*From left: President Tomas Tolentino, sponsor Bill Glass, and me. (September 4, 2026)

Good morning, everyone!

Thank you so much for welcoming me into the Rotary family. It is truly an honor to be here.

I’m originally from South Korea. My Korean name is SeungRi, which means “victory.” So I go by Victor.

You may know that the Korean War played a very important role in my family’s story. My maternal grandfather was a North Korean defector. He escaped by swimming across a river and eventually fought for South Korea. My father was born just after the war. At that time, the United States, together with the United Nations and many other nations, came to the aid of South Korea. Because of their sacrifice and service, South Korea is here today. I am eternally grateful for that. And last year, I had the great honor of becoming a U.S. citizen myself.

I also had the privilege of serving with the United Nations Peacekeeping Forces. I was sent to East Timor shortly after the civil war there. That experience became one of the defining moments of my life.

I was serving in a very remote area when I became seriously ill. I developed what was known as dengue fever. There was no medical treatment available where I was. I had a very high fever, a rash covering my body, and I became delirious. I honestly thought I was dying. That night, I knelt down and prayed. I said, “God, if you spare my life, I will humbly serve you with all my heart.” I fell asleep. Early the next morning, I woke up—and the fever was gone. The rash was gone. I was alive. That moment changed the direction of my life.

My spiritual journey began there, and eventually I felt called to ministry. I became a Methodist pastor. One thing I love about the Methodist tradition is that the church is a sending church. We are called not simply to stay where we are comfortable, but to go wherever we are sent and serve wherever there is a need. So, over the years, I have been sent to Boston, Western Massachusetts, Northern Maine, and now, Cape Cod. And here I am.

My wife, Joyce, and I are blessed with five children, and we are very happy to be here, serving the people of this community. I am especially grateful and honored to become part of Rotary. I look forward to getting to know each of you, working alongside you for the common good. Thank you!