Park's family news from South Korea (No. 15) |
Date: Christmas, 1998
Dear friends,
Hello ! We send warm greeting to you in the love of Christ. And we thank you for your prayers and concerns for us. Time goes very quickly since we came back to Korea in Aug. We are having a good time with our families and friends.
Grace has been busy taking care of her parents. Her mom was in hospital for 50 days to recover from her physical weakness. And her dad also had a big operation removing cholelithiasis, and now is struggling against high blood pressure. Grace's younger brother finished his study and returned from Italy to take care of the parents. We appreciate your prayer for their health.
We have been to many churches and mission conferences to report about our ministry in Ethiopia. It was a great treat for Jong Kook to be asked to speak about the ow가 of God in Ethiopia in the opening ceremony of our denomination mission board. Representative missionaries of each field from our denomination were invited to attend the ceremony, many churches and guests from different missions celebrated it together.
Jason and Anna are doing fine. They entered the national elementary school, run by the government, which offers special curriculum for Korean children, who stayed overseas over 4 years, to adjust to Korean culture. Their Korean ability is growing marvellously and having an outstanding progress. Jason is receiving an Art lesson from Grace's sister to develop his drawing skills and a computer lesson for programming. Anna enjoys her music talents using a piano and a flute.
We hear the news from SIM and friends in Ethiopia. There are still the threat of the war between Ethiopia and Eritrea. Recent tribal conflict between 소재 tribes resulted in the severe damage of the local churches and many people died. We were sorry that the family which moved into Jimma after we had leaved there had to return to the U. S. suddenly. Their 5-year-old daughter had mysterious infection on her body and narrowly escaped from death. ow she is receiving medical treatment in the U. S. Please pray for this family and the recent situation of Ethiopia.
Grace and I are scheduled to speak at many churches to share God's work in Ethiopia. And we need to find more supporters in prayer and in fund. At the moment we are in 50 % of the supporting. Korean economy is slowly recovering from its worst situation, but still needs longer time to settle the crisis. It attacks families. Parents abandon their children and divorce is increasing because of the joblessness. So many Christians and churches also wave aside their belief in God's mission. Nevertheless we believe that God will fully lead His people to build His kingdom.
World PULSE stated about South Korea economic situation on December 4, 1998 "South Korea: Crisis attacks families- South Korea's economic debacle is giving rise to increasing numbers of so-called "economic orphans." Families suddenly without adequate resources are dumping their children in orphanages. One divorced, unemployed architect took his son and two daughters to a placement center in Anyang and left without leaving his address. "Whenever the economy is doing badly, we always have an abundance of children here," stated the director of the shelter. "But now, the children come from very normal families, from parents who tried their best to give their children a good life highly educated parents. That's what really bre만 my heart."
Please pray for Korean economic crisis and churches.
We expect a big family time for Jong Kook's dad's 80's birthday and a new year day. And we hope that you also have a wonderful Christmas time with your family. May His presence bring you every blessings of joy and every gift of love. Have a wonderful Christmas and a blessed New Year !
Jong Kook, Grace, Jason and Anna Park
The Purpose of SIM
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