Christian Children's Fund

file # CCF-133

Home Name:       Chung Yang Won
Project Number:  1480
Country:             Korea 

1.  History

            The Korean tragedy of a divided land and a split people was doubled when the Korean War broke out.  When the powerful communist army broke the 38^th parallel in the early morning of Sunday, June 25, 1950, the invasion tide of the red army swept back and forth, and finally the capital city of Seoul fell on June 28^th, and the cruel red soldiers marched south and south.  The road southwards were black with countless refugees.  On September 28, however, the Korean troops, now allied with the U.N. forces, re-entered the capital city of Seoul.  After the brilliant Inchon Landing led by the late Gen. Douglas MacArthur, the back of the enemy’s power was broken and the allied forces pursued the communist invaders across the 38^th parallel deep into the north.  Just as it seemed that the U.N. forces had won, the war took a turn for the worse.  That was because masses of the Chinese soldiers poured over the border from Manchuria driving the U.N. forces back.  Once again refugees took the wary roads; once more the ones who suffered the most were the children.  The armies seesawed back and forth while the armistice talks dragged on.

            Chun Yang Won was established at such time in the whirl of the war.  Mrs. Yu Eul Hee, the superintendent of the Home, was taking care of the poor orphans in her other Home named Pung Duck Won, now also CCF Home.  But this Home was too small to accommodate the war orphans foundling the streets.  As a Bible Woman herself, she thought herself that she should be mother of the parentless children, and she thought she could plant God’s words in the hearts of the children.  On the ash of the war, she concluded, she should have built a nest for the orphans, and actually she made every effort by herself.

            Following her will, many volunteers came into the works.  A volunteer presented his own house for the children’s home, and others donated grains.  The volunteers themselves became board members and Mrs. Yu became the superintendent.

            Chun Yang Won was thus founded in a small town called Yusung in 1952 with poor facilities.  So it was first a branch of Pung Duck Won, in a way, but now it has grown up into a unique garden of the children.  Chung Yang Won means literally “A Garden God Grows.” 

            In its short history, it was a big event for the Home and for the children, when it became affiliated with Christian Children’s Fund, Inc.  There had been lots of hardships financially, but through the sponsors; material and spiritual help, the children could have grown into good individuals in this society.  Mrs. Yu looks back upon the days when this Home first started that it was a task given by God to her to grow the children in Christ. 

CCF-133