Home, here we come!

We are in Seoul airport waiting to get on the plane home.  Two days ago, we walked through an old Korean palace and flew through the museum because there wasn't much time.  Then, we did a lot, a lot of shopping/ exploring through super crowded streets filled with lots of women's clothing stores.  The boys loved it!

Current state of most of us: groggy, sleepy, coughing, sick, excited to go home and rest!, so happy it's done!  I think many of us will be in shock as we think about the past two weeks and everything we've experienced.  We are so thankful for this experience and so excited to share our individual experiences with you all in person.  Where are we going to start?!  I've only given you a tid bit of it all!  I pray that we will all have sufficient time to reflect, meditate, and search deeper into the things God has been trying to teach us through this experience.  I ask God that He will reveal such wisdom and knowledge that allows our love for Him and His people to abound more and more.  

One very influential person in my life told me that there are two kinds of stories.  One which has the audience reply with, "Wow, what a cool story," and one that evokes the response, "Wow, what an amazing God."  I pray that our stories will be the latter.  

I pray that we will continue to remember S. Korea and continue to pray for the children and families we got to know.  I pray that their generosity will influence how generous we are in the future and that their reverence will influence our perspective of God.   Well, it's that time to board.  I will post more pictures here and on Facebook soon!  Thank you for reading, caring, and praying!  We stand amazed, once again, at how close our God is as He listens and answers.  Thanks again and may God bless you, grow you, and make you fall more in love with HIm.

Flexing. a lot.

It is currently snowing very hard in MokPo, and I was told it only snows maybe once a year, so there are no such things as snow ploughs here.  We were going to take the bullet train to Seoul, then we were going to take the bus, but now that the roads are too slick, we will be taking a different train, but in about two hours.  We wait.  We flex.  :)  I love that there's no schedule and everything is ambiguous, but I know it's a stretching experience for many.  I have also heard that many of the Gracies have learned to be extra patient, especially not being able to understand a language and having to wait for a translator.  

We have also learned a little bit about collective discipline.  This means that children can run around free, but knowing their boundaries because any adult can discipline them, scold them if they're making too much noise, etc.  Yes, this may be called child abuse in America, but all Korean adults acknowledge the fact that each individual is responsible for the collective whole.  I also saw a very different and physical form of discipline as some of the assistant teachers were not afraid to spank the children.  Sounds mean, but it is acceptable here, so I had to accept it.  

Specific prayer requests:  Carlos and many of the team members and family members are a bit under the weather, so please pray that God would continuously give us strength, good health, and patience.  Two more days!  I can't believe it!  

It's done!

English Camp is finished!!!  The general consensus: "It went by so fast!" and "We are completely drained!"   We experienced overwhelming generosity once again as the kids gave us gifts and lots of hugs to say goodbye.  We are relieved it's over, but we are also sad at the departing.  I cannot wait until the day when we can all be together again worshipping our God as one.  Could you imagine?!  Perhaps, some of us will return next year!  

Yesterday, to celebrate our last day, the church took us out to a buffet with tons of unidentifiable foods in no specific order.  But.  That was only the appetizer.  For the main course, we redefined the word "jumbo." They served us Korean jumbo shrimp that was as long as a regular sized plate.  Then, the brave ones of the group (all except four), tried out one of the ever-popular public bath-houses.  They're not as scary as it sounds because they give you a t-shirt and shorts for the co-ed section with rooms of different temperatures.  The sauna and shower/bath part is separated between men and women because you're completely naked.  Who showers with clothes on?  ;)

One of the staff volunteers also has a doctorate in Tea Culture, and she gave us a special demonstration of how Koreans traditionally drink tea.  When Koreans have tea time, you drink tea on your knees with your right hand holding the tea cup and your left hand under the tea cup.  It's time to go, so I will update soon.  To be continued...

1st Day as English teachers and 2nd Day Progress... ?

On Tuesday, we met our students!  After a full day of singing, dancing, motioning, trying to communicate the gospel as well as instructions, and memorizing Jeremiah 17:7, the general consensus was: The classes were great!!! but many of the boys were a little difficult.... I surmise that this may not be specific to Korean culture.  However, we learned a little more about collectivism as one of the pastors of the church said, "I got a call, and the church members are very pleased with your work."  Notice, it may have been one call or fifteen calls, but however many calls, the individual comments made up the whole, the church.  From my perspective, it has been so awe-inspiring to see the servant hearts of my brothers and sisters who do not speak the language of the children.  All I saw of these new English teachers were smiles, patience, flexibility, great effort, and a certain joy that could only come from seeking to obey God.  

God also surprised us in that many of us were expecting the children not to dance or respond but it wasn't difficult to get them involved at all.  A few Gracies said that they were also surprised at how much English the students already knew, which always impresses me because how many American children speak Korean or another language at the elementary school level?  Koreans value English-speaking skills so much that English Academies thrive, and more Korean students suffer a few more hours of schooling in their day.  

Our second day had various responses from being better because the children felt more comfortable with us and we knew a little more of what they needed to being more difficult because they were too comfortable with us.  However, I pray that God will provide us with patience and wisdom and discernment to know when to discipline and when to show mercy.  May we reflect Jesus clearly, which can only be done by the grace of God, so I pray that grace will overflow, and seeds will be planted in the children to seek the truth of the gospel and be changed by the great pursuit.  May God continue to inspire us in being creative in teaching the children and may He give courage to the children to practice speaking English and asking questions about our Savior.

Specifically, please pray for:

 Leah Brown who was not feeling well, so had to stay home all day.

 Ben Jeffries who has not been able to sleep.

 For everyone  who hasn't been able to sleep comfortably because Koreans believe hard mattresses, or rather, no mattress at all, is healthy for you.

After our second day of English camp, most of the team were led by Jenna and my host sisters (seniors in high school) to their favorite coffee shop for a time of fellowship, fun, and much-needed winding down.  Since so many of us were there, the coffee shop manager gave us free bagels and some curious sweet cream for dip/spread.  Then, we ventured down the streets full of stores and street vendors making delicious smelling, but not-so-delicious-looking food.  They sell various-sized pieces of squid legs, including ones as thick and long as my arm.  My personal favorites are roasted chestnuts, sweet potatoes, and this dessert bread shaped like a fish with a red-bean paste filling.  Yum!  After a short walk, we arrived at our destination: the karaoke room!  No, not a bar, but a place with numerous rooms where groups of ten can go in and do karaoke.  I couldn't believe we still could sing and dance after a full day of it with the kids.  Many good numbers were sung/shouted last night including Lean On Me (about four times), Piano Man, I Will Survive, and popular Korean songs sung by our Korean sisters.  What a blast!

Today, we, some with very hoarse voices, look forward to another full day of more singing, dancing, talking about God in whatever language, and obeying God wherever He leads!  I think we are tasting a tiny bit of heaven as all of us from different tribe and tongue come together to worship God.  May His will be done, may He be glorified!  Amen.

 

Preparation for... We Have No Idea!

Today, we meet our students!  There will be about 100 children with varying levels of English-speaking skills, and they are divided into grades.  The general feeling of our groups goes something like this: I have no idea what I'm doing and what I'm going to do, NO idea if the children will understand, Kind of frustrating but still really exciting, It comes down to really relying on God, trusting that the Holy Spirit will work in our hearts, actions, and words, and in the hearts, eyes, ears, and minds of the children.  I pray that we will witness God pouring out His blessings upon all His children as we try to impart to them the truth of the gospel.  It is truly so amazing that God will use us who are so inadequate to express our faith through love.

Yesterday, we spent the whole day, 10 am to 6 pm, preparing our lesson plans, which, again, we had no idea how or what to prepare, and learning the motions to ten different songs in two hours. Yep.  Movement and song for two hours straight in a room with a heated floor.  It was a blast!  And today, the children get to do it with us!   :)  The most impressive thing about yesterday, and this whole camp, is how so many people representing different nations and states have come together in unity to reach out and make an opportunity to make disciples.  And the greatest part is, the camp was already established by "insiders," the church people who are the city's people who know best, and all we have to do is follow directions, and they still allow us so much freedom for creativity.  I think it shows their trust in God and the work He has done in us.  May God be glorified in all aspects of this camp today and the rest of this week! 

2nd day and a lot of firsts.

"Can we ask them to turn the floor down?"

and, "I just inhaled that noodle,"

and the ever popular: "My food is looking at me!"

Korean food is a lot of seafood and we've learned that a lot of these sea creatures are still in the form they were in when they were caught, just dried out or fried, with eyes and all.  We've settled in with our host families for the most part and they seem to keep feeding us, which is normal of Korean culture.  They also take "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day," very seriously.  However, breakfast does not mean toast or cereal, but a full on Korean meal with rice and all the wonderfully delicious side dishes eaten for every other meal.  As a biased observer, I'm going to take whatever Korean food I can get while I can! 

The floors are heated, hence the first quote above, so it keeps everyone warm in the winter. If the floors aren't heated, heaters are blasting, and it was interesting to realize that the native Koreans are burning up when we are, but they have it hotter because they think we like it that way.  Our hosts, families and everyone we've met so far, have treated us so well, so graciously.  Even for our first meeting, we were offered unlimited coffee and tea and rice cakes.  Unfortunately, we were all quite stuffed, but I am, once again, surprised and convicted by their generosity and hospitality.  

My host family, in their generosity took Jenna and I on a short tour of MokPo and its most popular sites.  MokPo is mostly surrounded by oceans and mountains, and the ocean's water is the bluest I've ever seen.  It was astonishingly beautiful as the sun, with all its vibrant colors, set behind the mountains that outlined the ocean.  Although it was cold, they also took us to a sweet park where we road squeaky bikes along the coast where colorful light scattered the edges of the waters.  Then they fed us, of course, in a famous MokPo restaurant that served seafood pancakes and seafood noodles.  Delicious!

We will begin our planning for the English Camp today.  We have all been assigned grade groups that we will teach, and again, we are reminded of the language barrier.  However, God's love does not need a language, and I pray that God will fill us with love and help us to see these children as He sees them.  I ask Him to give us energy to keep up with the kids and patience as we try to teach them English and communicate the truth of the gospel.  Amen!

We have arrived!!!

After close to 30 hours of travel we have made it to Mokpo, South Korea!!! All the students are now with their host families and hopefully getting ready for a very, very restful night. We pulled into the parking lot of the church at 11:45 pm where all the host families were eagerly waiting.

More tomorrow!

Leaving Winona Lake

The anticipation is building! Part of our team will meet at Grace College at 5 am on Friday, January 2nd. At 5:30 we leave for Chicago O'Hare, where most of the rest of the team will join us. We will then board a Korean Air (best airline ever) flight to Incheon International Airport in South Korea arriving at 5 pm of Saturday (14 hour plane ride plus a 14 hour time difference...I'm sure everybody will be in a great mood by this time)
Once there, we will wait for one more of our teammates to meet us there from LAX. By this point, everyone will be ready for bed...instead of a bed however, we take a 5 hour bus ride to Mokpo.

Then, and only then, do we get to meet our host families and go home to a warm bed...maybe.

Lord, may we be a blessing to our brothers and sister in Mokpo, may we encourage them as they encourage us. May we realize that you are a God who calls people to Himself from all nations of the world!