I Miss Korea!!!

These old photo, from Spring Semester 2007, were sent to me by one of my old students. I left Korea back in June '07 but I often think about and pray for the many friends and old students that I was so blessed to meet there during my total of 9 years in Korea. (June 95-June 97, Dec 99-Jun07)

Take Time-

To pray: "Evening and morning, and at noon, will I pray." - Psalm 55:17
To read the Bible: "Desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby." - 1 Peter 2:2.
To go to church: "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together." - Hebrew 10:25
To work: "If any would not work, neither should he eat." - 2 Thessalonians 3:10.
To rest: "Come ye apart and rest awhile." - Mark 6:31.
To sing: "Sing and make melody in your heart to the Lord." - Ephesians 5:19.
To laugh: "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine." - Proverbs 17:22.
To think: "Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are of good report: think on these things." - Philemon 4:8

Celebrating the NewYear the Korean Christian Way!!!

Kim Gi-Hiung & Prophete Arbouet proudly displaying the "Happy New Year banner" at HGU's University Administration building. The 3 of us attended the HIC "Ringing in the New Year with God service" together which started at 11pm with singing praise to the Lord and prayer which lasted past 1:30am. It was AWESOME to see hundreds of students turning to GOD instead of the BOTTLE on NewYear's Eve!!! We all wrote out our prayer requests for 2007 and then each of the elders/deacons/prayer warriors of the church prayed for each person. I couldn't think of a better way to start the New Year!!! HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL & MAY YOU SEEK CHRIST IN ALL THE CRISIS & BLESSINGS of 2007!!!

What an AMAZING poem! I still can't believe that anyone would write such a poem for/about me! I know the person who wrote this would say something very humble like "It's all for God's glory!" and I agree but it still is one of the most precious things anyone has ever done for me and I am eternally grateful!

Daler & Devron

This is a great photo of 2 of our Russian speaking international students: Daler and Devron. It was nice catching up with them over dinner. Korean food is so cheap and SO delicious!
They have these "Islamic looking holiday lights" in downtown Pohang...I think this idea has caught on from the lights they have on display around city hall in Seoul each Christmas. "Skazhi izyum!", gentlemen.

Nafay, Daniel, Andy and Prophete enjoying the Christmas lights the city of Pohang put up at o-guri (5 way intersection) on the ride back from seeing Razak off at the bus station.

Off to Afghanistan!

Razak at McDonald's (now opened 24 hours in Korea!) December 26th before heading home.
Razak buying his bus ticket to Incheon Airport (leaving at 2am!) on December 27th.
Prophete, Razak, Nafay and Daniel at the Siway (intercity) Bus Terminal
Please be praying for Razak who will be in Afghanistan for the next 2 months. Afghanistan is still not a very safe country to be in. We pray that he will have a wonderful, SAFE trip home to see his family and that we will be able to see his smiling face back in Pohang in late February.

A Precious Gift from a Precious Friend!

Thanks, Vivian! What a BEAUTIFUL gift!

Christmas Evening at Andy's

Razak and Daniel bused downtown and braved the cold weather of Pohang to get this Christmas cake for the party. You guys rock!!!
Katherine, just what are you doing?
The evening of December 25th:Andy, Razak, Prophete, Nafay, Essra, Katherine and Daniel (unfortunately missing from the photo are Jeannie and Mark who showed up later...)

How great to celebrate Christmas with Razak, Nafay and Daniel!
Jeannie Chang (bottom right corner!) brought over a lovely board game that we all enjoyed playing.
Here is a photo of the awesome jacket the boys bought me for Christmas! Wow! THANKS again, guys!

Christmas Eve Service in SIBC, Seoul

It was great to see Dong-Hee who is now studying in the States. He presented me with this wedding invitation! Wow! He is to marry Eun-Kyung (pictured here) on January 6th! CONGRATULATIONS!!!
It was great to see Ann Story as always. She is the lady who the Lord first used to get me into missions in Ethiopia. Doesn't she look all Christmasy here?!

Here Ann is pictured with Esther McIntyre. Esther was due on Dec. 27th but about 10 hours after this photo (at 11:05pm), Esther gave birth to a healthy 8 pound 7 ounce baby girl. They named her "Eliana" which means "God answered"! He certainly did! CONGRATULATIONS, Owen and Esther!!! Can't wait to see your precious little daughter!

The Som's Christmas Party 2006

The hosts for the evening: Eric and Bonnie Som!
Eric and Bonnie took turns reading the Christmas Story out to their guests (from Luke 2:1-19) at the start of the "Dessert & Gift Exchange Party". We had such a fabulous time caroling, eating, playing games, chatting and praying together. I really enjoyed it when we went around and shared what we were most thankful for during 2006 and what our hopes are for 2007. Thanks, Eric & Bonnie! What a wonderful evening!

Christmas at the Soms!

Jeannie Chang with her "secret Santa gift"-Nice slippers!
Things can get a little "hostile" when it comes to Bible trivia...It was "Boys vs. Girls" and you can see the pen that Jeannie threw at me in mid-air! Perfect timing, ha!ha!

The ladies:Yulia, Bonnie, Diana, Jeannie and Katherine
The ladies with the gents-Eric, Daler, Prophete and Mark
Bonnie and Eric Som & Diana

Bonnie's wonderful stocking!
The snowman cake I brought as my dessert for the party
Jeannie making new friends
Diana from Bulgaria who graduated from law school (yeah!) but unfortunately will be leaving us very shortly...

English Business Writing Class Dec. 18-22

13 of our senior students are on a special program to study Business in California for a month (leaving mid January). Jeannie Chang and I were asked to teach them an intensive course for 5 days; with me in the morning for 3 hours focusing on Business Writing and with Jeannie focusing on speaking/listening in the afternoon for 3 hours. They were a GREAT group of students and a real pleasure to teach. Attendance would vary as they had visa interviews at the American Embassy in Seoul.

Christmas is...COSTLY!

-It cost Mary and Joseph the comforts of home during a long period of exile in Egypt to protect the little Babe.
-It cost mothers, in and around Bethlehem, the massacre of their babies by the cruel order of Herod.
-It cost the shepherds the complacency of their shepherds' life, with the call to the manger and to tell the good news.
-It cost the wise men a long journey and expensive gifts and changed lives.
-It cost the early apostles and the early church persecution and sometimes death.
-It cost missionaries of the Christ untold suffering to spread the good news.
-It cost Korean and other Christian martyrs in all alges their lives for Christ's sake.
-More than all this, it cost God the Father His own Son-He sent Him to the earth to save men.
-It cost Jesus a life of sacrifice and service, a death cruel and unmatched in history.
IS CHRISTMAS TOO COSTLY?
-It is, if all that it means is gift exchanges.
-It is, if all that it means is tinsel.
-It is, if all that it means is the millions spent in commercialization of Christmas.
-It is, if all that it means is a holiday.
IT ISN'T TOO COSTLY...
-If it means the hope of the world.
-If it means the forgiveness of sin.
-If it means peace among men.
-If it means joyous singing!
DOES CHRISTMAS COST US ENOUGH?
-Are you giving enough for Christ and the world needs?

A closer shot of the beautiful mural on the outside of the church

Pohang First Presbyterian Church

George Kim at Tim Hooker's wedding, December 20th, 2006

"The Passing on of the Shoes"...I think we've started a new tradition here. Tim Hooker passes his shoes onto Victor Tchor which can mean only one thing...Mr. Kim is in the background blessing this sacred moment. We look forward to hearing the announcement anyday now, Victor, ha!ha!

Timothy Hooker and Mark Buzby
Tarik with the newlyweds. It was very classy of Mr. Hooker and his wife to stand at the door to bid farewell to all the guests at the end of the reception.
What a beautiful group of people!
One of my favorite photos of the wedding: Ghana's grandmother and Tim's mother