean American community and its families about the enemy’s tricks against their youth, to explain how and why youngsters start falling astray, and to inform them about methods of prevention. Most of all, his heart was to draw them closer to the Lord.
In 1993, when he was still a pastoral intern, several of his fellow seminary students came together in prayer for this mission. They were Hyun-Sam Lee, Nak-Hoon Choi, Hee-Deok Hyun, Seong-Il Lee, Seong-Shin Kim, Young-Ae Kim, Seong-Bom Kim, and Byung-Hee Lee, among others. A long time of praying and training passed, and Pastor So-Myung Chang, Pastor Young-Il Kim, and Missionary Sage Mazuda also joined his efforts. By 1995, official preparations had already begun. On December 1, 1996, Nanoom Christian Fellowship was established at 1927 James M. Wood Blvd., in the heart of the city of Los Angeles.
After the founding, some ministry partners came along, while others left. Nevertheless, Pastor Young-Ho Han, Pastor Young-Il Kim, and Pastor Seong-Shin Kim all share that every moment of those years was filled with divine grace.
Then, in March of 2004, Nanoom Christian Fellowship faced a time of great testing. About five hundred youth had already passed through Nanoom. At that time, when the number of residents was close to reach eighty brothers and sisters, the city of Los Angeles issued an order to terminate the program due to insufficient accommodations.
Through this crisis, God led the residents’ parents to kneel down and cry out toward heaven in repentance and supplication. They would gather to pray by night, and leave for the streets by day, to campaign for the withdrawal of the order.
As the news reached Koreatown, Radio Seoul interrupted all its scheduled programs and informed about the campaign on an uninterrupted basis. Through this radio broadcasting, parents shared what they had been ashamed of before with boldness, and people who had recovered from substance addiction testified to God’s help and gave Him all the praise.
In the end, many fellow immigrants in Koreatown understood and agreed to the necessity of having a substance addiction treatment facility center and a substance abuse prevention program in our community. From children to organizations, even politicians came to offer their support.
By way of this crisis, and with much prayer and support, God raised a fund of close to $800,000. Thanks to this provision of heavenly manna and quail, we were able to move away from our precarious facilities into the resting place for the soul that is Nanoom Christian Fellowship today.
The prayers and monetary support of our fellow Korean American brothers and sisters were an act of love which we cannot forget to this day. More than that, it was an act of God’s grace.
To God, who is still with us today, we give honor and praise.
And to those who were called by God to serve in this ministry, our heartfelt thanks.
-translate by Emma Kim-
My Prayer
From our lodging facilities to each sheet of paper and every drop of water—each is supplied by our God-inspired fund. We don’t really know the source of the donations sent by our fellow immigrants, our brothers and sisters, our children, our grandfathers, and our grandmothers. It could well be their lunch, their pocket money, or even what they had saved for emergencies. This is why Nanoom Christian Fellowship can be called a resting place for the soul funded by the people of God.
I know…
That God wants me to be restored.
That my beloved brothers and sisters are waiting by me.
I give profound thanks to all involved.
I am certain that I will be restored.
While I stay here, I am going to take care of the facilities so they can be maintained as a beautiful resting place, especially for those who might come to reside here after me. Since we all have similar wounds, I am able to understand and care for those around me. If the opportunity arises, I too would like to help and take care of others.
Drug addiction can make one go beyond our sanity. I would like to understand and care for those around me so their health may be restored. We are, after all, brothers and sisters.
Having wandered for a long time, our bodies have adopted unhealthy habits. But I will try not to judge my brothers and sisters; instead, I am only going to focus on breaking away from my own unhealthy habits.
Although my brothers and sisters and fellow immigrants desire that I regain my health, our heavenly Father desires not only that I become healthy but also that I become a strong soldier for Christ.
Today, I pray with the hope
that I may not disappoint them.
-translate by Emma Kim