Five Years…

December 29th, 2005 I flew out of Dulles Airport in Virginia to Korea with no idea what the future would hold for me.  I still remember sitting on the plane during the long flight and thinking, “What am I doing???”  I arrived in Korea on December 30th and one of the only people I knew in Seoul met me at the airport and helped take me to the children’s home.  I stayed with the manager’s family in the children’s home the first few nights and we got by with a few English words and the two or three Korean words I had learned.  The next two days the only other person I knew in Seoul took me into the city and took me to the church that I now serve as a lay pastor for (www.newphilly.cc).  Everything was a blur for those first few months.  Not being able to speak Korean and living with 80 kids and Korean staff who don’t speak English and having no other friends… God showed His grace and helped me through it.

And now five years later I am still serving at that home and have grown really close with the kids and the staff.  God has also grown me in areas I never expected… such as preaching, leading a church plant, evangelizing, directing an orphanage ministry, directing a healing and deliverance ministry, and leading weekly prayer meetings for North Korea for nearly two years now.  I’ve witnessed God’s Spirit move here in Korea more and more with each year, and now more and more Christians from America/Canada/Australia are deciding to commit to Korea and make it their home because they recognize God is doing something special on this peninsula (including North Korea). 

God is truly faithful.  During my first year in Korea as God continued to confirm His will in me living here, I began to seek His will more for the future and cast vision.  I soon had made up a five year plan that I felt God had laid out for me.  When I would try and pray beyond the five years I couldn’t hear or see or sense anything… it was just a mystery.  And as the years went by God has helped me walk with that plan, while also adding different things along the way that I didn’t expect but have really built me up in my calling. 

And now those five years are complete and I’m curious what this next chapter will bring.  Along with the other orphanage ministry leaders I’ll be going to the mountains for the next few days to reflect on the past year and seek God’s plan for the next.  I’m excited for what is to come.  God is good and there is nowhere else I would rather be than in His will.  Glory to glory!

God bless! 

Performance Night!

Last Thursday evening my children’s home had a “Thank You Night” for all the home’s sponsors and volunteers.  The church in the home was overflowing with people and the kids did various presentations.  I directed an English skit, “David and Goliath” that I had made for my kids.  My friend Semy took video of the performances but I haven’t been able to edit the video yet.  I’ll post video clips next week.  For now you guys can enjoy some pictures that my friend Sarah took during the evening. 

Pastor Chae, who founded the home with his wife in the late 1960′s…

Sun Ah with Soo Jin dorm mom

The littlest ones performing

Elementary kids doing a dance

David with his sheep at the beginning of the skit

I played the role of a bear who came to steal the sheep (I would fail, of course)

David wearing King Saul’s armor and holding King Saul’s sword

David and Goliath (played by Jae and Yong Shin)

At the end of the skit, after we bowed and said “Merry Christmas”

Hyun Bin and Sun Jae singing

Eun Ho and Ji Won singing and shaking their rattlers

The older boys about to collectively sign language to a song… they look gangster (Korean style) with the white gloves

Some of the boys performing a dance

Girls doing a short cheerleading/dance routine

Semy with her girl Se Bin

My friend Anna (second to the left) with her kids Do Kyoon and Hae Ran (she tutors them) and our friend Sunny (middle)

With my English students

With some friends who came out to watch and to help out… my director teased me some for having so many friend girls…

God bless

The Power of Humor and Perspective…

Today over lunch a friend of mine shared with me two of the main reasons for why kids from broken homes are able to succeed in life: being able to have a sense a humor and being able to have a positive perspective about things.

For humor he shared with me that people who are able to laugh a lot tend to be able to keep healthy and persevere.  A warning of depression/suicide is when a person stops being able to joke or laugh.  Usually during the week or two before committing suicide a person will cease from all humor.  For me personally, I remember when I was depressed in high school and thoughts of suicide went through my mind,my parents picked up on my depression (without me knowing) and had me sit with them and watch Saturday Night Live specials and other comedies.  I remember that helped me a lot.  Now I understand why I act so goofy with my kids at the children’s home… just as much as they thrive upon the love they also thrive upon the humor and laughter. 

As for perspective, my friend shared with me how most people would see a broken glass bottle on the ground and have a negative reaction.  But a person with a positive perspective would rather see beauty in the way the light reflects off of the pieces of glass.  A person with a good perspective is able to see light and hope no matter the circumstances.  Sometimes it can be easy to label such people as delusional, but I think Jesus had the same perspective when He came to die for us… He always saw the treasure in the hearts of those who had been outcast by the world. 

Hope you enjoy the Christmas song… God bless!

Car Wash!

One of my favorite memories as a little kid was going through the car wash in my parent’s minivan.  I still remember being fascinated by all the water and soap and brushes and chaos.  Funny how something so simple can be so entertaining.  So whenever my car needs a car wash (which is pretty much everyday, thanks to Seoul’s wonderful air quality…) I try and get a few kids in the car with me when I go.  In Korea if you pay for $50 worth gas at certain stations you get a free car wash.  I happened to have my camera with me for this particular trip… simple, but fun pictures. 

Eun Suh in the back

Sun Hee behind me as we pulled up

Hae Hyun watching as one of the attendants first sprays down the car with a high powered hose

Then we pull up for the wash

Hae Hyun enjoying

Happy Eun Suh

With the kids… I always unintentionally make goofy smiles/expressions when I try and take a picture of myself… still not fully Korean yet… =)

Sun Hee still fascinated

Eun Suh enjoying the ride

And one more shot of Hae Hyun

Good times had by all!  Including my car. 

God bless!

Identity #36 – I Have All Things

To be called a child of God, His friend, royalty, a citizen of heaven, and so many other amazing identities clearly lead to this revelation: We lack nothing and instead have everything.

1Corinthians 3:21-23 – So let no one boast in men.  For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future–all are yours, and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.

It can be easy to try and find one’s worth through other people and to desire the gifts/honor of other people more than God (to “boast in men”).  But the wild thing is that we already have everything.  Even death.  Yes, even death!  It is as we grow so deep in our identity in Christ that we realize that because of who we are before Him, we literally have everything and that nothing is outside of us.  Healing, miracles, provision, and anything else… all for us and for our welfare.  This is the liberty we have in Christ.

But the passage ends with a reminder that while we have everything, we still belong to Christ.  And that brings responsibility in what we claim.

This is clearly an identity that must be claimed, like identities such as, “I am satisfied” or “I am dead to sin.”  Each identity is taken from the Word of God and is the truth, so the more we claim them the more the truth becomes us and we not just experience it but feel it being lived out through us. 

God bless!

Dance!

Some of the 6th – 10th grade kids from the children’s home performed at a large gathering of different homes and community centers from around Seoul. They performed two short dances and then a “worship dance” to a Christian song. Dancing and pop music are wildly popular in Korea and nearly all the other homes/centers also did dances or songs or both. The other presentations weren’t as tasteful… in one a boy ripped off his shirt while performing… kid was mad skinny too^^… and in others the girls, junior high and high school, weren’t wearing much as they danced a bit suggestively to the pop songs… ugh.

Here is my kids’ dance…

I’m proud of my kids. I was using my cheap Canon Powershot camera (nearly 6 years old) to video the kids and the lighting was a bit funky so you can’t see them that well. My kids were smiling as they performed and really gave a great effort.

Funny, during the first dance different girls from other children homes were yelling out, “멋있다!” or, “So cool!” to the boys… and then when the boys began to exit one of the girls in the audience cried out, “어디 가???” or, “Where are you going???”

God bless!

Performance… For What?

It’s nearing the end of the year, so it’s about time to reflect on what was accomplished through the year.  For a missionary like me, it’s also time to write up a thank you note for supporters to sum up what has happened over the year.  For missionaries, and I’ve experienced this myself, there can be a desire to justify ourselves through our performance/accomplishments.  This can be tough, especially in seed planting ministries like working with kids.  One missionary who works with children shared this concern with me recently, and this was what I was led to write…

<<You aren’t on a performance scale or anything like that.  I think if you were to ask a good mom raising kids, “What did you accomplish this past year?” the mom would say, “I loved my kids.”  To be honest, when North Korea opens up and miracles begin to be released, I’ll be sad if my support letter mainly highlights just the number of people being saved and healed.  People seem to like numbers and wild stories, but I’ve learned the miracles and even decisions mean little and the love means the most.  People get saved and fall away quickly.  Even Billy Graham expressed some regret over his own ministry because he knew most of the people who made decisions at his revivals soon fell away.  It’s love that brings the lasting results.  >>

So this is the question I pose to my fellow orphanage volunteers and other missionaries: “Have you grown in loving them this year?”  Are there less lonely, crying children?  Are there more children growing in the revelation that they are noticed, that they are worthy to be cared for, and that they are able to succeed?  That is the most worthy accomplishment… to have loved.  Without love all the ministry events, special activities, and service work have accomplished nothing. 

Breakthrough is coming.  We are continuing to contend for more revelation of God’s love, healing, and deliverance for these kids.  Although we have already been seeing it while serving friends and disciples, we have yet to see it among the children of Seoul.  But we know our responsibility is to pray towards it and to just keep loving them and leave the results to God.  He knows the perfect time. 

God bless!

New Baby Bringing the Cuteness…

We have a new baby boy at our home.  His name is San.  He was surprised to see me when I first came in.  But as I held one of our other babies (Yoo Bin), he kept grabbing onto my shirt from his crib.  He had at least one hand gripped on the bar of the crib as he stood while the other would pull at the shirt.  But once he had my attention both his hands held on to the crib so he could balance.  I then found the winning combination… I would tap his left hand gripped on the bar, then his right hand gripped on the bar, and then his nose while saying “Boop” each time and then I would smile at him and he would beam back.  Then watch intently with each following “boop” including when I would tap his nose… and then another big beam.  The boy is mad cute!  Enjoy the pics…

San when I first walked in…

Wanting attention

Right after the combo

The smiles kept coming

And coming

Cute boy right?!  Only 8 months old…

Yoo Bin… one of the twins (the other was being taken care of by a dorm mom)… she was the one I was holding during all the San pictures

Ji Oon and Se Min looking in

Sun Ah as well wanting some attention… she is now the oldest in the baby room!

God bless!

Lending Some Faith…

My kids and some dorm parents at the children’s home continue to discuss the possibility of war with North Korea.  After the shellings from North Korea last week on an island that killed 4 people, this following the warship sinking last March, my kids are all the more nervous about a possible attack.  They continue to ask me what I will do if a war happens.  They are kids.  They wouldn’t know how to take care of themselves if such a disaster were to strike, such as North Korea bombing Seoul.  So when they ask, with their eyes wide open in concern, all I can do is smile in return and reassure them that if something were to happen I would come straight to the home and help look out for them.  As I’ve told them that they have nothing to fear because God is with us, I’ve watched them still struggle with the thought of God truly protecting and providing for them.  I’ve shared with them stories of miraculous protection and provision for other children homes in war torn nations.  And that in the darker of circumstances God reveals Himself in even greater ways.  The kids listen, but I can tell their faith isn’t strong enough yet.  And so I tell my kids, “Even if you don’t have faith, my faith will cover you.  Don’t worry.”  And somehow, that is what helps. 

We shine as light in the world to direct people to the true light.  The moon is a reminder that there is a greater light that is continually shining and will be revealed in just a short time.  I’m praying for my kids that their eyes will gradually be led from the light I’m shining to the true light of this world.  I long for that explosion of faith, and I know it is coming soon.

God bless!