In Korea, August 15 is a National Holiday, for freedom and release from Japanese and any other country rule after the Korean War. There is a government holiday in March I believe, but Aug 15 is to celebrate the people from protesting and the uprising. So we did not have class today but offered a field trip to the students. 39 out or 48 students attended. We traveled to an English Village, 10+ years ago the government set up English Villages to help show the importance of learning English and teach people. It is used for tourism or field trips. You can take classes there and only speak English. The kids had a blast. As I was talking with Ms. Bang, the woman who drove me to the airport directly after the EV, I realized that that is one of the biggest factors in learning a language. Some of the kids really struggle with English, they only speak it in class, not at home, not with friends. Like me learning Spanish- though now I speak it at home or with friends, and I caught my self almost saying phrases to the kids like "ten cuidado" and what not... but at the English Village some of the kids were rather quiet and some really shown with their English. and Ms. Bang has a son in the class and she said she would like him to go to a English country to be fully immersed. Essie and Amanda, two of the assistants, have come to America before and are great at English because they were forced to use it. It makes a huge difference.watching Ratatouille on the 1.5 hour bus ride there. The kids really got into it and were staring a the screen, I think partially so they could read the Korean subtitles. They all also opened their snacks and several shared with me, even the seaweed bars and fish. .........
first we had to go through Immigration, note- Stonehenge is on the right. This is the British English Village, all the architecture inside too in very European.
At the EV, the girls took a cooking or bear making class and the boys took a robot making class. And then all of them made stress balls... which were used as soccer balls once out of the classroom. Kids don't understand stress I guess. Here are the boys with their robots and the girls with their bears. Karla and I were not allowed in the classrooms, they said no adults allowed for some reason. But we did get to watch a really ridiculous musical about a Pumpkin Hero with them. and then help them in their last class- the stress ball making. A man from Australia and a woman taught that class. It would be fun to work here.
He mentioned being 18 and joining the military and having a hard time passing the physical test. (Which hearing from a friend struggle with it, sounds really hard.) and being frustrated to the point there is nothing else to do than stop and laugh at what has been done. You have lost so much faith in your goal and have so little courage left that there is not much left. Cling onto that little faith and courage and pray to God. Not to pass the test, but to give you more courage and strength and faith. I can relate a little bit. Karla and I talked after the service about our classes. We have been to the point of frustration with some kids in our classes that are having a hard time learning English, not knowing if they just do not want to or what it is. There have been several times when all you can do is stop and laugh at the situation. The kids are too cute to really get frustrated at but sometimes it gets frustrating, when they ‘enjoy’ getting red stickers and keep pushing that point. But at the end of the day I just laugh at what happened that day and thank God for giving me this great experience and pray that I am getting through to the kids somehow. Leah, a friend from church, explained to me today that if the kids are taking their summer vacation to study English, their parents much be pretty wealthy. Now I am not sure if they are or aren’t, none of them have acted in any way to show they are but I do hope they all receive the same things out of the class as any other kid would. I hope that they all get something out of the Bible lessons we are preparing and sharing with them, that even with the language barrier, this will be a first contact for some of them to learn about Jesus and I hope it leads them more to him in the future. I hope that they all have enough courage to speak in English more and practice so they can become great at it. Yesterday I spent some time with the family of the Japanese Language teacher at LTU. Her kids were 8 and 4 ½. Her 8 year old was excited to hang out with me and he kept asking me questions and using English. And trying to get his little sister to ask me in English too. They were cute. We went to Shinsaega, a department store that was super expensive with Louis Vatton and what not. I did not buy anything and they did not expect me to, but they just wanted me to experience it. And then we went to E-Mart. Very much like Wally World in the States. And that was more enjoyable for me. Seeing the things that I probably would be buying if I live here longer. A lot of people are shocked that I tell them I am only here for 3 weeks. Usually when people come to teach English, they stay for 6mo, or a year or more. I tell them I am only here for a camp for 3 weeks and they understand a little better. But then some of them tell me they wish I could stay longer. They want me to see more of their country and learn about their culture. I spent some of last night reading a book about the Korean culture, granted the book was 20 years old. But I learned much still. They are humble always wanting to give. Bowing a big part the culture too. Everything has flowed as I typed it so far, but I forgot something I wanted to type before. About the Walking on Water. When I went to Juarez Mexico several years ago, that was the theme verse for the week. Walking on Water as Jesus did. As Peter did with Jesus’ help. We talked about where are you in your faith. Are you in the boat, afraid to step out? Are you drowning on the water? Are you looking into Jesus’ eyes and walking? Hopefully getting near to walking with Jesus if not already. I think that’s something we can all work on and hold each other accountable for. Recently, well recently in the great scheme of things, 2-3 years ago, one of my best friends came to know Jesus and Jesus is a HUGE part of her life now and she has been a great example for me in my faith life. 
And hopefully a big example for her family too so they can come to know Christ. In January, inspired by Mac, we decided to read the Bible in a year. When we were roommates, we would read together, or check on each other. As we moved out of that little house, we lived separately and it was harder to keep reading as much as I should every day. When we lived together for 2 weeks (? Lol, a blur) we talked about our reading. She was much further than I was, which has inspired me to stop for a few minutes each day. 24 hours! I can take a few minutes to stop and read the Bible! If I can play spider solitaire until I win, I can read the Bible. It’s great to read. Because it essentially is my history, and I love reading history, it’s fascinating to read and grow closer to God. Another book, I bought randomly in Chicago about a 2 months ago, was Three Cups of Tea. Greg M…. who is the author just so happens to have grown up in Africa because his parents are “Lutheran missionaries” and he went to Concordia MN. He went mt climbing in the Middle East and on his way back down, after getting lost, stumbled upon a little town. There he learns the kids do not have a school building. He vows to return with money to build them a school. And he does. He raises enough and goes back. That is where I am in the book now. He has brave enough to make this statement and come back to build the school. Pretty crazy when the Holy Spirit is in you and just speaks out!! I still remember standing there after Emily told me about this opportunity, I turned to Lori and said, “I think I might go to Korea next week.” And when I walked into the LSC after missing prayer and praise that night, and Donna told me I missed a great night of the Brazil people- David and Janice- talking about their mission trip and she asked me if I was going that summer (knowing that the past 2 summer s I had wanted to) and I said, Yes! Not knowing if I was or not, but I was. And later that night telling Caysea that I was going to find a way to go and showing her my old Brazil map of where I was going and she was on the phone with her dad and said, I am going to go to Brazil with Chelsea this summer. We don’t have the money but we are going to find it. Lol, crazy how God makes things happens in our lives and make us say yes. (Emily….)
the God's must be Crazy, part 4, eh? it was surreal. this thing plopped out of the sky.
Captain, Kevin and Susan hard at work.
