Wednesday Fellowship

“What is for the dinner?” someone shouts during announcement time. "Ham, salad, and potatoes!", Bob shouts back from the choir. About a month ago, we started a Wednesday dinner and mid-week service. While most churches are cutting back on services, First Southern is adding them.

There is old saying that the “family that eats together stays together”. How true it is! Eating is the most family-oriented activity in every culture. By serving a dinner on Wednesday, we are accomplishing three goals: First, we stay close to our church family by touching base in the middle of the week. Second, we reach out to people in our community. Often it is easier to invite people to a meal than to a Sunday service. Third, we get a delicious meal.

Bob Shaw has been our lead chef. He has been coming to church on Wednesday morning, spending many hours to prepare food for 30 people. A full course dinner is served between 5 to 6 p.m. – with all the fixing’s. After an enjoyable meal in the dinning hall, we gather in the sanctuary for a “word of the week”. After that we break up into smaller groups to practice choir, pray, or study the Bible. As we share food and fun with one another, our love for one another grows.

It’s so much fun to belong to the family of God. I find myself looking forward to Wednesday evenings. I invite everyone who receives this newsletter to attend our First Southern mid-week dinner. I am reminded of the scripture, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” [Hebrews 10:24-25]

my birthday

my birthday
Originally uploaded by come and see africa.

I got a real dog for my birthday. I never had a dog in my life, and I thought I would try one. A Korean dog came to live with us, but she did a very bad thing. We had to send her back to the owner. She killed Chris' bird, Paco. I think I am going to stick to this hot dog for now, rather than real one.

simon's apartment

simon's apartment
Originally uploaded by come and see africa.

Here I am with my son and my daughter-in-law.

Uploading a movie to your server account

Dave Hicks created an instruction for itec 830 class. Here it is:

Once you have completed your imovie, then exported it as a Quicktime for the web(File>Export>Quicktime>Web) you are ready to post it to your blog.
Here is how:
1. Loading your movie to your server account.
2. Taking a picture of your movie screen.
3. Linking your blog to your movie.

Immculee from 2001 to 2005

Jean Min and Immaculate
Originally uploaded by come and see africa.

I met Immaculee in 2001 in Butare, Rwanda. She was a freshman at NUR at the time, when my husband and I went to Butare. My husband was giving a Christian leadership seminar at the National University of Rwanda, and I was teaching school teachers how to write lesson plans. Since 2001, we have been going to Rwanda every year, and we see Immaculee every year. She was a freshman when we first met her, now she is graduated from the university and works as an accountant for Rwandan government. She is also a board member for "Come and See Africa", a non-profit organization which my husband and I established.

How can you tell this is taken in the different year?

DSC00804.JPG

DSC00804.JPG
Originally uploaded by come and see africa.

How beautiful

Love endureth all things

Zach, Simon and Dillia,

I love you and miss you so "manta" on this V-day.
mom~

Iraq War is Real

Can you imagine that someone who you don't know will come to you and announces the death of your son? This happened to one of our church family, Annabel. Annabel has been asking for our Church to pray for her grandson Michael who was serving in Iraq. We have been praying for him every Sunday, and asking Annabel when he is going to be at home. He is at home, but not the way you expected. He died when a humvee that he was in it was blown off. He was caught in a war zone. He was only 23 years old. Why? We are at war. But I didn't think about it, or I should say that the war didn't seem real to me until today. The war is real and our soldiers give their lives for this country. Michael gave his life for you and me.

It was so hard to face Michael's father, mother, and his only brother James. As I think of Michael's death, I can't stop thinking about my own children. Michael is only 23. I never had a chance to know him in person, but through Annabel I have been praying for him and his safe return. Rest in Peace, Michael.

New semester

School started on Wed. For me, school started last week. I have been busy with conferences and workshops last week and this week. Grant workshop was very helpful. I hope to apply for faculty development for Africa and community based curriculum development.

Simon and Dilia are in Venezuela. I have not heard from him for a week, so I am little worried. Zach made a safe journey from SF to Washington via Dallas. My old car was faithful to him, he made to DC with that old car in the mid winter.

Letters from a father to his son--Iraq

Read this, weep.

Surprise visit

Jungwha and John came to the church and surprised me. I can't believe Jungwha has two kids already. I introduce them six years ago, and they got married a year later. I have not seen them for four years! It is so wonderful to see these two.



Lelia's visit. I pray that she will stay healthy while she is in Africa.

Zach came and gone.


We celebrated New York New Year. This means we embraced the year 2007 at 9 p.m, New York time. While we are waiting for the dawn of new year, we played pictionary, had a time of reflection on 2006 and shared dreams for 2007. We prayed as we step into the year 2007. I am excited to see what God is going to do with our church, my family, and myself. I am so excited, I can't contain my joy.

Adventure? or Trouble?

Chris is in Africa. He left on Dec. 28 with Lelia to London. They will meet with Frank in London, then Lelia will travel alone to Africa then meet Chris and Frank in Kigali.
Zach left on Dec. 28th to go back to D.C via Dallas . He called me from Dallas and told me that he is having trouble with the car. I tried to persuade him not to drive the old car during this time of the year. Zach insisted, and Chris encouraged. It is so hard to understand him and Chris. They think this is an adventure. To me it is a trouble. I wouldn't mind having an adventure, but I want to avoid troubles. How do you distingush an adventure from a trouble? It is time to let him go. Zach is an adult, and he can take care of himself. I did my best to help him not getting into trouble. Fixing the car, which cost me $1000, and helping him with gas. It is now out of my hand, I need to let him be an adult. I am trying very hard to distance from his adventure. Now it is his adventure that he needs to experience the consequences.

Christmas Cantata

Our choir was fantastic! We had great turn out, and the mix of music was informal at the same time reverenced. I met so many new people; they seemed to be friends and family of choir members. We had about 100 people. I am praying that by next Christmas,our membership will be 100. After the cantata, we had a candle light service and refreshment. We made a circle along the wall, then lighted candles. While each candle is lighted up, we sang, then we touched the shoulder of the next person in order to make the complete circle (we could prayed or blessed that person we touched). When we made the complete circle, we walked to get back to our seat. The moving crowds with lighted candles were really neat to see from the sound booth. I took several pictures as people sang and walked.

I learned how to embed slideshow

Learning from children

It was a rainy Sunday. When I saw Tim and his little brother Chris, I was looking at the seat where Annabel sits every Sunday. I didn't think Annabel would be here since Jane and Al will not be at the church this Sunday. But she was sitting pretty in her Sunday pink dress. I turned my head toward to Tim to tell him to say Annabel is here. Before I open my mouth, I saw Tim was walking toward Annabel, then he gave her a big hug. His brother Chris followed him and sat next to Tim. If Annabel is his grand mother or he knew her before, this may not be anything that I would think about.

I was pleasantly surprised by Tim a few weeks ago when he wanted help Annabel to Jane's car. He seemed to be restless, and a typical 10 year old boy who has lots of energy. But when he helped her out, he was so gentle to her. I had to stop what I was doing, and watch those two walked out from the church. How kind and sweet he was to Annabel. Most kids, I thought, they don't pay attention to old people, even to their own grandparents. But I was wrong. Some kids pay attention to even to strangers. Annabel was a stranger to Tim. Sometimes, kids teach older people how to love others while adults just talk about it.

Reason for the Season--Born is the King of Israel

We decorated our house with Christmas lights and a rain deer on our rooftop. I love this
season, and this year is such a special year. We are so blessed to live on the same ground where our church is. It is so wonderful to see the beautiful church several times everyday. Christmas season started right after the Thanksgiving. We decorated the church and the parsonage. Last Friday (Dec. 1st), we went to Assoc. Christmas party, and on Saturday (Dec. 2nd) was our church party.

My favorite season is Christmas season. This year, my joy has been multiplied with so many many blessings. The first blessing is our church, the second blessing is also our church, and the third blessing is again our church. What a joy to serve God in this way! We went out for caroling Monday night (Dec. 5th). Last time when I went out for caroling was in Korea in 1969. What a joy to experience it again.

Driftwood Nursing Home visit

We sang hymns and old classics. There were about thirty people who are in wheel chairs. Some were singing along with us, some were sleeping during the service. It reminded me the time when my mother was in a nursing home. I am sure that no one here in this nursing home chose to be here. What can you do when you are struck by strokes, and no one to take care of you. How do you respond to this kind of event in your life? When they were young and healthy, I don't think they ever thought they would end up in a place like this. Surely I don't think that way now, but what do you do when you need full time care. I wanted to hug everyone, but I didn't. I went around and reached out my hands to those who reached out to me. Wouldn't it be nice if I could bring in children from a Korean church to sing and dance for them? Children can learn to serve older people, and these wheel chiar bound people can enjoy children's singing and dance.

Visiting Homeless Shelter on Thanksgiving day

We went to a shelter on Thanksgiving day. It was so hard to see their faces straight from the place where I was sitting. They avoided and I avoided their eye contacts. They look so tired and beatten from cold, rain, and sun. On my way out, I said "hello" to a young family, and baby waived goodbye to me. It is so hard to say "God bless you or Happy Thanksgiving" to those who are really suffering. What do you say when you see someone who lost all hopes?

Joyce played piano, Linda is holding cup cake box, Ken and Mike in the background.

Anna and Enyoung

I had a surprise visit--Anna and Enyoung visited us. I have been praying for two directees for several months. I need to give the names to SDI on Dec. 9th. Whenever I asked “how should I get directees”, Sister tells me, God will send right ones, just wait. Now I know what she is talking about. These two showed up at my doorstep and surprised me. The way God works is always amazing. These two young ladies are the ones God sent to my way as I am getting a training to be a spiritual director.

This baby is so cute. Every time I hear his laugh, I laugh too.

So cute.