Episode 976- Sensei Samuel Danh
In today's episode Jeremy sits down and chats with Sensei Samuel Danh after Free Training Day Pacific Northwest, about his martial and spiritual journey.Sensei Samuel Danh - Episode 976
SUMMARY
In this conversation, Jeremy sits down with Sensei Samuel Danh after Free Training Day Pacific Northwest. Sensei Danh shares his harrowing experiences of survival during the Cambodian war, his journey through refugee camps, and the role martial arts played in his life. The discussion also touches on cultural adjustments after moving to the United States, the importance of community, and the transformative power of faith. Samuel's story is one of resilience, personal growth, and the search for belonging. In this conversation, he shares his transformative journey from a challenging childhood to finding peace through faith and martial arts. He discusses the importance of building character, empowering youth, and the intersection of spirituality and martial arts. Lastly, he emphasizes the role of community in personal growth and the significance of humility and acceptance in teaching and mentoring others.
TAKEAWAYS
• Samuel Danh's early life was marked by survival in war-torn Cambodia.
• Martial arts training began in refugee camps as a means of self-defense.
• Cultural adjustments in the U.S. were challenging for him.
• Community support played a crucial role in his journey.
• Faith became a significant aspect of his life after trauma.
• The importance of storytelling in sharing personal experiences.
• Resilience is a key theme in overcoming life's challenges.
• His experiences highlight the impact of war on childhood.
• Finding purpose through martial arts and community involvement.
• Martial arts training can evolve from self-defense to personal growth.
• Empowering youth is essential for building self-esteem.
• Character building is a key aspect of martial arts instruction.
• Faith and martial arts can share foundational principles.
• Life experiences shape our ability to mentor others.
• Community support is vital for personal and collective growth.
• Humility can be crucial in both martial arts and spiritual journeys.
• Pride can hinder personal development and relationships.
• Every individual's journey is unique and valuable.
CHAPTERS
1:49 Samuel Yen's Early Life and Survival
4:08 Martial Arts Training in Refugee Camps
6:57 Journey to the United States
9:51 Cultural Adjustments and Challenges
13:12 Finding Faith and Purpose
16:01 Military Experience and Martial Arts Evolution
18:54 Reflections on Childhood and Trauma
21:53 The Role of Community and Acceptance
25:01 Conclusion and Life Lessons
29:58 Transformation Through Faith
32:15 Martial Arts as a Path to Peace
35:29 Empowering the Next Generation
38:43 Building Character Through Martial Arts
43:02 The Intersection of Faith and Martial Arts
53:36 Embracing Life's Journey
01:00:44 The Role of Community in Growth
Show Notes
This episode is sponsored by Kataaro. Please check out their site at Kataaro Custom Martial Arts Products - Kataaro. And use the code WK10 to save 10% off your first order. And be sure to ask them about a wholesale account for school owners!
✅Subscribe to whistlekick Martial Arts Radio on the following platforms:
🎧Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3mVnZmf
🎧Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3yHVdHQ
🎧Google: https://bit.ly/3kLSpo8
✅You can find whistlekick on all social media platforms using the handle @whistlekick or visit our website at https://www.whistlekick.com or https://www.whistlekickmartialartsradio.com
Show Transcript
Jeremy (03:33.69)
Hey, what's happening everybody? Welcome to another episode of Whistlekick martial arts radio. And on today's episode, I'm joined by Samuel Yen. Thank you for being here. We had a great time yesterday at free training at Pacific Northwest and more interviews coming out of that. If you're new to the show, make sure you check out whistlekick.com for everything we do for the martial arts industry. We are here to connect, educate and entertain all of you out there.
whistlekickmartialartsradio.com for everything relating to this show, the number one traditional martial arts podcast in the world. Very proud of that. And this episode is sponsored by Kataro, K-A-T-A-A-R-O.com for the absolute best martial arts belts in the world. They do something cool. If you buy a belt from them and you put stripes on it, if you promote, you can send it back to them. They'll put another stripe on it for free.
Like they do some really neat stuff like that. Yeah, they're a great company and just love having their support. I'm wearing a Kataro hoodie. They do great rank certificates and other awesome stuff. Keychains that'll reflect your rank, things like that. So make sure you check them out at their website and use the WK10 to save 10 % on your first order. That's it. Thanks for being here. Thank you. I appreciate you. You dressed up for the show. Yeah, you dressed up.
Just got out of church. No, it wasn't for me.
Jeremy (05:07.852)
But was great meeting you yesterday and you know, there's something that tends to happen at free training day events.
Jeremy (05:17.452)
We hadn't met before yesterday, right? Have we met First time last year. Okay, okay. did meet last year. We met last year, but we didn't get to communicate that much. There's not much connection. This year we did a little bit. and you and Michael, who I just talked to, and a few others.
It doesn't feel like we don't know each other. It feels like I know you. Not because I know your history, but just there's something about certain people when they come to these events. like, yep, this person belongs here. I'm glad they're here. And I had that feeling with you. So yeah, same here. Likewise. And you, you know, you getting these things going and, and help us in the Northwest. So we appreciate that. Thank you very much.
for introducing us in a free training program like this. I appreciate that. Yeah, well I want to make sure that I recognize Jen, who is out there, as well as Gabe and Jenny. We wouldn't have these events. of course, CJ and here at KI Martial Arts, getting to use this space. It's fun. It's fun getting this stuff going and watching.
Jeremy (06:35.36)
watching people show up to these events the first time and they're kind of nervous, right? They're kind of, not really sure what kind of people are going to be here because so many of us and we're gonna talk about ego later. We're gonna record an episode after this that will air on the subject of ego. Because what if there's a lot of ego when you show up, right? And just the way, just that noise you made that just, right?
That noise says a lot. And I think for a lot of us having to navigate the ego side of the martial arts world is exhausting. It is. You get stressed out. Want you out with Big Town real quick.
But of course, it's a martial arts event and let's start here and see where this takes us. When did you start training? I started training, well, the history back in World War II. I mean, not World War II, but Vietnam War, Cambodia. I was going say World War II, you look good. You look really good for World War II. I would say started back in 1978.
because of a Cambodian war, I was captured in a Cambodian field, in a killing field. And then in 1977, the Viet Cong started flying over and fire, you know, airplane coming into the camp because we had war at that time called killing field. And I was one of the young kid that was captured doing the escape from Vietnam because my parents were
South Vietnamese Army. were, my dad was a captain, my mom was a major, and they were the MP. MPs, normally, if you're in charge and you capture enemy, you interrogate. And our family was meant to be executed, so I escaped to Cambodia as a young boy. At the time, I was only, I would say around six and a half. And once I was captured, I was nine.
Jeremy (08:49.954)
And then when the vehicle come in and fight and we were trained to be soldier and trained to fight our job was setting up landmines and out in the wood and putting bullets in the clip cleaning the soldiers weapon and do whatever we got to do is to survive. Because the thing is you don't cry, you don't laugh, no enjoyment in life.
then they won't execute you. If they see any of that, they execute you. So, our job when they start training for fighting for military, all kids, females and boys, all go out and train. And then, when the airplane, when the Vietcong started to attack, then a lot of people died. So, kids were running and my thing was to try to escape.
Ten of us, five got blown up by landmine and I survived through the landmine. I got a few scrap of ruin and shot and escaped on a bullet and then we keep running. No matter what, keep on running and we run to a Thailand border and there I was in a refugee camp in Thailand border.
Jeremy (10:15.198)
I was one of those young boys, very clever and very alert, observe. And the key is survival mode. It's searching for food and water supplies and stuff. So we make it to the border and we managed to find a camp at the border. We stay there. And then later on, we finally got to go into the big camp where we protected by Thai soldiers.
Well, they got Vietnamese camp, Chinese camp, and the Cambodian camp. The Cambodian camp was so big, so I sneak over to the Vietnamese camp and I'd stay there. And as a kid at that time, I was only 10 years old. We'd make it there. And I, because I speak two, three languages. And
Jeremy (11:08.844)
So I sneaked from fence because they have wire fence on each camp and they have row and tie patrol every know certain hour they patrol. So if the Vietnamese people they need water I sneak over to Cambodia and get water or supply because they got everything there. They you know tie soldier they sell it. So I can go there and trade. They know they call me a slicky boy. That's a nickname but one day I got captured.
I got captured by Thai soldiers and two Vietnamese kids. I was lucky enough my father taught me some from a Cambodian martial art. So took us to the camp to the military camp and it's right there. They look tiny base, but those guys, the Thai soldiers, they just having fun. So they don't have any rooster to make a fight, but they use us as a rooster fighter.
So they, know, some of them, you're 10 years old. And some of the 10, the Thai soldiers kids that were there, they were trainers to be a Mu Thai fighter and they all have skill already. So three of us, some of the two Vietnamese boys got in there, they got their butt whooping everything. And in my turn, I stick around, I got two rounds out of it and see the skull right here. That's the skull that I always remember.
when that young man elbow me. was just going to say that that looks like an elbow. And from that day on, after that, I, they, you know, lost it. I lost the fight. Then they took us back to camp. They say, if you tell what we do, come back and kill you. So, first thing I did, I tell, you know,
be adult in camp and then next thing you know in the Cambodian camp they know it too in the Chinese camp so what they do they have an area where the Thai people let us come together and just you know fellowship for a certain hour only so they come out and they say all the kids come out and train so we got boobie nam we got Khmer, Bokata only few that can teach whoever can teach
Jeremy (13:33.378)
They come out and we start training. And that's where my martial art began. And that was in 79. Okay. The intent of that training, was it because these folks knew what was going on with the kids and they wanted to keep you safe or was it to occupy time? They want to prepare us. They don't want to, you know, see us. I told them exactly what they did to us.
because they use us as a human-cop fight and if this keeps going because the soldiers they would make them bet on it. that's and then and when I tell them that and stuff so they say okay let's train our kids how to defend ourselves learn how give them some kind of preparation or preparing for learning how to defend anything then better than nothing.
So that's why all the kids start training and then from that on. And I think I heard you say in a variety of martial arts. Yep. We have Vuvina there, Vietnamese martial art. We have Chinese Kung Fu. Because a lot of us, a lot of those elder guys, they were ex-military because they are refugees escaping from war. So they know how to fight some kind of training.
So those who have skill, they come out and they train us a little bit here and there. most of us get sponsors, some of us don't get sponsors, we could stay there. if you don't, if you, at that time, if you don't have any kind of guardian or anything in refugee camp, the Thai would send you to an island. It's called the lost, the island for children. And then they put you on that island and then later on,
when you become a certain age, they can beat you off or sell you or you become a slave to, sex slave or whatever. That was later. But then in the early day, later on, I find out they shut that down. But then I got sponsored and get shipped off. So I went to Bangkok and then went to Philippines.
Jeremy (15:56.812)
for two weeks and then they shipped me to an island called Galang. Galang Island is an old Japanese military base when World War II and then they turned those Japanese base is cargo. They turned that into a bunker living quarter for a refugee camp from Vietnam and Cambodia. It's two camp, Galang 1 and Galang 2 Island. was actually that is my
favorite island and that's where I first saw Bruce Lee's movie and that's where I really fall in love and more short and I remember that day we me and a kid he's Chinese Vietnamese and they were very successful and there was a girl we fight over and here we are two kids fighting
And I remember that boy throw a sidekick and I blocked like Bruce Lee jumped back and block it and wha-pah! And I hit back and then, you know, and all the adults, they all run out and just make a big circle and just watching two kids fighting, having, you know, a blast. How old were you at that point? At that time, I was just 10 and a half. Okay. Yeah, 10 and a half. And then, so that's where, yeah.
But you're smiling when you talk about this. Very different than the other fight you were talking about. Well, those other fights are enjoyable. The reason I've been a fighter all my life is because when Viet Cong took over our country in South Vietnam, they come in, their children are very rude, they throw rock at us and stuff. It's just like in the South. If you're raised in the South, you should know there's races.
You know, they always pick a fight and I I'm a type of person that if I can't win I throw a rock at you or I'll shoot you with my slingshot That was my thing and that's how I defend my family and friends and stuff when I was in Vietnam when saw enemy Invaded that was 1976 75 76 75 we lost Saigon. We lost Vietnam 76 they start coming in
Jeremy (18:20.642)
slave everybody, deacon trance and everything for almost a year. And that's when we escaped. I escaped with my cousin. yeah, and the mosh art was there began and then when I came to United States in 1980, I finally make it to United you're 11, 12. 11, 11 and a half. How did, how did, were you sponsored? Yeah.
I was sponsors and got over here. I was supposed to go to Paris. reason I didn't get to go to Paris, I almost got to go to Paris because in 19, I was in Vietnamese camp and I was up on a water tower. In a camp at night, every hut that we have, we dig a hole in the middle.
because at night the Cambodian, the red Cambodian, they would shoot in, bullet at night. So we got to jump in the hole and cover, take cover. And that's reason. And then once we survived from it, then went to Galang Island, then that's where...
the mentality of survival kick in so at that time no matter what I wasn't afraid to get hurt or die at the refugee camp in Galang because I learned how to survive the waterfalls fishing and stuff is beautiful I love it that's why you asked me why I smile because when I when I fight that boy I fight for that girl and you know I fight for that girl I almost enough to go to Paris because
One day the taxi cab pulled up at the refugee camp in Thailand. There's a French family came out and there was a young girl who was beautiful, blonde hair and everything. Man, I was up in the water town. I could see everything. So I ran down and you know how, you know, us Asian, we don't see a lot of American people, you know, except during war time, but civilian, we don't get to see that much. So it was a French family. come down to see.
Jeremy (20:43.906)
have found any kids that belong to French family that was killed and some of boys and kids that were French. And everybody following and I looked at them go, man, look at that girl got blonde hair, blue eyes. I'm gonna marry me one of those. That's what I told them. I'm gonna marry one of those. And then as they getting into taxi cab and they about to take off and I was like.
in the crowd and they run up and they got them and I go Ottawa, me jus Ottawa I mean goodbye you know at that time I'd speak a little bit of language everywhere because here's the thing survival everywhere you go you learn something culture in the language so they stopped and they started get out and then started coming toward me and I got spooked so I took off and ran
That's why I say I almost end up in You might have gone to Paris. Yeah, I almost end going to Paris for free. But you know, I don't have to wait for no sponsor or nothing. But I end up in Sacramento in 1980, late 80, three months later.
My father, he escaped in 75.
He had his own unit. They couldn't fight anymore because they don't have any more bullets or artillery to fight. So they hop on an American PT boat and they hop up to Thailand with his soldiers. They say about 150 soldiers with him. Couple of boats they took off to Thailand. They have only one machine gun on each boat and that's it. And the rest they left behind.
Jeremy (22:35.808)
When I escaped and then they finally released my mom because they were supposed to execute my mom. But my mom was pregnant so they didn't execute her. After she delivered my younger brother then she ended up in prison working trans, POW, a year and a half I think. And after that they released her. And I already escaped and gone.
And when he found me in 1980 in Sacramento, everybody say my father's dead, but I say, no, my dad's not dead. I'm the only one who's feeling, you know, he's not dead. then, taxi cab pull up, there he is. Found me and brought me to my father. He pulled up and I looked out the window and I saw a taxi cab and I looked, that's my dad.
run out to see him. So he took me back to Louisiana. Okay, that's where I was wondering we were going to get to the the southern drawl. I wondering where that was coming in. So I went up in Louisiana and lived there and then we stayed there for until 1981 and then later on I was going summer school learning how to English and everything and then
I end up in in 92 we moved to Madinoya, Arkansas and opened up the first Chinese restaurant there. My dad does and and that's where I learned most of my, you know, English and we back and forth to Louisiana. got both home and more short we're still training. I still train what I have and then I start studying Kung Fu.
and then the animal system and then later I picked up Taika Jujitsu back in early 80, 85 and then in 91 that's when I started studying Gojiru.
Jeremy (24:51.81)
Gojiru karate, 91 right after service. I went to join the United States Air Force, got out, I got hurt. I didn't last long. I didn't last long because at that time I was one of those kids that angry at the things that going on around the world because when I first came to United States, my first instinct was to learn.
I learned the language, I learned the history. I learned history. What made American? What made GI great? What?
What makes an American great? So I started studying. Studying leaders. George Washington, Eisenhower, and Ulysses. All those guys that have a history. My favorite is MacArthur or Pat. I started studying about those guys. And that gave me a great history of understanding what it takes to be American.
So, and I wrote that in my senior year in a teacher. She read my story because I wrote this story about myself, freedom in the eyes of a child. When we make it through the camp, the things we, you know, about 20 of us.
Once the enemy attacked at the border of Thailand, we saw the Red Cross at the camp. So any of you ever watch Mask? The show Mask? Like in the I Don't Know You Know?
Jeremy (26:33.538)
with a helicopter and everything doing a Korean War. was one of my mother's favorite shows when I was growing up. It's the same image, similar to it. Imagine the eyes of a child seeing that kind of camp with the Red Cross. It's a sign of freedom. That's why...
When that, it give us hope. That's why 20 of us survive, help each other survive. We got kids get their skin all burned, my skin all burned up and we roll on the ground to put out the flame. We grab clay from the mud and we rub on it to keep our body cool down from the metal, from the landmine.
And we have kids that dragging an arm and no legs and stuff. So we help each other to survive, to camp at that time. But then, make it to Magnolia, learning English. They throw me in fourth grade and I couldn't hold a day going pencil. I never had education during the war time. Never get a chance to go to school or anything. But martial art was always been in my heart to defend myself.
because they throw me in full gray and lunchtime, kid be eating lunch and stuff, I'll be snoring. Because 12 o'clock is my sleeping time in Vietnam. So, you know, and... So let me ask you a question because, you know, I've had some friends that they didn't have a normal childhood, you know, not as dramatic as what you're talking about, but it seems like when you take a child and you take away a lot of their childhood and you're talking about being, if I'm doing the math right,
five, six years old with a slingshot. Right? That's having a lot of your youth taken away. Coming to the U.S. and going into school, going into fourth grade, I imagine you still saw most of the world as where is the threat? What am I, where is the landmine? Where is the person that's trying to kidnap me? It must have been difficult to shut that off.
Jeremy (28:45.306)
It take, well, when my father found me, it took almost six months. Because half the time, my mom, my stepmom would find me under my bed. And, you know, because nightmare and things that still haunt me in my memory. And she would find me sweating in the night.
dreaming because seeing all the people that would kill and suffer. The thing that changed my life, like I say, I wrote a story about the freedom of the, you know, in the eyes of a child. My teacher, miss, my...
reading class teachers she read it and she said I really like because I wrote something and I say in this word there's not even one perfect man because every man got hatreds and you know it is from anger of a child of my youth and I was you know but
In up in, Manitoba, Arkansas, the first thing is, you know, people never seen Asian people, you know, never seen it. So a lot of black kids, they throw rock and white kid, they throw rock at us. Me and my stepsister, but they pick on the wrong guy. I throw rock back. I chase you down and I throw rock at you. And that's what I did in fourth grade. They were picking on me all the time.
But I didn't know, but every time I fight back, whatever, I get a spanking every day from the teacher. But they didn't tell my mom, but it didn't hurt me. It didn't face me because I'm used to those things. I get spanking every day. And then,
Jeremy (30:44.802)
In 1992, no, 82, was still calmed, didn't speak much, didn't know much either about United States. Think back now, it's funny. The other day, I saw they having a parade. And I was like, wow, they all win.
clown mask and everything, they marching the parade and I said, let me go out. So we were visiting a friend and I went out there and started walking behind them and waving at folks and everything. And then later on, find out that was a Cuckoo Clown Parade.
and I was marching at a Kukulkan parade so now I was like, holy cow, now I know they know what it means. I'm sure they must have been really unimpressed with you being there. Well, they were kind of jogging, like what the hell is this little boy doing walking behind our parade?
So, you know, but I was just, I was just a friendly parade. How many, that's kind of funny. How many Asian kids have marched in a Klan parade? I I don't think, I was the only one, I reckon. But that was in the elderly office hall. in the South, racing up in the South is different. Down there is...
you know growing up and making friends and stuff because a lot of folks they never seen you and then after I wrote that sentence the teacher tell me you know I really like your story but I just want to tell you this there's one man that is perfect and that is Jesus with me and my attitude at that time was hate and anger and everything and I'd say who is this Jesus
Jeremy (32:35.33)
why he's perfect so she told me and she asked me what I'm gonna do this Sunday I said I'm at my dad's restaurant helping out so he said why don't you come to church what's church so she come and pick me up and invite me to church and that's where my life changed it changed me like you asked me earlier how aspect of a childhood
have no childhood memory except what I have is different. All that was taken away. I learned to let go. I learned what I find peace. I find peace in Jesus. And that's where it began in my life. And that was my senior year.
my senior year and then I found the thing that she taught me is that no matter where you go or whatever you do whatever becomes your life you always remember Jesus loves you and he's there and he's willing to change if you remember that name you just call on him he will change your life so
I didn't, you know, I'll keep that in mind, but I went joining the military, joining the United States Air Force, then I got hurt right after boot camp, and then we got out of boot camp, we graduated from it, and then ready, go through a ready, they give you ready center to train you, get ready to ship you off to your mission.
Jeremy (34:13.815)
My mission was I'm a military MP security just like my parents. Did you want that role because of them? Yeah, yeah, I do. And martial art was training hard. I still train and from there, because of one rock, it changed my whole career. We were doing five mile run with full gear on.
and we rested and then as soon as I stand up there's a rock with under pine bunch of pine leaf it twists my legs and it broke it
So my squadron were gone different and then they recovery and then they say you can retrain and send you to the new unit with no squadron and you know and I said hell no I'm done with my attitude at that time. Youngtown you know and then I end up back to Nashville Arkansas that's where the Goldrew kick in that's where I found my Goldrew instructor Terry Reed.
He helped me to understand. We was in Yamaguchi system at that time. then learning Goju on him. And that's where the Wolf Dojo began. And I always adopt that. And he accepted me. And the thing about Nashville, Arkansas, that's where I really got into religion more because...
There after the service come home, you got no family, got nobody there for you. And I stayed in a hotel and I saw there's a Bible there. It's called the Higitian Bible. Higitian Bible was the only Bible that was published for the Vietnam War.
Jeremy (36:13.63)
And here I am, I eat hamburger every day and then working for Bill Pullen Weed Year Plan. That was 1992.
And then I was like, then I find out my older brother died in Vietnam and then I was like sad. My life was like a mess. And so I started thinking about suicide. And then I was like, no, I went through a lot in my lifetime. I don't want to give up this way. And then I remember what she say, remember on Jesus name. So I look at the Bible and I hold up and I say, Lord, I don't know who you are. We don't.
If I open this door.
and you if I can walk to it and I'm gonna go and I'm gonna wash my clothes you get it dry by morning I get dressed and I go to any church you send me to and I'm gonna find out about you and get to know you so it was United Pentecostal Church in Louisville, Arkansas so I walked through it walked to it and people looked at me like they never seen like like a western movie wearing a cowboy walking through a saloon and everybody stop and just look so the
service stop and they're all looking at me.
Jeremy (37:27.65)
I walk in and they they never have a Colour Pope coming into their church before. So I walk in and I say, excuse me, is this okay for me to come in to learn about Jesus Jesus? They accepted me. They welcomed me. It's United Pentecostal Church in Nashville, Arkansas. And that's in February, February the 14th, 19, 14, 1992. I got saved on February, on Valentine's.
That's where I'm born again and become saved. And you've got the same smile talking about this that you had talking about that fight, right? that are watching are seeing you smile as you talk about certain things, but the folks that are listening, they're not seeing that difference in your face, but I see it. I see the difference as you talk about this. So that's where it changed and my life's changed.
Being a Pentecostal is totally different. I don't see people, but the key is they take me in, they teach me the word, and then they guide me. They help me to understand that my heart was on fire, just changing. Then I studied karate, I met Terry, and first I heard him. He was a go-to, but I studied, I put a score on him for six months. Never met him, trained with him first day, and then I kind of...
put a hurt on him. mean to. so so let me ask you about your martial arts training because I'm imagining you know you're talking about your first examples of training were out of necessity. You had to train or at least felt you had to train because of the environment that you were in.
and you come to America where, at least compared to your childhood, things are really safe and most people are doing martial arts for very different reasons. It's interesting or they see it more as a sport or it's a hobby.
Jeremy (39:36.246)
When you started training in the US, were you still training for the same reasons? Did you feel, need this, I need to keep myself safe? Or had you found enough, I guess, comfort that you could approach it more with other intent?
Well first, first it was more of intense, it's more of defense. Because at that time, remember you're a color boy living in South. I always say, you're a little squirrel living in a white man's world. We're trying to get a nut, no matter what.
But that's what my line always said, Matt, because I trained at that time and then later on I found peace in Christ and the training started to become more peaceful now. It started changing my tactic of understanding why am I training hard. And then training to become a fighter and defend and all that. And then I do all that.
Jeremy (40:43.732)
It changed me because I'm not there to hurt anyone anymore. Because God helped me to change that. I find my peace.
But there is time because you always have people big and tall, we always challenge you. Because no matter where you go, you're going to have comment or people threaten you. for being a little guy, there's a thing, we hit hard and we block soft. So once you hit it, you want to make sure you break that son of a gun, and that way they don't come back.
You got to hurt him at least let him know that you know like I always say you can push an ant To the corners so many times you can only push ants a certain point He would turn around bite you no matter how big and small he is So that's you know and that's where I learned to forgive you learn how to let go and you learn how to smile and laugh the reason I'm
You asked me, you can see the smile in a different, because remember I told you from the beginning, I came from a place where war, when they see a child that is crying, laughing, smiling, they execute you. And you know how they execute you? They can beat you.
they can take a bag, I remember the bag is normally green or blue, like a garbage bag, from the safeway. They cover it over your head and suffocate you. That's why when I see the joy in my life now is to smile for those children, for those kids that didn't make it.
Jeremy (42:44.094)
Every time I do things, I let that become the joy of my heart, my life. now I'm in the ministry. I'm also a minister. Because Nashville church and I was on fire and I work with children. I'm in the U ministry and I help kids build up their...
their low self-esteem. So I own a dojo here in Tacoma. I'm also with APC. APC is Asian Pacific Culture Center. We represent 47 different country, Islander and Asian.
I have a martial arts school there. teach on Monday and Wednesday. My program is very easy. It's to help lower income families that cannot afford for their kids to be involved in any kind of sport. I have kids, I have parents that come in and they can't afford to put their kids in any kind of sport. My rule is very simple. One, you got to make sure your kids have school and education. Make sure they're doing great in
school. Two, make sure they have food and make sure you pay the rent and stuff first. Don't worry about your martial arts as long as your kid can come and once they come they submit they work hard. If you don't have money to offer that's fine. When you have money pay if you can if you don't that's you know but the key about my dojo is to help family and help kids. You can bring in kids that can
not stand you can't bring kids that can't even get along or can't even speak so shy and stuff and you see the beauty when you mold yourself you work with that kid and you got to learn patient and you when you see the joy and the ability to change that in them they make you feel
Jeremy (44:52.746)
I make a difference in that kid's life. And that's what being a sensei, teacher, and I learned that not because I have any great teacher, I got good foundation through people that I interact with in my life. have, you know, like I say, I share with you that I like history. I have encountered my life with majors, Cornell, General.
that served under great, great people. I have met a gentleman, the right hands of MacArthur. I have met a general that was the second wave of airplane that's supposed to drop on Japan, the atomic bomb, the second wave, not the first wave, the second wave. He was ready.
So those people that I encountered inspire me to change and different. And even my father-in-law, my first wife, father-in-law, he was a command master sergeant. He encouraged me and inspired me in my life. So the change. So martial art, it helped me to mold characters of a student. It's not money making. I'm not about money making.
The good Lord will always provide no matter what. But the thing is, You make a difference in those kids' life. I have kids come in "Sensei, I'm hungry". What are you going to do? Your mom don't feed you boy, No. Come on over here. I'll buy you something to eat. And we have kids that come in, don't have shoes, don't have uniform. I buy uniform, I have them, and I have student, my senior student, I have about 100-some student in Renton.
I have a few black belt that helped me out and my senior black belt, they always provide. And we got uniform and kids come in, know, parents don't have money to.
Jeremy (46:58.088)
offer but just as long as they come and that's my program for APC and you know I'm glad you guys doing this for free for people out there that want to train wanted to get involved to wanted to grow back in my day we pay $150 just for an hour with the head instructors and seminar you know my my instructor I studied Goju and Ishinru
Yeah, I studied under H.A. of Inkula, Command Master Sergeant, and Marine Corps. And also, I have many great peers that I trained under that was great Ishimura's practicer.
Jeremy (47:49.442)
karate helped me to mold my characters as when you place yourself humble it goes a long way I learned to smile it goes a long way it opens doors because of where I've been through I don't like bullying I've been bullying all my life but the thing is
You can take care of bully anytime, but there's a certain way you pop their bubble. Explore them. Then they change. A bully because people bully because they don't understand where they at. And they see the opportunity. But if once you explain to them, tell them, man, how you like it, it's back the other way, they're going to learn.
and it's opportunity for them to change in their life. that's, know, my martial art has taught me a lot of characters of being a person in my life. Because you're learning to change. You're learning to adapt the surrounding. you know, being a martial art instructor is...
see where your humble is, where your heart is. you know, we always say mind, body and spirit are one. And that's why in Ishinru we have a thing we call it one whole heart. Everything you do in your life, do it one whole heartedly. That's why we always say, don't throw weak punch. You throw that hard punch, you make sure you take care of that son of a gun.
So yeah. We all have stories. We do, we do. This was, yeah, this is a good story. So a lot of people talk about, and of course everyone, as loud as any of them, about the benefits of martial arts, of traditional martial arts, and the way that we train, and how it can help people grow.
Jeremy (50:10.004)
Of course, there are a lot of people out there who will say the same thing about faith, about religion. We haven't had a ton of people on the show. fact, I'm trying to think. I don't know that we've... No, I take it back. We've only had a few people who are lifelong martial artists and ministers.
Talk to me about what you see as similarities in how religion and martial arts help people. Okay. Well, like I say, we build foundation, right? In karate, you gotta have strong foundation. In karate. To make karate strong, once, like I say, I have student come in, they have no...
They have very low self-esteem. So you gotta develop skill and develop foundation then to make them strong. In a spiritual world, in a Christian world, you're teaching the Word of God. The Word of God is our foundation. It's the way of life. Without Jesus Christ, there's only one way to heaven is I am the way, the truth, and the light.
Nobody can go through me. Everybody had to go through me before they can go to see the Father. So the map is already set for us to be free. We get only 120 years in life here on earth to change our life, to change our way. We all burn as a sinner.
Jeremy (51:52.438)
God's not going to force you to become a believer.
That's why He gave us free choice. know, many angels up there want to have what we have, but they can't. They are spiritual. Okay? We want what the angels have, is being spiritual. But God gave us the opportunity to learn to live freely with Him. He wants us to go home. That's why we get 120 years to change our way, to change our life, is to accept Him. Only very simple. People don't understand it out there because
All you gotta do is accept Jesus Christ as your Savior and be believer and that's the key, that's the bridge, that's the cross, that's the cross that He suffered for us so we have that way. So when you have a strong foundation in karate
you have strong foundation in the spiritual then you learn how to communicate with people to help people to mold their character
We're not here to judge anyone. We're not here to say, you do it wrong. But you know, you can see when your student do kata and you say, that's wrong. Let me show you how to do it. That's you correcting them. And same thing. God is correcting us every day. When we sin, He had the Holy Spirit that help us to understand, you to go over and tell that young man, I'm sorry. The hardest thing that I see people do in
Jeremy (53:25.89)
It's going up to another person say hey, I'm sorry. I'm When you submit yourself in certain things it released the spirit is a conquer conquer that part of bottle a bottle is Where you stand you you got to be strong in the spirit. That's why
Jeremy (53:51.86)
In the military, martial art is a military art, the art of war. It teaches you to mind, body, and spirit together. That's why you gotta have that foundation. In mid-evil times, we had warriors that served God with wholeheartedly. And there's honors. You know where the salute come from? You know why they salute? Why we salute in the military?
I don't think I do know. Okay. Well, in mid-evil time, night, when they fight each other, they're ready to jowl, they lift up this, they raise this shield. It's a sign of honor. I let you see me. If I show I die, honor me and respect me who I am. So when we salute, we show that person, you have my respect and honor as a warrior.
So that's why when we bow is a sign of honor and respect. So that's why we have that spiritual foundation in our martial art. And that's why, you know, when I tell my student, all the black belts up here, they are eight, seven done. They are officers that go through training, hardcore training in their lifetime to earn this knowledge and wisdom.
show respect that's why you know our generation is changing in martial art too because you know in tournament we I always in my tournament I always tell their student their sensei if you bring your student make sure they come up bow and say judges show respect my name is Dao Ma Kata very simple in every system but
Nowadays tournaments kind of seem like walking away from that.
Jeremy (55:54.348)
So, yeah, spiritual had a strong foundation in my life with the martial art and that put my heart to humble myself in that aspect and that's how I help myself. Seeing the Lord help me to mold my student, to mold the character of my student and you can see the difference, the change in that student.
Jeremy (56:24.47)
We have student that gang members and they have tough life and they come, they develop, they change. That's why I... I don't want to gloss over that. Okay. You have students that come in that are active gang members and you allow them to train with you. Yes. Talk about that please. That's significant.
Because a lot of gang members, they come in, they grow up in a rough neighborhood, alright? But the thing that I give them, because they come in, they challenge. They challenge your ability and your skill. That's the first thing they're gonna do.
and then you're going to have to put them in place and show them a few techniques that it works. It don't take much. And then if they like it, they see, man, I can't do this to him. Then, you know, make it where it's because when people come in, they challenge your skill and your ability is to see where it work or not. And say, it's a baloney, you know, they just do it. No, once you show them reality is not
what he is. I'm not doing that fancy flying cake and all that. No, I'm not going to do out that.
Here I'm going to take this gang member that live in the street. They have a rough life already. They dealing with gang member, you know, they go out and hurting people left and right. And how can I move this young man? Well, like I said, I take this spiritual word to help him as well to move him. say, you know, how long would you, how long would you want to live that way? How long you willing to do that? You know, I had a young man, he.
Jeremy (58:16.48)
He was, what grade was he? Seventh grade. was gay. You know, he's a little guy. But he got a bunch of big guys wherever he go. He go with them. And whoever you want to point, he point and say, go beat him up. It's the same mentality in doing a Cambodian war. In a Cambodian war...
Kids were like 14, 15 years old. They were officers.
They out in the rice field and they walking around and they see they don't like this person or whatever or they got a point. They point that person, that person, the adult, they go grab that person and then he tell them what to do. He execute them. So I see that.
And I see that in those kids. And when that young man come in, couple gang members come in, I mold them, I train them, I even baptize them. The key is you make them feel, you gotta find a way to make peace with them and make them feel that, make him feel you're important to me.
I make that young man feel comfortable that I accepted who he is. And I did. I accepted him first and then I slowly mulled him. And once he accepted me, then I'm in. Because once you see bad students or bad kids come in, you start to push them away. You're not doing anything. You're not doing the purpose of being an instructor. We are teachers.
Jeremy (01:00:07.53)
You are teachers. I learned to become a student. And I'm still a student of life and the word. And that's what helped me to mold them.
I'll teach, that's it. And the key is, being a teacher is being open up your heart to that young man. If you open up your heart and you're willing to accept who he is, then slowly they see the change, they see the love. Then they're willing to say, know, as I remember that young man later on, he changed.
those guys still hanging around with him and stuff, they changed too. They all married and have kids now and you know, he working, you know, honest, making honest money back then. He beat those kids up and get their money. So I'm drugging school and stuff. Those, you know, that's, you know, that's in Tacoma. You know, so let me ask you a question because we're going to start to wind down.
I think it would be really easy for most people to look at your childhood and say, I wish that hadn't happened to you. And of course I wouldn't want that to happen to anyone.
Jeremy (01:01:36.866)
But the childhood you lived gave you this understanding. And I suspect that you wouldn't change it because of what it's allowed you to do. Am I right? Yeah. You wouldn't go back and time machine nothing. You wouldn't change any of that. I wouldn't change it. But here's the thing is that since I've become a Christian, it's happening from the beginning.
Let me take you back a little bit. After the invasion of Vietnam in 1975, and I was around seven years old, during the summer, we playing soccer. I was the goalie. a ball was kicking toward me, and it missed the goal and it rolled down. But behind me, there's a few tombstone graveyards.
I went and get it. But suddenly there was an old man sitting there, white, dressing white, long beard, white gray hair. And I bow to him and say, you know, in my language we would say, Xin Zhao Ba, we bow, show respect, and eat.
call me to him so I went over and he run his hair into my hair and he said Gong Yoi, good son and then he said to me three things that he said to me you will travel four places you become different from your people never ever let anyone hit on top of your head those are the three things he told me to me
I got saved in 1992. didn't talk about war until 95. I got saved and I started strong in belief and then I started thinking back. That was God to me. That was my spiritual guide and he's telling me and all the things that happened in my life for the purpose of it.
Jeremy (01:03:55.72)
is to make a difference in people's life. That was the beginning of my call. God chose certain people to become leaders and certain people to God or teachers and whatever it is in every field. God chose those people.
I'm not saying that God chose us. That's why we have 120 years. God chose us. It's just a matter of time where we're willing to open up. And that's why I'm not gonna change what had happened in my life. As I'm looking back, those journey was a journey of testimony.
Do you share your testimony? How God can change your life? And that's how I'm not going to throw gospel at you and try and make you a believer. No, we all have journey and time in our life to make that change. The key is live your life. Let that become the testimony of your life to help others to change their life.
So God placed that in my life so I can learn and be strong and have confidence that I was never alone. I didn't know about that. I didn't know that was Jesus. Because during the war, after the war, in my village we have old...
American military base, there's a small one, but after the Vietnam War, they all left and they left a lot of stuff back. And they left them, know, stuff back. So the Viet Cong come in and then they took everything and then they, one summer they show a movie.
Jeremy (01:05:43.336)
and all of us go out, make us all go out to the village, go out in the rice field, we all sit out there and then they hook up big old screen and they show us this movie. It was the 10th Commandment.
At that time I said, man did you see that demon, the fire destroyed all the Egyptians and we didn't know he speaking English. So that was, you know, that's the beginning of the ministry.
Imagine 2,000 people sitting on the rice field watching the Three Stooges and don't understand a deck going where you know this was in a refugee camp in Thailand and then we each go back to our camp and everybody go whoop whoop whoop.
Okay? Imagine that, alright? That's happened to me in Thailand. you know, language barriers, it's just, the key is when I first heard English speaking, it's like a bird whistle. Gentle bird.
Jeremy (01:06:56.111)
That's why, you know, I bring that up because I think that was the beginning because watching the 10th Commandment didn't know what it was until, you know, that's when God is revealing Himself to me.
And that's what's my journey and you know my journey is not in yet because I told God I say I'm not done yet. You call me. I'm not it's not even begin. I'm I'm not perfect. I'm a sinner. I'm gonna tell you I'm a sinner. I'm I'm not perfect man I maybe go church and I'm ministers, but if I see you bully somebody I'm gonna stand my ground and hurt you and you know, I may be a wolf, but I have foundation
You know, this is the fan and comfort of people, you know, the key is we live our life as a spiritual karate guy like me, like yesterday. Come here, our brothers, our husband and wife was teaching. She shared a little bit about her father.
Jeremy (01:08:05.902)
situation and how she had to stress they have to leave after their teaching instead of saying I do this and I pray for you I pray for them right there. It's uplifting each other.
And I'm glad you guys doing what you're doing with karate free training is to help each other learning and feeling accepting other. It's called a broken barrel that you break down the wall of pride and pride is the worst thing. The beginning of life, the devil himself got kicked out of heaven because of pride.
Pride can destroy you. So, what you're doing, it helps us to express our ability, our skill, and also help us to grow and build what? Relationship.
And that's what I did. And that was just because my brother need a comfort. And I encouraged this strength. I told her, say, now is seeking faith, seeking pray, seeking strength for you and your family. So I prayed with them. Good martial arts community. And this is why I brought this up. And I hope people in the audience recognize that
The goal here was not to have a religious conversation. But I think oftentimes it's easier to understand what something can be by comparing it to something else. And when you get a bunch of martial artists together who, I would generally use the word ego, but you use the word pride, and they're very similar, that they are not prideful.
Jeremy (01:10:11.496)
it becomes a lot of people will use the word spiritual and so spiritual that can it can get close to religious enough so that I think a number of people out there have found some folks who do not train find what we do as traditional martial artists to be so close to religious that they reject it right and I personally I find a very
a good model in a healthy religious community for what we do in a healthy martial arts community. Supporting each other, putting aside pride, a good minister, pastor, etc. of the person in the front of the room.
is still a sinner, a good martial arts instructor at the front of the room is still a student. Right? There's so much correlation there that I really like comparing the two ideas and that's why I wanted you to talk about it and I'm glad that you did. And so I hope the people out there don't think the purpose here was to make you take religion.
Jeremy (01:11:25.59)
We all student, let it mow you. Because that's...
That's one lesson if we let it mold you, it develop your character and it helps in strengthening our ability and our spiritual walk and our growth. We are all growing, learning to be grown, become better person, the better. But you know, that's the whole point. More short is, it's just not art of war all the time. It's peace time, harmony, you know.
here. don't know you saw that. It's better to be warrior in a garden than in a war. Katara's one shirt, katara.com. set that up. Michael set that up too when I talked with him. Thank you for involving me and inviting me to share and I appreciate that. Thank you.
for your organization to help develop this for our community. And yeah, we can't wait for next year. And I'm definitely supporting this. And as soon as our facility bigger.
We wanted to do a bigger place, bigger gym. And I want to see 100 something people show up for I think we'll get 100 next year. And next year or a year after, once my building ends, we're going to move over and do it every year and I'm going to get it set up. Here's the irony folks who have been to free training days around the country know, somehow free training day almost always ends up at a church.
Jeremy (01:13:09.568)
Free Training Day South outside Atlanta, the one year we did that was church gymnasium. Free Training Day Midwest when we did that in July, that was at a church. The last three years of Northeast...
a religious school gym. Somehow there's something about this that I find really interesting. And I'm going to have you close us up in a moment. But to the audience, thank you for being here. I hope you've enjoyed this half as much as I have. Remember to support Kataro, K-A-T-A-A-R-O dot com. Use the code WK10 to save 10 % on anything that they've got going. And if you want to support us, remember whistlekick dot com.
and everything related to this show is whistlekickmarshallartsradio.com. Samuel, how are we ending? What do you want the audience to think about as we press stop here? Okay. I would just say...
Thank you that every one of us that coming together in harmony and get to share and also learning open set your mind as flexible mind to willing to learn and accept no matter what good and bad always remember we gonna learn something you always gonna get that ingredient that's gonna taste good and you wanna take that and put it in heart. It's just like the old saying in south
put that little stuff in a pot of gumbo you're going to taste it good no matter where you like the flavor of there's always some kind of different flavor in there you're going to find you're going to like that so in a more short it's the same way so
Jeremy (01:14:54.166)
Yeah, I want to thank you, my brothers here and that the organization setting this up and hope it to grow more and in the future we're looking forward to every year and not just one time every year, maybe twice a year. So we're looking toward it and I'm willing to support it. My dojo is willing to support it and I'm looking to that. So thank you very much for inviting me and God bless everyone and safe out there that's the whole thing.