a coin in the sand

Flipping through calander months...


2 Thessalonians 3:16

goodbye sailing... for now

Here I am 3.5 weeks into Camp, and I have already started to jot down memories, except this time its on paper. Im hoping to get on and write more as the summer goes on. I have seen God continue to bless ministries, and people. Im so excited to work with so many people from UTAH, oklahoma, nebraska, and washington. Ive taken so many pictures, I have no idea how im going to even sort them out. There has been many attempts on writting letters, but only a few have been sent, actually maybe only 2 or 3 so far. Snow has just left the ground, only to be seen in 3 months again, and here i am writting this at 11:30 in the Camp nursing quarters with my grand Female leadership staff. They are restfully enjoying watching Cast Away on a computer, and I am enjoying the sounds of the ocean and then an ocassaional scream from Tom Hanks. haha
The next two weeks are going to be challenging. Krutches will take over in my life for 10 more days, i hope just 10 more days and hopefully I can walk freely again. NO more sailing and Climbing Wall training... for now at least. I pray that God will still use me in other ways.

I also have been challenged with planning messages for campfires with so many different people. These challenges have only caused me to learn sooooo much about people, and the work of the Holy Spirit. Its amazing to see how God chooses to work.
We have a cancer group here right now, Rainbow Gold. And there are amazing people and children here right now.
Pray that I will not become frustrated with not being able to do things for the next 2 weeks because of my foot. And also that the Christ continues to unite all of us here, so that we may do his WILL.

ahh, Hannah congratualtions on graduating :)

Sometimes it just takes time.
Time to get used to, time to let go, time to learn, time to see,and with time you learn that there is time for more.
It feels as if the next 7 months are boxed up already. I can tell you where I will be almost every week of this next year and what I possibly might be doing.  Sometimes I view my months as a never ending song. Im ready for a new song to be played.
Good thing tomorrow is a new day Blessed by the King of Kings with opportunities we would never even imagine.

photographs.

Peace, its not the stillness, but instead the security.

Philippians 4:7 " And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your  minds in Christ Jesus."

making color

Yeah, so time has gone by so fast.
Im starting a new art project - pretty excited; im still adding to it every day.
Being Challenged with life through photographs- perspectives-thoughts-and words.
I love writing, but it doesnt make much sense to me. All the grammar and correct sentence structure, it kinda flew past my mind years ago.

Is it alright to go back to a place of comfort? How about challenging ourselves in that place? Complacency, on my mind alot.

I think I'll go play some guitar.

Here are my thoughts today :  I miss painting, I love Chapel, No repeats, "Oh goodness... I have 10 minutes left", zumba is the best way to end the week. Turquoise,  Turkey, my pen pal, and I love my lunch friends.

Today, I have learned alot about friendships, cultures, humility, forgiveness, forgiveness, and forgiveness.

Colossians 3
The Lord is the giver of Life, the giver of ALL things

music

Christmas parties in February, new guitar strings, an old drawing, a cold, and a wonderful friend:)

Colossians 3 tells me more and more every day- today it was How to pray.
~Praying for others~

"Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Colossians 3: 12-17

Every day this verse just shows comfort. I am amazed at how  this verse just seems to say more and more every time it is read.



These are the words that have filled my day , "Interaction", "Joy is in the sharing", "I would ...",  and "We are better than Eden".

Beautiful flowers from a friend, figuring out math, Mollie reading my book :)

It has been a little over a week, and I am finding it hard to sit down to process everthing. Trying to think about school, Korea, the kids, my friends, CHAT...

One thing that I have been loving, is writing. I am horrible at it, but I wish I could just journal everything, or have time to journal everything. I also have a book, that I have been waiting to read. I see it right now sitting on my lonely lonesome shelf, untouched, brand new, not a single page has been turned. My goal this week is to begin to read it.

Also, there are times where I just want to talk about Korea, because I haven't. I look through my pictures and see pictures of Eunice, Amy and/or Luke and I start to wonder "What  are they doing?" and then I remember "Ohhh their probably all sleeping!" haha. Or,  I wonder "Who is teaching them now? Does their new teacher know that Amy needs to be smiled at, or that Luke feels loved when you give him your undivided attention and when you let him teach/tell you things too?  Or when you draw pictures of mountains... God has given me a lot of peace about those three weeks, but I am still learning a lot, there is still A LOT that God is showing me.

I am looking forward to a new day :)

Here are my thoughts,
Time overpowers my exhaustion. Frustrations are non existent.  Proccessing has no time to take place.
I have absolutely insane wonderful friends who plan the most rediculous ways to welcome me back to the United States.

I am leaving in  a few hours to head to the airport. Korea Korea Korea.... It is snowing here.
I am so full from last nights dinner, We had Pork BBQ Korean style. soooo goood :


Goodbye from Asia
God is Good!

last day of ESL camp :(

ahhh I am so sad right now. It is 7 am here and I got up a little early to get ready for some stuff.  I couldnt sleep at all last night...  ahh.  I hate saying goodbye

  I have already started packing up. I did my laundry last night, and the machine is in Korean so I had no idea how to use it! haha, so I had My lovely suitmate help me. I often find myself coming back to my room and just laying on my floor because the floor is heated and its the warmest room I can find.... and then right when I lay down I have to leave. haha,  I am sitting on my floor as I am typing this.

.                                                                                I had the kids write letters to their parents the other day, and in return the parents had to respond. They had to give their parents a gift of their choice, it could be anything they want. We read them, and we couldnt finish reading them because they were so funny.

I really am going to miss the kids so much. ahhhhh SO SO SO much!:(

Last night the President of Luther took us out to dinner. It seemed like the meal was 6 courses because the food just kept on coming. At one point I counted 54 dishes on the table of food. and there was only 8 of us. I found out that I really do NOT like raw fish, but I LOVE the fact that the floors are heated :) ahh its so wonderful! I am going to miss that so much!
Today was very challenging, the kids are getting to be more restless. It can be really hard at times because there is very little encouragement. But God provides the strength to keep going and today ended with a great class.
I got a new camera and I have been taking ALOT of pictures. So here are some of the kids!
Tomorrow is our last day, and I think they are having me make Chocolate covered pretzels with a microwave. Im not sure. I will find out in the morning!
Psalms 106:1

Well, our water is still frozen, were going on to the third day! But thats alright!
My highs for the day,

• I had 8 students memorize John 3:16 in English and they did actions with it, and they amazed me because I had no idea they were going to do that!  I still have one student who needs alot of prayer.
• I had students pray for other students
• I cried today from laughing.
• My student, Luke, drew me mountains.

Today was great overall, but the students need alot of prayer. Please keep praying for them. I have one student who is refusing to participate in the Bible class. But God is working in ways that I wouldnt of even expected. There are a few students who have reached out to him and have shown a Christian like attitude toward him.
I pray that God Blesses him over and over and over again.

I am about to leave with Eunsook to look for a camera. BYE!.

frozen pipes, and icy sidewalks

I finally have some time to write!
Well, this past week I was so blessed to be able to meet with many people who are working for the Lutheran Church in Korea. I heard so many stories, and experiences that were nothing but encouraging. I just wanted to hear more and more but I didnt have all the time in the world.

We visited the Korean Folk Village and froze.
I rode an amusement park ride with a thousand other little Korean children who were on a field trip, and that was the most entertaining ride I have ever been on. hahaaaaaha.

I got to go to the Seoul Tower, which is in the middle of Seoul at the highest point. There are mountains here, but they are not like any mountains I have ever seen. They are a little smaller, but more randomly placed and rocky around the city. At the tower, we took an elevator to the top, and I almost cried when i saw out! The sun was setting and you could go around  the whole tower and see out at every side. It actually told you what city you were facing and how many Kilometers away it was in every window. There are also "Love Locks" every where and "love tiles" usually friends, family, our people in love buy these and decorate them and write notes on them, and lock them to the poles outside or glue them to the building. You keep the key, and you can come back any time in your life to get them. There are THOUSANDS OF THEM. I spent 20 minutes looking at one wall....

.

My camera completely broke when I got to the top I was SO sad,  but it made me admire the view more than I would have if I had one. This was probably a memory that i will never forget. There have been a handful of moments in my life that I did not have a camera and I could not take a picture. Those moments have been some of the most cherished moments I have.

Here is the last picture I took! haha it is of the tower





After this Matt met with us and we went and stayed the night with him, his wife Dede, and his 2 wonderful daughters, who know 4 languages each and they are only 3 and 5 years old!
 Well, we had a wonderful time at their house and I enjoyed all of it! They were wonderful hosts and they gave me alot of encouragement for this upcoming week.

Mom: we sang Shine Jesus Shine at church. I always think of you when we sing that song.

Mom and Dad, the pastor and his wife lived in Alaska for 6 years doing ministry. They said you should go when Hannah graduates. (hint hint) :) and they have lots of moose stuff.

Well, I am still learning Korean and I am actually starting to be able to read some stuff! Eunsook has been perfecting my accent.

My classes were wonderful today, I am really enjoying the fact that I get to talk and hangout with kids durring the day. I have 2 girls who sing the moose song EVERY day, and I only taught it to them one time. Every other song they forgot, but that one.... haha
 Bible class is my toughest class, having 30 students and many for many this is their first time ever hearing the Gospel, for some they have the stories memorized.... I have 2 boys who need alot of prayer.

Eunsook and I went to an Italian restaurant, Korean style. And it was good, all of the food here is good. I think i have only had one thing I didnt like, and I think it was a rice cake. But EVERY thing is soooooo goood.

Happy Half one day after B-day to my twin!

Well, I am off to go to sleep, and wait for our water pipes to unfreeze! Which they probably wont...haha

Ah, so this weekend was sooooo BUSY! We were in Seoul all weekend, and we went to the International Lutheran Church, which was really nice because it was the first time I sang a song (besides the Moose song) since I have been in Korea. But, I met many people, a girl from Concordia too. We stayed with Matt Wasmund and his wife, and they were absolutely wonderful! And then we had lunch with the pastor.

AND THEN, I have bad news, My camera completely broke. I am thinking about buying one here tonight,  but I am not sure about the converter and stuff like that. So I will probably make a stop at the store!! ahhh, I WAS so sad... and AM still sad.

I have so many stories, but so little time to write! This is my last week, and it WILL go by fast. Its going to be a challenging week for sure. Please pray for the kids and for myself!
I am off

          Things are going alright down here. Kids shouting, playing hangman, Green Stickers, Red Stickers, NO More Muffin Man, fire alarms going off, girls learning how to braid, kids singing about  moose, lots of art, and of course English, English, English. OH and the kids ask tooo many questions. haha
My students and I had a long conversation about food, they think its disgusting that we eat pretty much everything on the cow, and then i think its gross that they eat Cocoons. I really love my students.
       
I have experienced somethings that I never thought I would, and I have built up friendships with people I never thought I would. I met alot of English majors last night and heard about their study abroad experiences.Which got me thinking alot.
Today, I am off to the Korean Folk Village. Then after  a bus, subway, and train, I am off to Seoul. I will  be staying with Matt Wasmund (the LCMS missionary) tonight and I will be enjoying his wonderful daughters:) and the company of some wonderful people.
BYYYEE!

Light and Tissue paper

James 1:3-8

I feel at home here now, South Korea has become a part of life. I have tasks that I have to do every day and preparations that have to be made.  This week has gone by so fast, tomorrow is  already Thursday, and I don't know where Tuesday went.  I wish I had "Where The Side Walk Ends".

Every day the kids come back to ESL camp different ( hyper, crazy, sad, happy, enthusiastic... sometimes cranky. haha)  and I never know what to expect from them. I have more laughs with them, then with anyone else. Every time we end class early, we do art and crafts. They are always drawing pictures / making things and bringing them to me, they try to teach me Korean by telling me what they are drawing, they make me repeat the word, and then they laugh because I say it Ohhhh SOOOO wrong. Then they speak Korean amongst themselves and then they laugh some more and go color. I have no idea.... haaha, I know the word for Butterfly now!


Anyways, I have been enjoying my time here.
 Learning things that I do not quite know how to explain yet, learning how to show Christs love through a language barrier, and seeing the Joy that God gives.... God is Good, and WILL always remain good.

Acts 10:34-35

This weekend was so busy! Timothy (the other english teacher) showed us around Seoul, we took a bus, subway, and train and we found our way into an open air market in Seoul. I enjoyed it alot! I had alot of people come up to me and many of them would speak all the english they knew. I am so proud of myself, I bargained in Korean! and it worked! My students and the teachers here have been teaching me Korean and I have been learning how to read as well (they told me it takes an average of 2 weeks to learn how to read Korean, so we will see how good I am by the end of next week!)

We went to a food market, where cooks are shouting for people to eat at their station. It gets pretty competitive, and crazy! The food is made right in front of you and they just keep giving you more and more and more! After dinner we made our way to another market, and then we made our way back to the train station, took the train to Suwan and then grabed a bus to get to Luther.

Yesterday (sunday) we had church here on campus. Its been pretty hard not being able to have church in english, although they do put the Bible verse of the readings on the screen, which is great.  The music is beautiful, there are violins, flutes, horns, a piano, guitar, and an organ all at the same time, and the choir excellent as well. I was amazed at how most of the people in the church are involved in the music durring the service. There are 4 pastors, and many Seminary students.

I love the people here alot, they are always wanting to come up to you and say all the words in english that they know. Conversations can be pretty funny at times.  One man at dinner last night,  only knew the words "California", "Hello", "Happy New Year", and "Obama" haha , just one example of many of the conversations we have.

We also went to the Hwaseong fortress yesterday afternoon, I was so fascinated with the architecture, it was just beautiful. We also made our way to a food market. There were alot of Fruits and Vegetables until you found your way out on the streets, then it was all fish. Alive fresh fish to be exact. They knock the fish out and give it to you in a bag.

 I was walking with Eunsook and Nick and I stoped to look at what was in the water and i was like "OHHH MY those are Octopus!" The man saw me, put his hand in the water and picked up the octopus very fast, and put it in front of me and said over and over "EAT IT, EAT IT! " I jumped because it scared me!

He wanted me to eat it alive, for only 6,000 Wons ($6)

I refused. haha I kind of felt sick afterwards, and I am right now as I am typing. hahaha

Today, for Bible class, we traced our hands and cut them out, we made a family tree and put our family and friends names on our hands. We are going to spend time studying more of the miracles of Jesus in the Gospels this week.

Thankyou for all of your prayers!

Here are some pictures from the markets and a few of my students!

Act 10: 34- 35

ohh geeze, i did it. I taught the children the moose song.

Well today went by so fast! NO MORE MUFFIN MAN. The kids are learning the moose song and they are singing it all the time now!
 I met the LCMS missionary here in Korea, Matt Wasmund today and I will be staying at his home in Seoul next weekend. We will get to see alot of the city then!
In my bible class we used 1 Corinthians 5: 17 and made butterflies, they loved it!

The first class I had today was with older kids, it is a reading class and we usually play games for the first 10 minutes. The kids are not allowed to speak Korean, so it is really funny at times when they explain Korean games to me in english.


The education sysytem is very different here. Children go to school from 7:30 - 3pm, and then academy from 3- 9 or 10 pm at night. There is also school on Sat, and academy on Sundays. There is a test they must take in High School that determines if you go to a University or not. There are 3 sections and English is one of the sections. ( This is why they need native english speakers). The kids do not play at home, only study. The parents also run the education system, not the goverment. What the parents want is what they teachers give. The parents have already demanded that we give more homework at the ESL camp, so I spend alot of time trying to find extra material that is harder for the kids.

Also, in Korea, about 60% of the population are Christian (mostly Presbyterian)  and the rest are Buddhist. Korea sends  more missionaries out into the world than any other country (including the United States).
Its amaxing because at night, all the crosses on top of the churches are BRIGHT neon Red. Here at Luther (LTU) we are on top of a hill and you can see many of the crosses at night.

I have a suitmate named Eunsok, and she is absolutely wonderful. She saved me in the Bus, when I couldnt understand the bus driver. We went to the city last night and stayed up having many conversations and never would I of thought that there would be a moose head on one of the buildings .

I am so thankful for many things right now. God has shown me alot in the past week, and I cant wait to see what else is to come!

Today is Thursday, and I think its Wed in the US.  We have about 50 kids in ESL camp, and its been very entertaining so far. 2 girls are teaching me Korean and they are so funny.

Every day, I hear " Do you know the Muffin man, the Muffin man, the Muffin man". Every day they play this song for break time. I dont know how much I like this song any more. haha.

Last night, EunSook ( my assistant)  and I went to the city, that is near Luther. It was really cool, and I loved  it alot! Many, many people came up to me and would try speaking in english. I had a shoe vendor follow me around the store saying "hello" over and over again, he was a nice man. We had some delicious food and Found some really cool cakes!

MOM: I found a moose, a real moose.

I dont get much time to write because I have to prepare  the lessons for the day! Please pray for my students, we have 30 students in my bible class and about half are Buddhist. Pray Gods word Spreads like fire!

Jeremiah 31

Koreaaaaa!

So i made it here! Last friday!  The plane ride was very long!

ANNA:
I saw Russia from the air, and its beautiful! lots of mountains and snow.

I have been so busy since, not much time to sit down and breathe! The internet doesnt work in my room, so I can only check in the mornings if I have time. I start Bible class in an hour and I have a 30 students for that! It is VERY cold here! HEAT is not used inside the buildings, only in bedrooms and individual classrooms.
Last night we went to Suwon which is a suburb of Seoul. Suwon is a city in itself. We went out to dinner, and had some OX bones which are pretty good!

So far the students are fantastic, they are very entertaining, and can be a bit crazy at times. haha LOTS of laughing and talking.
RACHEL :  I have twins in my class, They know that i only speak english, but they keep coming to me and they ONLY speak in Korean. I have no idea what they are saying. After a few minutes of them trying to speak tome  they were trying to tell me that they had to go to the bathroom. I felt so bad!

I am also working with the students on campus as well, and they are wonderful!

Well, I must run!
I'll hopefully get to tell more later!