Missionary Introduction

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  • Grace V. Bennett

  • ◾ Korean name : Bae Eun-Hye
  • ◾ Year of Birth : July 2, 1920 - August 5, 2006
  • ◾ Academic background : Birmingham United Missionary Training College, Battersea General Hospital and St. Peter's Hospital Nursing School
  • ◾ Background and affiliation : The Leprosy Mission(TLM)
  • ◾ Period of mission work in Korea : March 6, 1956 - December 2, 1981.
  • ◾ Period of mission work at Dongsan Hospital : September 30, 1957 - 1961.
1. Grace V. Bennett visited Korea by the dispatch of The Leprosy Mission

Grace Bennett, who was called Bae Eun-Hye, was born in England on July 2, 1920. Born in Hant, England, to a devout Christian family, she graduated from the United Missionary Training College in Birmingham and worked for two years as a nurse at a hospital for leprosy in Hong Kong as a nurse at the The Leprosy Mission. On March 6, 1956, she was sent to Korea as a missionary of The Leprosy Mission. After studying Korean in Seoul, she came to Daegu on March 21, 1959.

After Bennett came to Daegu, treatment for leprosy patients began in earnest. At that time, Korean society forcibly housed leprosy patients in nursing homes for treatment or living in hiding and receiving no medical benefits at all. In this difficult environment, Bennett treated and helped leprosy patients at Dongsan Christian Hospital, and later visited the leprosy group village and conducted circuit treatment.

In particular, if the patients were uncomfortable and difficult to come to the hospital, they drove themselves to the hospital to treat them, and when the treatment was finished, they took the patients back in the car and took them home.

Grace Bennett treating patients suffering from leprosy

2. Grace V. Bennett set up the TLM(The Leprosy Mission) Jesus Clinic

In 1962, Bennett established a leprosy-only hospital at the east side of Kyungpook National University Medical College Hospital, named it The Leprosy Mission Hospital, and actively supported leprosy patients with outpatient treatment, hospitalization, and surgery. It had 20 beds and 7,000 leprosy patients have been hospitalized.

Bennett moved 160,000 kilometers a year for circuit care and 90,000 patients were treated annually. She considered Korea to be her second home country and confessed, "I'll stay here and work until you need me."

On March 1, 1971, he was inaugurated as the representative of the "Korea Leprosy Missionary Society," and on November 18, 1974, he was awarded the British Empire Medal awarded by the Queen of England. With her dedication, TLM Korea was established on December 8, 1974 and developed into the current TLM Jesus Clinic.

On June 12, 1975, she was awarded the National Order of Merit, Dongbaek Medal, awarded by the Korean president. She retired as a missionary at the age of 60 and returned to England on 2 December 1981. And on August 5, 2006, she was called by God.

TLM Mission Jesus Clinic, initiated by Grace Bennett