Na Rae’s first birthday and some pictures from Hope Room

Na Rae turned 1 last Tuesday.  The whole orphanage celebrated (for Koreans, a person’s 1st birthday is an important one)

Pastor Chae and Na Rae

Soo Jin (baby room dorm mother) and Na Rae

Na Rae at her special table with the other baby room kids

Koreans have a tradition of a baby on their first birthday being set in front of a bunch of different items that symbolize different paths of life (computer mouse = computer/business field, money = rich, food = a cook… and such), so whichever object the baby touches/chooses that will be the baby’s path of life… while I consider if more of just a fun but meaningless tradition, I was pleased when Na Rae touched/chose the Bible (symbolizing missionary/pastor’s wife/Bible teacher)

Na Rae, Pastor Chae, Mrs. Chae, and other young ones from our home

Yoon Ji getting a closer look at the cake

Joon Hyuk in one of his fantastic picture poses

Hae Ji, Jin Seul, Jung Ho, and Sun Hee

Collecting kids in Hope Room (playing Attack Uno with Eun Ho in my lap and Sun Hee as my playing partner)

Se Bin and Hae Ji

Eun Ho with Se Bin

Hae Ran and me

God bless! 

“He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaugher, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth” – Isaiah 53:7.

“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” – Luke 23:34.

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” Romans 5:8.

“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus” – Philippians 2:5.

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.  And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers” – 1John 3:16.

It is truly only by grace I can do anything good.  I’m completely unworthy of his love, but he continually offers it to me anyway.  I still have trouble understanding it, but I am thankful.  Consume us Lord.  We are grateful.  Christ in us, the hope of glory. 

Chris Tomlin – Glory In The Highest

Pictures!  This is an assortment of pics…

I showed the movie Princess Mononoke to my 4th – 6th grade kids two weeks ago, they loved the first 90 minutes, and then the movie got too long for their attention spans… here is Eun Ji sleeping during the movie

The next class I taught them “left” and “right” and we played Twister. 

Getting tangled up, these kids are good, about 23 times as flexible as I am…

Playing Uno Attack, these kids can’t get enough of this game

Il Ho going for the high five, Chae Hyun unaware

Won Bin

Win Bin quickly kissing Soo Rim as I was taking their picture… this picture is a keeper =)

Tonight I took the Shalom room boys out for dinner and then the PC room

Ramyun (noodles) and two hours in a PC room = “Happy Day!” for the boys

God bless!  CCFers, let me know how your retreat went!

2 years ago I was wrapping up a 10 day just water fast during my last semester at Virginia Tech.  I had just attended my last CCF retreat.  At that point I still had no idea where I would be or what I would be doing after I would graduate.  God had put on my heart for a while to do that extended fast during my last semester.  It was a blessed time.  There were no huge revelations or significant outpourings of the Spirit, but after time the Lord answered all my prayers in powerful ways.  Also, the fast wasn’t exhaustive, I just had to be careful with my energy and rest a little more than usual.  On the 10th day I took a World Regions exam and ended up with a 102 out of 100 (I think God’s grace helped me out with that).  I even had enough energy to hit the tennis ball that afternoon with Semy and Richard a little (just a little).  If you are in college, especially if you are in your last year, I encourage you to take time to fast as you pray for your future.  Jeremiah 29:11 (“I have plans to prosper you, give you hope and a future”) is only true if we are moving in God’s will.  Fasting as you pray is a way to increase your senses to God’s will and draw you closer to Him.  I especially encourage fasting during a fellowship retreat.

The following song is super old school, but some of the lyrics have been on my mind a lot lately.  I know more healing and greater pourings out of His love are coming…

There is no other friend
There is no other friend like You, oh Lord
No other brother
No other brother like You

There is no other love
There is no other love like You, oh Lord
No other sweeter
No other fountain but You

And how long until I’m satisfied
I must have more of You
For I was born in Zion
Awakened love is crying out for You
It must be You

And if I’m healed by
Just one touch
of your garment, Lord
Then how much more
of Your love is for me
than I’m tasting, Lord?
Draw me, take me and I will run
Over the mountains and down into the valleys
I will run with You

All, all my fountains are in You

David Ruis – There Is No Other Love (Soul Survivor 1996)

I keep getting asked to post more and more pictures of Na Rae… so to satisfy you all, this post is all Na Rae.

When I visited the baby room a few nights ago, little Yoon Ji and I had a mini pillow fight.  Na Rae laughed and laughed as the little pillows were flying around.  A little later I took this short clip of me swinging a pillow and Na Rae laughing in response.  Enjoy the giggles of a child less than a year old.

Na Rae pics

This last one was taken by Yoon Ji, who isn’t even 3 years old yet, I was snapping my finger to the side of the camera to get Na Rae’s attention

Hope you enjoyed the pics!  God bless! 

Now you can learn important Korean sentences too!

Tomorrow I have my final exams for Korean class at Yonsei university.  Here are some example sentences from my textbook of different grammar I am learning, with the translation my textbook offers.  If you can’t see the Korean characters, right click on the screen and select “Encoding” and “Korean.” 

휘파람을 불면서 목욕을 해요. (Hwuipalameul bulmyunseo mokyokeul haeyo) – “She takes a bath while whistling.”

내 살던 고향은 꽃 피는 산골이에요. (nae saldeon gohyangeun kot peeneun sangoleeayo) – “The hometown where I used to live is a flowering mountain valley.”

닫혔던 문이 저절로 열렸군요. (dadhyutdeon moonee juhjuhllo yullyutgoonyo) – “The door which had been closed has opened of itself, I see!”

붕어가 살아 있군요.  죽을 것 같았는데… (boong-uhga sala eetgoonyo.  jookeul gut gatatneunde) – “The carp are alive, I see!  And it had seemed they would die…”

한국말이 아무리 어려워도 끝까지 배우겠어요. (hangukmalee ahmoolee uhlyuhwudo kootkajee baeoogaesuhyo) – “No matter how difficult Korean is, I will learn it to the bitter end.”

God bless!

Vineyard – Sweetly Broken

Short picture update

Soo Rim and Bum Yong (sister and brother).  They arrived here last week.  They both cried all day their first day here.  Soo Rim continued to cry for the next few days, not letting Bum Yong out of her sight.  They are adjusted now, smiling and getting along with the kids here.

With the two kids… both of them weren’t sure about me the first days, particularly Soo Rim.  I would notice her watching me at dinner in the cafeteria or when I would visit the girls at their room.  Now both of them smile and greet me when they see me. 

Sun Jae and Soo Rim at lunch

Shalom room boys and their dorm mother Mi Jin

Ji Won being goofy

Ye Rang, Jung Hwan, and Ji Won

Eun Ji, we were about to go out to the grocery store together

Prayer requests of some of my kids…

Yesterday, with the help of my friend Won Hyung, I made a “prayer tree” on one of the walls in my apartment.  I’m having all my English students write down their prayer requests in Korean on one side of a green piece of paper, while (with the help of Won Hyung) I translate it into English on the other side.  We then cut out each paper into the shape of a leaf and tape it to the tree.  When the prayer is answered, I will give the leaf to the child and put a fruit in place of the leaf on the tree. 

Here are some of their requests, directly translated into English… please help me in praying for them… for the kids who mention family most of them have one parent (who is mentally ill, an alcoholic, or too poor to care for them), while the other has passed away or disappeared… the first two kids have no parents… all of the kids below have lived here at least 3 years, some pretty much all their life…

Se Bin (11 years old) – To do well in my studies.  To be a wise mother (when she grows up and has kids).

Yong Shin (11 years old) – To do well at school.  To be able to jump higher (he had no specific reason for this one, he is a goofy boy ).  To get stronger (Yong Shin gets picked on and doesn’t know how to stand up for himself).

Sun Mi (10 years old) – For my mother to get better quickly.  To do well on my tests and get good grades at school.

Il Ho (9 years old) – For me to be able to live with my parents (his mom has somewhat disappeared since divorcing his dad when he was very young, Il Ho expressed doubt in writing his request and told me “This might take a while,” but I’m committed to praying for this now)

Eun Ji (10 years old) – For my father to have good health.  For my family to be able to live together.  For my family to have good health.

Hae Ji (10 years old) – To be a good friend and for my friends and I not to fight.  For all the workers and helpers at Geon to have good health.  For my family to have good health, especially my father.  For good things to happen to my father.  In tough times for God to always be with me and for God to always live in my heart.

Min Je (10 years old) – For my mother to have good health and live a long life.  For all of my sins to be forgiven and for me to get into heaven.  For all sinners to repent.  For my friendships to last forever like a rainbow.  For me to be a blessing to all good people.

David Crowder Band – Come and Listen (taken from Young Cho’s xanga)

Some pictures and a short video clip from the baby room… these kids bless me!

With Yoon Ji and Hyun Bin

Jung Ho sleeping

Hyun Bin

Yoon Ji… her eyes, they kill me…

With Ji Hye and Eun Jin… Ji Hye returned to live with her father last year after living here for 8 years (she is 17), she came back this day for a visit… Eun Jin is her best friend here

Kee Baek, Hyun Bin, and Yoon Ji

Goofy shot of the three

And last a short clip of our baby Na Rae… here she is resting on Ah Reum’s leg (a girl who lives here) and attempting to crawl over to me… Na Rae smiles often

I took more pictures, but my camera was acting funky so a lot were blurred.  Booo.  But I hope you enjoyed those, God bless!