Asia #12 - August 9

Hi everyone,

Thank you all for your prayers and your support. We arrived safely yesterday afternoon. Our trip is officially over.

The last week was one of many goodbyes as we saw our roommates leave one by one, and then our fellow volunteers. It was hard to leave a place with so many memories and so many people we had grown to love. All four of us are thinking and praying seriously about returning to YUST, whether for a semester, a year, or longer. It's a place where G's hand is moving so strongly and dynamically that all of us want to be there to see the exciting things G has in store for Yan* and for Ch*. But for now, New York is calling us home.

On our last Wednesday there, the roommates surprised us with a farewell presentation. They prepared songs and poems and slideshows to commemorate their English House experience. At the end, they stood around us with candles and sang 당신은 사랑받기위해 태어난 사람, a song about how God loves us (the title is you were born to be loved). It was very sweet. They also presented us with gifts, which were so thoughtful. Many of the students had been speaking Chinese around us, even in the room, so we had known something was up, but we had no idea of how much they had been preparing.

As we process our trip, we all are so thankful to have had this experience. God has spoken to each of us in powerful ways. We've reevaluated the way we approach missions work: how relational it needs to be, especially in closed countries. How the harvest truly is plentiful, but the workers few. How freeing it is to leave the things that hold us down and just give ourselves to God's work. And how fulfilling it is to spend our entire days serving Him. I think all of us are praying and listening to hear from God about vision for the future.

Thank you, again, for the support you've given us throughout this trip. We would all love to meet up with you individually and share more about Ch* and all the things we've experienced. Ask us about our trip (but be prepared for a looong answer)! If you want pictures, there are a lot of pictures on this website: http://picasaweb.google.com/jleeisfree

This is the last update. I would like to ask you to continue praying for YUST and PUST. Please pray that the missionaries there would continue to be faithful to God's call and that they would be encouraged. Also, please pray that G would send workers to Ch* and NK and that hearts would be opened in those two countries.

-Michelle

Asia #11 - August 8

(from Karen)

Hello RWC,

So, the four-weekers have been back since Tuesday. Since then, we have been debriefing and digesting our thoughts, lessons and insights we gained over the past 5-6 weeks in Yanji. Let me just tell ya that we got to see God's glory and His divine providence over everything that's been happening at YUST, in Yanji and also in North Korea. Harvest is SO ready and God is moving very quickly in that area. All we had to do was just catch on and ride His wave and taste that the Lord is GOOD. When we stop thinking about what we can accomplish or how we can do things right, but surrender that and just love Jesus, it is totally awesome. By the way, did we share that one of the students became our brotha in Christ?! Yes, he finally came to accept JC after a long time of questioning and curiosity! (Hollernation!) Things are happenin for reals, I tell ya. Anyway, our team reflected together and we attested to the fact that God is seriously good and really manifesting Himself like crazy in Yanji.

Also, my paradigm of missions was reinforced as I worked with the students, heard the stories of missionaries and saw the way they live. Because these professors (missionaries) cannot talk about the gospel first, they just love the students until the students approach them. For a homework assignment my students were asked, "What are some life lessons that you learned at YUST?" I was so surprised the majority of students responded by saying that they learned how to love and care for others because they saw how much their professors loved them! I thought that was so incredible and radical because these students see Jesus' love in them, although they may not know who He is yet. I was reminded this is how we're supposed to live: loving and intimacy with the Lord and spilling out of that onto people.

With my roommates, it was very hard to say goodbye since we had bonded so well and many of them asked if we'd return. In our final week, they prepared us a surprise party, where they sang songs, recited poems, presented slide shows and sang for us the song, Dang Shin Eun Sarang Bat Gi Wi Hae (You were born to be loved). They are so sweet have have such pure hearts. Also, Some of us got to share the gospel with our roommates towards the end and we have believe fully that the seed will grow some day. Awesome thing is that all of these students are within the reach of the professors and the professors will be following up on these students and continuing the work. =)

Anyway, all of us have many stories and praise reports so grab one of us for further updates and be encouraged and blessed! Also, please pray that God will seal the lessons and convictions in our hearts and that they may be preserved that we can live them out here in NY. Also, please keep these professors in your prayers.

-China Team 09

Japan #6 - Pictures! - August 6

(In no particular order.)

Please continue to keep our Japan team in prayer! Let's continue to persevere and support them as they finish their last week abroad. :)

Japan #5 - August 1

The Bible classes and English lessons have finally have come to a close. It's been difficult, yet rewarding two weeks where we were able to see the people of Toyohashi from all ages and religious backgrounds. The relationships went beyond the classrooms as the team members and church folks sat down with anyone who did not know Christ to share and to laugh with them. We were encouraged by the love and hospitality THCC members showed to the newcomers, often picking up from where the team left off because of the language and cultural barriers. While it is difficult to measure our success in the classrooms and lunch tables, we believe that the Holy Spirit can and will grow the seeds that have been planted in due time. This Sunday (8/2) is a special Sunday where we invited the students to the worship gathering, so please pray that God would work in hearts of those who do not know Christ. Our sister Christal (Soojin) and brother Young will be giving their testimonies, so have them in your prayers as well.

Beginning in next week, the team will be going to the Bible camp with about 90 Junior and Senior High School Students. The past team members have been telling us that the camp was the most challenging time during their stay in Japan, so some of us are quite worried about what will happen. Again, we ask for your prayers that God would work mightily in these kids despite our insufficient Japanese and other weaknesses.

-In Him-

Japan 09

OTR 1/2 - July 28

Hey y'all,

So, we are still awaiting an update from our Cincinnati team, but in the meantime, you can check out an update from Grace Covenant Church's team here. It's from July 26th.

Thanks for reading thus far and supporting our workers through prayer :) Keep your eyes open for more updates!!

Asia #10 - July 27

What are the things I am sure of?

This is our last week here and looking back on this week and even this entire trip, the question that keeps coming up is, what are the things I am sure of? The obvious answer is G, but really, I don't think I had actually lived my life as if that was the one thing I was certain of.

Now that we've spent some time with our roommates, we've been having opportunities to talk about deeper topics. One of the English teachers here keeps assigning students to answer difficult questions like, what is happiness? what is true love? what is success? so it's been on students' minds. Our roommates have been talking about these questions to us. The conversation I had with my roommates about whether or not there is a heaven reminded me again of how hard it can be to be in a place of uncertainty. One of my roommates asked me how people know what the truth is and how they know when G has spoken to them. It was not easy to answer. And it made me wonder. . .do I live like I really believe there is something past this life? Do I live like I truly believe in G's promises?

Throughout this time, I think G has been allowing me to let go of the things that define me. One example is location. I was always opposed to living anywhere but in New York. I see now that's silly. I am not defined by location. If I know my G is with me, what does it matter where I am? I'll go wherever He wants me to be. And I'll do whatever it is He wants me to do. Every skill and talent and interest I possess, I think G can use it if He wants to. Why do I fear? G has shown all of us how every skill and talent and interest can be used for G's work. . .for His redemp--e plan. The professors here have specializations and it's their very specialization and passion that brought them here to do G's work. And they live a lifestyle that is so amazing in its commitment to G. It's that lifestyle that I want to emulate: whatever I'm doing to be doing it for Him.

As our date to go home looms closer and closer, we're beginning to think about how we can apply the lessons that we've learned here back at home. Personally, I've been thinking about how to build relationships and community. I've never really been so focused on relationships as I have been here. How can I love the people around me? All of the volunteers here have devoted most of our time to thinking about how to love our roommates. Do I have that same attitude at home with the people around me? And the atmosphere in our office here is so encouraging. Am I encouraging my fellow brothers and sisters in that same way? Do we encourage each other in our walks? Do we all live like we're certain of the future and G's promises, instead of living like we're being chased by some invisible force? The latter is what I usually feel like. I hope I can live differently when I come back.

As for p requests, please continue asking for opportunities. This is our last week, but it's probably also the best time for people to ask questions and for us to probe deeper. P that we would be bold and truthful and even radical in how we share what we've experienced of G, but that we would also be wise, gentle, and considerate. Please also p that we would begin to think about home and how we can bring the things we've learned here back home with us. Thank you all for your constant conversations with our father on our behalf.

-Michelle

Japan #4 w/ photos - July 24

Time moves faster than expected when you're being blessed beyond imagination.

It's difficult to grasp the fact that a week has now gone by. 1/3 of our time here is done, and as one member of the team has said it, "I wish we could stay here longer." I believe this is the sentiment of the team as a whole.

It's extremely easy to love a lot of the people here. When we talk to them (try to at least), play with them, and are generally around them, it's so easy to really love them. Yet, Young (the team leader) challenged all of us by saying, "Beyond having a good time, getting to know them, and just having fun... does your heart break for them like God's heart breaks for them?" This is something that we as a team are striving for.

Does it upset us if we leave and the people we met aren't changed, grown, restored, saved, encouraged? Does it bother if we just have good times and that's it? Are we truly praying for these people and asking God to show more of Himself to them?

It's a challenge. It's feels so difficult. Yet, that's why we need to pray so much more.

So please pray with us that our hearts wold break for these people as God heart breaks for them.

-In Him-

Japan 09