Mrs. Eui Hong Kim's Passing

The Unification Church North American Headquarters 481 8th Avenue, New York, NY 10001 Tel: 212‐997‐0050 | Fax: 212‐997‐0051 | E‐mail admin@unification.org

Mrs. Eui Hong Kim’s Passing

Joshua Cotter December 21, 2010 Dear Brothers and Sisters: Our beloved elder sister Mrs. Eui Hong Kim passed into the spirit world on Saturday, December 18 at 1.50 AM. She was 93 years old. She passed away due to natural causes of old age. Mrs. Kim first arrived with her husband, Sang Chul Kim, in America in 1959 to support her husband’s mission as the president of the International One World Crusade (IOWC) and then as the president of the Unification Theological Seminary. Upon hearing of Mrs. Kim’s passing, True Father wrote a special calligraphy for her: “Congratulations Chin-Hwa-Bong-Chun-Ju-Bu Mrs. Kang, Eui-Hong,” and opened her road to Heaven. (“Chin-Hwa-Bong- Chun-Ju-Bu Mrs. Kang, Eui-Hong” means “Mrs. Kang, Eui-Hong who served God with vast amount of love.”) Mrs. Kim is survived by her husband, five children, one daughter and four sons, and ten grandchildren. We extend our condolences to her family and pray for her victorious transition to a new life in the spiritual world. Her Seung Hwa Ceremony will be held on Wednesday, December 22 at 11:00 AM at the Bay Area Family Church, 2305 Washington Avenue, San Leandro, CA 94577. Donations and flowers may be sent to the same address.

Rev. Joshua Cotter Executive Vice-President HSA-UWC USA

In memory of Grandma Kang, Eui Hong Sa-Mo Nim (姜義弘 師母) (Mrs. Eui Hong Kim: 93 years old; DOB: September 26, 1918) Sa-Mo Nim was born on September 26, 1918 in Pyeong-an-nam-do’s Pyeong-yang City as the first daughter in a family of two boys and three girls of Mr. Ik Hyung Kang and Mrs. Seong Sil Jin. When Sa-Mo Nim turned three, her father, an activist in the Korean Independence Movement during Japan’s colonial rule over Korea, was arrested by the Japanese police with a death penalty. However, after working under penal servitude in Pyeongyang Police Station, his sentence was reduced to three

years of imprisonment. After he was released, he and his family left their hometown and moved to Gimcheon City in Gyeong-sang-buk-do, where Sa-Mo Nim spent the rest of her childhood. (Her father received the Presidential Award for his patriotism and his body rests in Daejeon National Cemetery.) Sa-Mo Nim, influenced by Christianity, majored in early childhood education. Afterwards, she was sent to a nursery school in Gun-San, Jeol-La-Buk-do, where she worked as a teacher as well as a choir accompanist at a church. There she met Missionary Sang Chul Kim, and married him on January 6, 1942.

After Korea’s independence from Japan, her husband passed the test implemented by UN for a study abroad program and was sent to England, where he received his education. When he came back to Korea, he was employed as the Minister of Finance at the Military Government Office in Jeol-La-Buk-do. While he was working there, in January of 1954, along with Mr. Chang Hwan Lee, his underclassman at Yeon-Hweh College, he became connected with Mr. Duk-Moon Uhm, True Father’s colleague from Japan, and joined the Unification Church at Daegu. Sa-Mo Nim joined the Unification Church with her husband. When her husband - who had in his heart a new religion in which Christianity and Buddhism was one - first saw the church, he was disappointed by its shabby state, and was going to leave. However through Grandmother She-Hyun Ok, he physically heard God’s call, “Sang Chul! I’ve waited 30 years to lead you here. Your name from now on is David. You must fight and win. Your mission is to be a pioneering missionary overseas.” Since then to this day, he has served True Parents.

He became one of the five who found the HSA-UWC with True Parents on May 1, 1954, and in August of 1954, became our church’s first overseas missionary in England. Then from September of 1959 to 1972, he worked as a missionary in the United States, laying down the foundation for Unification Church in the United States. His work was possible because of his children’s sacrifice, spending their childhood like orphans, and Sa-Mo Nim’s absolute heart towards God’s will. Sa-Mo Nim’s life in the United States, which began following her husband, was no different from her life in Korea. After she was blessed as a 36 couple, she began her life in the United States in March of 1965 with only her 13 years old, youngest son, and only $5.00. Because the life as a missionary did not allow him to take care of his family, Sa-Mo Nim’s life began with work such as a house wife or house cleaning. In 1972, her husband became the president for International One World Crusade, Inc (IOWC). And as he became the chancellor for Unification Theological Seminary in September of 1975, Sa-Mo Nim also began her life in New York. Her life was always one heading towards God. Sa-Mo Nim, who reminisces her life of working for God’s will, expresses it in simple words, “Although I suffered greatly after joining the Unification Church, I was happy.”

Sa-Mo Nim became ill in April of 2010, while visiting her children’s home in San Francisco, and was receiving treatment. Her Seung-Hwa was at 1:50 am on December 18, 2010. She has one daughter and four sons, Suk-Hee, Young-Soo, Hyun-Soo, and Joon-Soo, and ten grandchildren. Mrs. Kun Hee Fontaine, who was with Sa-Mo Nim while serving True Parents, left the following words when she visited Sa-Mo Nim in the hospital last August: “Sa-Mo Nim, you always took care of us with sincere true love. We probably will not be able to forget you. You will have a place in our hearts forever. I will also try hard to become more like you. I am always grateful to you. I am very happy to have come seen you.” Sa-Mo Nim did not just gain one person’s heart. Like this, she gained everyone’s heart and God’s heart. Upon hearing of Sa-Mo Nim’s Seung-Hwa, True Parents praised her, hand writing, “Congratulations Chin- Hwa-Bong-Chun-Ju-Bu Mrs. Kang, Eui-Hong,” and opened her road to Heaven. (“Chin-Hwa-Bong-Chun- Ju-Bu Mrs. Kang, Eui-Hong” means “Mrs. Kang, Eui-Hong who served God with vast amount of love.”) We offer our congratulations to Sa-Mo Nim’s victory. Dear Sa-Mo Nim! We will all remember your victory that you found in the midst of your suffering in following the tough road of God’s Providence.