I have had one of the most wonderful and merciful days today, and it is completely due to the Lord's guidance, mercy, and blessing. I started off by going to an English service at a Korean church in downtown Gumi (about 15 min drive away from where I am in downtown In dong). Another foreign teacher and I were going together, and we did not even know how to get there, and it was quite a feat trying to get the information on the church from her co-teacher. We were not even sure the name of it until about 30 min before it started. Buuuuut~~~trusting in the Lord's faithfulness, we took a taxi (and he knew where it was, thankfully, even after trying to get us to call our friend for more information, with no response). Satan would have liked us to just go back home and "try" again next week when we had more details such as a bus to take, service time, etc. Honestly, neither of us had been given our entrance allowance of 300,000 W (a little under $300.oo) yet, so we did not even have the money to spend on a taxi. BUT, trusting in the Lord and realizing that He would bless and honor our obedience and provide for us ("I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want."~Phil. 4:12), we spent the money for a taxi and made it there. It was a blessing to be in the house of the Lord. Although it was much smaller and different from the worship style of the service I attended in Seoul, it was still a blessing to be able to worship God and be surrounded by fellow believers.
After this English service, my friend went home, and I stayed for the Korean service as well. I made a couple new Korean friends there. And get this....once again, I met a Music Major!~~this time a Vocal Music Ed major. God is so good! It was hard to sit through such a long service while they were speaking SOOOOO fast in Korean~~although it was cool that I could understand some of it -.~ There were four new people to the service today, and we all had to stand up in the front and introduce ourselves. I was the only foreigner (go figure haha), but every was kind as I tried to speak in Korean, telling them who I was and what I did/where I taught. After our introductions, the whole church sang a song of blessing and welcoming over us. It was sooo cute and heart-warming! <3 Then, I met a few more people after service, and I cannot wait until I go back in two weeks (because they don't have service next week because of Chuseok (like a Korean form of Thanksgiving. I'll do a later post on that for you all)~~why they don't have Church because of that, I am still uncertain about, but I guess I'll go with it.
Anyway, after church service, one of my new friends, Gloria (the Vocal Ed friend) and her boyfriend drove me back to In dong. Her bf is also a Vocal Major and even has his own Academy~~how cool! Can't wait to hear the two of them sing! I tried to get them to sing in the car, but they wouldn't do it. Next time lol -.~
On my short walk down my street back to my apartment, I ran into a foreigner! First one I had seen in In dong besides my friend, Brittany (who went to church with me and is a teacher through EPIK at the Middle School). Come to find out this girl's name is Bianca, and she is from South Africa, having lived in In dong for 6 months now. She is sooooo kind and welcoming and offers to show me around sometime and help me with the bus system and show me the best coffee shops, etc etc. WOW am I so lucky! God is soooooo faithful! Someone who has been here for awhile to help show me the ropes. .....And it GETS BETTER!!! She asks me if I live nearby, and I say yes, and then she asks me where I was coming from, and I told her how I was just getting back from church. Turns out, she goes to the other English church service in Gumi and is on her way to meet up with some of them for a little BBQ (shoot, I forgot the name for it in South Africa haha~~something with a rolled "r" lol), and she invites me to come along. Ok, wow! Only in Korea~~I LOVE IT!! So I hop in a taxi with her, and we go over to another couple's apt. There were five of us there in total, and it was some of the most encouraging, BEST fellowship I have had. I really cannot even BEGIN to describe how wonderful these people are~~and with such hearts after the Lord. I absolutely do not deserve this, and yet, God is sooooo completely faithful. (OHHHHH and I forgot to mention, I was asked if I would play my flute at church for an earlier service in the Korean church~~GOD, you are SO FAITHFUL!! Ohhhhh, AND it was MISSIONS SUNDAY at the Korean service. I mean, really~~~)
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| Kyle and Jade (is that spelled right?) with the rooftop BBQ |
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| Jade, Haley, and Bianca~~check out this BEAUTIFUL view they have from up here! ^^ |
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| Yummmmmmmy!!! |
My heart has been so completely filled today, I feel like it is going to BURST!
On top of everything, this group of new friends I made tonight does a Wednesday prayer meeting in their apartment each week. Wow, another answer to prayers. And really, here is another instance in God's divine appointments. If I had not gone to the Korean church and come back at that EXACT time, and if Bianca had not been running a little late for the BBQ, NONE of this would have happened. GOD IS SO GOOD!!! PRAISES TO HIS HOLY NAME!! Can I get an AMEN!! And get this~~at their last prayer meeting, they were praying for all the new foreigners coming into Gumi. We were an answer to each others prayers. Now you CANNOT tell me there isn't a God out there!
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. For he says,
'In the time of my favor I heard you,and in the day of salvation I helped you.'
I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation."
~2 Cor. 5:17-6:2
Laura, this is so wonderful. My cup runneth over just reading all your many accomplishments and blessings. :) I hope to talk to you soon!
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