“I Couldn't Even Read Signs or Bus Routes…” At 77, She’s Copying the Bible by Hand After Learning to Read and Write at 60.

Imagine feeling helpless every time you have to fill out a simple form at the bank, constantly worrying about how others might react.

It is difficult to fully understand that frustration unless you have experienced it yourself.

 

Kim Nam-sun, a 77-year-old church member from Gwangju, South Korea, could barely write her own name just over a decade ago.

After losing her parents at a young age, she never had the opportunity to learn how to read and write Korean.

 

Even when she attended a traditional church, she always carried her Bible with her.

Whenever the pastor asked the congregation to turn to a particular chapter and verse, she could not find it on her own and had to rely on the person sitting next to her to open the Bible for her.

Still, she loved singing hymns so much that she even joined the church choir. She seems to have been a cheerful and bold-hearted person.

Then, at the age of 60, she finally learned to read and write Korean.

What's interesting is that she didn't start by learning the Korean alphabet, beginning with basic letters like ㄱ(g), ㄴ(n), and ㄷ(d), as most older adults do in literacy classes.

Instead, the Bible itself became her textbook for learning to read.

Through one of her children, she began studying the Bible at the Zion Christian Mission Center of Shincheonji Church of Jesus.

 

Back then, Bible lessons were delivered on cassette tapes. She would play a tape, open her Bible, and repeat entire sentences aloud as she heard them.

Starting with chapter 1 of the Book of Revelation, she listened repeatedly, following along with her finger as she gradually learned to recognize each letter.

 

Learning to read opened up an entirely new world for her and transformed her everyday life.

She could finally read signs on her own, check bus routes herself, and manage everyday tasks without having to ask others for help. These small but meaningful changes gave her a tremendous boost in confidence.

 

Now, at 77, she has gone far beyond simply learning to read.

She is now copying the Book of Revelation by hand and is even preparing to take the first stage of her church’s Bible examination, known as the “Heavenly Kingdom Exam,” in November. She seems to have an even greater passion for learning than many young people.

 

Her children initially had considerable concerns when she told them she was attending Shincheonji Church of Jesus, specifically its Gwangju congregation.

Concerned about how others might react, they even tried to dissuade her from attending.

But when they saw their mother, who had spent most of her life feeling insecure because she couldn't read, now reading confidently on her own and carefully copying the Bible by hand while wearing her reading glasses, their concerns began to turn into hope.

 

Regardless of the religious context, it's easy to understand why a family would want to support a loved one who has become more confident, independent, and engaged in life.

With a smile, she says, “You're never too old to do something. The hardest part is getting started, but if you take it one step at a time, you can do it.” Her story leaves a quiet, lasting impression.

 

What began as Bible study at 60 gave her a new way to read and understand the world around her.

Perhaps there really is no such thing as being too old to start something new.