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.