Hwang Sa-yong (1881-1964): Devoting His Life to Missionary Work

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Arriving in the United States in 1904, he dedicated his life to missionary work. In 1908, he founded the Asia Industrial Company to promote the employment of Koreans. In May 1909, when compatriots who had migrated to Mexico were freed from slave labor on the farms, the North American National Association sent two commissioners, Hwang Sa-yong and Bang Hwa, to Mexico to understand the situation and provide assistance. They arrived around May 20 at the port of Progreso in Yucatán, becoming the first Koreans to set foot there since Korean laborers had arrived. At that time, they appeared like saviors to those who were enduring a desperate life of slavery and longing for their homeland.

The sight of the gathered crowd was heartbreaking. Their faces were dark and cracked, their palms were torn, and their legs were covered in wounds from thorns. Upon their arrival, on May 9, 1909, just three days before the expiration of the labor contracts in Mexico, they established a national association in the Mérida region of Yucatán for those who were living a life of slavery, having abandoned their homeland. Most people were tied to the farms and could not attend, but representatives from 16 farms participated, totaling over 70 attendees, with the founding members reaching 305. This number represented about one-third of the Mexican immigrants, primarily consisting of heads of households.

He also became a special envoy to the Far East, and through two years of effort, local associations were organized in 16 locations in Russian territory and 8 locations in Manchuria, leading to the establishment of the Siberian General Assembly and the Manchurian General Assembly. On December 18, 1909, he became the president of the North American General Assembly in San Francisco.

On October 26, 1916, he became a pastor in San Jose and served as the local pastor of the Korean South American Immigration Church in Northern California. On September 6, 1917, he studied for four years at SMU in Dallas, Texas, to specialize in the Bible. He devoted his life to missionary work, leaving no place in the Americas untouched, and did not spare any effort to improve the living conditions of early immigrants. He also served as the president of the Korean National Association




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