The story of Doo-ryun Ha's family's service

Ha Doo-Ryun is 73 years old. She and her husband live to volunteer for peace.

Mrs. Ha lives in Yeongdo, Busan, in Korea. She has two sons and two daughters, all now married, and five grandchildren. She has taught her children that it is not enough to live well as a family, but they have a duty to serve their country and the world.  

Mrs. Ha and her husband are active volunteers for the Global Peace Foundation and Global Peace Women. She runs a porridge shop. Every week, she delivers porridge from her shop to the elderly and the sick.

For 11 years, she has been collecting used clothes to send to Mongolia, Malaysia, Cambodia, and the Philippines. She also supports All Lights Village, a development program supported by Koreans that sends solar lamps and lanterns to rural areas in the world as a catalyst of community development.

She also supports the North Korean refugees in her community. “There are a lot of North Korean defectors, especially in Busan. Every year, I volunteer to make kimchi for North Koreans,” she shared. She also helps families who are settling in their new home, buying baby formula, diapers and clothes for new moms, and collecting and delivering beddings, dishes, and other household items to help families.

Every winter, her family helps distribute coal briquette to the elderly and poor. Korea is very cold in winter. Old houses still use coal briquettes to heat their houses. Many underserved and elderly live in old houses, often located on the top of hills. Mrs. Ha and her children always participate in volunteering to deliver the coal to these households.

There is one special service project that she has continued for 30 years with her friends and family. Every month, they gather on the beaches of Busan to pick up litter. “70% of the world is made up of the ocean. We are connected to the world by the sea off Yeongdo, Busan. When we pick up the trash here on the beach, our offshore waters remain clean and the clean water flows to other countries. That's helping the world,” she explained why her family is passionate about doing beach clean-up.  It is an activity that has connected her children to the spirit of service. Her two grandsons and three granddaughters usually help her to plan the projects.

Indeed, caring for others is a virtue that we should all aspire to have. It not only promotes peace in our communities but in the world. Leading through action like Mrs. Ha has done over the years, sets pace for others to emulate our good deeds. We are inspired by her dedication to serve others. If you have a Sunshine Family Volunteer story to share or your family wants to start a project, email younshim.park@globalpeacewomen.org.

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