Pastor Lee Jong-Rak And His Babybox (Unsung Heroes Part-7)

What if certain situations make you ask God- “why me?” and instead of expecting some kind of relief from God, that thing becomes the purpose of your life? As humans of the 21st century, this may sound very exhausting. Right?

But this is the real-life story of Pastor Lee Jong-Rak. A man who spent his entire life for the work that will surely leave you thinking that how good a person can be. The story of Pastor Lee Jong-Rak is one of few stories that seem heartrending and euphoric at the same time.

It’s a story that inspires us to love without limits.

Who Is Pastor Lee Jong-Rak?

Pastor Lee lives in the southern part of Seoul, South Korea. He is the pastor of the Jusurang Community Church in Seoul. He has utmost belief in God.

The great impact of his kindness comes from his Grandfather as he grew up watching him feed poor and hungry people.

Pastor Lee and his wife Chun-Ja hold mutual support and love for each other. Over the years Pastor Lee’s life was soon surrounded by Familial hardships as they gave birth to a biological son Eun-man, who was born with a physical deformity. He was born with a lump on his left cheek.

In one of his rare interviews Pastor lee remembered that time about the first thought that came to his mind after he was born- “God why did you give me such an unhealthy baby?” He said, “I couldn’t share the news with my wife right away. I told her about a week later”. Though his wife took it well after hearing that.

But just in a moment, he realized and Thanks to God for everything he has given to him.

His son spent the first 14 years of his life in hospitals. The cost of treatment was also tremendous. Soon Eun-man’s body became completely paralyzed and also lack of oxygen made him lose his brain functions. He never healed again.

In these 14 years, Pastor Lee stayed in hospitals with his son for so long. There out of kindness he also prayed for other patients and children suffering from some kind of physical and mental deformity.

He convicted others to pray to God and everything would be alright. Often he encountered orphans in the hospitals that were left abandoned. His love became wider for them. He started caring for them as they were his own.

In an interview, he shares one such incidence- that one day a lady came up to me and said “I’ve seen you at the hospital taking care of your son. My granddaughter has the same symptoms, Everyone in my family has disabilities, I don’t have too many days left, Please take care of my granddaughter after I die“.

After she died Pastor Lee accepted her wholeheartedly in a belief that God has given her to me. Similarly, one cold evening a woman anonymously abandoned her child outside Lee’s door. And in no time children who had been abandoned by their parents started coming to him.

The Idea Of BabyBox/DropBox

The idea of creating a baby box soon came to his mind as parents abandoned their unwanted child in a harsh environment to die or on his doorstep in vulnerable conditions.

Pastor Lee Jong-Rak and his wife set up the first Dropbox hung outside the Jusurang Community Church in December 2009. There’s a message written just above the box-

If You Can’t raise you baby because he or she was born with a deformity,

or you’re a single mother, don’t leave your baby to die.

Open the box and place your baby inside.

The first baby arrived in that Dropbox in March 2010. The Box consists of a Motion sensor and a bell. As soon as the bell rings, means the baby has arrived and he or his volunteer rushes towards the dropbox to comfort the child and prays to thank God for safely delivering the baby and the opportunity to help.

Often time they also rushed as soon as the bell rings to offer counsel to the parents and to make them understand, offers support to single mothers, the reason for their decision to abandon their child. Some change their mind some do not.

Pastor Lee describes the sound of the bell as a heartbreaking moment as parents decided to abandon the child in such a way.

Sometimes, the baby left in the dropbox is accompanied by the letters filled with emotional and regretful messages for their child about regretting the decisions they made, that they’re sorry because of no choice they have to leave them. They’ll come back someday.

In the past 10 years, around 1600 babies have arrived here and have been saved and adopted. He said- “for now, we get roughly 220 to 250 babies a year”

In South Korea, hundreds of babies are abandoned and die every year. Some babies are abandoned by teen mothers out of fear of societal repercussions, & disownment by families.

Some left their babies because of some kind of physical and mental disability and perhaps financial burden.

In South Korea’s conservative society, having a baby out of wedlock is a sin. Parents who cannot officially register their babies come here in which 60% are teens, babies of people who have extramarital affairs, and those who result from rapes.

Here are some other concerning Cases, Reasons & Impacts of Child Abandonment. Click Here

Pastor Lee, his wife, and a handful of volunteers managed to save many innocent lives who would otherwise have left to die. The orphanage is filled with such babies and adults which some of whom are adopted and some sent to the hospital for treatments.

Pastor Lee also works to have the children return to their birth parents or otherwise be adopted by someone. Single mother gets financial supports and necessities who are ready to raise the child.

But the whole process of getting them adopted is much complicated. Here’s why-

Criticism And Complications

The establishment of the baby box is also a victim of criticism and government-imposed laws several times.

First of all many believe that since its initiation it has encouraged parents to relieve themselves from their parenting responsibilities. Even the government criticize him for aiding the child abandonment and called it illegal and asked him for its removal.

According to their laws, even unwanted babies have to have registered with the authorities. The Special Adoption Act, make this mandatory for parents to register their babies under their own name if they want to have them adopted.

Though it aims to make the adoption process transparent and boost the rights of children.

However, this made the adoption process in Pastor Lee’s orphanage much more complicated, long, and exhausting process as most of the babies are undocumented and can’t get official government support.

Even so, Pastor Lee always insists and argues that there is nothing illegal about saving someone’s life.

Future of Dropbox

There is a psalm written in the box-

Through my father and mother forsake me,

the Lord will receive me

Psalm 27:10

On asking about the future of Baby box he said, “I must keep working tirelessly until God calls me.”

Regardless of thanking God whenever babies arrive in a baby box safely, he wishes that in the future there should be no need for dropbox anymore.

His future vision is to build a village where single mother can safely raise their children and live independently.

Last year Pastor Lee’s son Eun-man passed away after fighting disability all his life. There is also a fear that there will be no one who possesses the love and desire to continue Lee’s great legacy alive after he dies too.

The DropBox Documentary 2015

A documentary film based on Pastor Lee Jong-Rak’s life was released on March 3, 2015, directed by Brian Ivie.

It aimed to raise awareness about the situation of child abandonment in South Korea and unfortunate circumstances that force parents to feel helpless and feel they have no other option but to abandon their children.

It shows all the challenges Pastor Lee faced and his bonding with his wife and their care for all the mentally and physically disabled abundant children who arrived there.

It’s a story of hope. The love for unlovable. His heroic efforts are beyond words. He is the man of God.

The problem Pastor Lee has gone through isn’t just limited to South Korea. It’s the problem that affects the majority of countries. It’s the true and harsh reality that sadly exists. You just have to look around.

We don’t have as good people as Pastor Lee Jong-Rak. Therefore, we must inspire people through these stories that can perhaps bring at least a tiny change.

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Sources-

• One Determined Dad- Meet Pastor Lee
• The Baby Box- South korea’s Abandoned Babies
• The DropBox- Wikipedia

Do let us know about the Unsung heroes you know that are doing or did tremendous work for the betterment of society. We’ll be glad to do more research about them and will write a tribute dedicating to them.

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