New group continues volunteer’s legacy

 Suwon homeless help group remembers late teacher’s giving spirit


The leader of a new homeless support group in Suwon has paid tribute to the volunteer leader that inspired him to start helping others.

Sarah Farkas helped organize scores of international volunteers to give out food to homeless people around Seoul Station every Sunday, before leaving Korea to travel in Cambodia.

But the English teacher, who had been suffering from health problems for some time, died suddenly on Sept. 9 while on her trip, shortly before her 27th birthday. Doctors in Cambodia said she had an adverse reaction to her medication.

While the weekly “Help Your Seoul” volunteer group that Farkas coordinated from March to July is still thriving, a former volunteer from the group has gone on to launch a similar mission in Suwon.

“Sarah was such a great person,” said Oh, who has set up a volunteer group called “Help Your Suwon” after getting involved in the Seoul Station meetups coordinated by Farkas.

“She and I ‘are’ friends and I am very, very sorry that she could not hear that I’ve successfully launched ‘Help Your Suwon’ as I promised to her before she flew to Cambodia,” he said. “She was the reason I joined this cause and the reason that it has expanded to what it is now.”

She had sought out the “Help Your Seoul” group to volunteer with after returning to Korea following her first trip to Cambodia, where she had volunteered with underprivileged children.

“It’s hard to exaggerate how important ‘Help Your Seoul’ was to Sarah, it was always the high point of her week,” said her boyfriend Matthew McCoy.

“Like many foreigners living in Korea, Sarah could sometimes feel alienated from Korean society. I think that helping people who lived on the margins of that society gave her a better sense of place and purpose.

“As often as we talked about it, I was never able to fully figure out why she offered to lead the group after only attending it for a few weeks, or why she would always make time for the homeless people who, more than anything else, just wanted someone to listen to them. I suppose genuine altruism must always seem mysterious to those who don’t possess it.

“It is a great source of solace to Sarah’s family and myself to know that her friends are still giving their time to help the less fortunate in Seoul and elsewhere in Korea.”

And Shaun Rajan, who helps coordinate PLUR voluntary organization that “Help Your Seoul” is part of said: “Sarah was one of the most enthusiastic organizers we had in PLUR. She never missed a weekly event during her short tenure as the organizer. Even when she was sick, she attended events without showing the slightest sign of discomfort.

“She encouraged a lot of her friends to volunteer for PLUR. They still come and serve, even though Sarah is no longer with us. They are testimonials for her hard work and her love for underprivileged people. We greatly miss her.”

Oh’s recently-formed group meets weekly to supply food to about 35 people sleeping rough around Suwon Station. Participants pay 10,000 won a time to cover the cost of foods ― such as bread and soy milk ― which they distribute every Sunday evening from 6 p.m.

The group of about six regular volunteers is seeking additional funds, supplies, and two or three more members to reach out to even more homeless people. Cash donations, winter clothes for men, medical supplies and canned food are being sought. The group recently gave homeless people around the station neck warmers as Christmas gifts

“Of course, the group is not as large as the group that helps out around Seoul Station, but we are a pretty tight group and always have a good time,” said Oh. “Whilst we would like more people to help us out, we’d like those who can actually commit.

“In Seoul, I know that people every week filter in and out of the group and there are only 3-4 regulars every week. But down in Suwon, everyone is a regular and everyone is quite committed to what we do.”

By Kirsty  Taylor (kirstyt@heraldcorp.com)