November 8, 2008

Journal Entry November 8, 2008

Just in case you thought the Korean War was so long ago, there are no reminders of it left, read this brief article from the Stars and Stripes Newspaper:

Pacific briefs: Seoul evacuates 1,800 people
Stars and StripesPacific edition, Thursday, November 6, 2008
SEOUL — About 1,800 people were evacuated from downtown Seoul on Monday while emergency workers removed a 1,100-pound U.S. Bomb dropped during the Korean War.
About 80 workers, including firefighters, police and a South Korean air force explosive ordnance disposal team, worked for three hours to remove the undetonated bomb.
A construction worker found the 6.5-foot bomb while digging the foundation for a new high school gymnasium. Officials sealed off the area, and a security guard team from the nearby Blue House, the president’s residence, arrived to investigate.
The bomb was removed around 5:30 p.m. And moved to a South Korean air force base in a suburb of Seoul.
School is going well. Had Parent Conferences. With Gradespeed, online grading program where students and parents can log in and see their grades, only about a half dozen parents came to talk. All the meetings were positive, with several thanking me for coming here and improving the skills of their students tremendously already in just the first 9 weeks! We are going to form a German Club, and students will also be visiting the German School in Seoul for an exchange program. Our trip to Germany will happen in the Spring of 2010.
Still basking in the afterglow of our meeting with Chong Mooksanim, the Lead Pastor of our church in Yewon. (www.iyewon.org) It was a special meeting for me, because it was the first time I was able to speak with him directly with translation provided by Hanna Jang. Hanna is the 24 year old daughter to Elder Samuel. She is a very nice young lady, and very smart and friendly. Our conversation went for about an hour and a half, with the Pastor giving a brief defense of his faith, (apologetics I think they call that). He is a very passionate Christian, so it doesn't surprise me that his church and the Elders and missionaries are spreading the gospel to many lands. It is my hope to receive additional Seminary training while here in Korea, to give me an understanding and maybe even an insiders view of Church-Korean style. And it is different, believe me. Someday I look forward to preaching a brief sermon in Korean, and then coming back to the States and giving lectures on building the church for growth, learning from the Korean church model.
Had dinner with Steve and Monica at the Navy Club Thursday night. The Mongolian Beef night is our favorite. There are so many tasty vegetables and good American beef served with Korean sauces. Mmmmmm....good! Steve and I shared our sense of humor and laughed boisterously in the restaurant. A good laugh is very healthy! Reminds me of all the great times at dinner we shared with our friends in Michigan in the past. I remember each of you, and I have learned to value my friendships with all of you. It really doesn't matter what we were doing together, the relationships and friends we make along the way in life are the only things that last. I am getting to the point in life, where my memories of people like Mike Cottrell, Ken Wiedrick, John Weber, John Brooks, Charles Parker, and you, etc. Are truly important to me today. They form a mental map of people I have enjoyed being with that gives me comfort. I never feel alone, since I am always surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses in my memory. My friends and even my parents and family always seem to be right by my side. I believe it is one of the blessings the Holy Spirit gives us.
Well, our Cross Country team did it. They are now the "Far East Champions"! This result came, in spite of our fastest runner all year having his worst race of the year. The team depth was just too much for the competition, and so our boys finished the season with a 19-0 record and the girls were only two points shy in the finals and finished with an 18-1 record! The end of season banquet is Wednesday night. There should be a lot to celebrate. Our football team only lost once this season, and is playing this afternoon for the Far East Championship too. Our sports teams all played well this fall, and my friend Steve will continue the success as he is also the Head Basketball Coach. I am going to take a break from coaching, and focus on building my German program. I would really like to have a larger classroom next year with many more students.
I think some people in the Frankenmuth community took me for granted. Here, I am finding out how good I can be as a German teacher, and the students and parents and administration are all very appreciative of my skills. In hindsight, staying in Frankenmuth would have been a big mistake for me. I think a change of scenery and the accompanying challenges have re-energized me, just as I had hoped it would. I cannot see myself ever returning to the past and teaching in a school in Michigan again. I have lost a lot of money in losing the house, creditors are still threatening me, my pension in Michigan will be a lot smaller than it could have been; yet I am happier than I have been in a long time! I am living in Korea. My friend Kari from China is coming for Christmas; my son Josua has proposed to his wonderful girlfriend; my son Jeremias is happy in his new home; we have many new and some old friends back; my wife and I are like newly weds again...God is so good, all the time!
Caution: Do not read this next paragraph if you have had too much politics. Too much politics can be depressing!
Barack Obama, the first American man of color to become President of the United States of America. This is an historically wonderful moment for all Americans. He seems like a wise man, who has managed to rise to the highest office of the land. This may be a great moment in history, or not. Who can say what will happen now. The hope he inspires in all of us, may be just what we need, to make ourselves proud to be Americans. Maybe more people will become involved in the political process. Certainly the Evangelical Christian community has not been very socially active in bringing people together. May John McCain and Sarah Palin were just not what enough people wanted in their leaders. I know we say the Pledge of Allegiance every morning in our school; this is a good practice, since I think our students are prepared to support Barack Obama as the president. Let us all get behind him and be happy for this man, his family, and the people who are jubilant and rejoicing for this historical day! There will be plenty of challenges for him and his new administration, and while I may disagree with many of his views, I intend to put my energy and effort into unity. The United States is ultimately NOT the Kingdom of Heaven, but only ONE NATION, UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, with LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. Now America will change. It will be more like Europe. I hope and pray that the decisions made by this new administration will help the financially hurting and politically disenfranchised people in our nation. So many people have been hurt by the banking industry and their greedy policies; many more do not even feel welcome in this country because of some people's fear of illegal alliens taking their bread off their tables. How about a fresh new perspective on the immigration policy, "Mr. Obama, Tear Down that Fence between Mexico and the United States". Let's make America a free country again, and allow the tired, hungry, and poor to become citizens of the greatest nation on Earth again. You see, it is easy to make speeches and get fired up about something you personally believe in. Now, we have to wait and see what really happens in the next four years. God bless America.
Has anyone told you lately, how much God really loves you? Think about it! He made an infinite universe! He fashioned our ancestors out of some sand laying around on one of the planets; blew life into them; saw they were not perfect; gave them a chance to redeem themselves; and when he saw they could not live up to his expectations, he took a field trip to Earth; coming in the form of a perfectly innocent baby, like we all come into this world; he showed us through his own Son's Life how to pray, seek wisdom, be obedient to the father, defend the faith, touch and heal others around us, and be willing to sacrifice everything; even to suffer and die as necessary to purchase or redeem everyone who believes in him; to overcome all the obstacles and reconcile us to himself. Then he calls us "friend", and even gives us the title, "children of God"! Wow, I can give up anything on earth and look forward to an eternity without bills, pain, and heartache! I'm in, how about you?