Friday, August 31, 2012
Thursday, February 16, 2012
God Interrupts Words with Friends
I was feeling a little down yesterday and suddenly really missed my kids. After several days of really having an exciting time with God, it was hard to be in this place. I was feeling depressed. I was feeling so down that I didn't even want to play Words with Friends. I am really addicted to this game, so it's really bad when I don't want to play. (Addictions are bad I know, BUT it's really my only vice. Plus I reason that it will keep my mind sharp :) I asked God to give me joy, but I didn't feel any all day.
Then in the evening, I decide to play Words. I play a few rounds and am not really enjoying it. I was about to stop playing, when one of my friends (who is as addicted to this game as I am) starts a new game. On my turn, I am able to clear all my letters and play "skeleton." I was so excited because I have NEVER, EVER cleared all my letters before. I am really surprised. Then on my next turn, I am able to play all my letters AGAIN! I play "feasted" with the s under "skeleton." Now I am feeling really, really excited and my emotions lift. I don't feel so down anymore. I am really excited because this has never happened to me before...Twice in a row! Then the next word I play is, "Grace." God reminds me again of His Grace for me. A God who loves me so much and cares so much about me interrupted my game to show me His Grace. God's Grace is indeed very big. He really cares about the little things. I am amazed again at the ways He shows His love for me!
What a classy God!
Then in the evening, I decide to play Words. I play a few rounds and am not really enjoying it. I was about to stop playing, when one of my friends (who is as addicted to this game as I am) starts a new game. On my turn, I am able to clear all my letters and play "skeleton." I was so excited because I have NEVER, EVER cleared all my letters before. I am really surprised. Then on my next turn, I am able to play all my letters AGAIN! I play "feasted" with the s under "skeleton." Now I am feeling really, really excited and my emotions lift. I don't feel so down anymore. I am really excited because this has never happened to me before...Twice in a row! Then the next word I play is, "Grace." God reminds me again of His Grace for me. A God who loves me so much and cares so much about me interrupted my game to show me His Grace. God's Grace is indeed very big. He really cares about the little things. I am amazed again at the ways He shows His love for me!
What a classy God!
Friday, February 10, 2012
Not Too Bold for God!
When people ask me why I came to Korea, I am afraid to tell them, "God told me to come." I usually say we had a heart for orphans or something not too God specific. I don't have the boldness to say that God sent me here. I always thought people who talked this way were a little weird, and I didn't want people to think I was weird. I was fearful of man and how people would view me. However, after hearing Heidi Baker's testimony this weekend, I decided not to be fearful of many anymore. I decided to tell the truth.
This Monday when I started the substitute teaching, the teachers asked me why I came to Korea. I said, "God told me to come." Then they said, "No, the real reason." So I said, "The real reason is God told me to come. I hear His voice and try to obey what He tells me to do." As soon as I said this, the enemy started to put fear and doubt in my heart. He said, "You were too bold. That was too much God. They are going to think you are strange. Don't you know this company is run by Jehovah's Witnesses? They are going to fire your husband!" I struggled with this for a few days. I really regretted saying what I said.
Today was the last day of my sub teaching job. During the break, one of the teacher comes up to me and says, "I told my husband that you hear God's voice. He told me to ask you how you hear God's voice. He wants to hear God's voice too." Wow! We met after class, and I shared again that God speaks through an intimate relationship with God. I shared the different ways that God can speak. The Holy Spirit was touching her and she started to cry. She told me that when I told the class that God told me to come, she was very intrigued and wanted to know more. She thanked me for being so honest because that's how she was able to talk to me about God. That was so God!
God has given me several opportunities the last few days to talk and brag about God. Now, I am going to pray that God would work through me to heal and prophesy so that people can experience His power! Excited to see what He will do!
This Monday when I started the substitute teaching, the teachers asked me why I came to Korea. I said, "God told me to come." Then they said, "No, the real reason." So I said, "The real reason is God told me to come. I hear His voice and try to obey what He tells me to do." As soon as I said this, the enemy started to put fear and doubt in my heart. He said, "You were too bold. That was too much God. They are going to think you are strange. Don't you know this company is run by Jehovah's Witnesses? They are going to fire your husband!" I struggled with this for a few days. I really regretted saying what I said.
Today was the last day of my sub teaching job. During the break, one of the teacher comes up to me and says, "I told my husband that you hear God's voice. He told me to ask you how you hear God's voice. He wants to hear God's voice too." Wow! We met after class, and I shared again that God speaks through an intimate relationship with God. I shared the different ways that God can speak. The Holy Spirit was touching her and she started to cry. She told me that when I told the class that God told me to come, she was very intrigued and wanted to know more. She thanked me for being so honest because that's how she was able to talk to me about God. That was so God!
God has given me several opportunities the last few days to talk and brag about God. Now, I am going to pray that God would work through me to heal and prophesy so that people can experience His power! Excited to see what He will do!
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Surrender and Scholarship
In 2005, when I made a decision to surrender everything and follow Jesus, one of the hardest things to give up was my children’s education. Growing up, education was highly emphasized and valued in my family. The women on my mother and father’s family all graduated from Ewha Women’s University—the most prestigious women’s university in Korea. Many uncles, aunts, and cousins all have advanced degrees. There was a lot of pressure for me to get a doctorate degree—that was the ultimate indication of success. Until God healed me, my identity was based on my education and my accomplishments and not on my identity as a child of God. Anyways, that’s another story for another day.
During our DTS training through YWAM in 2005, someone asked me this question, “How do you know God wants your children to go to college?” What?!!! Isn’t it God’s will for all Asians to go to college? College was a given in our family! My children were all going to college even if they didn't want to. I never imagined my children NOT going to college. This was one area that I could not surrender easily (Actually, everything I have to surrender is difficult.) However, God has been working in my life, and I have been able to slowly lay down this area. In order to help me to surrender in this area, God gave me a child whose passion and interests were not academics! He had a unique learning style which prevented him from being the best that he could be in a regular school setting. So we homeschooled him, but we couldn’t figure out what his passion or interests were. After years of lessons in 3 instruments, 3 sports, and art, Elijah found an interest in tennis when he was 14 ½. But tennis, really?! What kind of future do you have with tennis, especially with such a late start? Most kids start playing tennis at 6 or 7.
During this time of doubting, God spoke to me twice and said, “He is my son, and I love him. I am going to mold him and train him through tennis.” It was not an audible voice, but it was the clearest He has spoken in my spirit. I slowly started to trust God and gave God my desires for Elijah. At that time, I could not have imagined what He had in stored for my oldest son. Tennis is an expensive sport. During the last 4 years, when we didn’t’ have the funds (because God was training us to surrender our finances to Him too), He provided miraculously what we needed to pay for the tennis lessons. He sometimes provided coaches that coached him for free. Sometimes He provided scholarships. It has been an exciting journey to see God working in such a detailed fashion.
Elijah worked very hard to improve his tennis, and he had a desire to play college tennis. That was his goal. We didn’t think it would be possible because he started so late. However, God provided everything He needed for him to train. All that God asked of us was that we train Elijah’s heart to love Him and to know Him so that Elijah can trust and obey Him. This year, several coaches contacted Elijah and offered him to come out for official visits (the coaches pay for airfare and housing). We were really amazed at these offers.
The coach from Wheaton offered him an official visit. Elijah really liked Wheaton and wanted to go there, but they don’t offer athletic scholarships because they are a D3 school. However, from our experience, we know that God ALWAYS provides the finances if it is His will and if we obey Him. We told Elijah to ask God if Wheaton was where God wanted him to go, and if it was, then God would provide the $40,000 needed to attend the school. We started to ask God too. Right after his visit to Wheaton, he was offered an official visit to Cornerstone University. Elijah was reluctant to visit Cornerstone because it was not a school that was on top of his list. It was actually not on his list at all. However, the coach offered him a 100% tuition scholarship, so I told him to visit just to see. I knew if he didn’t like the school, then it was not the school for him regardless of how much scholarship he was being offered. He went for a visit. He liked the school. He liked the teammates. He liked the coach too. We liked the coach too. He is a man of prayer. We were surprised that he prayed for Elijah. Elijah had visited several Christian schools, but none of the coaches had prayed for him. The coach made an impact on us. We felt he could be someone that could mentor Elijah. We sensed this was the school God was leading Elijah to.
When I look back at how God has worked out all the little details in the past 4 years for Elijah, I am in awe. I can’t even understand it sometimes. I try to think about all the details that were involved in getting Elijah to this point, and it really boggles my mind. I was so scared to surrender a college experience for my son, but when I did, He gave back lavishly. He not only is providing an opportunity for Elijah to go to college, but He is providing the funds to do it too. What a classy God! The journey of surrendering and letting go has not always been easy, but God was with me every step of the way, guiding me in His most gentle way. I am humbled that a magnificent God cares so much for me and my family. What more can I say about my Amazing Father?!
During our DTS training through YWAM in 2005, someone asked me this question, “How do you know God wants your children to go to college?” What?!!! Isn’t it God’s will for all Asians to go to college? College was a given in our family! My children were all going to college even if they didn't want to. I never imagined my children NOT going to college. This was one area that I could not surrender easily (Actually, everything I have to surrender is difficult.) However, God has been working in my life, and I have been able to slowly lay down this area. In order to help me to surrender in this area, God gave me a child whose passion and interests were not academics! He had a unique learning style which prevented him from being the best that he could be in a regular school setting. So we homeschooled him, but we couldn’t figure out what his passion or interests were. After years of lessons in 3 instruments, 3 sports, and art, Elijah found an interest in tennis when he was 14 ½. But tennis, really?! What kind of future do you have with tennis, especially with such a late start? Most kids start playing tennis at 6 or 7.
During this time of doubting, God spoke to me twice and said, “He is my son, and I love him. I am going to mold him and train him through tennis.” It was not an audible voice, but it was the clearest He has spoken in my spirit. I slowly started to trust God and gave God my desires for Elijah. At that time, I could not have imagined what He had in stored for my oldest son. Tennis is an expensive sport. During the last 4 years, when we didn’t’ have the funds (because God was training us to surrender our finances to Him too), He provided miraculously what we needed to pay for the tennis lessons. He sometimes provided coaches that coached him for free. Sometimes He provided scholarships. It has been an exciting journey to see God working in such a detailed fashion.
Elijah worked very hard to improve his tennis, and he had a desire to play college tennis. That was his goal. We didn’t think it would be possible because he started so late. However, God provided everything He needed for him to train. All that God asked of us was that we train Elijah’s heart to love Him and to know Him so that Elijah can trust and obey Him. This year, several coaches contacted Elijah and offered him to come out for official visits (the coaches pay for airfare and housing). We were really amazed at these offers.
The coach from Wheaton offered him an official visit. Elijah really liked Wheaton and wanted to go there, but they don’t offer athletic scholarships because they are a D3 school. However, from our experience, we know that God ALWAYS provides the finances if it is His will and if we obey Him. We told Elijah to ask God if Wheaton was where God wanted him to go, and if it was, then God would provide the $40,000 needed to attend the school. We started to ask God too. Right after his visit to Wheaton, he was offered an official visit to Cornerstone University. Elijah was reluctant to visit Cornerstone because it was not a school that was on top of his list. It was actually not on his list at all. However, the coach offered him a 100% tuition scholarship, so I told him to visit just to see. I knew if he didn’t like the school, then it was not the school for him regardless of how much scholarship he was being offered. He went for a visit. He liked the school. He liked the teammates. He liked the coach too. We liked the coach too. He is a man of prayer. We were surprised that he prayed for Elijah. Elijah had visited several Christian schools, but none of the coaches had prayed for him. The coach made an impact on us. We felt he could be someone that could mentor Elijah. We sensed this was the school God was leading Elijah to.
When I look back at how God has worked out all the little details in the past 4 years for Elijah, I am in awe. I can’t even understand it sometimes. I try to think about all the details that were involved in getting Elijah to this point, and it really boggles my mind. I was so scared to surrender a college experience for my son, but when I did, He gave back lavishly. He not only is providing an opportunity for Elijah to go to college, but He is providing the funds to do it too. What a classy God! The journey of surrendering and letting go has not always been easy, but God was with me every step of the way, guiding me in His most gentle way. I am humbled that a magnificent God cares so much for me and my family. What more can I say about my Amazing Father?!
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Elijah's Testimony
Growing up with the typical “Christian” mindset, it was always easy to do the “right” thing, live a good moral life, and do good works. Sunday school consisted of telling Bible stories and how they could be applicable in our lives. Prayer, devotion to reading the Bible, and going to church were key elements of being a “good” Christian. It seemed as if Christianity was just one big algorithm. As time went on, I lived the same, dull, ritualistic life. I went to school, church, and youth group. Although my life seemed to be full of activity, I felt as if I were wasting my life.
My Christian walk changed when my family did a DTS (Disciple Training School) with an organization called YWAM (Youth with a Mission). We trained for 3 months in Hawaii and spent 2 months in Brazil reaching out to the local community about God. During our training in Hawaii, I learned a lesson I will never forget. I was taught that as creations of God, we have the right and the tools to talk and listen to God’s voice. That’s when my spiritual journey started to improve. I talked to God as if He were right next to me. Because we did the DTS as a family, my family always kept me accountable and prayed with me while listening to God’s voice. I realized that Christianity was not about doing good works but about having an intimate relationship with our personal Lord and Savior.
My family has always been there to support me and remind me of the love God has for me. My Mom and Dad always had the answers when I was in doubt or had a question. Whenever people would attack and question my faith, I would always ask my parents how to respond. However, I knew there would be a time when my parents would not be there to help me defend my faith, so I did a two week training course through Summit Christian Worldview. I learned about different world views and how to defend my faith. They taught me Biblical content that will help me rebuttal a lot of other world views and knowledge on how to approach people who question what I believe.
I realize that each of us has a destiny. God created us uniquely and for a purpose. He gives us passions and abilities that we are to use to make a difference in this world. I am passionate about tennis and teaching, and I hope to use my passion to influence lives. I am not 100% sure what I want to do in life, but I want to bear the fruits of the Holy Spirit and exemplify Christ wherever I am. I hope that as Christ is in me, I am able to change my environment so it reflects more of God’s Kingdom.
My Christian walk changed when my family did a DTS (Disciple Training School) with an organization called YWAM (Youth with a Mission). We trained for 3 months in Hawaii and spent 2 months in Brazil reaching out to the local community about God. During our training in Hawaii, I learned a lesson I will never forget. I was taught that as creations of God, we have the right and the tools to talk and listen to God’s voice. That’s when my spiritual journey started to improve. I talked to God as if He were right next to me. Because we did the DTS as a family, my family always kept me accountable and prayed with me while listening to God’s voice. I realized that Christianity was not about doing good works but about having an intimate relationship with our personal Lord and Savior.
My family has always been there to support me and remind me of the love God has for me. My Mom and Dad always had the answers when I was in doubt or had a question. Whenever people would attack and question my faith, I would always ask my parents how to respond. However, I knew there would be a time when my parents would not be there to help me defend my faith, so I did a two week training course through Summit Christian Worldview. I learned about different world views and how to defend my faith. They taught me Biblical content that will help me rebuttal a lot of other world views and knowledge on how to approach people who question what I believe.
I realize that each of us has a destiny. God created us uniquely and for a purpose. He gives us passions and abilities that we are to use to make a difference in this world. I am passionate about tennis and teaching, and I hope to use my passion to influence lives. I am not 100% sure what I want to do in life, but I want to bear the fruits of the Holy Spirit and exemplify Christ wherever I am. I hope that as Christ is in me, I am able to change my environment so it reflects more of God’s Kingdom.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Dear Tennis Coach
Elijah has been looking into several schools. Cornerstone has offered him almost full scholarship (everything but room and board). We do not know if this is where God wants Him to go, but I just wanted to write the coach and make a connection. I really like the fact that this coach is a man of prayer. I sense he could be a good mentor for Elijah. Here are the emails.
Dear Tennis Coach,
I am Elijah's mother, and I just wanted to introduce myself and touch base with you. When Elijah first received an email from you, he was not very excited about Cornerstone because it was a new program. However, when I read your bio on the school website, what caught my eyes was your desire to help players develop their relationship with Jesus. Our desire for Elijah is to go to a school where he can experience a deeper relationship with Jesus, so we encouraged him to continue communicating with you. We have been looking into mostly Christian universities, but as you know, not all Christian Universities and coaches have a focus on Christ these days.
Elijah has been playing tennis for about 4 1/2 years, and he knew he had a late start. His goal was to play college tennis. He has worked really hard during that time to get to where he is today. We are very proud of him for working hard, setting goals, and achieving them. Tennis is important to Elijah, but we also know that that is not the end goal. We, as a family, have experienced many miracles and blessings through tennis during the past 4 1/2 years and know that God has used tennis in Elijah's life to train and mold him. We also know that God will continue to train and mold Elijah through tennis in college as well.
At the beginning of the recruiting process, going to a school with a good team was a priority for Elijah. As he has been visiting different schools, some that are ranked, God is slowly opening his eyes and showing him areas that he hasn’t thought about before, for which we are thankful. His priorities are slowing changing too.
Since we live overseas, my sister has been doing college visits with Elijah and she had a very positive impression of you. She told us you were the first coach to pray for them. Elijah also told me that you are praying for him and your other recruits. We really appreciate your prayers. We really appreciate the fact that you pray. This is really important to us because we know that his coach will have a big influence in his life during college. One of the things that we are praying about is that he would find a coach that would be a spiritual mentor for him.
Elijah really enjoyed his trip to Cornerstone. He thought he wasn't going to enjoy it, but he was pleasantly surprised with the visit. He also really liked the team members, and he also liked you. We are praying and seeking God's heart for Elijah. We appreciate you praying with us. We know that God will indeed lead Elijah to where he needs to be. We are asking God for confirmation and hope that He will show us soon.
Thank you for giving Elijah the opportunity to be part of your recruiting process.
Hi Mrs. Yi-
Thank you so much for your wonderful and encouraging message. It absolutely made my day.
I do pray for my recruits, all of them, quite a bit. It's sort of for me though. I found out early on that it was easy for me to be selfish and look at recruits as simply tennis players that I want to collect and not young people making a decision that will affect the rest of their lives. God very quickly made it known to me that my hopes and prayers need to not be that they would come to Cornerstone, but that they would choose a place that would prepare them to affect the world for Jesus Christ the rest of their lives. If that place is Cornerstone, then that would be terrific, but if it is somewhere else, and they leave that place prepared to change the world for Jesus, then that is absolutely the right decision. In the end, I mostly pray that they would choose to honor God with their decisions, and I believe that when we seek to honor Him with our decisions, He will honor our decisions. So that is what I pray for my recruits, and often.
I enjoyed Elijah's visit tremendously. I think he is a great young man, and I know the guys on the team really enjoyed getting to know him. I would love to have him on our team and as part of our campus family.
I'm glad that you felt free to contact me. Know that I am available at any time for questions, concerns, and of course suggestions for how I can pray for Elijah.
Blessings,
-Tennis Coach
Dear Tennis Coach,
I am Elijah's mother, and I just wanted to introduce myself and touch base with you. When Elijah first received an email from you, he was not very excited about Cornerstone because it was a new program. However, when I read your bio on the school website, what caught my eyes was your desire to help players develop their relationship with Jesus. Our desire for Elijah is to go to a school where he can experience a deeper relationship with Jesus, so we encouraged him to continue communicating with you. We have been looking into mostly Christian universities, but as you know, not all Christian Universities and coaches have a focus on Christ these days.
Elijah has been playing tennis for about 4 1/2 years, and he knew he had a late start. His goal was to play college tennis. He has worked really hard during that time to get to where he is today. We are very proud of him for working hard, setting goals, and achieving them. Tennis is important to Elijah, but we also know that that is not the end goal. We, as a family, have experienced many miracles and blessings through tennis during the past 4 1/2 years and know that God has used tennis in Elijah's life to train and mold him. We also know that God will continue to train and mold Elijah through tennis in college as well.
At the beginning of the recruiting process, going to a school with a good team was a priority for Elijah. As he has been visiting different schools, some that are ranked, God is slowly opening his eyes and showing him areas that he hasn’t thought about before, for which we are thankful. His priorities are slowing changing too.
Since we live overseas, my sister has been doing college visits with Elijah and she had a very positive impression of you. She told us you were the first coach to pray for them. Elijah also told me that you are praying for him and your other recruits. We really appreciate your prayers. We really appreciate the fact that you pray. This is really important to us because we know that his coach will have a big influence in his life during college. One of the things that we are praying about is that he would find a coach that would be a spiritual mentor for him.
Elijah really enjoyed his trip to Cornerstone. He thought he wasn't going to enjoy it, but he was pleasantly surprised with the visit. He also really liked the team members, and he also liked you. We are praying and seeking God's heart for Elijah. We appreciate you praying with us. We know that God will indeed lead Elijah to where he needs to be. We are asking God for confirmation and hope that He will show us soon.
Thank you for giving Elijah the opportunity to be part of your recruiting process.
Hi Mrs. Yi-
Thank you so much for your wonderful and encouraging message. It absolutely made my day.
I do pray for my recruits, all of them, quite a bit. It's sort of for me though. I found out early on that it was easy for me to be selfish and look at recruits as simply tennis players that I want to collect and not young people making a decision that will affect the rest of their lives. God very quickly made it known to me that my hopes and prayers need to not be that they would come to Cornerstone, but that they would choose a place that would prepare them to affect the world for Jesus Christ the rest of their lives. If that place is Cornerstone, then that would be terrific, but if it is somewhere else, and they leave that place prepared to change the world for Jesus, then that is absolutely the right decision. In the end, I mostly pray that they would choose to honor God with their decisions, and I believe that when we seek to honor Him with our decisions, He will honor our decisions. So that is what I pray for my recruits, and often.
I enjoyed Elijah's visit tremendously. I think he is a great young man, and I know the guys on the team really enjoyed getting to know him. I would love to have him on our team and as part of our campus family.
I'm glad that you felt free to contact me. Know that I am available at any time for questions, concerns, and of course suggestions for how I can pray for Elijah.
Blessings,
-Tennis Coach
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Jacob's House
One of the reasons (actually, probably the biggest reason) we are in Korea is because Richard has had a heart for orphans for about ten years. When he become unemployed and was asking God what we needed to do, an opportunity opened up in Korea, so he came. Then we came three months ago.
Richard volunteered and looked into different orphanages, but he didn't feel led to any of the organizations. Actually, he was very disheartened because many of the orphanages in Seoul have too many volunteers and too much money, and the focus was not on ministering to the children. Actually, at some of the orphanages, there were groups from many different religious organizations all ministering at the same time. He took a break from his search until we arrived in Korea.
He had heard that orphanages outside of Seoul don't get as much support as the orphanages in Seoul. So we decided to find an orphanage outside of Seoul. I pulled a list (about 6 pages) off the internet of orphanages in Gyeonggi Province, which is about one hour from Seoul. There were so many orphanages that I didn't know where to start. After researching a few, I just asked God where I needed to look. At that moment, Steve Morrison of MPAK (Mission to Promote Adoption in Korea) came to mind. I emailed him and he connected me with the international adoptions director at ESSW who directed me to Jacob's House in Pyongtek. We were looking for an orphanage that was around an hour from Seoul and one where the kids were younger than our kids. The children at Jacob's House are all under 40 months. How perfect! I also felt there was some connection because our daughter was adopted from ESSW. I also know that they are a Christian organization.
I called Jacob's House and told them our family would like to volunteer. She asked if I could come during the weekdays because the weekends were all full. I told her my children have school and my husband works so that weekdays were not possible for us. She said there was no possibility of volunteering on the weekends. She then asked how old our children were. She mentioned that they only accept high school students. It would not even be possible for our daughter to volunteer with us. It was looking bad. Then she asked how I found Jacob's House. She wanted to know if we were introduced through an adoption agency. I explained that Sebene was adopted through ESSW, and that I was connected to Jacob's House through ESSW. Then her tone changed. She said, "Oh, you adopted through ESSW. Let me think about this and call you back tonight."
She called back and then said the third Sundays were available for us to volunteer. We could volunteer from 9-12, or 2-5, or we could even volunteer the entire day. We start next month! I am so excited about how God is leading our family. I am overwhelmed at how He has orchestrated every little detail so far. I don't know what this will lead to, but I do know that as long as we follow God, He will show us exactly what we need to do next. This journey of faith is very exciting! God is so very good!
Richard volunteered and looked into different orphanages, but he didn't feel led to any of the organizations. Actually, he was very disheartened because many of the orphanages in Seoul have too many volunteers and too much money, and the focus was not on ministering to the children. Actually, at some of the orphanages, there were groups from many different religious organizations all ministering at the same time. He took a break from his search until we arrived in Korea.
He had heard that orphanages outside of Seoul don't get as much support as the orphanages in Seoul. So we decided to find an orphanage outside of Seoul. I pulled a list (about 6 pages) off the internet of orphanages in Gyeonggi Province, which is about one hour from Seoul. There were so many orphanages that I didn't know where to start. After researching a few, I just asked God where I needed to look. At that moment, Steve Morrison of MPAK (Mission to Promote Adoption in Korea) came to mind. I emailed him and he connected me with the international adoptions director at ESSW who directed me to Jacob's House in Pyongtek. We were looking for an orphanage that was around an hour from Seoul and one where the kids were younger than our kids. The children at Jacob's House are all under 40 months. How perfect! I also felt there was some connection because our daughter was adopted from ESSW. I also know that they are a Christian organization.
I called Jacob's House and told them our family would like to volunteer. She asked if I could come during the weekdays because the weekends were all full. I told her my children have school and my husband works so that weekdays were not possible for us. She said there was no possibility of volunteering on the weekends. She then asked how old our children were. She mentioned that they only accept high school students. It would not even be possible for our daughter to volunteer with us. It was looking bad. Then she asked how I found Jacob's House. She wanted to know if we were introduced through an adoption agency. I explained that Sebene was adopted through ESSW, and that I was connected to Jacob's House through ESSW. Then her tone changed. She said, "Oh, you adopted through ESSW. Let me think about this and call you back tonight."
She called back and then said the third Sundays were available for us to volunteer. We could volunteer from 9-12, or 2-5, or we could even volunteer the entire day. We start next month! I am so excited about how God is leading our family. I am overwhelmed at how He has orchestrated every little detail so far. I don't know what this will lead to, but I do know that as long as we follow God, He will show us exactly what we need to do next. This journey of faith is very exciting! God is so very good!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)