Six years ago on December 29th, 2005 I flew out to Korea. I arrived on December 30th, which just so happens to be my wife’s birthday.
For my first three years I lived in the children’s home with my focus almost solely on my kids. Then for two and a half years I lived by myself in a small, simple apartment near the home with God opening up more areas of ministry within my church and the city. And now for the past few months I have been living with my wife in a much homier apartment with God releasing visions for even more.
For my first year I had almost no friends outside of the children’s home and was barely involved in my church outside of Sunday service and Sunday Bible study. For the following three years I served faithfully as a member on the church’s prayer team, attending Friday prayer meetings and gradually getting more involved. For the past two years I became a pastor and led a church plant team of 10 into another part of Seoul to help establish a church that averaged about 95 people this month in attendance.
For my first year I started a small orphanage volunteering ministry with two other people (one who had to quit within the first few months) and we had about 7 volunteers join us. Since then well over a hundred people have volunteered part time, four more people have volunteered full time, and we have held 9 Christmas Secret Angels for two homes, 4 summer soccer camps, 3 winter arts and crafts camps, and one mission trip to Thailand with some of the kids.
All this to say that God is good. He is so good! I had no idea what to expect when I first arrived in Korea. I had my own little five year plan and some of that was indeed fulfilled, but what God has brought me through has been far greater than I had expected. I’ve learned that the safest and most joyful place I can be is completely in His will and fully looking to Him. I never thought that living as a missionary could be so joyful, but I should have known since joy is one of the fruit of the Spirit. =)
Here is to an even better 7th year in Korea! God is good!!!
Christmas Secret Angel #5
Since 2007 Jubilee Church in Seoul has been visiting my children’s home every Christmas to give presentations, a short message, and gifts to each child. It’s always a special time, despite it being sometimes a bit hectic with so many foreigners suddenly mixed in with all the kids. =) Here are some pictures from today!
The gifts!
Our wonderful performers
Austin singing carols with some of the younger boys
Kids learning some dance motions to some children’s worship songs
Soo Ah
My friend Brian’s twin Andrew with one of our newest boys to the home, Kyoo Min
Austin with an eyes closed Eun Ji, the girl who he sponsored a gift for
Jung Hyun coming up to receive his gift
Young Oong receiving his
Making sure Eun Ho said “Thank you” after receiving his gift (welcome back Jodie!)
Ha Hyun
Later Sky and I delivered the gifts at the baby room… here is Sung Joon with his gift
Ji Oon in his new jacket
Sung Joon trying on some 3-d glasses (his gift bag had a 3-d image on it, he was fascinated by it)
Soo Jin dorm mom giving them a try
Soo Jin being silly with them
Looking outside with Hyo Won
Hope you enjoyed the pictures and hope you had a great Christmas! God bless!
How to Pray for North Korea
In case you somehow haven’t heard, the leader/dictator of North Korea, Kim Jong Il, passed away last Saturday. The whole country of North Korea is in a state of mourning for twelve days, although it is hard to tell between who is mourning for real and who is mourning out of fear of being punished and even executed if they do not express grief.
Here is a clip of the mourning when the “father of the nation” Kim Il Sung died back in 1993. People literally died from mourning. Some NK defectors later confessed many outside the capital mourned more out of fear, but that those in the capital (who are the privileged ones protected by the government) were genuinely mourning. If you did not mourn at the time you would not receive food rations and could be put in a prison camp (concentration camp)…
Here is a clip of the mourning of the “son of the nation” Kim Jong Il. Many defectors are saying most of the mourning is fake out of fear of losing favor with the government and even facing the prison camps. The religion/cult of North Korea is falling apart, but the fear that controls the nation is still very strong…
North Korea is also still very isolated from the rest of the world. Students only know of their own leaders and other communist leaders like Stalin and Mao. They aren’t aware of other world leaders. North Koreans all believe South Korea is in shambles and is a puppet government to their great enemy the United States. Only those along the border of China who have contacts with the outside world have discovered the truth.
Now North Korea is being run by Kim Jong Il’s son Kim Jong Un. The son is also being helped by his aunt and uncle who are likely making the most important decisions now, with Jong Un as the visible leader. There are also reports of a rising general who also has high influence. The military as of now is backing Kim Jong Un, so many experts who are watching North Korea don’t believe there will be any sudden changes in the nation right away… but there is little faith in the country remaining stable for too long.
Personally, if I were Kim Jong Un, I would be extremely nervous. He is young (late 20′s) and inexperienced. He only just received authority and the few things he has apparently had his hand in have failed dramatically (including the botched market reform). The situation in North Korea reminds me of the situation in Israel in the book 2Kings, chapters 13 – 15. There was a lineage of King Jehu of Israel that became more and more evil. While Jeroboam lived a long life, when his son Zechariah took over he only reigned 6 months before being assassinated. Another example would be Pekah, Jotham, and Hoshea (chapters 15 -17)… another lineage of kings that grew worse and worse until Hoshea was also overthrown.
I personally feel Kim Jong Un does not have long to lead unless he rules with a strong iron fist (more oppression of the people) and compromises with China (leading to more influence/control by China, and continued religious oppression). Kim Jong Un in power does not benefit the people of North Korea in any way. The lineage of Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Il, and now Kim Jong Un have already demonstrated that they have no interest in the welfare of their people… only the elite. Millions are starving to death as they have continued their nuclear weapons manufacturing and lived as royalty in the capital (where no handicapped or poor are allowed).
If there is a power struggle, then there is much more at stake than a civil war or many assassinations… North Korea has nuclear weapons and missiles and bombs all over the country, with most of them pointed at South Korea. If a North Korean general were to try and exert force, things could easily get out of hand and many innocent lives could be taken in the process.
So how should we be praying? Here are some prayer requests for North Korea…
1. Please pray for grace to cover the peninsula of Korea (both North and South) so that no madman will gain control of the nuclear weapons (this includes that there will be no selling of nuclear weapons to Iran, the Taliban, Hamas, or any other terrorist organization).
2. Please pray for the spirits of idolatry and fear that are over the nation to be broken off. Pray for the people of North Korea to receive God’s grace and be able to look to God rather than man during these difficult times. Please pray for the nation to be prepared for the Gospel and for the poor and oppressed to be provided for.
3. Please pray for Christian men and women of favor to rise up in the government and have influence with Kim Jong Un and other leaders, much like Joseph, Mordecai, Esther, Daniel, and Nehemiah had influence with kings in the Bible. Pray that the new leadership of North Korea would be directed by God’s wisdom rather than any other influence.
4. Please pray a disallowing of China taking control of North Korea and also pray for justice and freedom to mark the land. Please pray for North and South Korea to become more greatly prepared for reunification. Pray for South Koreans to take a greater interest in their brothers and sisters to the north.
5. For me personally, please pray for Sky and me and our church to have clear direction in how to pray for North Korea. Please pray that God will continue to prepare Sky and me to have greater influence in Korea and soon be able to care for the children of North Korea.
If China takes control, then the nation will remain under religious oppression and I believe many promises God has for Korea will be delayed. North Korea’s only strong ally is China, and from China’s reaction to Kim Jong Il’s passing it appears China has a lot of interest in the country.
South Korea hasn’t reacted much at all to Kim Jong Il’s passing. When Kim Il Sung died, South Koreans celebrated. At that time the two countries were clear enemies. But now most South Koreans are indifferent to North Korea. While it is good the hate is dissipating, South Korea still needs to rediscover their connection with North Korea and grow a strong compassion for their relatives who are suffering in the north.
Thank you for your prayers for Korea! God bless!
Meek Room Boys!
You want good pictures? I got good pictures. =) Enjoy!
Won Bin
Boys checking out their Christmas gift wish list
Making some last minute changes with Ji Hoon
Ji Won flying
Another
Dal Woo
The boys posing
The Meek Room boys (minus Kang Woo)
Team huddle
Go Meek Room
WOO HOO!!!
God bless! =)
God Loves Birthday Cakes
This evening while driving home I saw an older Korean man briskly crossing the street. He was in dark clothes and had a lit cigarette in one hand and a birthday cake packed in a box in the other. I don’t know his story, but the sight of the cake in his hand made me smile. He was off to go celebrate someone’s life, and that is a beautiful thing.
In that moment I could feel God’s presence and love very strong around me. I knew that God was far more pleased. Someone made in His image was going to be blessed.
I don’t think I’ll ever look at birthday cakes the same again.
Beautiful Baby Room Pictures
These are just the beginning of picture uploads that my dear friend Tanya took at my home. She co-directs Unseen Ministries (you can find them on Facebook).
Ji Oon
Hyo Won
San
New boy, Seung Woo
One of our beautiful twins
Their mother is a defector from North Korea
High fives with the kids
They can never get enough… love their smiles!
Our other new one, Seung Min
Young Mi dorm mom with one of the twins
I will have plenty more to update! This is just the beginning… =)
God Always Provides
Last year I was a part of a team of 10 that planted a church in an area of Seoul called Itaewon. And in a few weeks we will be sending another team of 10 to plant a church in another city in Korea named Pusan. So last night both teams gathered together so that the Itaewon team could pray for the Pusan team, and it was a really powerful time together.
After praying for one member of the Pusan team, Noble, one of my Itaewon team members Eunice remarked to him, “It’s weird, but it feels like you were always a part of our team.” Immediately I knew why that was.
Around August of last year one of the initial team members began to slip away. He got wrapped up in different sin and I tried to counsel him for a while, but sadly we ended up having to remove him from the church. It was a hard blow to the team. But interestingly, at about the same time the initial team member began to fall away, Noble began to attend our church. Noble and the team member, in terms of servants heart and faithfulness, are very similar. Noble basically stepped into the void that the team member had left, and he excelled bringing a bit boost to our church.
God revealed once again last night just how good He is and just how well He provides. Even when certain things may fall apart or certain people may bail out, God always provides and fills every gap. Sometimes we can’t see it and can even get wrapped up in the disappointment or the despair of the situation, but His provision is always there. Sometimes we have to wait to see it completely, but it truly there.
God is good!
The Meek Room Boys
Another chip dip visit. Here are the boys of Meek Room…
Try again
Another
Somewhat of a fail here…
Chip dip!
And our Christmas pic… in our night clothes…
God bless!
The Irony of Both Parents Working and Korean Students Attending Academy…
In the last 100 years there have been wonderful advancements in societies around the world where women are now regarded as equal to men and allowed to work, study, and obtain top jobs and top positions. But something ironic happened along the way. As more women chose to work and make money rather than stay at home with the children, there had to be an increase in jobs. And with that increase, the average pay stopped increasing as much as before because so many more people were pursuing work. And now, many families seemingly can no longer get by on one income and need both parents to work. Whereas 40 years ago it was normal just having the husband work and provide enough for the family, now it is rare. While pursuing dreams/professions is wonderful for both genders and there is nothing wrong with that, it is somewhat ironic for those who wanted more money by having both work are now making about the same together as they would have 40 years ago when just the husband was working.
The same irony is happening in Korea, where students are being forced by their parents to study more and more and “get ahead” of each other academically. There was a time when students used to get out of school and study until 7pm or 8pm at after school academies. Soon it became until 9pm or 10pm. And now students are studying as late as midnight and even 2am (no joke!) to “get ahead.” The belief is if the students have more time to study, they will learn so much more. But the truth is, the more these kids are pushed in studying the less sleep they get, the more unhealthy they become, and the poorer they do at school. The irony is that the kids who are avoiding academy and studying at school, doing homework/practice work at home, and getting good rest are actually achieving better than the kids who are being forced to study all the time.
Please don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against women working and I am all for equality. But I’m concerned when the reason to have both parents work and not care for the children is to make more more money. I just can’t see God smiling over and blessing that type of reasoning. And I definitely know God isn’t smiling over and blessing the academic system that is forcing children to study 16 hours a day to get ahead.
You can see in both examples the enemy targeting the family. With both parents working more kids are becoming “latch-key” kids (coming home to an empty house). They aren’t getting the attention they need. And for kids in Korea the situation is even worse. Many of them don’t even see their family because they are studying so much.
As for Sky and me, we decided that we would live off of my income and not get used to a double income (she is currently working part time as an art teacher). When we have kids, likely in a couple years, Sky desires (and I agree) to stay home with the children and care for them. Because I live off of support I never have a consistent income. It fluctuates every month. God has always provided thus far. I feel that if I choose to ask Sky to work and have us live off a double income (living in fear that I won’t receive enough support, or in other words, living in fear that God won’t provide) that I will end up receiving less support. But if we choose to live by faith and trust that God wants to provide for us and our children that He will provide more than enough in support to me than if Sky had worked and provided the double income.
I guess you can consider our life an experiment. Will God provide enough for both of us and the kids? Will we have to cut back our budget? Will we have more than if Sky had worked full time? I think without faith this “experiment” is risky and even irresponsible in the world’s sight. But our trust is in God’s promises and He hasn’t failed us yet. Feel free to check back as each year passes…
