By It is good to see how much this NCO has been helping out this Korean orphanage, but I have to wonder how some one in this day and age is able to spend 7 straight years in Korea? Maybe it is because a civil affairs reservist?
Staff Sgt. Bobby McKnight from the Eight Army Civil Affairs unit in South Korea has volunteered at the Namsanwon Orphanage here in Myeongdong for seven years.
“I’m a Christian and part of my belief is that following God requires love in every possible way,” said McKnight. “I’ve always loved kids.”
The Namsanwon Orphanage has 50 children ranging from a three- month-old to college age adults.
According to Namsanwon officials, the orphanage was started in the 1950s to care for the children of Korean soldiers and policemen killed during the Korean War.
Now the children come from parents who cannot take care of them and some of the children are rescued from abusive situations, said Namsanwon officials.
McKnight, an Army Reserve Soldier attached to the Eighth Army, said he started helping during Christmas 2004.
“At Christmas time, we came over to the orphanage with the Military Police unit that I was with, the 94th,” said McKnight. “I liked it and so I kept coming.” [USFK Website]
She hasn’t seen...
8:16 pm on July 1st, 2011 1
Kudos to him! It’s people like this that have put in place the goodwill that others have for the American soldier throughout the world.
8:37 pm on July 1st, 2011 2
Hey! Teacher! Leave them kids alone.
8:56 pm on July 1st, 2011 3
This is either Heart Warming or Pedo Bear Approved…. I can’t quite decide.
9:07 pm on July 1st, 2011 4
I didn’t want to be the first one to say it but it does make my spidey senses tingle when I hear about guys with too much enthusiasm for being around kids.
I don’t think that’s the way we were designed.
9:11 pm on July 1st, 2011 5
#4 Dammit JoeC, you stole my thunder. I was going to go there but I wanted to work up to it. Oh well, the cats out of the bag… Thanks man. You ruined it for everybody!
Now I have to go with the lowest common denominator. DAMMIT!
VOLUNTEER
11:50 pm on July 1st, 2011 6
He might be helping out the community by being part of this, and helping himself by working for reserve points as part of the Good Neighbor Program- that might be exactly what he’s doing.
If so, good for him.
That said, since it has some – ahem – negative attention here, due to other precedents, anyone who might be inclined to volunteer with something like this might want to think about visibly having multiple vetted adults present- it really helps prevent any possible problems, for the kids and for the adults. Boy Scouting has numerous checks and training which are designed to derail any bad people and protect good people from any accusations- oh yeah- AND protect the kids.
12:07 am on July 2nd, 2011 7
Things are getting pretty bad in the comment forum when threads on even stories like this quickly go down the toilet…
2:25 am on July 2nd, 2011 8
#7 Here’s why:
http://www.stripes.com/news/army-investigating-u-s-soldier-in-alleged-sex-abuse-at-korean-orphanage-1.32700
On the other hand, even if a fellow is on the up and up, society has made the male a predator. The mere accusation, from a child, can get you in jail lickity-split. Everyone is going to believe the sweet little snow flake.
I don’t think he’s doing it for promotion points. It appears it’s all about Jebus points. The same smug condescending attitude “I’m Christian” yadda yadda. No being good for goodness sake.
None of this in anyway diminishes his contribution to the children.
4:16 am on July 2nd, 2011 9
I’m a teacher, so I get that.
“It appears it’s all about Jebus points. The same smug condescending attitude “I’m Christian” yadda yadda. No being good for goodness sake.”
And you (the collective you) assume those are two different, incompatible things.
But, here, being Christian, openly so, makes you smug and condescending and selfish, self-serving…..
…I wonder how long in American (Western) society it will be before the same cultural guardians who have freed homesexuals will marshal the same energy to bring Christians out of the closet (— probably not as much energy as they have been expending to shove them in —)
4:52 am on July 2nd, 2011 10
Wispy little mustache…
4:52 am on July 2nd, 2011 11
But Christians are supposed to be in the closet. The book says so.
But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. Mathew 6:6 – KJV
/RTFM
Anyhow I’m guessing he is proselytizing which really turns me off. If so, it is not a selfless act.
5:19 am on July 2nd, 2011 12
That’s about not being a hypocrit – professing to have faith and honor God but in reality craving public approbation.
If this guy has been going to the orphange to get stories written about him in the paper, or to gain some sort of favorable points or treatement in the military, that verse would fit.
A verse that likely fits better is:
Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)
I know we have been trained in the last quarter of the 20th Century and start of the 21st to despise proselytizers, and I was pulled in that direction for a time (toward the Christian ones), but the funny thing is, I never had a problem with the Mormons or Jehovah’s Witnesses, or with the Buddhists I’d see from time to time banging the gourd and bowing on the street corner in Korea.
People can think for themselves…
But since my aversion to proselytizing didn’t extend to them, but only to Christian evangelicals, I guess my teachers and pop culture did a good job on me…(but eventually wore off…)
5:47 am on July 2nd, 2011 13
You’re correct sir. People can think for themselves however young children cannot.
6:00 am on July 2nd, 2011 14
True. And opens up an interesting avenue of thought. So, until they come of age, they shouldn’t be exposed to — what? What all do we protect them from?
6:46 am on July 2nd, 2011 15
You guys are a harsh crowd. Can we just assume he has good intentions for his volunteer work until he shows us otherwise?
8:05 am on July 2nd, 2011 16
GI Korea, #15: Ditto.
10:25 am on July 2nd, 2011 17
Men are Evil? Men who care about children are Evil?
I am #1 at looking for lies and deceit. But I spent some time with the Orphans that my unit sponsored. Great kids. I can easily understand wanting to spend years with them. I still have pics of some of them to this day. (they were also good Korean language teachers) Who knew “pee” was rain? Will, I didn’t until a 7yo explained it to me.
2:29 pm on July 2nd, 2011 18
Has SSG McKnight applied sunblock to these innocent children?
2:31 pm on July 2nd, 2011 19
@ GI Korea #15: Harsh crowd indeed.
3:19 pm on July 2nd, 2011 20
LL#11, if you’re in the RTFM crowd, what does Matt 28:16-20 say?
And yes, there is a difference between praying and preaching (or as you call it, “proselytizing”). but you might note that Christians are not called to force anyone to do anything, just called to preach, baptize, train, and trust… Unlike a certain other religion that really, really doesn’t like Danish political cartoons…
BTW, if you don’t like to hear preaching, change the channel on your TV or go to different websites. You’re free to have your own religion and so are they.
You can get all of the stuff you want on the interwebs…
4:51 pm on July 2nd, 2011 21
You’re right, let’s lighten up a bit. O’Joyous heart! I feel a song coming on…
Now they make new movies in old black and white
With happy endings, where nobody fights
So if you find yourself in that nostalgic rage
Honey, jump right up and show your age
Chorus:
I wish I had a pencil thin mustache
The “Boston Blackie” kind
A two toned Ricky Ricardo jacket
And an autographed picture of Andy Devine
I remember bein’ buck-toothed and skinny
Writin’ fan letters to Sky King and Penny
Oh I wish I had a pencil thin mustache
Then I could solve some mysteries too
Then it’s Bandstand, Disneyland, growin’ up fast
Drinkin’ on a fake I.D.
Yeah, and Rama of the jungle was everyone’s Bawana
But only jazz musicians were smokin’ marijuana
Yeah, I wish I had a pencil thin mustache
Then I could solve some mysteries too
Then it’s flat top, dirty bob, coppin’ a feel
Grubbin’ on the livin’ room floor (so sore)
Yeah, they send you off to college, try to gain a little knowledge,
But all you want to do is learn how to score
Yeah, but now I’m gettin’ old, don’t wear underwear
I don’t go to church and I don’t cut my hair
But I can go to movies and see it all there
Just the way that it used to be
Chorus:
That’s why I wish I had a pencil thin mustache
The “Boston Blackie” kind
A two-toned Ricky Ricardo jacket
And an autographed picture of Andy Devine
Oh, I could be anyone I wanted to be
Maybe suave Errol Flynn or the Sheik of Araby
If I only had a pencil thin mustache
Then I could do some cruisin’ too
Coda:
Yeah, Bryl-cream, a little dab’ll do yah
Oh, I could do some cruisin’ too
5:34 pm on July 2nd, 2011 22
Oh msn, I really want to find out aobut that CA unit also for future plans.
8:30 pm on July 2nd, 2011 23
Actually “pee” (피) is the word for blood. Rain is “bee” (비).
8:43 pm on July 2nd, 2011 24
Retired GI,
“Who knew “pee” was rain? Will, I didn’t until a 7yo explained it to me.”
Wait ’till you find out that “salsa” is diarrhea…
…not so tasty with chips after all.
…and 박미양 is a great name…
…well… if you don’t mind English speakers calling you Funk Me Young.
5:26 am on July 3rd, 2011 25
“Pak Mi yong” Yeah, the “p” and “b” were/are sometimes confusing for me. I’ll have to play with the Korean Air ladies when next I fly. Would this work: Ahgashi, pai apo. hwa jung shill odi-ay? SALSA!
Another good name is Som Yong Gy. I remember telling a Korean friend that he had a call from him once. He asked if he left a number.
7:05 am on July 3rd, 2011 26
p and b are initial and medial allophones and aspirated p is a different phoneme altogether. Spelling depends on your romanization system. In this case, the romanization system was – IT’S A JOKE FOR CHRIST SAKE!
9:23 am on July 3rd, 2011 27
Retired GI,
Write this out and hand it to a Korean girl to read. As it seems meaningless, they will read it and then give you a blank or questioning look.
You, of course, will have a BIG smile… and you will say, “Uh, one more time, please,” and savor the sweet, sweet experience… as it just sounds so perfectly cute.
미소호니
Obviously, only do this to bargirls or girls you know well… and be prepared to show a Full Metal Jacket YouTube clip on your smartphone as no explanation will fully convey what just happened.
9:24 am on July 3rd, 2011 28
Oh, yeah…
…bonus points if you ask her to go read it to your unsuspecting friend.
1:25 pm on July 3rd, 2011 29
I just tell them my name is Rick Venus… let the fun begin.
4:06 pm on July 6th, 2011 30
kangaji 26, the h in Christ represents aspiration. In Greek, that word began with chi, which looks like x, and which the Romans transliterated as ch. They didn’t actually pronounce the aspiration, they just represented it in writing.