CreatripTeam

On Sorokdo (an island once used for isolating people with Hansen’s disease), Protestant faith has been central since 1922, when three patients tried to escape because there was no church. Japanese and Korean pastors and patients themselves helped establish congregations. Between 1963–66, residents—many with severe disabilities—built eight churches by hauling materials, laying blocks and even selling hair and sewing with toes to raise funds; all debts were paid and dedication ceremonies held in 1966. The island’s Christian community grew rapidly through the mid-20th century, reaching some 5,000 believers after liberation. Churches served not only spiritual needs but community services (like a cooperative and “Love Fund”) under leaders such as Rev. Kim Du-young. Today Sorokdo faces aging and population decline: about 320 residents remain, 200 churchgoers with average age around 80, and only three churches still active. The community plans a 100th-anniversary memorial hall in a former closed church to preserve and share Sorokdo’s history and faith. (Hansen’s disease: leprosy)