Sang Ik "Papa-san" Choi Arrives in San Francisco
1965-11-12 · Source: tparents.org
He was the fourth Korean missionary to pioneer the United States, following Miss Young Oon Kim, Mr. David S.C. Kim and Col. Bo Hi Pak.
Mr. Choi was joined by Daikon Ohnuki and Soo Lim (later known as “Onni” Durst).
They, along with Mrs. Choi, the Chois’ infant son and three members from the church in Japan, developed what later became the International Re-Education Foundation in San Francisco.
Mr. Choi adapted “Principles of Education” and a social movement rather than church profile to reach the secular Bay Area audience and hippie youth.
The original community of eight doubled itself with eight new American members by the end of 1967.
A pattern of doubling membership annually continued until 1971.