John McHenry III
John McHenry III | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | November 22, 1932 Evanston, Illinois |
| Died | January 18, 2006 Albuquerque, New Mexico |
| ABM | Asia 1963 - 1966 |
| Counsellor | N.E. Asia 1969 - 1974 |
John McHenry III (November 22, 1932 - January 18, 2006) was an American Bahá’í who pioneered to Korea and served as an Auxiliary Board member and Counsellor.
Biography[edit]
McHenry was born in Illinois in 1932. His father, John S. McHenry II, was a Bahá’í who served in the Air Force as a non-combatant in WWII and in Korea, Japan, and Europe during the Korean War.[1]
McHenry joined the army in his youth and was stationed in Japan. He was visited Korea with other Bahá’ís in the army to teach during his term of service and was able to become a permanent resident of Korea in July 1957 at the suggestion of the Guardian making him among the earliest Bahá’ís to pioneer to the country. He received the following letter written on the behalf of the Guardian in March that year:
"He is very happy you can arrange your affairs so as to return to Korea, and you may be sure that he will ardently pray in the holy Shrines that the way may open for you to find work and be able to settle there.[2]
The phenomenal progress the Cause has made in that area is practically exclusively due to the services of young American Bahá'ís who are in the Armed Forces. Indeed, it is a great victory won by Bahá'í youth."[3]
McHenry found employment at Chosun University in Kwangju and was able to conduct firesides with students at the university. In 1958 he gave a speech to about 1500 students on a United Nations Day and Human Rights Day program in Kwangju which he noted resulted in an increase in fireside attendance. He also visited the town Chunju twice a month to teach throughout 1958.[4] In January 1963 he was appointed an Auxiliary Board member for Protection for Asia,[5] and in 1964 he married Ok-Sun Pak.[2]
The McHenry's moved to America in 1966 but returned to Korea in 1969 and McHenry was appointed as a Continental Counselor for Northeast Asia. He served as Counselor until 1974 when he returned to the United States with his family. McHenry worked as a computer specialist in Washington, D.C., and then Denver, Colorado, after arriving back in America. In 1987 the McHenry's moved to Albuquerque where he served on the Local Spiritual Assembly until his passing in 2006.[2]
References[edit]
- ↑ Bahá’í World: In Memoriam 1992-1997, p 171
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (2007). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 34 (2005-2006), Pg(s) 243-. View as PDF.
- ↑ https://bahai-library.com/sims_raising_banner_korea&chapter=3
- ↑ https://bahai-library.com/sims_raising_banner_korea&chapter=9
- ↑ https://bahai-library.com/sims_raising_banner_korea&chapter=10
