During my years at Virginia Tech I was studying to be an engineer.  When I told people that was my major, I would get simple remarks about how it pays well and that its a good major… no one would ever say or ask anything Spiritual about it.

After graduating I worked construction for a few months because I was in a time of transition and still praying about my future.  When I told people I worked contstruction, they would look at me funny and some would laugh about how I “went through college” to get such a job.  Again, no one would ever say or ask anything Spiritual about it.

But when I became an orphanage volunteer, suddenly I started receiving a lot praise from people I didn’t know as well… it was embarassing to me.  

But you know what, I don’t feel any different as a person when I was studying in college my last few years or working construction or living here.  I believe I was honoring God with my life just as much in each place.  Why?  Because I was seeking Him and obeying His will in every place.  Because I volunteer at an orphanage now, does that make me a better person than I was when I was at Virginia Tech or working in the early morning at construction sites?  NO.  What truly mattered were the prayers, the yearning for God and His will, and continuing to learn how to love others. 

People are encouraged by me being here, and I’m thankful for that.  But honestly, if it wasn’t God’s will for me to be here, or if I just wasted my time while I am here… God would not be happy.  He delights in obedience.  He delights in us seeking Him.  He delights in love.

Don’t ever think you are ever a lesser Christian for where you are in life or what you are doing… if you are seeking and obeying Him in everything and learning to love others more and more, you are honoring Him just as much as any other Christian out there.  Some days you might be surrounded by 80 orphans, other days by a couple alcoholic construction workers… just keep seeking the Lord and loving those around you, God delights in you just the same. 

BTW: I’ll be in the Philippines for the next week to change my visa.  Take care everybody!

Bebo Norman – Nothing Without You

God does not love the orphans any more or any less than He loves you.  God does not show favoritism.  BUT… God’s heart breaks for the lonely, the neglected, the abused, the homeless, and the oppressed.  His heart breaks not only for the neglected orphan or widow, but also for the children from broken homes, for the wives ignored or beaten by their husbands, for the handicapped reduced to begging. 

We are the body of Christ.  God expects us to reach out to such people… and believe me, they are everywhere.  As you grow in God’s love, just as God’s heart breaks for the victims of injustice, so will your heart break for them too.

“The Lord is close to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” – Psalm 34:18.

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?  Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter–when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?  Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.  Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.  If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves on behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.  The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame.  You will be like a well watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail”  Isaiah 58:6-11.

Come, Lord Jesus.

Watermark – Mended

More pictures… I invaded the baby room last night and then today some of the munchkins invaded my place… enjoy!

Yoon Ji pics

Kee Beck and his trucks

Jung Ho

Won Bin

The next ones are from today, the first are taken by me while playing hide and seek…

Sun Hee caught hiding behind some mattresses

Kyung Hwan caught behind a mini fort

Sun Hee found hiding under a bed

The rest of these pics were taken by a 1st grader Hae Hyun… she took about 75 pictures, here are just a few

Jung Hwan pics…

This one is blurred, but I like it…

His brother Kyung Hwan

Naruto pose (Japanese cartoon)

Sun Hee

You like my $5 haircut? 

And the photographer herself, Hae Hyun

Jars of Clay – Like a Child

More of the faces here at Geon Christian Children’s Home.  Aside from the washing machine pictures and Joon Hyuk and Jung Ho, all of these were taken by children here, either of themselves or of each other.  Enjoy!   

Hyun Suk

Sun Mi

Little Jung Hwan, one of the cutest kids ever

And his brother Kyung Hwan… see a resemblance?

Yong Shin

Sun Ran

I played hide and seek with two of the girls (Se Bin and Soo Jin) a couple days ago and I could not find Soo Jin.  This was her hiding spot…

Yup, that is her huddled in my washing machine.  She had the lid closed over her head when she was hiding… it was the last place I looked.

This is Seung Chul, the oldest among the kids here… he sports the “fashionable mullet,” which you will commonly find in both the NHL and in South Korea

Yong Hee

Joon Hyuk and Jung Ho (front)

Soo Hoon

His older bro, Sang Hoon

Their younger sister Soo Yun… I’ve introduced her before, but every picture this girl takes of herself is gold, so let me share another with you…

God bless you all!

Jars of Clay – God Will Lift Up Your Head

I want to remind you all of my vision… my hope is that in the next few years more people will join me as volunteers at orphanages here in Korea.  My hope is that in the future we will be able to gather as a team and go to other lost/poor countries to build orphanages and minister to the people there.  Don’t think that God can’t use you in this.  And don’t think that it will be too hard. 

To demonstrate just how much God provides, check out this video of my apartment here…

http://www.comequicklyministries.org/jm/video07.wmv

My mailing address has changed.  Please mail to…

Geon Christian Children’s Home
Attn:  JM Becker
325-11 Kehwa-dong
Gangsuh-gu
Seoul, Korea 157-230

And lastly, just a quick fill in about what I do here…  I’m currently studying Korean 12 hours a week at a Korean learning institute (my classes just started).  I’m teaching three classes of orphans here, 6 kids per class, each class meets together twice a week.  I’m also beginning two community classes of 1st – 3rd graders that meet once a week.  These classes are for free and help bring attention and support from the community to the orphanage.  I’m also beginning a class for some dorm mothers and dorm fathers here.  My schedule is busy, but not overwhelming.  It changes, but what I just shared is the current schedule.  In my free time I play with the kids, relax in my apartment, or meet with church friends.  Pray for me to learn to speak Korean quickly.  I love talking with the kids, but conversation is very very limited at the moment.    To join my prayer team, e-mail me at comequickly@gmail.com.  God bless you all!

No music, instead I encourage you to read Isaiah 58:6-11.  Let the Lord minister to you. 

In the summer of 2003 I visited Geon Orphanage with my friends RJ, Ruth, and Kim Kim.  I had no idea that two and a half years later I would be living here.  The kids have grown a lot since that visit…

In 2003, visiting some of the girls in So Mang Bang (Hope Room) with Kim Kim

Now try and match the kids (the girls on the far left and right above aren’t in the next picture)…

I realize that is hard to see, but Eun Jin was in the middle, Eun Song was the middle right, and Kot Nim was the middle left. 

And the girl in my arms was Hae Ji, here is a recent picture of her…

In 2003, this was little Ye Rang (sleeping in between friends)…

Here is Ye Rang now…

Choong Hyuk 2003 (boy on the left)

Choong Hyuk is now a lanky 5’11/6’0 and still growing, he is in the middle of this picture…

The next picture includes young Bo Ran who joined Ruth, Kim, RJ, and I for our crazy calby lunch mishap where our bill ended up being $94 for lunch. 

Bo Ran has blossomed quite a bit.  She just graduated from high school and now works as a dentist’s assistant.  She will probably only live here at the orphanage a little longer.

Min Shik and Sung Hyun, 2003

Min Shik now (took a picture of himself)

Sung Hyun now (also took a picture of himself)

Here was the first baby to grow up at Geon orphanage, Won Bin

Won Bin with my friend Debbie and I (taken a couple months ago)

More pictures are to come.  Thanks to those who read through my last three wordy entries.  Also, I booked a flight to the Philippines, March 29 – April 2 in Manila.  I’m hoping to visit some orphanages and some different missions there… and also catch some rays at the beach.    God bless!

How do we escape the grip of money and materialism?

 

By giving.  While prayer and growing more in love with God are also crucial, I’m going to focus on giving for this entry.  Let me illustrate with my story… please persevere in reading, I think it will encourage you…

 

Early last year (2005) I felt it on my heart to pledge to give my usual 10% tithe to the church but also give an extra 10% offering to missions, whether in America or elsewhere.  I knew I would be challenged in this, but I was determined to follow through and see what God would do.

 

I began working in August 2005 and I knew I would be working until at least December or probably January 2006.  I had some goals.  I felt I needed to have saved X amount of money in my savings account by January 2006.  That money would be put away in bonds for the future… perhaps to pay for a wedding ring, honeymoon or mission expenditure.  I calculated my salary and could see if I also would later sell my Thunderbird, I’d have some spending money for fun and also would have saved that X amount of money.

 

But then things started changing.  I felt God put on my heart the desire to give a large amount of money to someone as an extra offering.  I saw myself just being able to have enough money to do so, as long as I could sell my Thunderbird for a lot of money.  I admit, I was nervous, but I felt determined to do what was on my heart.

 

Then I received an unexpected large sum of money from someone as a gift.  After giving 20% of it to my church and to missions, I was left with enough to cover that large offering I felt led to give.  Praise God!  Then I also I received the unexpected $18,000 of support money from my mom’s friend specifically for my mission effort.  And then I received some more unexpected money from relatives as gifts.  That was not normal.  God was blowing me away.

 

Because of the gifts, I was able to have that X amount of money put away by early December.  And instead of having to sell my Thunderbird to some stranger, I was able to give it to a friend.  That brought me so much joy!  All through this time I was also able to eat out now and then, go to the movies, travel to Tech a few times, and buy some CD’s and books I wanted.  And I also got birthday and Christmas presents for family, of course.  =)

 

God is faithful.  I read this verse today… Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’ – Hebrews 13:5. 

 

Thank you to Wooj, David Koh, Sung, Sang, Alex, Heather, and Chickenman who commented on my last xanga.  Sung’s story (CSI8923) about his relationship with his father was beautiful.  Praise God!  Know that God wants to reward you and bless you, but He wants you to trust in Him and rely on Him.  I have an iPod, North Face jacket, nice camera, nice new laptop, new DVD player, and a very nice cell phone with me here in Korea.  ALL WERE GIFTS.  Amazing, right?  Be faithful and give, you will learn how God truly is in control.  He will be pleased and will bless you.  Malachi 3:10 is a promise. Sadly, the curse in the verse before it for those who do not give is a promise too.  Give, friends. 

 

United Live – My God