eugene cho

Wednesday, December 10, 2008 • 1:00 am 51

dong yun yoon: the man who lost his family in the san diego jet crash

Dong Yun Yoon cries while talking about losing his wife, two daughters, and mother-in law after an F/A-18D fighter jet crashed into his house in the University City neighborhood of San Diego, California December 9, 2008. The victims were identified as Dong Yun Yoon's wife Young M. Yoon, and their daughters 15-month-old Grace and 12-month-old Rachel. Young Yoon's mother, Suk Kim, who was visiting from South Korea also perished in the crash. The family had moved to the neighborhood a month ago. Dong Yun Yoon was at work at the time of the accident.

Part II:  Why aren’ t we drawn to Don Yun Yoon?

The story is brutally painful.  As a husband and father, I can not imagine a more painful thing.  Dong Yun Yoon [English name is Don Yoon], 37, was at work at his cafe when he discovered the horrible news of a F/A-18 jet crashing into a residential home – his home.  His wife, two young babies, and his mother-in-law who had recently arrived from Korea to help take care of the babies [a Korean custom] all were killed in this tragedy.  But in the midst of such deep anguish and pain, Dong Yun Yoon asked people to pray for the surviving pilot of the crashed jet and shared:

“I know he’s one of our treasures, for the country, and I … don’t blame him. I don’t have any hard feelings. I know he did everything he could.”

I listen to the Dong Yun Yoon’s video interview on CNNand couldn’t stop crying.  Regardless who’s involved, it’s an utterly painful tragedy but looking at him is like looking at a familiar face.  As a Korean immigrant myself, his story his familiar.  His voice and broken English is familiar.  His comments and words are familiar.  The people standing around him all are familiar.  In many ways, I feel like he’s my younger brother or cousin.  He was doing what many Korean immigrants do – work their tails off to provide for their family.  He was working at his coffee shop nearby.  Yoon immigrated to the United States in 1989 with his brother and sister while his parents remained in Korea [something all too familiar with many Korean immigrants] all in hopes and pursuit of the great American dream.  Dong Yun later became a U.S. citizen.

He married his wife, Young Mi Yoon [a nurse], four years ago and had two children: Grace [15 months] and Rachel [2 months].   They had just moved into this house one month ago.

“My wife — it was God’s blessing that I met her about four years ago, and we got married,” he said quietly. “She’s just such a lovely wife and mother, who always loves me, and (the) babies. I just miss her so much.” Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: christianity, church, faith, family, , , , , , ,

Thursday, October 25, 2007 • 1:39 am 4

six years – suffocating and intoxicating

Quest quietly turned six years old two Sundays ago.  No hoopla.  No hurrah.  No fireworks.  No big party.  Just a quiet reflection with my wife at home.  We enjoyed a small cake ourselves [for my birthday]. The six years have been immensely adventurous.  At times, unbearable, painful, and suffocating.  Other times, intoxicating, profound, and beautiful.  Through it all, God has been steadfast and faithful.  We feel so humbled and privileged.

Here’s a picture [before the warehouse/cafe renovation] and an article from the first year: Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: church, faith, religion, seattle, ,

Friday, September 7, 2007 • 12:53 am 3

mother teresa and the experience of doubt

motherteresa.jpg

I haven’t been able to read as many books as I’ve wanted recently but still feel stimulated and challenged by the steady flow of blogs I subscribe to.  One blog I’d like to call your attention to is entitled, Headsparks*, and authored by Daniel So.  Daniel is a youth pastor in San Diego and an occasional commenter on this blog.  I’ve yet to meet him but very much enjoy his blog and some of the articles he’s written for different publications.

He recently wrote a great article for relevantmagazine.com entitled Mother Teresa and the Experience of Doubt.  Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: christianity, emerging church, faith, religion

Monday, August 27, 2007 • 12:21 am 23

mother teresa’s “crisis of faith”

Just returned from a several day speaking engagement to New York/New Jersey.  Will post some notes later on the trip.  Long non-stop flight back so took the time to read the article in Time Magazine entitled, Mother Teresa’s Crisis of Faith.

There may be some or many that may be disturbed and/or discouraged by the article.  In some sense, I felt “sad” for Mother Teresa for the “crisis” she was going through but simultaneously convicted by the life she pursued in FAITH despite the lack of perfect convergence of all things spiritual.  I look forward to reading the book [Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light] when it is released later.  Here’s an excerpt from the article:

That absence seems to have started at almost precisely the time she began tending the poor and dying in Calcutta, and — except for a five-week break in 1959 — never abated. Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: christianity, faith, religion

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