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Alumni spotlight
Yong-Im Hambrick Moon
From Tribulation to Triumph
A
little Buddhist girl from Kwang-Am,
South Korea, quit school to take care
of her younger sisters while her parents worked to support six children.
Many had low expectations for
Yong-Im Hambrick Moon, but despite the
many trials that were ahead, the Lord miraculously took her out of a false religion, brought
her to the United States, provided for her as a
single mom, and helped her go from a 4th
grade education in South Korea to a master’s
degree at AGTS.
As a teenager,Yong-Im moved to the city
of Seoul to foster a new life for herself, but
expectations quickly changed when realities
set in. “I had no educational background, special training, or money. I hated my life and
attempted suicide,” she said.
Yong-Im turned to Buddhism, the only
religion she knew. “I went to the Buddhist
awful and unbearable pain
temple, the superstition’s
of a woman deserted by
house, and the fortune
her husband. I felt as if a
teller’s house with my
trillion cells in my body
Buddhist landlady and worwere suffocating, agonizshiped different gods with
ing, and grieving.” Yongsacrifice offerings, but
Im begged her husband to
those gods did not help me.
save their marriage, but he
I lived in darkness with
divorced her, leaving her
agony and pain deeply
with nothing except their
rooted in me.”
two children.
Then, Yong-Im moved to
With no money, she and
an apartment run by a
her children moved to a
Christian landlady who
new town. She found a
worshiped God, prayed,
waitress job and started
and read the Bible every
attending GED classes to
day. She compared her
I wanted to quit
attain her high school diplo Christian landlady with her
many times, but Jesus ma, all while raising two
previous Buddhist landlady.
“Both were good people and
and the Holy Spirit kept children. “I gave it my all.
However, the first time I
devoted in their religion.
me going and helped
took the GED test, I failed.
However, I saw a genuine
The Lord kept telling me,
love in the Christian lady and
me to succeed.
‘My daughter, pick up the
the power of God in her when
AGTS GRADUATE
pen and study harder.’ I
she prayed.” One evening she YONG-IM HAMBRICK MOON
failed two, three, four, five,
shared about Jesus and Yongsix times, and finally the
Im accepted Christ. “At that
seventh time I passed and attained my high
moment, I began the journey of conversion
school diploma at the age of 41. I wanted to
from Buddhism to Christianity,” Yong-Im said.
quit many times, but Jesus and the Holy Spirit
In 1977 she married an American man and
kept me going and helped me to succeed.”
moved to the U.S. “In the United States, the
Yong-Im earned a B.A. degree at Central
sufferings of life did not pass me by but visitBible College, Springfield, Mo. She continued
ed me without warning. Satan began to attack
to trust in the Lord and enrolled at the
my family physically and spiritually.”
Assemblies of God Theological Seminary. In
In 1985 Yong-Im was filled with the Holy
June 2001, Yong-Im graduated with a Master
Spirit and the Lord trained her in prayer. For
of Divinity degree. “Whenever I faced an
three hours every morning Yong-Im prayed
emergency situation, the Lord always provid diligently for help, direction, and wisdom as
ed for all my needs. I feel like I have pressed
she fervently interceded for others.
on toward the goal to win the prize, which
“One morning while praying, the Lord
God has called me to fulfill in Christ Jesus.
said, ‘My beloved daughter! I want you
“I have learned that all things are possible
to be a full-time worker in my ministry.
in Christ Jesus, and the Lord takes care of His
Go back to school and preach the
people,” Yong-Im said. “When I was a filthy
gospel.’The Lord began to deal with
sinner, He provided salvation for me and took
my heart. I said, ‘Lord, you are making
me out of a false religion. He filled me with
a big mistake.’The Lord did not
the Holy Spirit and called me into His minrespond to my excuses. He continued
istry. He has carried me through trials and
to call me and encouraged me with
tribulations. Through these situations, my pain
the Word. As a result, I said ‘yes’to
was often like the fire of hell. The Lord delivobey the call of God.”
ered me, not because of my goodness but His
Yong-Im continued to face many
goodness toward His people.” R
difficult circumstances. Her husband left her. “I experienced the
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WINTER 2002
AGTS RAPPORT