Sermon : On Why Crime Is the Real Enemy in L.A.

Last Dec. 17, Jack Sunwoo, 55, became the 22nd Korean American killed by gang members in 1993. He owned a small grocery market, Sunmoon, in an area of Los Angeles that is overwhelmingly African American and Latino.

Sunwoo came to the United States with a dream 20 years ago. However, he had a hard time getting a professional job because of language and cultural barriers. Although he could not get a job, he didn’t apply for welfare because of pride.

He bought a small market and worked with his wife 14 hours a day, without any other employees. With the money the couple earned, they raised two sons.

Over the years, he made many friends with African Americans and Latinos in the neighborhood. However, he faced many problems like shoplifters and gangbangers carrying weapons.

In 1989, the family’s business was burned down while they were asleep at home. Through this suffering, his faithfulness to God--as well as his family’s unity--grew tremendously.

Some suggested that he purchase guns for protection, but he refused. He felt that “guns bring guns, and love brings love.”

After rebuilding his market, he shared the love of Christ with his customers. He would reward the children with gifts if they memorized verses from the Bible. Portions of his income went to help poor neighbors, including paying the funeral costs of one. In the 1992 riots, many stores were looted and burned. However, Sunwoo’s market was saved. When the riot began, his neighborhood friends said, “Jack, please close your market and go home; we will keep your market safe for you.” He and his wife left the store and his dear African American friends stationed themselves on the roof, in the back and in the front.

His relatives suggested that he should do a safer business. However, he refused because he wanted to do God’s work in this poor neighborhood.

On that December evening, he and his wife were discussing eternal life. Three gangbangers came into the store and shot a bullet through the back and into the heart of Jack Sunwoo and he died. They asked his wife for money and she gave them all that she had. The gun was now aimed at her neck and she questioned them with fear, “I gave you all my money, so why do you want to kill me?” The gunmen then ran away, sparing her life.

The 24 bundles of flowers and candles that were left in front of the market by neighbors showed their sorrow and grief over this tragic event. Isabel Sanchez, 26, one of their neighborhood friends, came to his funeral service and said in tears, “We lost a great friend. Jack always gave us a hope in Christ. He was a missionary rather than a businessman.” Why did he have to die? The answer is not because of African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Korean Americans or other ethnic groups. It is because of crime.

Also, the market owners’ history in South-Central proves that the relationship between ethnic and racial groups is not the problem. The first market owners were Chinese and Japanese and then Jews. However, the Jews pulled out after the 1965 Watts riot. Now Korean Americans are the small-business owners who suffer. Not because of ethnic problems, but because of crime. Crime is the enemy of the whole human race.

Crime comes from a corrupted mind. A corrupted mind comes from not teaching good moral values in homes and in schools. Moral values come from religious education, which tells people to discern what is good and what is bad. Therefore, without religious education, secular American education will not work. Without teaching religious education in homes and in schools, we cannot expect to see a successful peace. “Instead of establishing 10 police stations, building one church is better for the community,” said Korean Christian pioneer Koo Kim.

Why has God sent us signs through the riots, economic depression and the latest earthquake? It is time to wake up morally and spiritually.