Korean missionary to Uganda inspired by Dr. Livingstone's story

Date Posted: Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Many a child has become intrigued with mission work during Sunday school. But few actually hear and follow that call, and give up life as they know it to spread the Gospel in a foreign land.

 

Shinhwan Kim became interested in being a missionary back in 1977 when he learned about outreach in Africa by Dr. David Livingstone. That moment had such an impact on his life that Kim, a Korean native, was led to ministry in the same town where Livingstone passed away.

 

“My teacher’s preaching made me surrender to God’s mission,” said Kim, whose classmates call him Peter. “Since that time, I never stopped praying to be a missionary and go to where Livingstone worked.”

 

After 11 years in Uganda, Kim has been renewing his ministry at San Francisco Theological Seminary as a Doctor of Ministry candidate. He and his family arrived on the SFTS Northern California campus in San Anselmo last August just before the start of the 2009-10 academic year and they will return to Uganda Aug. 19.

 

“Peter is a wonderful example of the kind of students our D.Min. program attracts,” says Scott Sullender, PhD, new interim director of the SFTS Advanced Pastoral Studies program. “He represents the trans-national flavor of our student body, where we learn from one another across cultures and across denominational lines.”

 

Kim’s year at SFTS has been a wonderful experience for him personally as well as for his wife, 14- and 5-year-old daughters, and 12-year-old son.

 

“In Uganda, there were no other Korean families,” Kim says. “We felt loneliness. But on the seminary campus, all students approached us with much regard, especially the Korean community. All the students, staff and faculty welcomed us as a family.”

 

In Uganda, Kim often travels to remote villages with his wife and children to provide an example of how a Christian family lives. He also teaches African Christians how to pray, how to apply the Bible to their lives and how to manage a church.

 

Kim has three primary projects as a missionary with the Anglican Church of Uganda. He teaches church history and pastoral counseling at Reformed Theological College in Kampala, he’s part of the Theological Education by Extension (TEE) program operated in the rural Mbarara district and works for Campus Crusade for Christ, which is affiliated with the Church of Uganda.

 

In his role as college professor, Kim was encouraged to attend an English-speaking seminary to earn a Doctor of Ministry degree. He majored in public administration at Korea University and attended Chongshin Theological Seminary, a Presbyterian seminary in Seoul.

 

At SFTS, Kim has embraced the need to reach out to minority populations, including ethnic groups, disabled and homosexuals. “When I came here, God awoke me,” Kim said. “Jesus Christ wants us to take care of minorities. Before I came here I never thought about those kinds of topics.”

 

Kim plans to complete his dissertation project in Uganda to earn his degree. As much as he has enjoyed his time on the SFTS campus, Kim is eager to return to Uganda to continue his mission work.

 

“We have to go with a burning heart and make a fire,” Kim said.