Our Brigade Was in a Field Training Exercise in Korea, Near the Tiny Village of Il San

June 19

Our brigade was in a field training exercise in Korea, near the tiny village of Il San. The Harry Holt Orphanage was located there.

Harry, a successful Oregon businessman, had been moved by the plight of the orphans of Korean and American parents and had created a very successful adoption service. By the time I arrived in Korea, Harry had died and his daughter Molly was carrying on his work.

I decided to visit the orphanage.

As our jeep approached the facility the children were quick to notice our arrival. They crowded, hundreds of them, along the road, against the balcony, and around the jeep.

As I toured the facility I became aware that all of the kids were yelling the same thing to me. Now I had received forty hours of conversational Korean, but I didn’t understand what they were shouting. So I asked Molly. “Oh, Chaplain Hunt, they are just saying ‘pick me up’,” Molly answered. “Well,” I responded, “I can handle that. My youngest son was only six months old when I left the States. I have been wanting to pick up a kid.”

I threw off my field gear and began to pick up kids. I tossed them into the air, caught them, and then put them down. They squealed with delight. Everyone had to have a turn.

After 40 or 50 kids, I realized that I wasn’t going to be physically able to pick up all 500 of the orphans, many of whom were 5-6 years old. Nor would I have had the time. Molly saw the fix I was in and eased me out a side door.

The children at Il San were a sermon to me of what the Lord does. He lifts us up! He lifted ME up.

I ask you, what have you done this week to lift someone up? What do you plan to do today to lift someone up? That is the Christian’s task. Start lifting. Amen

“I will extol You, O Lord, for You have lifted me up….”

Psalms 30:2