Dr. Samuel Sang Gook Lee

Dr. Samuel Sang Gook Lee was born in Daegu, Korea in 1935 during the Japanese occupation. Recalling the Emperor’s Oath that Korean students had to recite every day in school, Dr. Lee reflects on feeling shame for obeying Japanese rule. He was forced to learn Japanese and obtain a Japanese Sur name during the occupation. His local church was the only place where he found community and positivity. 

Later when he was 15 years old, Dr. Lee served as a house boy for 3 years where he ran errands for the U.S. soldiers on their military base. It was during this time that he suffered from severe depression and anxiety, which he carried with him throughout the rest of his life. Since immigrating to the US, Dr. Lee continues to pray every day to bring healing to himself and his family impacted by generational trauma.