As climate change accelerates, localized torrential downpours have increasingly become a regular threat across South Korea. While municipal governments work to enhance large-scale urban drainage infrastructure, vulnerable residents—particularly the elderly living in older homes—often remain isolated from critical disaster information and maintenance support.
To address these micro-level blind spots during the monsoon season, the Sokcho Church of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus expanded its residential improvement initiative, "Take Care of My House," from an internal church ministry to a broader community relief program.
By delivering direct disaster response education and conducting physical risk-prevention work, local volunteers are helping low-income and elderly neighbors protect their homes against seasonal flooding.
Overcoming Information Gaps for Elderly Residents
For decades, many elderly residents in flood-prone, low-lying areas like Cheongho-dong, Sokcho, relied solely on personal experience to survive monsoon season.
Kim Young-soo (70s, pseudonym), a long-time resident whose home was severely inundated during Typhoon Khanun in August 2023—when Sokcho recorded a record daily rainfall of 402.6 mm—recalled that his only preparation was taping old linoleum sheets to his sliding doors to block rising water.
While the Sokcho Municipal Government continuously broadcasts disaster guidelines through media and the national "Safety Stepping Stone" (안전디딤돌) mobile app, municipal officials acknowledge that information often fails to reach elderly citizens who lack digital literacy.
To bridge this gap, volunteers from Shincheonji Sokcho Church directly visited residents who had previously experienced flood damage. They provided hands-on instruction on:
Installing and navigating the "Safety Stepping Stone" disaster warning app.
Checking real-time weather advisories.
Executing practical evacuation protocols during sudden inundation.
"In the past, taping linoleum to my door was all I could do," shared Mr. Kim after receiving the training. "Now I understand proper evacuation procedures. Having someone come directly to explain these things and worry about my safety with me has been the greatest source of comfort."
Direct Physical Maintenance: Removing Hazards Before the Rain
Recognizing that severe urban flooding is often exacerbated by minor, neglected maintenance issues—such as clogged street drains, accumulated dead leaves, or overgrown branches—church volunteers actively engaged in risk-reduction labor.
In the home of Park Young-sik (70s, pseudonym), a senior citizen living alone, tree branches had long overgrown his roof, posing a severe threat of drainage blockage and structural damage during strong monsoon winds. Volunteers safely cleared the roof branches, inspected the surrounding drainage, and cleared debris and fallen leaves from rain gutters.
"Flooding occurs not only from record rainfall, but also when small daily hazards combine—like blocked gutters and unmanaged roof branches," explained Oh Doo-gyun, head of the construction department at Sokcho Church. "Because disaster prevention is far more critical than post-disaster recovery, removing these risks in advance is our top priority."
A Synergistic Local Safety Net
The initiative by Shincheonji Sokcho Church demonstrates how grassroots volunteerism complements public administration. While Sokcho City continues its long-term urban flood prevention projects and operates emergency water pumps, the church’s hands-on outreach ensures that vulnerable neighbors are not left behind in the digital or physical shadows.
By transforming a inner-church service into a community-wide safety initiative, Shincheonji Sokcho Church is building a practical, localized safety net—proving that true neighborly love begins with proactively safeguarding the daily lives of those around us.
Source: https://vo.la/NmZ8eU7
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