Spring Update

It's been exactly 5 weeks since I've logged into Facebook or stepped into a McDonald's, and it's been really good for me in several ways. For one, I no longer think in status updates. ;-) Two, I've been reading so much! I finished John Eldredge's Walking With God (excellent--read it!) a few days ago, but I've still got plenty more to keep me occupied. I guess you could say reading has become a newfound hobby, one that was largely diminished by Facebook before. I still prefer non-fiction to fiction, but I'm enjoying a large variety of topics nonetheless: currently health, American history, conversational Korean, theology, and wildflowers.

 The last month has also been busy with hiking, a trip to the coast, a TESOL conference, dinner with students at our staff residence, language exchange, and time spent hanging out with friends. Juhee, Heather, Michael and I went hiking at Dobongsan on the first warm day of spring. I wish I had a nickel for every time a fellow hiker scoffed at Heather's footwear--Chacos, heaven forbid! We spent a good deal of the hike practicing beginner Korean, and this week we started our first "formal" class before work--it's really fun to teach Korean, especially to adults who are so motivated and positive. The hike was a decent challenge, and the view from the top was remarkable, although I didn't capture it well here.

 On March 22, a former Connexus teacher from Canada married a Korean from Gangneung, on the East Sea. So all the staff from Connexus and KOPI (Korean Peacebuilding Institute) piled into several vans and headed east for an overnight retreat. We serenated the bride and groom with a song at the wedding, and then we traveled an hour north to Sokcho, where we had a barbecue and played games Saturday night. Sunday morning, we had devotions and a community-building activity, and then we went to the beach, where I almost lost both my shoes in the ocean (thank goodness for Kaia's and Michael's quick reflexes!).

 

 

Last Saturday, I met Anna and another friend to look at cherry blossoms in Seoul, and then we went hiking with a couple teachers from our Korean class. The weather took a sudden turn for the worse, so our hiking was cut short, but we still got to see many wild azaleas. We used the extra time to refresh ourselves at a jjimjilbang, a public bath and spa. I've been to the public bath many times, but this was my first time to go with another Caucasian. Also my first time to have a friend scrub my back for me, like I've often seen Korean friends do for each other. So that was a heartwarming experience, haha. :-) After showering and sitting in the whirlpools for a little while, we got dressed in the unflattering jjimjilbang uniform (super baggy t-shirt and mom shorts), and spent the next several hours alternating between sweating in the oven room, freezing our bums off in the igloo room, covering our bodies with coarse chunks of salt to remove toxins through sweat, and eating kimbap, ice cream, and shikye. I think all that relaxation made me sleepier than if I'd gone hiking the whole day.

 

 

L-R: Hiking with Andee, Anna, Pei Rin, and Kate; Dawn, after church, in front of forsythia; wild azaleas at Cheongyesan.

Finally, of course, my main work is teaching kids, and I can't tell you how much joy and amusement I get from them. They're just so hilarious, and so stinkin' cute. I love the stuff they come up with--even their squabbles are amusing. But as usual, I enjoy the relational aspect of teaching more than the science of it. I've had a couple chances to share my faith this month, and that's been really special. I hope I'll have another chance with Easter coming up. Last weekend, one of my classes came over for dinner with one of Heather's classes. We had fun playing frisbee, making spaghetti (typical), and teaching the kids to play spoons (the card game). On April Fool's Day, I was too busy with report cards to plan any tricks, but one of my students got me good. He ran into class late, exclaiming how badly he needed to go to the bathroom, so I quickly waved him back out the door to take care of business. When he came back in a few minutes later, I noticed dried blood on his forehead and was concerned he had gotten into a fight at school. He seemed unaware of any injury and quite surprised to feel blood on his head--or so I thought. Then he said, "April Fool's!" and pulled out an eyedropper of fake blood, which he had apparently taken into the bathroom with him. I was oh-so-pleased! The first time a student pranked me! I was so pleased, in fact, that at the end of class I let him put more "blood" on his head and then rushed out to summon Karen's help for my student who had "bashed his head on the table." ;-) Fun times. I'm also grateful for the chance to play basketball with a couple students after work in the evenings. As the weather gets warmer and the days longer, I hope we can do more of that.

 

Some prayer requests to lift up:

• For me to eat of God's manna every day, that I might have wisdom and faith to meet each day's challenges and opportunities.
• For my friends who are unbelievers to be drawn to God, and for my believing friends to walk in freedom and relationship with Jesus, casting off the yoke of legalism and empty religion. Pray that for me, too, actually--I think I'm apt to drift.
• For Sang-min, the first Mennonite conscientious objector (CO) in Korea, who will be escorted to jail at the end of his trial on April 16. (In Korea, there is no alternative service for COs, and it is a crime to refuse military duty.) Sang-min will have a fundraiser this Friday night to raise money for his jail expenses. Pray for him to grow in his faith and relationship with Jesus, and to be a witness to the many Jehovah's Witnesses (also COs) whom he will meet during his year and a half in jail. Pray also for his parents, who cannot accept or understand his decision, that their relationship would be restored in Christ.
• For my upcoming trip to Japan (April 30-May 4) with other Connexus and KOPI staff--that we would glorify God in our unity as a group, in our conversation, in our response to unforeseen situations, and especially in our relationships and interactions with our host families. Pray for God to prepare hearts--both ours and theirs.