As Brian Ivie, a university student, boarded the plane bound for Seoul, South Korea, little did he know that his life was about to change - and his eternity.
Ivie had read about a South Korean Pastor named Lee Jong-rak in the Los Angels Times who was busy saving the lives of unwanted, physically and mentally handicaped babies that were left to die along the cold sidewalks of Seoul. After raising $20,000 Ivie and a team of ten others made arrangements to meet Lee and document his ministry.
Twenty-six years ago, Pastor Lee's first born son was born severely deformed and this caused Pastor Lee to question God's goodness. He wondered what good can come from his son. Pastor Lee began to visit other disabled children and before he knew it, Pastor Lee and his wife lovingly took in two more orphaned disabled children. Through out the next years, eleven more disabled children came to live in their home. Pastor Lee shared, "Some of those kids would hurt themselves. Most would scream and wail...but when you're with them, you're called to remember that none of us are easy to love. That all of us kick and scream, and yet God died for us."
Pastor Lee's small four room home functioned as an orphanage, and a church, and yet he felt called to do more. He installed a drop box into his home where unwed mothers, mothers of physically and mentally handicapped babies could place their babies.
The drop box was designed with a thick towel covering the bottom,and lights and heating to keep the baby comfortable. There is a bell on the outside to ring when the baby is placed there to alert Pastor Lee and his wife. A sign by the drop box reads, "This is a facility for the protection of life. If you can't take care of your disabled babies, don't throw them away or leave them in the street. Bring them here to a place of safety and protection."
Mothers have placed their babies in the box at all hours; some with notes attached to the baby: "Sorry, sorry, and I love you my son. Mom loves you more than anything else."
Ivie and his film crew grew close to Pastor Lee's family while living with him. Lee's loving care was contagious and Ivie would look around and think of the burden it would be for this fifty-nine year old man to care for close to 20 disabled children. And then he would look at Lee and see him grinning from ear to ear. While these babies' lives were being saved, Ivie's soul was saved. He became a Christian while making the film. He said, " I saw all those kids come through this drop box with deformities and disabilities, and eventually - like a heaven flash - I realized that I was one of those kids too; that I have a crooked soul, and God is a father who loves me still."
Ivie won an award with his film and received $101,000 which he said that he would use to continue telling important stories. In Ivie's acceptance speech he spoke about relying on God for every breath that we take and that is what he learned from the orphans.
Here is a link to the three minute trailer called "The Drop Box"
Pastor Lee. You will never read this, but you are a man of inspiration. We can see your loving care to these children and know that you cherish them. Your selflessness is apparent, spending all of your time devoted to caring and serving. Now that our family knows about you, you will be in our prayers. Thank you for your example!
-I first read about Pastor Lee in a World magazine and then searched the web for more information-
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