Korea

Korean Chair: Silvano Yongmaan Park KMG

The Order of Malta Korea (OMK) has been continuing the Lunch Box for the Forgotten Neighbours in the slum near Seoul Station, serving more than 330 lunch boxes per service. This equates to nearly 15,000 lunch boxes so far, thanks to the 150 volunteers who have joined us since June 2016.

As the number of regular volunteers grew, the frequency of our lunch box service increased from once a month to twice a month, and now four times a month as of December 2018. This has allowed us to provide operational efficiency, as well as a selfsufficient ground for the House of Catholic Love and Peace where we gather to cook and pack the lunch boxes. OMK is also developing a mobile site to help volunteers sign up, navigate, and look up necessary information when delivering lunch boxes.

With the Lunch Box project now a regular weekly program, OMK has expanded its reach with a second project called Bread for the Weekend. This project aims to provide bread to the forgotten people, those who can hardly afford even one meal over the weekend.

The Sisters of Mary will bake bread on our behalf, and the OMK will pack and deliver them to the House of Love and Peace. The House will then distribute them to the forgotten neighbours in the slum nearby.

The first batch of bread was consecrated on 6 December 2018 by Father Paul Seongryong Bae, and Father Bartolomeo Keun Huh. Heartfelt thanks to Silvano Yongmaan Park, President OMK, who initiated the idea of the Bread for the Weekend. He also donated the entire facility for the bakery, newly set-up for this project in the convent of Sisters of Mary. And thanks to Helene Hyewon Chung, an aspirant of OMK who actually implemented as a project champion. The first delivery of about 300 loaves of bread will be distributed on 5 January, 2019.

Last but not least, the OMK’s third project is now in full action — Jacket for Life. On 10 December President Silvano Yongmaan Park, with members and volunteers, distributed winter jackets for the homeless around Seoul Station.

The winter jacket itself protects the homeless from the freezing cold. The jackets are designed to have the function of a sleeping bag. President Silvano Yongmaan Park initiated the idea of the Jacket for Life project and directed the design with the sleeping bag function embedded. The jackets also have a buckle strap in the wrist for the homeless to carry the jacket easily. A total of 300 jackets were manufactured and the first 100 jackets were distributed on this day.

We started distributing the jackets at 9pm to ensure delivery only to those who have no place to return to after sunset. With the assistance of Namdaemun Police Station, we were able to deliver jackets safely, even late at night. Then, on 13 December, the second 100 jackets were distributed to the homeless near Yongsan Station, and the remaining 100 jackets were distributed to the homeless in central Seoul area.

Anna Yura Choi, one of our new members, is responsible for the entire preparation and execution of the Jacket for Life project.

Jacket for Life will become our annual seasonal project targeting the winter season with plans to cover wider areas in Seoul, especially around major train stations where the homeless are known to stay around and spend the night.

The Order of Malta Korea is now serving more than 330 lunch boxes per service for the Forgotten Neighbours in the slum near Seoul Station. This equates to nearly 15,000 lunch boxes so far, thanks to 150 volunteers since June 2016.