Sleeping pics!

Hyun Woo

Eun Jin while watching a movie at my place… she is Teresa Chen’s Korean counterpart

Sun Mi and Dong Chan… I think Dong Chan likes her… she didn’t know he had rested on her shoulder because she had already been asleep… sneaky Dong Chan

Min Je

Yong Shin, Chae Hyun, and Soo Hoon

Another pic of Sun Mi

Little Sun Hee

Myung Bae

Myung Mook, Ye Rang, and Yo Han

Eun Jin sleeping at World Cup Stadium as Korea’s national team scores against Bosnia (everyone else was going crazy)

My favorite sleeping pic… Joon Hyuk and his awesome hair

Da Woo and Kyung Hwan

Jung Hwan

All of us (except for the 10 in the baby/toddler room) will be going to the beach for a few days this week.  I’ll probably post again Saturday.  God bless!  =)

I’ve been reading “The Way I Was Made” by Chris Tomlin.  In one of the chapters I read today Chris writes about “lifting your hands” in worship.  Psalm 134:2 says, “Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the Lord.”  He then gave three different meanings behind when people raise their hands using worldly analogies…

1)  Joy!  What happens when Virginia Tech scores a touchdown?  Us Hokies immediately raise up our hands in joy and cheer.  (okay, so he didn’t use Virginia Tech in the sports analogy… but he should have )

2)  Surrender.  What happens when a soldier is defeated and surrounded by the enemy?  He raises his hands in surrender. 

3)  Love.  What happens when a little child sees their mother or father come home from being gone all day?  They raise their hands and by their motions they are saying, “Please pick me up and hold me.  I’m so happy to see you.”

That last meaning really got to me.  Whenever I walk into the baby room here a child or two will run up with a smile and raise their hands to be held.  When they do that, it never fails to touch my heart.  And our Father is the same way.  He delights in us delighting in Him.  And He wants to hold us, I know this. 

Kate Miner – Hung The Moon

The air was thick and still and cool
The earth was slowly spinning
The stars were bright and new
I saw you there in the beginning

And I hung the moon for you

I heard your every cry
I knew the rhythm of your laughter
And how my heart was torn in two
By all that would come after

Still I hung the moon for you

Don’t think twice
Lean against the wind
It’s alright
I’m holding on to you

So rest and dream
Though I don’t slumber
Know I’m dreaming with you
A heart so full of tenderness
And love and wonder for you

And I hung the moon for you

Picture dump… these are pictures taken in the past few months that never made it on here…

Movie at my place… I try and let the little ones invade now and then… some of them are here watching a movie right now as I’m posting these pictures

A random picture taken by one of the kids… its one of my favorite pics…

My friends Brian and Daniel have a Christian band called “Kry.”  They came and gave a free concert for the kids a while a back.  It was new for the kids… I don’t think any of them had been at a concert before.  They were silent for most of it and we were a little worried they weren’t enjoying it.  But afterwards, the kids were all smiles and running up to Brian and Daniel for pictures and to talk to them. 

Brian and Daniel singing together

Eun Jin (one of the girls here) onstage… she correctly answered a couple questions and got a free CD

Kids with Brian after the concert

Kids with Daniel

Ah Yoon (this and the next pic were taken by a 6 year old here, Jung Hwan)

Playing basketball with a couple of the kids here

I tried to teach the younger ones some sports… I tried…

Hide and Seek is a favorite for my kids to play in my apartment… Soo Jin is the best… this time I found her hiding in my refrigerator

And finally, a most random pic… myself and a few of the staff here (the other two guys and the older lady on the right with the baby) with a bunch of the past Ms. Koreas!!!  They came here to “volunteer” and clean one morning while the kids were at school.  They didn’t do much… I think it was a publicity event.  Such randomness!

Today I met this year’s GEM group at the airport.  I traveled with them into Seoul and had a late dinner with them.  Praying for this group, and especially seeing them today, has caused me to reflect a lot on the past English mission camps I’ve served at here in Korea.  There were so many struggles and so many times during the camps that I wanted to be anywhere but there.  But through the struggles and pain, I learned more and more how to look to God.  I would never trade that suffering for anything… those experiences I hold dear to my heart.

I gave the team two simple words of advice…

1)  SMILE… I remember during my first two mission camps I was always so serious, or focused as I wanted to think.  One of my friends, Scott, would always tell me, “Smile John-Michael, smile.”  In 2004 I finally decided that I would smile as much as I could, especially with the kids.  The kids’ reaction at that camp was so different from before… they would give me huge smiles and be really happy to see me, even when I didn’t know their names.  Even here at the orphanage, I try my best to smile as much as I can.  Some of the kids here have even written notes to me in Korean telling me, “Keep smiling JM.”  A smile is powerful.    (“You are the light of the world…” – Matthew 5:14).

2)  DON’T COMPLAIN… in other words, “deny yourself.”  I’ve realized this is excellent advice for anyone who wants to serve the Lord with their life (probably since the Lord tells us directly to do this)… learn how to encourage others and deny yourself of selfishness/unnecessary complaints.  (“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself…” – Luke 9:23). 

God is good.  He continuing to teach me everyday…

Martin Layzell – I Stand In Awe

Kot Nim holding little Jung Ho with Jin Seul on the right… read below about Kot Nim and be encouraged!

A few days ago I went into the baby room and could hear the kids laughing and singing in one of the rooms.  I opened the door to the room to see Kot Nim and Jin Seul holding hands with the kids in a circle, leading them in dancing and singing around in the circle.  The little ones were so happy!  So happy!  Honestly, seeing something like that, so pure, innocent and beautiful, brought tears to my eyes.  Kot Nim (16 years old) has wanted to be a social worker at an orphanage in Korea; she is awesome with kids.  Last winter she had a dream at night that she was serving at an orphanage… but it was in a poor foreign country.  Since that dream, her hope is now to be a missionary and serve at an orphanage in another country.  Awesome, right?  A new dorm mother here (just 22 years old) has similar hopes, as does a couple other dorm mothers here.  I feel like God is preparing an army to go out to His broken and lost children.    Anyone else want to come serve with me out here and join the army in training?  Honestly, let me know. 

Dae Yoon

Hyun Bin

Ji Won

Kang (these boys were focused!)

Kyung Mi building with the kids

Jung Ho picking something up… a lot of the boys’ summer pajama pants are a bit baggy and will gradually come down as they play… amusing to watch…

Yoon Ji… she loves for me to chase her, so she will run up to me with a smile, and once I react (even just a flinch) she will run and laugh and laugh while looking back at me

Jung Ho giving Na Re a kiss… its cute to watch the little toddlers interact with Na Re, they each give her kisses

Na Re

Prepare the way of the Lord!

My heart is longing for healing ministries to grow… groups of mature Christians that have a burning heart to pray for the hurting and would be willing to take a few hours out of a day every now and then to invite a hurting person/people to come, share their burdens, and be soaked in prayer.  It would require a lot of trust between the prayer team and the hurting person, and a leap of faith to pray and worship for so long without knowing what God would do… but what would we have to lose?  I want to truly live.  I want my faith to grow.  I want to grow in prayer for healing.  I want to see the oppressed set free, the broken heart bound up, and the prisoners released from darkness.  Wouldn’t the Lord be pleased?

 

Matthew 10:8 – Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons.  Freely you have received, freely give.

 

Luke 10:9 – Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God is near.’

 

Those instructions were given to the disciples as Jesus sent them to the towns ahead of him.  They were to prepare the people for the coming of the Lord.  

 

Come Lord Jesus, come quickly.  Use us to prepare the way for your return.

 

Charlie Hall – Prepare the Way

Mother Bird Dream (a dream my father had recently)

 

I was walking our dog in a park when I came across a bird nest with three baby birds in it chirping – they were too small to fly on their own.  A full grown bird flew to them and fed the little birds.  Then it would fly away and gather more food to bring it back to them.  This was done again and again, and the little helpless babies continued to chirp and eat whatever she brought them.  Then the names of the baby birds were revealed to me.  They were the names of the three young men I am trying to disciple.  When I woke up I prayed, “Lord, help me be faithful in feeding your children.”

 

Galatians 6:9 – Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

 

John 21:16 – Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me?”  He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”  Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

 

Here is a pic of Na Re with two high school girls from my church (Jinhee and Jaerin) who came to help out the past couple days…

 

 

Na Re is growing quick.  She cries a lot though and I’ve noticed the baby room dorm mothers being a lot more tired lately.  Please pray both for Na Re and for the dorm mothers, for peace and encouragement.  Thanks!  More pictures next week. 

 

Vineyard – The Lord Is Gracious And Compassionate

A GOLD RING

In the book “Jesus Freaks” I read about Christians in prison in Russia who were witnessing to a wretched thief and murderer.  The guilty man kept saying how he was totally worthless and unworthy from his life of sin.  Then one of the Christians said something like this (paraphrasing)…

“Suppose you have a gold ring that is very valuable.  Would the gold ring lose its value if it became lost?  No!  A gold ring does not lose its value when it is lost… it is still a gold ring.”  Then he continued, “A human is worth far more than a gold ring.  Although we lost ourselves to sin, we are worth so much to God that He sent His Son to die for us that we may be found again.”

The thief then realized just how deep God’s love is and repented and was freed from his guilt by the love of God.  Praise God! 

Well, right after reading that story I opened up my Bible to do my daily Bible reading.  I just happened to be studying Luke and the chapter I was to study that day was Luke 15.  Luke 15 has the parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son.  In each story the people who find what they had lost gather all their friends together and have a great celebration… they had found what was valuable to them. 

“In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents” – Luke 15:10. 

“But while he (the prodigal son) was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him” – Luke 15:20.

I hope you are reminded of His great love you

Alrighty, here are some Alaska pics… enjoy!

My mom and I at Denali National Park

A mountain ram right outside our tour bus… on the trip we saw a grizzly with her cubs, a couple moose (made me think of Jennifer Kim), plenty of mountain sheep/rams, whales, seals, and a number of bald eagles…

Bro-in-law Todd and sister Katie

My little sister Laura with her THIRTY-TWO POUND salmon!!!  She had trouble reeling it in and I kept encouraging her, “C’mon Laura, reel it in.  You can do it.  Reel it in.”  I had no idea just how big the fish was.  It put up quite a fight, to say the least.

Family with the three fish we decided to keep… in just a few hours we caught 12 salmon and 1 rainbow trout… our fishing guide said it was one of the best days of fishing he had been a part of in five years

Pic from the cruise ship

Kayaking pic… two per kayak, we lined up next to each other for the picture

Todd and Katie in their kayak

Picture of dogtown from the helicopter… 270 sled dogs live here and their trainers live in the tents outside the dog area.  It is only accessible by helicopter, they even fly the dogs in.

Laura and I outside the helicopter at dogtown.  The whole area is a huge glacier that is covered in snow with mountains surrounding it.

Those two specks standing together are Laura and I, we rode the sled behind the trainer’s… the dogs were awesome!  I was surprised at just how excited the dogs are to run together and pull the sleds.

Mom and Paps with some of the dogs

A dog pulling a Snoopy on his doghouse…

Another scenery pic

Zip wire course, some of the zip lines were really long

Family pic

I came back to my apartment to find the kids had left a note on my refrigerator. 

Candi Pearson and Todd Fields – Apart From You