“My father fell while out for a walk, so everyone went to the emergency room.”
On February 10, 2010, I was living in China because my husband was assigned to Beijing as a correspondent. The day before the Lunar New Year, I called my mother in Seoul, thinking of her.
Olke, who received the call, delivered unbelievable news.
“Your cervical disc is badly damaged and you can’t move your limbs.
“I need emergency surgery today.”
13 years have passed since then.
My father's condition has not improved much compared to the early days of the accident.
The function above the fractured 3rd and 4th cervical vertebrae is perfect.
But below the neck, things are different.
The only movement he can make on his own is to raise his arm and scratch his face when it itches.
All other movements must depend on others.
Given my father's condition, it is difficult to describe in words the hardships my mother endures while caring for him.
A mother's day starts at 6 a.m.
From then on, my father's care began. He took care of all the daily tasks necessary for my father, including taking out the urine four times a day, changing diapers, washing and brushing teeth in the morning and evening, feeding me three meals a day, giving me medicine, scratching my head, and even changing the TV channel.

In the midst of 13 years of suffering from which they could not escape, rather than lamenting their fate, falling into despair, and giving up on life, my father and mother lived dignified lives, fulfilling their responsibilities with love for their family!
After realizing this, whenever I think of my parents' struggles, I shake off my hardships and get up, thinking that they are nothing.
And since my parents did it, I think I can do it too, having inherited their blood.
I pledge to pass this story on to my sons, their children, and the next generation.
---From “Life has meaning even in hardship”

In the three years since I quit my job, I have become incomparably happier through the Bible and books.
As I read a lot, I started writing too.
Although I still have a lot to learn, the fact that I am starting something new at the age of over 50 makes my heart race.
How can I explain the joy of reading? Recently, I've been interested in the topic of "reading books that make you happy, reading books that make you money," and by chance, I came across a book titled "Books That Understand Our Pain."
This book, subtitled 'Creative Reading Therapy in France', explained the effectiveness of bibliotherapy, which heals people's minds through reading.
My father came to mind.
He has been lying down for a long time, unable to move his body.
Still, my father never misses a single day of reading the newspaper so as not to lose his reason for being and living.
I thought I should read the book to my father.
---From “These days, I read books to my father”

I decided to read the book to my father, so I visited my parents' house every weekend for two or three weeks and read Robinson Crusoe.
My father liked it too, and I read it to him with great joy.
But as time passed, difficulties arose.
My father has poor hearing, so he had to read the book almost out loud, which was very tiring and made it difficult for me to concentrate on the content.
Also, if I go and read the book to them once a week, the flow is broken and the content is not well connected.
To make matters worse, on Saturday morning, the third week, my mom was having dinner with a friend she hadn't seen in a while, when she received a call telling her not to come because someone there had tested positive for COVID-19.
I was in a difficult situation.
It couldn't end like this, but there was no clear alternative.
After much thought, I suddenly remembered that I was checking the recording function on my phone a while ago to write an article.
'Okay! Let's record it and send it to you as a file!'
Since you can adjust the volume while listening to the recording file, you don't have to shout, and since you can listen to it a little bit every day, it seems like the flow won't be interrupted.
I recorded the book on the spot for about 30 minutes and sent it to you.
My mother also listened to it, saying, “It was even better to listen to it because it was a reading full of my daughter’s love.”
However, he did not forget to advise us not to overdo it.
As I had initially anticipated, the reading I started for my father ended up giving me so much more.
The time I spend reading every day while thinking of my father and mother becomes a time of prayer for their peace and recovery, and a time to water the roots of my existence.
---From “The Benefits of Reading”

At first, I started out just to comfort my father, but through reading the book, I began to want to seize the opportunity to help my father open his heart to God.
Because I had selfish motives, it was difficult to choose a book.
My father is so sharp that he can quickly see through other people's intentions.
I was worried that if my father said, “If you’re going to do that, just let it go,” all the hard work I’d done up until now would have been in vain.
I carefully looked around the Christian books that filled the study.
Then my gaze fell on the red cover of Pilgrim's Progress.
It is a synonym for a Christian classic, said to be the second most sold and read book in the world after the Bible.
The main character's name is 'Christian', and the story is an allegorical depiction of the journey of faith in which the main character passes through the 'narrow gate' and, after many twists and turns, reaches 'Cheonseong' and obtains eternal life.
I was half excited and half worried about whether my father would be able to listen to this book, which was filled with scenes of the main character reciting Bible verses throughout the book.
I remembered my father's words: "I like books with diverse characters and interesting stories that unfold with suspense."
I pinned my hopes on those words.
May the soul of the father, who listened with wonder to his daughter's voice acting, also pass through the narrow gate and reach his true nature! My role is merely to read it prayerfully, and I believe God will oversee the entire process.
---From “The Sighs of the Holy Spirit”

Early in the new year of 2020, I attended a church dawn prayer meeting and was met by world-renowned theologian RT.
Kendall (RT
I got to hear Pastor Kendall's sermon.
Suddenly, I felt like asking him how I could comfort my father.
After the sermon, I went to Pastor Kendall, who was resting, and asked him.
“My father suffered quadriplegia in an accident and has been bedridden for a long time.
“I want to read the Bible to my father. Which of the 66 books of the Bible would be good?”
Pastor Kendall closed his eyes for a while as if he needed to pray, then opened them and answered, “Romans!”
For those who are new to the Bible, the book of Romans is not easy.
I explained the content to my father and recommended the audiobook.
At first, he seemed to listen a little because his daughter kept begging him, but then he stopped, saying he didn't understand what she was saying.
But can we give up here? Reading books for my father has already reached ten months.
Around this time, I decided to make the first destination of this journey 'Romans'.
I think it would be good to make my father feel loved through the book until he can enjoy it.
'Until the day my father sheds tears after reading the Book of Romans!'
---From “Questions about God”

My mother was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism.
Around that time, I had to go to the US for two weeks to take my children to training.
After finishing my two-week schedule and returning home, I stopped by my parents' house first.
My mom kept bothering me.
As soon as I saw my mother's face, I asked how she had been doing.
My father, who has recovered his condition, asks me to eat this and that and makes a lot of requests.
But my mother told me an unexpected story.
“I changed the baby’s poopy diaper eight times last night.
But there must be a reason for everything.
God must have kept us alive for a reason.
What can I do? It's been given to me, so I have to handle it.
“Now that I can’t do it on my own, I pray that God will take care of it.”
My mother's language has changed.
The person who used to get angry and ask where God is, and ask God to please let him die in his sleep, now says that even after changing eight dirty diapers in one night, God must have a greater purpose.
Even in the midst of such hardship, my mother's heart changed and she was able to think about the greater meaning behind the suffering itself.

---From “Love is patient”