As I am sure it
does for you too, Fall brings the busyness of the new year of activities. In addition to preparing for our Annual
Thanksgiving dinner, we are in the midst of many activities with Awana, Home
School Support Group, Protestant Women of the Chapel, the Men’s group, and
various other Chapel events.
Thankfully, the cooler weather has returned – a welcome and much needed
relief from the long season of hot and muggy weather – give me a Washington
summer ANY time, over a Korean summer!
We are enjoying the change, and bracing ourselves for the COLD, but
beautiful, Korean winter. If you are
ever to take a pleasure trip to Korea, plan for Spring or Fall – both are
BEAUTIFUL seasons in Korea.
Veterans
Day trip to the Flower Market –
Genevieve,
Teresa, Monica and Chris
The House
continues to be blessed by new faces that arrived during the summer, and
several families. We are averaging 60
people each Saturday night, for dinner, Bible study and a Praise & Worship
time. Fridays are smaller, but nice
because we have time to talk with each person, due to the more relaxed
atmosphere. Fridays are also a
non-threatening environment for people to invite their unsaved friends, to get
used to the House, have a home-cooked meal, and perhaps be encouraged to join
us for Saturday nights as well.
Current Events
You may have
seen it in the news, but this fall has seen tensions on the Peninsula rise and
fall with the threat of terrorist activity in Korea, based on their
participation in the war in Iraq. We
have seen the base curfews as low as 9 p.m., which definitely puts a damper on
our ministry, but God has been faithful, and we have remained protected (and
busy!) by His grace. Many of “our” men
and women are First Term Airmen, assigned to their first duty station in a
country that is (technically) still at war, are they committed to what they are
doing? Absolutely! Are they
professionals? Of course …. Are they “Ready
to Fight Tonight?”? Most Definitely….
Does that mean they aren’t a little nervous at times about being here, and away
from their families for the first time?
Of course not. We have been
blessed to be here to minister to them, in some small way.
We are finding
it is a little sad, and also amusing, to realize we are the “veterans” here –
the only ones we know who have been here longer are the local missionaries, a
couple contractors, and a few school teachers – you quickly become the “expert”
in things Korean when almost everyone you know leaves after 1 or 2 years, and
you have begun your 4th year.
We find we have to guard against closing our hearts to meeting new
people; it becomes very painful to continually say goodbye to those you have
come to love.
That being said, it appears our time here is
coming to a close, as well. Many of you
know that just after the Holidays, we will be packing up and returning to
Washington state for a few months. In
late summer 05 the “current” plan is to move to Europe, likely Germany, to run
a Hospitality House ministry there. We
are excited about the move, but there are many reasons we feel sad to be
leaving Korea, not the least of which is the fruitful ministry that God has
allowed us to be part of, and the wonderful chapel staff with whom we have been
blessed to work with. We expect to
arrive in Washington in Late January or early February; we do not have a
specific date, as yet
Saying Goodbye to Jason…
How can you pray for us???
- For clear
direction as to our next assignment
- For
safe travels to Japan for our last Staff conference with the missionaries
on the Cadence Asia field (at the Yokosuka, Hospitality House) Nov 30 – Dec 4
- For
a smooth transition back to the states, including packing, saying goodbye,
and still getting schoolwork done in between!
- That
additional support needs will be met.
- For
rest, and refreshment, during our few months in the states.
- That
God will give clear direction to those who will be following us, and
filling in here at the House. We
have seen him work remarkably in that respect so far, and we know this is
HIS ministry, and He will provide.
Patrick with the Wests, on Patrick’s last night
And last but NOT least ….
We continue to
Thank God, especially at this time of year, for your involvement in our lives;
we will make every effort to try to see each of you while we are home. We are beginning to plan our time while we
are in the states; if you, or your church, has a particular time or event
(between March and June) that we can visit, or participate in, please let us
know! We can continue to be contacted
through email at our same email address ([email protected]
)
In His Service, in the ROK (at least for a couple more
months!!)
Fred, Diane, Connor and Karyn