March 2006

Text Box: WINTER BREAK IN THE STATES Well, as many of you know, I am now back in Korea.  It has taken more than a month to settle down because of housing difficulties, but I am once more sitting at my desk here at Korea Christian University writing my report to you.  Several things have happened since we talked last.  Winter break was great with my family.  Vicki, Brandon and I began that time with a car trip to California to see Vicki¡¯s side of the family for Christmas.   On our way there we stopped at the Grand Canyon, allowing Brandon and I to fulfill a lifelong dream to walk to the bottom of the canyon.  We had some breath-taking views of God¡¯s handiwork, but my calves were sore for the next 5 days.  In California, I was delighted and honored to speak to the Ventura Church of Christ about my work in Korea.   Then, back in Memphis, I continued my work as the International Exchange Director of KCU, communicating with sister schools.  In addition to the follow-up to the responses from our ad in the Chronicle and letters sent to 31 brotherhood universities and preaching schools, I visited Freed-Hardeman University to meet with 2 students who were considering going to Korea for future mission work. Finally, during my spare moments from some household chores and raking leaves, I managed to squeeze in time to review the Korean language.  As usual, the time back home was too short.  GYPSY DAYS AND A NEW PLACE TO STAY When I left Korea to return to the States, I knew that my time in my Korean apartment would come to an end soon.  Because the owner who had donated the property to KCU had died without a will, the benefactor¡¯s nephew was demanding a return of the apartment.  Originally, President Kee of KCU had told me that I would have to move to another place upon my return to Korea in late February.   However, during my break in the States, KCU called me, relating that Kee would retire on February 6, and wanted to have the housing situation cleared before leaving office.  This meant that KCU would move my things for me, without my presence.  This thought was a little disconcerting.   Who would not want to be present while one¡¯s clothing, furniture, books, etc. were being packed and transported elsewhere?   Finally, as I prayed about this, I knew that all my property in Korea was just composed of ¡°things,¡± and things can be replaced.  KCU moved my things to a storage room on the first floor of the dormitory on February 6 while they searched for my new place.  They assured me that they would find something. This was the beginning of my gypsy days, which finally ended just recently on March 21. When I returned to Korea on February 27, no housing had been found yet.   BCC graciously allowed me to stay in one of their extra rooms for the next month.   Later, I found out that one of the problems KCU was having in securing me a place was more than just a tight budget.  Their Business Manager threatened to retire. KCU had found a new place, and even showed it to me, asking if it was okay.  I liked the place, but the business manager failed to sign a contract in time, and the property was snatched up by another anxious buyer.  It was almost like going back to square one.  KCU apologized for the delay, and then allowed me to accompany a real estate agent throughout the neighborhood in search of another place.  To simplify the details here, I was shown about 8 apartments, and I chose the one I preferred.  This time, the business manager signed a contract, and about a week later, I was able to move in.   After being in Korea for nearly a month, I could at last unpack my things.   My gypsy days had ended. The apartment is very nice, nearly twice the size of my former apartment.   The picture here is of the outside of the building.  I will post some pictures of the inside in the Picture Album of this site soon.  As before, this apartment is called a ¡°Villa.¡±  Unlike the West, where one¡¯s image of a ¡°villa¡± is a huge mansion on the south coast of France overlooking the Mediterranean, the word ¡°villa¡± in Korea means ¡°small apartment with no parking.¡±   However, this new place is very comfortable with more than enough room.  It is again on the fourth floor, but is only a 5 minute walk to campus.  (According to my step counter, only 800 steps away).  Because of the extra space, another professor from KCU is staying in one of the extra rooms.  His name is Bobby Wheeler from Orlando, Florida.  Bobby was hired this spring to teach English, and is doing a great job.   SPRING COURSES AT KCU Regardless of difficulties with housing, I know that I am here because of the students.  This semester I have over 120 of them.   My largest class is a required Freshman course called ¡°Basic Christianity.¡±  This one class has 60 students.  To keep their attention while they attempt to listen to a lecture in a foreign language, I stay constantly in motion, walking around the class as I lecture.  I pray constantly for this group.   This is a non-Bible major class, and most of these students are not Christians.   This past week, I pointed out to them the unique character of Jesus, and the fact that no one could find any fault in him, not even his enemies.  The only charge that brought him to the cross was political and not moral.  In future weeks, I will be explaining to the class how a person becomes a Christian and maintains a relationship with the risen Lord and other Christians.  In addition to the freshman class, I am also teaching three other undergraduate courses (New Testament Theology, Gospel Studies, General Letters) and one graduate course on Acts of the Apostles.   AND YET ANOTHER MOVE THIS SPRING My office for the past year has been on the fifth floor of the Administration Building.  It has been a nice shared space with the faculty secretary.   Since this office also houses the faculty printer and copy machine, the room is never locked.   There is a security system for campus buildings, and no one can enter buildings on weekends without an ID card.  Nonetheless, already I have had several things stolen: some clothing, books and last month, an expensive Bible.  No one has any idea who the thieves might be, and could even be people off campus entering our buildings.  I talked with the administration about this, and they agreed to find me a new office.   So, last week I returned to the ¡°gypsy¡± mode again and carried all my books across campus to another office, one with a lock and key.     HOW TO STAY HEALTHY Koreans believe that their diet contains some of the healthiest foods on the earth.   Their claim was confirmed last month in a U.S. Health magazine which had researched the top 5 Most Healthy Foods in the World.   Making the list was Korean kimchee.   For those who are unfamiliar with Korea¡¯s daily staple, kimchee is spicy fermented cabbage.  It not only assists the digestive process, but kills many kinds of harmful bacteria.  Most Americans do not find it appetizing.   This was my reaction at first as well, but now after several years of exposure to it, I find the taste satisfying and a good compliment to any Korean meal. (Picture to the left shows 8 varieties of kimchee. There are actually hundreds).   KOREA STILL A SAFE PLACE TO LIVE Despite the few thefts of some minor personal property, I continue to be amazed at the safety of the living conditions in Korea.  Among the world¡¯s industrialized countries, Korea is considered to have one of the lowest crime rates.   A recent study analyzed the comparative crime rate this way.   Out of every 100,000 people, the number of convicted criminals is: - 640 in the United States -  260 in Canada - 37 in Japan - 21 in Korea Walking down any street in Seoul is much safer than in many American cities.  Furthermore, any time my face shows the slightest hint of not being able to find my way, someone in the crowd in broken English will say, ¡°May I help you?¡±    PREACHING AT HANMEE CHURCH OF CHRIST It was great to see all of our members at our Korean-American church again.   Paul Whitehead continues to do a good job getting our bulletin out week by week, even in two editions (one English, one Korean).   We now have begun to have monthly potlucks after our worship time every first Sunday of the month.    Last week was our first, and guess who forgot to bring something?   Don¡¯t think too hard, but the incriminating finger does point my direction.  Despite one ¡°boong uh¡±  (a Korean word for a forgetful fish), we still had a wonderful fellowship time with more than enough food.  Paul and I continue to share the preaching responsibilities.  Last month I spoke twice, once on ¡°Radical Joy¡± (from Philippians), and then on ¡°Healing Jairus¡¯ Daughter.¡± At our last business meeting, we talked about ways to let people know we are here, and how we can best make inroads into our community.   Now, we are meeting on the 7th floor of an office building, utilizing space that BCC provides, but there is not even a sign outside to announce our presence.   Pray for us as we seek to become better known, not for our glory but for the One who deserves all praise and glory. TWO DEATHS ON THE SAME DAY In a painful reminder of the brevity of life, I received two calls this past Monday about those who had passed away.  One call was from Sang Yong Yang, who phoned to tell me about the death of Mary Cantrell¡¯s brother.  Mary is the wife of Jerry Cantrell, the dean of Sunset International Bible Institute¡¯s program here in Korea.  This couple has been here for a few months, and have endeared themselves to many people.   Mary¡¯s brother was only in his early 50s.  The Cantrells left two days after to attend the funeral in the states.  The second phone call was from Vicki to let me know about the death of my favorite aunt in America.  Virginia Mitchell, my father¡¯s sister in St. Louis, passed away from the complications of old age and cancer.  She was 91.   With her husband, they were probably responsible for my parents¡¯ being Christians, and thus me as well.   I will miss her, and look forward to seeing her again and reminiscing about many things. THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO I know that even though I don¡¯t hear from many of you personally as often as I would like, you are helping us in so many ways.  You are praying for us.  You are aiding us.  In my absence, you are a special source of comfort and help to Vicki.  She knows that in any emergency at home, many of you are just a phone call away.   Thanks for this extraordinary gift of friendship.   The Lord has blessed us with a super family worldwide.   I love and appreciate all of you.   I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.   (Philippians 1:3-5)                       Home

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

¡¡

 Home