We Will Always Remember You

How many times have you heard it? Someone receives a gift, compliment, or helping hand and simply says, ”Appreciate it!” The other person replies, “No problem.” They move on.

Call me antiquated, even a “dinosaur" if you like, but I prefer the old-fashioned, "Thank you!” followed by a modest, “You’re welcome!” Why not? It’s polite and respectful. And if you make the effort to look someone in the eye when you say it, the words are magical. People’s lives can change.

Some argue, however, that this more formal way of showing appreciation is outdated or unnecessary. I beg to differ. It’s more important than ever.

Gail Embery saluting her father, Sgt. Coleman Edwards, US Army, killed in action March 31, 1951

The Power of Remembrance

Last week, my wife and I had the opportunity to spend five days in Seoul’s Lotte Jamsil Hotel as guests of Sae Eden Presbyterian Church. We, along with nearly 40 others from the United States and Canada, were part of Sae Eden’s annual "Korean War Veterans Appreciation Event for Peace," a week-long program that honors Korean War veterans and their families.

Remarkably, the event is free for participants. There are no flight, hotel, meal, or transportation costs for anyone who attends. But that’s just the beginning.

Overlooking the DMZ. That’s North Korea in the distance. (Photo credit: Sae Eden Church)

Sae Eden Church believes there is power in remembrance and that "thankfulness is a behavior."

Throughout the program, as we made our way from ceremonies at Seoul National Cemetery, Sae Eden Church, and Korea's War Memorial; visited the Headquarters of the ROK Marine Corps, the ROK Navy’s 2nd Fleet Command, and the 8th Army at Camp Humphreys; and toured the DMZ, Joint Security Area (JSA), and Cheon An Memorial Hall (dedicated to the 46 ROK Navy sailors who lost their lives when their ship, Cheon An, was torpedoed and sunk by a North Korean submarine in 2010), we were repeatedly told, “Thank you!” and “We will never forget the sacrifices made by your country to save Korea."

We were showered with gratitude.

Participants were greeted by hundreds of children at Sae Eden Church. (Photo credit: Toraii Republic Photography)

We engrave your names in our hearts

Thanks to Sae Eden’s pastor, Dr. So Kang-suk, the program's leader, Elder Kim Chong-dae, and the event coordinators and volunteers, the veterans and their families were treated to an extraordinary experience, one we will always remember.

My sister, Suzanne, and her husband, Brett, were invited to be part of the program. It was their first visit to Korea, and when they arrived at Incheon International Airport, they had no idea what was about to unfold.

On numerous occasions during the trip, Suzanne, like so many of us, was overcome with emotion. The gratitude, kindness, and humility demonstrated by everyone we met in Korea was overwhelming.

Suzanne, me, and Dr. Hyun’s daughter’s, Helen and Esther at Sae Eden Church, June 17, 2018. (Photo credit: Ned Forney)

As my sister and I were recognized for our grandfather's role in the Korean War and received the Korean government’s “Ambassador for Peace Medal” on his behalf, we felt the gratitude of an entire nation. We also felt humbled.

We hadn’t served in Korea, nor had we suffered from the loss of a loved one. We were simply representatives of those who had gone before us - those who had fought for Korea and saved her people from communism during the dark days of the Korean War.

We found it hard to express our emotions but repeatedly said the two words that help shape human behavior and attitudes around the world: "Thank you!”

Bob Lunney, former officer aboard the Meredith Victory in 1950, with Sae Eden volunteers. (Photo credit: Ned Forney)

So, on behalf of all the participants, I thank Sae Eden Church and all the warm, kind, and grateful Koreans we met during our trip. We will always remember you. As our US servicemen and women stationed in Korea today say to their Korean military counterparts, “We Go Together!” KatchiKapshida!

Thank you! Kamsamnida!

Thank you for defending the Republic of Korea.
We engrave your names in our hearts with love.
We inscribe your names in our land with appreciation.

Taken from a Sae Eden Church brochure.