Sister Hwang Kyung Soon of the charity group Kkotdongnae of Jesus Sisterhood in December 2024 speaks after receiving the nation's highest honor Presidential Commendation at the awards ceremony for overseas volunteer service at the Korea International Cooperation Agency in Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do Province.

By Kim Hyelin
Photos = Korea International Cooperation Agency

"The experience of seeing and experiencing the living God in the poor and the sick gave me the strength to live every day."

Sister Hwang Kyung Soon has spent the past 17 years caring for AIDS-afflicted children in Uganda, at the House of Love, an overseas branch of the Korean social welfare group Kkotdongnae. Last year, she received for her service the Presidential Commendation, the highest honor of the annual Korea Overseas Service Awards of the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).

Her career of endless dedication began after she saw a photo in a newspaper that her father subscribed to. The image of starving children who were bony with bloated stomachs lingered in her mind and made her decide at age 18 to look after such youth.

Hwang stumbled on a chance to do community service for Kkotdongnae in Eumseong-gun County, Chungcheongbuk-do Province. She said seeing other monastics caring for the abandoned inspired her to follow their path.

She found her answer to the question of what to live for. Joining the Kkotdongnae of Jesus Sisterhood, she was sent to Uganda in 2007 to begin her career of service abroad. 

Sister Hwang Kyung Soon (left) visits several regions in Uganda to provide practical help to the needy.

Kkotdongnae has provided basic medical and educational support to orphans struggling from extreme poverty and diseases, mainly in the towns of Kiruhura and Karama in the Mbarara region of western Uganda.

In these two communities, Hwang and other clergy members live with and look after about 280 people, including children and homeless and disabled people.

She has visited over 5,000 households and done all she can to improve the living environments of residents.

Hwang said, "We don't unconditionally help the sick and the poor, only those who are truly in need after meticulously evaluating their situations," adding that this is to get them to improve their lives independently.

The nun has provided practical assistance such as subsidizing educational and medical expenses, building brick houses for the homeless and offering school supplies.

In 2019, a severe drought began that lasted for 1 1/2 years killed five families in one neighborhood. She said she vividly recalls providing cornmeal to residents with the help of Kkotdongnae headquarters.

Hwang has held the funerals of many children who died from AIDS, but also witnessed a miraculous moment in which a girl with a severe disease recovered. "We're a community that plays a role in sending off well as well as saving lives," the nun said. "Every moment was important and tearfully precious."

Sister Hwang Kyung Soon (right in third row) poses in a group photo with Ugandan children.

Kkotdongnae's work in Uganda has brought significant changes to the region. Hwang said she was touched by a destitute couple who still spent half their daily income to buy others food and others who donated half of their lands to provide brick houses for the homeless.

She said, "I'm so grateful to see the fruit of love reciprocated since two to three years ago."

The humanitarian's remaining goal is to set up a program in Uganda that teaches the values of service and love. "I thought I should change the hearts of some people here after seeing those who often lie or steal to survive," she said. "I want to launch an institution like the Training Institute of Love at Kkotdongnae headquarters."

Wanting to spend the rest of her days in Uganda, Hwang said, "I'm over age 73 but my passion for my mission keeps heating up."

kimhyelin211@korea.kr