Returned Sheep

Returned Sheep

By Jin Ham, Class of 2013

Seoul, South Korea

See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in Heaven...What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?  And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off.In the same way your Father in Heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish. Matthew 18:10-14

            My dad was not an Adventist.  But he married my mom who is a Seventh-day Adventist. After my parents got married my mom tried really hard to make my dad an Adventist, but he just told her that he was already a Christian and that he had to work on Saturdays, so he couldn’t be a Seventh-day Adventist.  But my mom kept praying for him, that he would want to follow the Bible.

            When my older brother was born my dad started to care about his future and his health more. He went to church sometimes but not that often.  He still smoked cigarettes and drank alcohol.  But after their second child was born, me, my dad “cleaned up” more and quit smoking and drank less alcohol.

            It was really hard for him. Smoking is addicting; and every time  he went to a business meeting they would serve alcohol.  If he refused to drink it, his co-workers would think him rude and it could potentially mess up the business deals.  So, he drank socially to fit in. But he started going to church more.When my younger sister was born he started to go to church a lot -- at least three times a month. He couldn't go to church sometimes because he had meetings for business. And a couple years later he stopped smoking completely. He had been smoking for more than 30 years so I know it was not easy for him -- but he did it!

            Then he got a new job so that he can go to church every Sabbath. In fact, he got baptized. Now my mom is really happy that all of her children are going to church and her husband too!  I thank God for giving me this family because I am truly blessed!