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Look around. One glance around the busy, urban landscape of Myeongdong will show a person, a neighbor who is barely getting by, who is worrying about the next meal. Myeongdong has always stood as a symbol of the Korean Catholic Church and the Archdiocese of Seoul. At the heart of Myeongdong is Myeongdong Babjib, a soup kitchen dedicated to serving as a shelter for the poor and isolated. Each day we hope to become a place where the doors are open, where anyone can walk in and have a warm bowl of "bab"(rice).
“Let us be each other’s bowl of rice.”
- The Late Cardinal Stephen KIM Sou-Hwan -
We hope to follow the cardinal’s footsteps and invite the poor and isolated to our table and share a meal, to relive once again the miracle of the five loaves and two fish.
Values
The fundamental value of Myeongdong Babjib is the acronym MERCY, which also reflects the mercy the Lord has on us.
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Meal
Everyone deserves to have a warm meal. Caring for the hungry by practicing sharing is the Catholic Church’s mission. -
Evangelization
Offering meals is like sharing life and love, and at the same time, it is proclaiming the evangelization of God, who is life and love. -
Recovery
Recovery is breaking away from isolation and experiencing full rehabilitation. We hope to go beyond serving meals and provide a wide range of support to help pave the way toward a complete recovery. -
Community
We hope to embody the early Christian communities where those who give and receive help all live in harmony, supporting each other. -
Yeast
We hope to become the tiny but powerful yeast that transforms the Myeongdong neighborhood, the parish, the Church, and the world into a place of warmth and love.
Programs
[Free meal program]
We offer free meals for the homeless and the elderly who live alone.
·11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday
·50 servings per sitting, 500 to 600 servings per day
[Recovery programs for the homeless]
We help underprivileged individuals to break free of social isolation and return to their communities. We also collaborate with associated organizations to run social recovery programs for homeless individuals
[Recipients]
The homeless and elderly who visit the soup kitchen
[Programs and services]
haircare, bathing assistance, emergency medical assistance, emergency care package, mental healthcare,
job-search assistance
Operation Details
| Number | Name | Details |
| 1 | Ceremony of Blessing | Friday, January 22nd, 2021 (Officiated by Cardinal Andrew YEOM Soo-jung, Archbishop of Seoul) |
| 2 | Location | Setbyeol-Gwan Hall, 1st floor, Site of former Gyeseong Girls’ High School |
| 3 | Hours | 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays |
| 4 | Serving capacity | 500 to 600 persons per day |
Volunteer Opportunities
Myeongdong Babjib is always looking for volunteers to help with our mission. Volunteers are encouraged to serve for longer than six months. Volunteering jobs include can preparing meals, serving food, providing visitor information, assisting with security, and cleaning up. If you would like to help, please fill out the online application form below. For any additional questions or concerns, please contact us at 02-727-2269 or 010-3139-5725, and we will assist you. Please note that all new applicants are placed on a waiting list and can start working after a formal registration. (Registration process includes online or in-person training, after which the office will contact each applicant for individual jobs.)
Group volunteers must apply individually for each member of the group, not as a single entity.
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