Happy Korean New Year!

Happy New Year! What? I’m late? Not so! On this side of the ocean the Lunar New Year is being celebrated. Sulnal (Lunar New Year) comes at different times each year and is a big holiday for the people here in Korea. A visit to Grandma’s house, a nice monetary gift, some good rice soup, and a very busy highway help mark this special time of year. It’s like an overblown Christmas Eve for us Canadians. Possibly 300,000 or more vehicles leave Seoul to travel to the country and then return after a two/three day celebration with family – the mass exodus!
Well, this ‘red day’ also means a little rest time for us too. Rolling over to the sound of the wonderful morning call on my cell phone, I realized it didn’t know I was planning on sleeping in a little this morning. In this lovely world of technology, it still didn’t have enough courtesy to just let me sleep. To its surprise, I know where the ‘off’ switch is and chose it instead of the ‘ring again in 15 minutes’. Oh the bliss! And somewhere between consciousness and unconsciousness is where I found myself for . . . Anyway, in a world of planes, trains, and automobiles – I rested!

Where will this year take us? As you can see, the rest doesn’t last long. We are busy these days prepping for our little English Mission to move into a new year of study. This year we will begin two new classes. One class will be a writing class and will help prepare middle school students for their English tests in high school and furthermore, university. The other class will be for a group of little jewels aged 5-6 in Korea.

This puts them anywhere between 3 and 5 in Canada. If you remember an earlier post about a dream for many children, you will understand that we are overjoyed to have these little energy packs start learning about God and His love. As I look in the mirror each morning and admire (well . . . maybe not quite) the silver that is so perfectly highlighting my head, I have to wonder if we are really thinking straight as we venture into this new year. Then I’m reminded of the joy in our hearts and the mission at hand. The little hearts are so tender and open. The seed is so easily planted. One thing I ask my Father daily, “Don’t let me get in Your way.” In a world full of demands, we desire to see the need at hand and tend to it rather than run ahead of Him in the haste of getting things done ‘yesterday’.
The economy is tough, study is tough, families are having tough times, the future looks tough, but the hearts are soft and searching. Midst the hurt and hopelessness, how do we offer a bright ray of sunshine? We sing, we rejoice, we thank, we praise, we share God’s love . . . and smile!
This week’s memory verse at EWAM is taken from Philippians 4:4-5.

Rejoice in the Lord always;
again I will say, rejoice!
Let your gentle spirit
be known to all men.
The Lord is near.

We can rejoice! We have so much to be thankful for. When we wake tomorrow morning and realize we have taken a breath to start a new day, let’s rejoice. Don’t let the material things around us steal our joy. We must not allow ourselves to become heated at the first little bump today, rather, we must think of the little things in life that we so easily forget (a close friend, a nice cup of coffee, a warm home, a smile that is returned each time it’s given, the ability to share a kind word with someone today, the opportunity to lift a prayer to our Father who cares about us . . . and the list goes on). So, why shouldn’t we rejoice today? Our rejoicing spirit must be passed on to those we meet. We must not forget that we are blessed. Heavenly Father, may others see the gentleness of You in us today. Amen!

Look at the Cross

A few Sundays ago I was sitting in morning worship pondering over the passage that the pastor was sharing with the congregation. In a pause in my thoughts, I looked up and although I had seen it every Sunday for the last three to four years, I was struck by the cross on the wall of the church. I got a little sidetracked from my sermon 'ponderings' and before could think about it anymore, I picked up my pencil and wrote, without hesitation, the following song. It is only brief but the words really speak to how lost we can sometimes feel when we are trying to 'preach Jesus'. Wonderfully, we serve a risen Savior, but when we look at the cross of our Lord, we should be pointing others in this direction. Just look, that cross . . . that empty cross is a story of who I was, am and hope to be. It is a sign of victory and hope in a world that has so little of either. Let us stop looking at one another. Let us stop looking at the next church. Let us stop looking at things that will satisfy our penchant for extracting the doom and gloom out of today's headlines. Let us embrace each other with the love of God. Let us pray for our brothers and sisters who are trying to make it one step at a time. Let us make a new headline. Let us look at the cross of Jesus and see sacrifice, servanthood, humility, and mostly, let us see love. Then, let us take that love that we discover there at the stump of a tree and share it with those around us. Here is a look at what I saw when I looked at the cross just a couple of mornings ago.

Look At the Cross

Verse 1:

He came to the earth

One cold Christmas morn

Oh how the Father’s heart

Must have been torn

But joy was restored

When my sin was lost

There is victory

When we look at the cross

Chorus:

Look at the cross

It’s empty and bare

Look at the cross

My Savior was there.

He bore my sin

Now new robes I wear

All I can say

Is look at the cross.

Verse 2:

He touched the blind

And then they could see

He healed the broken ones

And He set them free

He knew of me

And He paid the cost

Now I look at Him

When I look at the cross.

For I know that
the Lord is great,
and that our Lord
is above all gods.

Psalm 135:5


Who is the Lord? Why is He great? And if He’s so great, how great is He? What about all the other gods we know about? The psalmist must have had a true experience with His Lord. To truly know that someone or something is above all others and is so awesome takes ‘being there’. For us who’ve had the wonderful opportunity to live and learn in a home or school where God takes precedence, it’s not as difficult to fathom (however, we do sometimes need to stop and ponder as David did). Now, try living in a society steeped in the roots of Shamanism. Is it now as easy to understand the depth of who God is? This is where we find ourselves today - seeking God for wisdom in feeding hearts with a gentle, yet deep, understanding of a God who loves them and wants to have a personal relationship with them. Each day is spent trying to teach people that God is a ‘friend’ who cares about them and really does have a purpose for each and every life.

The program we are presently using at the church is one we’ve created in the past four and a half years of living in Korea. Of course the curriculum includes the much needed English study for this area. However, a huge part of our study focuses on Bible study, worship songs, prayer, and proper etiquette. We require the students to memorize the Bible verses we study and teach them the power of having God’s Word hidden in their hearts. We also impress upon them the power of song. Singing not only brings glory and praise to God, it wards off the enemies forces.

For the past two weeks (we study a new verse every two weeks), we have been looking at Psalm 135:5. It has also been a refreshing time for us as teachers as we share and realize just how great our God is. May we all realize one more time, as David did, that we have the one and only God. He is with us, in us, around us, working through us . . . As we are awakened to this simple, yet astounding fact, let’s be revived in the work we do. As we turn the pages of the newspaper today, flick through the channels of doom and gloom, or search for one little fragment of good news on the internet, let’s be recharged as we realize Who is in control . . . and even more so in the fact that we know Him personally. For those who have not yet grasped this truth, we surround you with our prayers. We pray that you will find your Lord in Jesus Christ, your Friend, and open the fountain of grace one more time. Be blessed!

Why Have Memories?

I remember my first pair of new skates. I always owned a pair . . . as did every other Newfoundland child and I’m sure most Canadians. But, that Christmas was special. There was a little note under the tree that led me on an adventure – a treasure hunt that would end with my very own pair of figure skates. I have no idea when I really learned to skate. I was so little and the bay just down the hill from our house made for the ultimate ice rink . . . every kid’s dream. There were the bumps, the spins, and yes, the stars I remember seeing on several occasions when I had totally lost control. Ah, the sweet memories. We have no idea just how much those memories are like gold until we realize that many children rarely see anything outside of their classroom and the inside of their textbooks. Really? Yes, really.
After arriving in Korea in 2004, we asked some children if they liked snow. Of course their answers were ‘yes’, ‘yes’, and again ‘yes’. That makes them like any other child. However, the difference comes with the question that followed. Do you like to play in the snow? It was followed by the answer “I don’t know . . . I’m not allowed to go outside because I have to study.” I’m sure there are many thoughts running through your mind, some of which may include ‘cruel’, ‘impossible’ . . . or is it just ‘culture’? Either way, many of the children here do not enjoy free play time like the majority of western kids. Their lives are so focused on being able to get accepted into a university when they graduate – and the competition is almost impossible to comprehend until you live and feel it. The pressure they feel to be ‘the best’, just so that they can be one of the ‘chosen’ ones and squeeze into the crowded jungle of life. There is just not enough class space, nor are there enough jobs to support the enormous population of this ‘tiny’ area. So many gorgeous hearts . . . so little hope placed in them.
So where am I going with all this? It leads up to our wonderful day today. To end our winter camp, we decided to take the students on a skating trip. It was a blast. There was a mix of excitement and fear at the same time. There were seventy-three of our children who decided to go, and off we went. Our hearts overflowed as we saw the smiles and listened to the laughing as each one made their laps – some a little more slowly than others. For many of them, it was the first time putting on a pair of skates and stepping onto the ice! We had a blast! Thank God for the wonderful opportunity to share our joy – the abundant supply from our Father – with these little treasures.

A Dream Come True

Here are a couple pics from our Winter Camp 2009. I'm sure these are worth more than a thousand words . . .

In a previous post, I wrote about 'moments'. Click on the title of this blog entry (A Dream Come True) to view Part 1 of that moment (Parts 2-4 can be viewed from there as well).

Even before getting married, the love of my life shared his dream for our family. Well, I never thought we could bring it to pass. As I think back over the past four years, I realize that 'never' was not what God was saying about Jarvis' dream. So, you ask, what was his dream? Are you sure you are ready for this? He talked of our life being filled with the joy of kids . . . not just one. Ah, so he wanted two? No, no, no! Not even close! He wanted a house full of children . . . a house full of laughter . . . a house full of love. We settled for the two precious jewels that we thank God for placing in our lives. Little did we realize that the dream for MANY children would become reality. Here we are, on the other side of the ocean, with our hearts and lives full of children. Each one is a treasure . . . they are our family . . . Marcel and Courtney have surrounded each of them with the love of an older brother and sister. Thanks to my wonderful husband for his dream for our life together! Thanks to God for bringing it to pass - not quite as I would have thought - in the most wonderful and perfect way. We love our family and pray that we remain sensitive to God's plan as we 'raise' these children to know and love Him.

A Moment

Moments must be penned before they drift away midst the muddle of thoughts and busyness in our lives. To treasure this moment, you need to understand the cultural setting. ‘By the book’ comes to mind. Or maybe I should say ‘traditional’. The church society in which we minister is quite a traditional one. Don’t get me wrong . . . traditions are an important part of who we are, however, with time comes newness and the need for change in some areas. With light comes the ability to walk in that light! God has been allowing His light to flow in this little corner of the world.
Our life is an adventure, however just recently we were blessed with an awesome opportunity for outreach in this little corner of Seoul. As a part of our ministry, we teach English to around 125 children of various ages. These children come from many different backgrounds . . . even Buddhist. Some of them understand that there’s a God, but have no idea who He really is. Others only know of a god that must be honored even though he died long ago. One interesting chance to share just who God is, came during the Christmas season. After some practice, some study, and prayer we set out to a park near here to share the true joy of the season with passersby. The air rang with joyful voices “Oh, Come Let Us Adore Him”, “Jesus, Oh, What a Wonderful Child”, “Who is the King of the Jungle”, “Joy to the World” . . . even a joyful mix of “Jingle Bells” and “Rudolph”. To look over the group of students with hands raised in worship to the King . . . there are just no words to explain the moment . . . just had to be there. So what can we say? Thanks to God. He has opened doors, He is opening hearts, He is feeding them ever so gently, and we are blessed to watch Him being glorified through His creation.

Who are we?

Who are we? We are from Newfoundland, Canada, my name is Jarvis, and this is my partner in crime. Her name is whatever junk food she resembles for today . . . Chocolate, Dream Puff, Oreo, etc . . . When I run out of names, ‘Sugar’ works just fine. Oh, her mom and dad called her Loretta. She is my honey – God’s gift to me. Together, we are enjoying every moment of our lives. God has blessed us with what I like to think are two results of the love that God has allowed us. Here they are Marcel and Courtney. Here in Seoul, South Korea, they are homeschooling through a great school in Pensacola, Florida. Imagine . . . Canadians living in South Korea and opening school every morning to “The Star Spangled Banner”.

A ride in my car!

A busy highway is a menacing place to be. Driving at break-neck speeds while passing within meters of oncoming traffic seems a little suicidal. Yet, how can we think this way without acknowledging the beautiful sights we encounter as we flash from one location to the next. Such is our lives and let me tell you now . . . I love speed! . . . no not the white powder . . . Things are moving fast, but we are getting quite a view from where we sit. While you sit at your computer, take a little spin with us.