- Welcome to Camp Mu Ji Gae!!!!
- John Kennedy, Camp director
This year's camp is going to be better than ever thanks to you and all the people who
make camp happen.
That's right! Thank you for coming to camp. You are the most important part of the
camp. Be prepared to have lots of fun and to learn something about your Korean heritage.
While you're having fun and learning, don't forget the people who make camp happen.
All around you are volunteers who have been working hard to make sure camp is
special for you. Take the time to let them know you appreciate what they are doing. Show
them how much you like camp by paying attention to the instructors and trying your best
to be a part of what is going on.
Remember, have fun, learn something about your Korean heritage, pay attention, and
try your best!
- I love you so much in my heart
- Nam Soo Lee, M.D. Program
co-director
Eleven years ago, hot summer day, I still remember clearly what I eyewittnessed at the
Camp Mujigae. I was invited to the camp as an observer or consultant. At the moment, I
encountered so many children who had the same face as I had. A jolt of shock ran through
me because I didn't know the fact that there were so many Korean born children around
me and the reality that these children were completely forgotten or ignored by their own
family, like me. My eyes were wet with feelings of guilty and great responsibility. The
church committee was set up to organize camp programs after my experience at the camp
was presented to Congregation.
On the first year of the camp I was so nervous that I couldn't sleep at night on
worrying about the camp. I was running around from a class to another like a rabbit to
check out whether all the classes were under control and campers' faces whether they
liked camp programs or not. It was God's answer to my pray that the number of campers
increased like a big explosion into triple. I still feel sorry to those children whom we had
to turn their application down because of out limited capacity on the third year of the
camp.
The Mujigae camp is different from other camps. It is culture camp, which the
children learn their heritage by doing what their ancestor did. It is my dream that
children's experiences at the camp guide them to achieve strong identity and become
proud Korean-Americans.
I want to give special hands to those parents who have volunteered for the camp.
Without their sweat this camp cannot be successful. And also special thank to Mr. Hwang
who has co-directed the camp programs this year with me and gave birth to this camp
book.
Whenever I hug children during the camp, I always whisper to their ears, "I love you
so much in my heart and I will never forget you again."
