Peace? It is Possible with MANNAM.

Hello. I'm a kindergarten teacher in Korea. It's been 3 years since I met MANNAM Volunteer Association. I got to knew this group through an event named 'Love for Taegeuk, and Love for Mugungwha' which was hold in MANNAM. I saw some bent old men with white hair. There brilliant eyes said they were not ordinary old men. They were the people who had took a part in the Korean War in 1950-53.

The event was to commemorate them who devoted their lives to our nation and people. To thank them, MANNAM members made a huge flag, Teaguekgi, with thousand of people's hand prints.

I visited there by chance and I was impressed after I'd looked around the event booths and performance. I would have liked to join MANNAM volunteer group. So, I signed up there.

This was how I join MANNAM.

Now, I've got feeling that Peace is possible through MANNAM and it's never far away.

I asked one of my students who was 6 years old.

"What do you think peace is?"

She said, "Peace is loving each other."

The other kid said, "Peace is smiling, sharing chocolate with friends."

For adults like us, we think peace is much complicated and difficult to achieve. But for the pure kids, peace is just loving and sharing each other.

What do you think Peace is?

I‘ve been learning from MANNAM how could we love each other, make up for each other's weak points with no racial or cultural discriminations. MANNAM volunteer association has been doing many things to achieve its goal which is Peace, and I'm sure we are making happy and peaceful world.

I'm very pleased I could help my neighbors in need and make peace in the world. I think I became one of  the small peace makers for the society and the world.

Why don't you be a small peace maker like me? Volunteering is not difficult and it brings you happiness to your life. Somebody is waiting for your help somewhere. I hope you can hold out a helping hand to somebody.

written by

Na-yeong

MANNAM 10Km Event in 2012

Hello, there!!

How are you doing these days??

Spring is getting closer. Do you feel it?

Today, I saw some forsythias were blooming. What a nice scene!! That's the reason why I love spring so much.

Also, I could see lots of families go on a picnic these days.

It reminded me of the 10K event that was held last spring. It was the first event for me to join MANNAM.

The participants walked the riverside 10 kilometers long, thinking about the people in disaster victims.

The aim of this event was to encourage Korea to wake up and reach out, across borders and cultural constraints, to aid our brothers and sisters in need.

 

I thought it was very meaningful. Most of people don't care about others' sorrow but MANNAM cared about it. During walking, I tried to imagine I was one of the victims' family.

'How could I go through with that situation?', I thought.

Even if I could never understand their feeling fully, I could assume that how awful and sad it could be.

Furthermore, I felt it was important to take care of  neighbors because it was a way to communicate one another. When we communicate with others, we would understand them and this would lead the world peaceful.

Nice weather and nice people. This is all I want to get.

I'm looking forward to join this year as well.

An Essay Ⅱ from MANNAM Korean teacher.

This is a story why am I willing to be a volunteer for foreigners.

It was 15 years ago. I had been working in Gunsan Daewoo commercial vehicles. I had some chances to meet foreign buyers that time. Whenever I met them, I had got trouble because of my poor English skills. So I wanted to learn it more, but it was not easy to do both learning and working.

At that time, IMF hit Korea in 1997 and the economy was getting worse. Numerous workers were fired from their companies. However, I quit the job myself and flew to Australia to prepare for a better future.

Since I had been experienced in staying Japan, I felt living in foreign countries seems to be romantic. However, It was different between dream and reality. One of the big problem was, of course, the language!!

I wanted to be a permanent resident in Australia so I needed to improve my English skills. But entering the language school costed very expensive. I had been spending a mount of money to rent my house, get some groceries, and so on. I had to figure out a better way to study English.

I used to go a library nearby my place to read some books. When I had walked through the hall, a tiny invitation posting caught my eye. It was an ad about Free English classes for foreigners like me!

I was excited that I could learn English for free and decided to go there.

The class was made by some Australians and christian missionaries. They volunteered every Saturday. Most of the volunteers were from different countries. They offered English classes, Bible study, and singing to the students. I liked those. The best thing I liked was I could meet many foreign friends there. I could hear a lot of stories about the world from them. It was so much fun.

During break time, all of students and volunteers roamed around the class and had a chat. Thanks to that, I should practice to speak English to communicate with them. I had tried my best to learn from the class and have a conversation with the volunteers and I could feel that my English skills were getting better little by little.

I still have keep in touch with one of them. Her name is Allison. She is Australian. She came there to help the students with English. She told me her fiance was Korean and she had been interested in learning his language. Since her fiance had used to be an international student, she knew the difficulty of foreign students' well. So she had started to volunteered there.

Allison told me about her life and took me to meet her husband. She always tried to help me with daily conversation. Even though she was one of volunteers, she was a real teacher to me. I was really thankful to her. She treated me not only as a student but a friend. From then on, I think I have dreamed to help someone with my language like her.

After 15 years, now, I am a teacher in MANNAM Korean Class. I have my own job, bring up two kids, and I volunteer every Sunday. I am truly happy I can help the foreigners. I feel I am giving back the kindness to Allison who gave it to me.

Some of my students study very hard in order to teach Korean in their countries. They express their gratitude to me every time. How nice!!

Like the slogan of MANNAM, When Light meets Light, there is Victory, I convey a small light to them and they receive and spread the light through the world.

Written by

Hwang, Jae-yeon

Message from the Chairwoman of MANNAM

MANNAM is a volunteer organization whose goal is succinctly defined in our motto, our rallying cry, our call to arms: When Light Meets Light there is Victory. Our mission is to bring all people of different nationalities, creeds and cultures together through volunteering and to learn and understand about each other: when good things come together, the result will be even greater – world peace.

We volunteer silently and without fanfare. We do our work behind the scenes. We do not work for accolades or self aggrandizement; our lights are hidden. Likewise, all this is made possible through the anonymous yet wonderfully generous contributions of those many individuals who support our organization, some 100,000 across the world as of start of 2013.

Korea has long been known as the country of courteous people in the East and the 'land that does not forget kindness'. Our aim is to spread our vision and the goodness in this culture across borders. We want to bring the light of love across the globe and from this will come cries of "Victory!"

Wherever there is a place that requires love and sacrifice, our desire is to be there, wherever it may be. These are the principles instilled into our organization by our Honorary Chairman, Mr. Lee. We hope you will be our steadfast companions on the journey yet to be traveled.

Thank you.

MANNAM MAN meets Gamcheon Cultural Village

Greetings!!

I have been to Gamcheon Culture Village on last day of seollal holiday( korean New Year's day). Gamcheon Culture village is located in Busan, which is the second largest city in Korea. Since 2009, the village has been subjected to be remodelled and renovated as a part of government-supported art projects. The dense houses of this small hillside village makes a view with colorful buildings. If you are interested in photography, there are many opportunities to take photos than expected.

When I had arrived there, I, firstly, bought the colorfully-illustrated map which costed just 2,000 won. There are 7 blanks on the map that you should collect stamps each place. If you collect all seven stamps from all places marked on the map, you can get either two postcards or one printed photo you take for free at Hanuel maru which is located at the top of the village. But I couldn't. That day was National Holiday, so many people were there. :)

One place attracting my eye was House of Peace.

A sign was posted in front of the house.

[ Peace is invisible to the eye and inaudible to the ear. But still, peace is the container can hold everything in the world. This work is the visualization of the peace as a container can hold everything. Moonlight shines on everything fairly. It doesn't care whether they are rich or poor, what race and religion. Peace is the basis of equal and fair living for the whole human kind. ]

I have been deeply moved by this sign before entering this house.

These papers were posted by hundreds of people who wished real peace. 

I think that peace start from respecting different minds from your thoughts.

These days I've been working for one volunteer association called MANNAM on the weekends. Its ultimate goal is world peace through volunteering. This pure volunteer association grounding on all people from the world, irrespective of their differences, unites and works towards the goal of the world peace and a culture of respect and tolerance through true volunteerism. This is MANNAM's vision and I love it.

Volunteer work provides meaningful life to us as heaven gives us the light, rain, and air. Not expecting in return, like nature does. That's a real PURE volunteer work.

I am so happy that I could something for people in need. Honestly it makes me feel valued. I'm going to a hospital on this Saturday to treat sick children. The volunteers including me are preparing something special for the little friends.
Would you come with me? :)

www.mannamintl.org

I am an Office Worker!! I am a member of MANNAM!!

 I am an officer of a building company. I have been engaged in there for 3 years.  It was April 2012 when I started to join MANNAM. I had been tired of my repetitive life. At that time, one of my friend told me about one volunteer association called MANNAM and recommended to join the volunteer group. Honestly I had never heard the name before. Anyway he told me that it could bring me some happiness. At first, I turned it down because I thought I should spend lots of time and money if I joined there. Working in my office was hard enough for me. But he kept persuading me. He said I could feel happy while I helped people in need.
"You just need a little bit of spare time and passion.", he said.
So I decided to join MANNAM Volunteer Association.

 Before, I had been New Zealand for a while so I knew about the feelings of staying abroad. I knew well how difficult it was. So I started to help them with teaching Korean language and Korean culture to adjust this strange land. It was very easy for me to make them understand my culture,  but it was something special for them. The foreigners really thanked me for helping them. It was also great I was able to know about their countries and cultures.
 I felt great while I helped them. Amazingly, volunteering was healing my stress.

A few months later, I got a chance to manage sports teams. Through sports, we could get closer each other. It refreshed my boring life and brought happiness to me. Before doing that, I was a person who just knew oneself only and didn't care others so much. Now, however, I feel very happy that I could help someone.

 The best memory I have during activities is 'The Children Abuse Prevention Campaign' held on Children's day 2012. It was a campaign that we tried to let people think about how many children were under unfair situations and participate in the campaign through doing variety performances. We did Flash Mob to gather people and make them aware about the serious social problem with pictures and articles.
To prepare this campaign, we gathered some foreign friends who were interested in volunteering and talented at dancing. Thanks to the volunteers, about 100 people  were able to join Flash Mob. We practiced only twice before the event. But did a great job. And we made some clay toys to offer every children we met there.
 A lot of people watched our Flash Mob and hundreds of children enjoyed our program joyfully. I felt so amazing that we had made this wonderful event by ourselves and also could reduce this terrible problem at least once by doing this campaign. How worthwhile it was! I will not forget this forever.

 As an office worker and also a member of MANNAM, I have been volunteering on every weekends, helping Korean language class, joining orphanage volunteers, visiting a hospital to treat sick children and so on. It really brings me happy and pleasure. I have got much more passion about the world peace through those activities within MANNAM. If we share our thoughts about peace and love with our neighbors, I think the world peace is possible.

Thank you.

Written by
Min-uk Choi

How our reaction to North Korea should be

I lived in Vietnam for 6 years since 2004. As you know, Vietnam is a communist country. When I lived in there, I had been feeling difficult and sad to vietnamese friends who were under pressure from polices and soldiers. They did not look happy under communism. At least I felt so. I think FREEDOM is a real basic right of human being.

I read news below at early morning 7, Feb.

“If the enemy [North Korea] is actually about to use a nuclear weapon, a preemptive strike is also one of our possible reactions,” Jung Seung-jo, chairman of South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, said at a briefing of the National Assembly’s National Defense Committee yesterday.

When I read this news, one story called [The Wind and the Sun] came into my head. One day two of them were bored so that they bet who took a traveler's coat off . Do you know who won and how to win?

The reason that we could say "peace", it is assumed Non-Violent. Peace is difficult but easy. I mean Political, Religious, Race peace is very difficult but our peace is easy. Let's try MANNAM's first principle "We strive to be a source of light and hope for others"

One of chances to spread light and hope is a Volunteer Work. Volunteering will give the meaningful and positive impact to your community. Besides it can have many benefits for yourself too.

Volunteering is sharing yours with others. Volunteering is giving yours to others. Do you worry about there would be no more yours someday? Do not worry. You will get more than you have shared.

Thank you.

Written by

Yeong jae yu

An Essay from a MANNAM Korean Class teacher.

     A couple of months ago, a foreign worker who was from Pakistan wanted to join MANNAM Korean Class. There was a problem, however, his home was Ik-san which was about an hour distance from the class by car. It was not easy to come to the class and he didn't even know how to come. He had known around his place only. Even though he still wanted to take the class. So I explained the location and sent the address to him.

     Sadly, he couldn't get it and later told me he could figure out by himself. He seemed not to want to bother me. The day he supposed to come I was waiting for him, but he had not showed up until the class was started. Finally, he walked into the classroom during a class. He looked exhausted. I asked him what happened. He told me that he had spent two hours on a bus. Because the bus drove him wrong way, he got off, took a taxi and then arrived finally!
     I felt sorry for him but on the other hand appreciated that he came safely.

After the class was finished, I took him his place. He said he was pleased to find MANNAM class and would like to join statedly.

     Meanwhile, he also told me his daily life. His routine life was nothing special; working and taking a rest were repeated everyday. How boring his life was! He had not been enjoying his weekends or holidays so far. He had not spent time with Korean friends before he met MANNAM. He said that he participated only once - which was MANNAM World Peace Festival in Sep. 2012. - but he couldn't forget the great memories of it.

He appreciated MANNAM Volunteer Association giving him delight.

     Volunteering is not so easy. You should share your time or talents or something you have with people in need. But whenever I meet somebody like him, I am uplifting. I guess that I am the one who is much pleased. That is the reason I keep joining MANNAM volunteer working.

Written by

Hwang, Jae-yeon

MANNAM donated for children with cancer.

MANNAM Volunteer Association Jeonju branch delivered to the director of Jeonbuk university hospital.

In Daejeon, Korea, there was a charity event Aug. 4th. 2012. MANNAM Jeonju branch had managed a food booth, which sold chinese and lao foods, and donated the profits to the hospital.

"Though it's a small enough sum, we are happy that we could contribute to our community spending our time and passion. We would like to deliver our hearts to the little children with serious disease." said Min-uk Choi, a member of MANNAM.

Seong-hu Sung, the director of Jeonbuk university hospital said, "I appreciate the international students to give the profits and sincere hearts for children. And I hope the culture of donation would be more activated through this chance.

Giving their hands and delivering love makes the comunity bright.

Volunteer;MANNAM Meets Kimchi :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCDKBvxK-xE

MANNAM Wanju Korean Class

 MANNAM Volunteer Association Jeonju branch is operating a Korean class for foreign workers in Wanju-Gun which is a small town near Jeonju.

From Oct. 7th. 2012 until now, it has been progressing every Sunday 5:00~6:30 p.m.

Though the students work hard and feel tired during weekdays, they are happy to have their time for learning Korean.

The foreign workers work from different companies. However they introduce each other to join this class.

Of course, the fee of the MANNAM Korean class is free.

Foreign workers are all welcome if you want to study Korean.

A MANNAM EVENT in SEOUL

It was Korea's Independence Day in 2011. MANNAM Volunteer Association memorialize meaningful days in Korea.

The meaning of Independence day in Korean is recovering lights. Korea was rolled by Japan and there were no freedom and peace. So many patriots had joined in the independce movements. Korean desired to regain their country. Finally, they recovered the light. MANNAM memorialized that day and thank the patriots.

Furthermore, MANNAM always thank for people all over the world who gave their hands and fought for Korea.

We shared warm heart with MANNAM Volunteers!

MANNAM Volunteer Association Jeonju branch members made donations and delivered briquettes to the neglected social groups.

Dec. 1st. 2013, 40 members of MANNAM volunteer visited Imun, Jeongeup, Jeollabukdo, Korea. They gave 1000 briquettes to the neighbors in need.

It was more meaningful that the briquettes they delivered were purchased by some foreign volunteers for the people who could not go through this winter without any help.

One of the volunteer, K.Pratop, Indian, interviewed "I join this volunteer for help neighbors in need. I feel great and volunteering all together makes my heart warm."

Hong-gyu Yu, the village headman, said "The old couple who have lived in this village for 20 years are public charges. They are sick with illness and one of them is a blind. I had been much worried how could they go through this winter. And now, the volunteers deliver those briquettes for them. Thanks to the volunteers, they can stay warm in this cold winter."

MANNAM Jeonju branch has become more active in their volunteer works. Aug. 4th. 2012, they sold foods and made money in an event. And sent to the Seoul, Joenbuk childhood cancer centers. Aug. 17th. 2012. MANNAM volunteers held a charity event and donated money to the Red Cross in Philippine to help people who suffer from the huge flood.

Beside that, they held a child abuse prevent event in the Jeonju zoo, offered face painting, flashmob, making peace tree for children. They go an orphanage every month with foreign volunteers.

What a beautiful World Peace Festival!!

On Sunday September 16, 2012, the Seoul Olympic Stadium was packed to capacity for the first time in 24 years, since South Korea hosted the Olympic Games in 1988.

 Peace is Possible!!

 Ni Hao!

 Guten Tag!

 Mangandang Tanghali Po!!

 Two handsome man from USA

The World Peace Festival was a spectacular event, demonstrating unity and peace through friendly sports tournaments, mass games, and an enormous card section. Festivities started at 9am and lasted until 9pm, with foods from around the world, face painting, magic shows, performances by various artists, and messages of peace and hope from celebrities and VIP’s across the world.

Principles of MANNAM

Principles

1. Embody the spirit of pure volunteerism and work to promote unity among the people and cultures of the world.

2. Offer our time and skills to aid the communities by participating in events and festivals that promote the principals of peace, unity and volunteer service.

3. Strive to be a source of light and hope for others, not accepting payment for services rendered through MANNAM.

4. Grow in our efforts to aid, uplift and enrich society, starting within our immediate  communities - reaching out to the world.  We will uphold the principles of justice and equality for all, irrespective of race, culture, religion, gender or political persuasion.  We will not discriminate against any group or individual longing to work towards the goal of peace and unity for all humanity.  

I love MANNAM!!

Joining MANNAM Volunteer Association is great experience for me.
I go an orphanage with foreign friends and share our time with the children. I help foreigners with Korean. I help some foreigners who are not get used to stay here in Korea. I tell them about Korea and they tell me about their countries.
I feel so happy that I can help people. I can learn from them as well.
Meeting people gives me a lot of lessons. So I love to be one of the MANNAM member :)