Italy Refreshed Me

During this year's long Chusok holiday, finally I could have some restful times in Assisi, Italy. Last year, I had no chance to go on vacation because of work, so I had waited for this trip. In the beginning of the trip, I didn't know why I got lost several times from Rome. I was quite distracted by many complicated thoughts and unhappy feelings. However, in the middle of my journey, I could find my peace of mind through meeting a gracious lady at a bus stop in Assisi. After then, small changes occurred to me.

At the bus stop, I waited for a bus, but the bus did not turn up, so I and someone started to chat. It turned out that she is a spiritual coach who leads a special retreat for pastors, priests, and seminary students every year in Assisi. Her name is Dr. Benefiel, Margaret. At the morning, she was waiting for a bus to leave for Rome, and eventually for Boston! After she got to know that once I lived in Boston, we both were very excited to talk about a lot of things including city of Boston, politics inside churches, Christian conferences: Urbana and InterVarsity, etc. At our parting, she kindly gave me her book 'The Soul of a Leader' and said to me to pray for me. The book with author's signature and the short but intensive conversation with her encouraged me a lot. I was grateful to God for giving the unexpected encounter to me, such an inattentive one.

I could have other interesting meetings during the journey. Except one person, all asked me about North Korea after they learned that I came from South Korea. I might be stood out in the crowd since there were few Asians in Assisi. I thought that the experience was abnormal. I have not known that before, more Europeans that I expected seem interested in how North Korea will turn out. They threw so difficult questions at me, "How is North Korea doing?" or "What do you think about North Korea's future?" like that! One of them is a young Rumanian, he talked about his dead father in the communist regime, who liked communism, and his mother, who prefers capitalism in a capitalist country, Italy. I had never expected these kinds of conversations during my vacation in a secluded village in the mountains, Assisi.

A night classic concert at Basilica di San Francesco, and every some time gentle ring of various churches bells, and a Friday evening wedding ceremony, and genuine Italian cannoli and cappuccino and Umbrian pizza and pasta.. everything were novel pleasures I cannot forget. Plus, while wandering several days, I got to know every inch of the city. I fell in love with this small town. Also, I could recall I have a lot to do for repaying grace given to me through my entire life journey. Especially Dr. Benefiel's book and the unexpected casual meetings stimulated some of my passions. It is a kind of creating a dynamic platform for people interested in NK, and professionals from each field who want to be connected with others for developing NK. I decided to give shape to the idea concretely in the near future. I seem to still have a long way to go! Here are some pictures of my Italy trip. Enjoy! https://goo.gl/photos/9YTfVdrfVFrVZxkcA

Fruit, the Intimate Relationship Itself

I do not work a lot nowadays, leave work at 6PM. At the company, I just keep reading various books as a pretext for finding new ideas. Twice a week, I talk with Hanssem Founder and Chairman Chang Gul Cho quite comfortably. Sometimes I am confused if I enroll on some graduate courses or not. At some point, even I started feeling sorry to other colleagues as I have a decent salary without hard work, but also I am in peace, honestly, I enjoy this unexpected serene moment.

I do not know what Mr. Cho exactly hopes to get with my work, but I guess he does not seem to expect a great outcome from my research in the forseeable future. This is very strange. I am not his daughter (he already has three daughters) but he just seems to enjoy talking with me, and does not expect anything. Why?

Recently I hired a junior staff with a doctoral degree. Due to the aspect of our work, a continuous interchange of ideas has been needed. In spite of our hard work, we do not seem to take our course well, thus far, it has been fine with me. A few days ago, I realized I enjoyed the intellectual communication itself, soon after, I also got to understand Mr. Cho’s mind. A wonderful outcome is great! But even if there is no fruit, it is fine, if we walked together to achieve a same goal. The process, in other words, the intimate relationship itself is meaningful and it could be a kind of fruit.

As usual, I think of God. When I meet obstacles, sometimes I run to God, but often I stay alone in a dusty cave as I do not want to talk with Him. I am a silly billy. My sinful ego rejects God strongly, tries to accomplish some difficult tasks by myself, and want to boast of my own ability even if there is nothing to say 'my own.' I often delude myself that God will be proud of me, who did a lot of good deeds. Does He really need something done well by me? Maybe.. maybe not. I think that He loves traveling holding my hand. If I can make something great in the intimate relationship with Him, it could be true His pride and joy. Without Him, however, nothing is great, nothing.

[Article] An Unlikely Marriage - The Hard-line Communist State and Wealthy Christian Capitalists

Seoul, South Korea — Of all the fantastic tales to come out of North Korea — the country’s leader is injected with the blood of virgin girls, he made 11 holes-in-one during his very first round of golf, each grain of rice he eats is inspected by hand for imperfections, his youngest son and would-be successor has had cosmetic surgery to make him resemble his grandfather — not one of these seems as improbable as the event that took place on Monday, when a science university founded by American evangelical scholars began its first day of classes in Pyongyang, the capital of the secretive Communist state.

North Korea, the nuclear-armed “hermit kingdom,” is so poor that there is almost no supply of concrete, bricks or window glass. People suffer shortages of rice, gasoline and even underwear. The Internet barely exists, not to mention computers, and the economy is so moribund that most factories barely function for lack of raw materials and electricity.

In spite of all this, classes in technical English started Monday at the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology. A fuller curriculum in information technology, business management and agriculture is supposed to get under way in March.

“It’s amazing, and kind of a miracle,” said Park Chan-mo, one of the founders of the school, which was largely financed by contributions from evangelical Christian groups in the United States and South Korea. “Many people were skeptical, but we’re all Christians. We had faith.”

The driving force behind the school was Kim Chin-kyung, an American born in Seoul who founded a university in China in 1992. He made periodic trips from China into North Korea and in 1998 was arrested at his hotel in the capital and thrown into prison, accused of being an agent for the C.I.A. The relentless interrogations went on for six weeks and almost broke him. “I was ready to die,” he said in a 2001 interview, even writing out a will and bequeathing his organs for transplants and medical study in Pyongyang. He was finally released, he said, after convincing the authorities that “I was not the kind of person who would spy on them.”

In November 2000, a man appeared in his university office in China — oddly, the same man who had ordered his arrest for espionage in Pyongyang in 1998. But this time he had a proposal from the North Korean government: could he duplicate his Chinese technical university in Pyongyang?

“Doing business with North Korea is not for the faint of heart,” Mr. Kim said on the school’s Web site, “but the effort is ennobling and necessary.”

The first group of 160 undergraduate and master’s students has been chosen by the North Korean government, selected from its top colleges and from the political and military elite. Their tuition, room, board and books are all free, financed by foreign donors and individual sponsors. The plans call for an eventual student body of 2,600 and a faculty of 250, with classes in public health, architecture, engineering and construction.

Sixteen professors from the United States and Europe arrived in Pyongyang over the weekend. For now, no South Korean professors are allowed because of recent political tensions between the Koreas. It seems an unlikely marriage — the hard-line Communist state and wealthy Christian capitalists — and it remains to be seen how well the match has been made.

North Korea, while reluctant to expose its citizens to the outside world, has been seeking foreign investment for its decrepit educational system. For their part, the evangelicals, who have antagonized the North by encouraging defections and assisting refugees after they cross over, are seeking a foothold inside the churchless state.

North Korea has made a similar bargain before. The Unification Church of the Rev. Sun Myung Moon, not only a Christian but staunchly anti-Communist, operates a car factory in Pyongyang, for instance. But the church is allowed to make only cars, not Christians or capitalist converts.

There is no campus chapel at the new university, Dr. Park said, and there is not one in the plans. But neither, for now, are there any official portraits of the North Korean leader,Kim Jong-il, or his father, the late Kim Il-sung, which hang in every school and public building in the North.

The $35 million, 240-acre campus includes a faculty guesthouse and world-class dormitories and classrooms, all of which are said to have running water, power and heat. The school has its own backup generators, but with so little diesel and gasoline available in the North, fuel has to be trucked in from neighboring China.

Classes will be taught in English, and Internet access has been promised to all students. The campus has sirens that go off before rolling electrical blackouts, so work on computers can be saved. “The Internet will be censored, and we can’t imagine that it won’t be,” said Dr. Park, who has been involved in educational exchanges with the North since 2000. “Even in South Korea things are blocked. I’m sure North Korea has been looking at my e-mails. I keep them businesslike.”

Dr. Park, the former president of the prestigious Pohang University of Science and Technology in South Korea, said the university project could not have been completed without the approval of the United States government. Officials at the school, eager not to run afoul of international sanctions in place against the North, have even sent its curriculum to the State Department for vetting.

One request from Washington was that the name of the biotechnology course be changed for fear that it might be seen as useful in developing biological weapons, Dr. Park said. So the course title was changed to “Agriculture and Life Sciences.”

The United States government also was also “very sensitive,” Dr. Park said, about young North Korean scientists learning skills that could be used by the military or in developing nuclear weapons. “We can’t be fooled into teaching them those kinds of things.”

Several conservative lawmakers from South Korea called for Seoul, which gave $1 million to the school in 2006, to cut off all support. One legislator, Yoon Sang-hyun, was angered that the North insisted that future economics classes include lessons about juche, or Kim Il-sung’s founding philosophy of self-reliance.

Some critics also have suggested that there must have been heavy payoffs made to the North Korean government to move the project along, but Mr. Kim insisted that no deals had been made. “Every brick we used, every bit of steel, every bit of equipment, we brought in from China,” Mr. Kim, who was in Pyongyang for the opening, said in an interview in Fortune last year. “I have never brought any cash into North Korea.”

“I have unlimited credit at the Bank of Heaven,” he added.

This article is written by Mark McDonald

Published: October 25, 2010 @New York Times

Choe Sang-hun contributed reporting from Palo Alto, California.

Teaching of Rev. R.A.Torrey III at Jesus Abbey

“모든 성도와 함께 여러분이 그리스도의 사랑이 너비와 길이와 높이와 깊이가 어떠한지를 깨달을 수 있게 되기를 원한다”(에베소서 3:18).

대천덕 신부는 바울이 에베소 성도들을 위하여 기도했던 그리스도의 사랑에 대한 4차원의 사랑을 깊게 추구하였다. 즉 더 넓고 깊게 사람들을 사랑하기 위하여 예수님을 더 높고 깊게 사랑하길 소원하며 기도와 사랑의 코이노니아 실험실인 예수원을 세워 실천적인 영성의 삶을 살면서 가르쳤다.

가문의 전통과 재정 문제에서 배우는 영성 대천덕 신부(Reuben Archer Torrey III)의 가족이 엄격하게 지키는 전통 중의 하나는 각 사람은 개인적으로 하나님의 자녀로 거듭나야 하며, 하나님의 가족이 되는 것과 개개인의 가족 내력은 별개라는 것이다. 또한 모든 자녀들이 고등학교를 졸업하면 1년 동안 대학을 진학하지 않고 삶의 현장 속에서 살도록 한다는 것이다. 고등학교를 졸업하여 이제 성인이 되었으니 각자 자신의 관심과 전공과 연결되는 삶의 자리에서 ‘사람들의 소리’를 직접 듣기 위하여 음식점, 농장, 어장, 사무실, 공장 등에서 일한 후에 대학에 진학한다는 것이다. 우리는 어떤가? 명문 대학에 자녀들을 입학시키려고 얼마나 힘쓰는가. 좋은 대학은 누구를 위하여 또한 무엇을 위해 필요한 것인가?

대천덕 신부는 “믿음의 주요 도 온전케 하시는 이(the pioneer and perfecter of our faith)인 예수를 바라보자“(히 12:2)는 구절과 “그뿐 아니라 하나님을 대적하여 말하기를 하나님이 광야에서 능히 식탁을 준비하시랴”(시편 78:19)는 말씀을 붙잡고 “책만 가지고 신학을 가르치지 않고” 더 나은 방법을 찾아, ‘그리스도인의 삶에 있는 세 가지 실험실’(The Three Laboratories of the Christian Life)을 세우기 위해 예수원을 세워 개척자의 길을 갔다. 그는 교회가 한 번도 개척되지 않은 시골 마을에 들어가 바닥부터 시작하였다. 그는 필요한 사람들과 자신이 도울 수 있는 사람들을 하나님께서 보내실 것을 믿고 출발하였다. 그는 같은 생각을 가진 사람들과 함께 살면서 노동과 물질과 기도를 나누면서 하나님을 위해 불을 일으켰다. 그러나 우리는 선교와 사역 속에서 안정과 기득권을 유지하려는 노력은 하지만 “배에서 나오라”(마 14:29)는 예수님의 명령에 순종하여 개척과 과감한 실험을 못하고 방황하는 형편은 아닌가?'

R. A. Torrey 선조들은 유럽을 떠나 미국으로 건너와 한 곳에 정착하지 않고 여러 곳에 살면서 수중에 돈이 떨어질 때가 많았다. 그때마다 빚을 얻거나 하나님이 허락하지 않은 일을 하거나 후원금을 요청할 수 있었지만 항상 하나님이 일용할 양식을 주시도록 맡기며 살았다. 4대에 걸친 R. A. Torrey의 간증은 “의인이 버림을 당하거나 그 자손이 걸식함을 보지 못하였다”(시편 37:25)는 것이었다. 사회적인 안정과 지위를 얻기보다 가정을 통하여 하나님의 뜻이 이루어지길 원하며 ‘가난의 서약’을 하고 살았다. 언젠가 예수원의 운영자금이 바닥났을 때에 대천덕 신부는 서울의 미 8군 휴양소에 열리는 컨퍼런스에 참석한 적이 있었다. 그러나 대천덕 신부는 컨퍼런스 중에 사람들에게 예수원의 필요에 대해 한마디도 하지 않았다. 그러나 얼마 후에 한 미군이 대천덕 신부에게 한국 돈을 한 뭉치 주었지만, 한국 여성이 한 지역에서 선교 프로젝트를 설명하면서 경제적 지원이 없으면 중단 할 수밖에 없다고 하자 전날 받은 돈을 전부 그 사람의 가방에 넣어 주었다. 그런데 컨퍼런스 마지막 날 한국 여성이 다가와 자신의 삶을 통해 받은 은혜를 감사한다면서 처음에 받았던 돈보다 몇 배가 많은 돈을 예수원을 위해 쓰도록 주었다.

대천덕 신부는 “믿음으로 받는 것만 아니라 믿음으로 주며” 살면서 예수원 공동체의 경제 원리를 세워 오늘날 교회가 에너지의 상당 부분을 내부 정치와 세상적인 야망에 힘쓰는 것에 도전을 주고 있다.

리더를 세우는 멘토에게서 배우는 영성 대천덕 신부는 평생 동안 수많은 사람들을 멘토링하였지만 여기서는 PRMI(국제교회갱신사역)의 총재로서 Dunamis Course(능력사역 훈련과정)을 세운 브래드 롱(Rev, Brad Long)목사와의 관계에서 나타난 모습을 밝히려고 한다. 대천덕 신부가 48세 때 브래드 롱 목사가 15세 소년이었을 때인 1966년에 만나 2002년까지 그들의 관계는 36년 동안 계속되었다. 대천덕 신부의 아들 벤 토레이(Rev. Ben Torrey)는 브래드 롱보다 한 살 많지만 두 사람은 친구가 되어 쉽게 친구의 부친에게 접근할 수 있었다. 대천덕 신부와 브래드 롱 목사의 부친은 미국 노스 캐로나이나에 소재한 데이비슨대학 동문이며, 모친 또한 같은 주에서 미술 활동을 하는 등 많은 부분을 공유하고 있었다. 이러한 요소들을 통해 하나님은 대천덕 신부가 예수원을 1965년에 시작한 후부터 계속적인 관계를 가지면서 바울과 디모데처럼 멘토십을 나누게 하셨다.

믿음과 행동이 하나 되는 예수님의 제자 1970년 겨울 양식인 쌀이 떨어지고 호박과 김치와 멸치 젖도 떨어졌을 때, 금식하며 가난한 자들이 내일 양식이 없는 처지를 생각해 보라고 가르치면서 어떠한 환경 속에서도 하나님을 신뢰하며 일용할 양식을 구할 것을 기도하고 기적을 맛보게 하였다. 예수원에서 식사 후 차를 마시며 여러 사람들의 대화에 참여케 하는 한편, 많은 시간을 일 대 일로 만나 기도하며 질문에 답해 주고, 개인의 하루 일과표와 저술 및 개인기도 시간을 소개하면서 믿음과 행동의 일치를 강조했다. 이러한 체험은 브래드 롱 목사가 1982년 대만에 평신도 훈련원을 세울 때 재정과 사람과 프로그램도 없는 불가능한 환경에서 하나님께 순종하면서 기적을 베푸실 분을 신뢰케 하였고, 미국 노스 캐로나이나에서 ‘십자가 공동체(The Community of Cross)'를 세우기 위해 2003년 30,000평의 땅을 구입하는 과정과 사역을 펼쳐나가는 일에서 철저한 순종과 기도의 삶을 살도록 하여 열매를 맺게 하였다.

예수님을 함께 닮아 가는 ‘하늘 나그네’ 브래드 롱 목사가 한국에서 고등학교를 마치고 미국 대학 입학을 위해 동아시아를 거쳐가는 과정에서 인도 캘커타 거리에서 죽어 가는 사람들을 보고 절망과 회의에 방황할 때가 있었다. 그러나 한국인들도 꺼려하는 강원도 산골에서 공동체를 세우는 대천덕 신부의 실천적인 모습을 되새기며 벤 토레이의 권면으로 다시 일어나 극적인 회심을 경험하고 그리스도께 헌신하게 되었다.

브래드 롱 목사가 대학 재학 때인 1973년 여름에 예수원의 설립 멤버들이 떠나가고 방문객도 극소수에 불과하고 운영에 어려움이 있을 때가 있었다. 그들은 서로의 문제를 부자간에 나누듯이 기도하며 분노하고 울고 들어 주었다. 대천덕 신부는 브래드 롱에게 밤을 세워가며 한 달 동안 성령에 관해 가르쳐 주면서 헬라어와 히브리어를 참고하면서 성경 속으로 인도해 주었다. 그때 한국인에게 예수원의 비전을 구체적으로 나누는 문제와 성령 세례에 대해 공개적으로 가르치는 문제와 공동체 문제에 대해 깊은 아픔과 개인적인 고통을 함께 나누며 함께 새로운 도약을 하게 되었다.

멘토가 자신의 인간적인 문제와 약점을 인정하며 함께 기도하기란 얼마나 어려운 일인가? 대천덕 신부의 모범 속에서 브래드 롱 목사는 자신의 부족한 부분을 인정하기를 기뻐하며 함께 사역하는 사람들이 자신을 위해 기도해 주기를 기쁘게 요청하며 다른 사람들의 제안과 비판을 수용하게 되었다. 진정한 리더십이 무엇인지 보여 주며 가르치는 삶 대천덕 신부는 의도적으로 브래드 롱 목사를 리더로 키웠다. 예컨대, 기도사역이나 전도 집회가 끝난 후, 브래드 롱 목사를 따로 불러 영적 리더십이나 성령과의 협력에 대해 가르쳐 주었다. 1983년 대만 목회자들이 예수원을 방문한 마지막 날 밤이었다. 20명의 목회자들이 대천덕 신부에게 기도를 받으려고 기다리고 있었다. 다섯 명만 기도해 주고 자신은 급하게 할 일이 있다고 하면서 브래드 롱 목사가 성령께 의지하며 기도할 수 있도록 시간과 자리를 내 주고 자신은 밤을 지새워 제자를 위해 기도하였다. 1984년 대만에서 집회와 1991년 미국 레이크 조지에서도 마찬가지였다. 마지막 날 밤 성찬식에서 “지금이 기회입니다. 누구든지 성령으로 세례를 받고 싶은 사람은 앞으로 나오시오 브래드 롱 목사님과 제가 여러분에게 손을 얹고 기도해 드리겠습니다.”라고 전통에 젖어 있는 대만 장로교 목회자들에게 도전하여 주님께서 역사하시는 자리를 마련해 주었고, 브래드 롱 목사가 삼층천의 경험을 할 수 있도록 1년 동안 계속적으로 중보기도를 하여 응답 받았다.

대천덕 신부는 기도가 하나님과 우리 사이에 ‘평생 지속되는 계약에 의해 이루어진 전적인 상호 책임과 상호의 의지의 코이노니아’로 해석하여 기도하지 않는 것은 하나님의 방해하는 것임을 강조하였다. 브래드 롱 목사는 기도를 통해 하나님께서 자신을 그분의 파트너로 불러 새로운 창조를 위해 협력하기 위해 담대하게 순종하기를 명령받았다. 브래드 롱 목사는 대만에서 하워드 초우라는 사람이 400만 불 상당의 부지를 헌금하겠다는 제의를 사양하고 세계 복음화를 위해 미국 사역의 초청을 받아들여 ‘십자가 공동체’(The Community of Cross)를 세워 포기와 순종과 광야를 걸으며 주님이 주신 ‘기적’을 체험하였다.

대천덕 신부는 브래드 롱 목사에게 진정한 리더십은 힘이나 권위가 아니라 하나님께서 원하시는 것이 무엇인지 알고 그것을 이루기 위해 순종하며 나가는 것임을 일깨워 주었다. 브래드 롱 목사는 리더가 순종할 때 권위와 능력이 나오는데, 이는 리더의 은밀한 기도에 나타난다고 생각하여 끝없이 은밀한 기도를 한다. 초기 스탭들이 떠나며 재정적인 문제와 갑자기 심장이 이상이 있어 응급실에 입원하는 환경 속에서도 중보 기도를 요청하면서 하나님께서 하나님의 일을 이루실 수 있도록 기도로 씨름하는 영적 용사가 되었다.

배성현·국제교회갱신사역 한국사역

What Do You Follow?

Now I stay with my sister's in London. I started going to a church in Oxford Circus in London, so have to take Brown Bakerloo line at Waterloo station. However, at one Sunday, the Bakerloo line service as well as Jubilee line all were suspended. It takes usually 30-40 minutes to travel between Oxford Circus and my sister's, however, at the day, it took almost 2 hours for me to get home. 

But I did not grumble, just saw the tube map carefully, and found an alternative way. As I knew that I could not change anything but needed to find another way to get the end of journey, the church or home. It took some more time I had not expected, anyways, I could get the destination. Actually during the journey, I could stop by Victoria and Albert Museum and have a good time there, which I had not planned before I left home.

I thought of my life at the day. I said to follow Jesus, but I often make various complaints to Him when something happens unexpectedly. I still want to control all the ways to reach the destination. However, during the journey, He seems to want me to see other issues I have not thought about. His interests seem to be not only in my getting the destination but also in my being changed into his fullness and holiness. But I guess His concept of time is totally different from mine. That is always the very problem. How impatient human beings are.. 

[Article] Sons of Lwala

When residents of a tiny Kenyan village sold their chickens and cattle to buy Milton Ochieng a $900 plane ticket to Dartmouth College, they told him they wanted something in return. Eight years later, he's a Vanderbilt University Medical School graduate preparing for his residency. In his home village of Lwala, a clinic he and younger brother Fred established serves about 100 patients a day.

A documentary about their struggles to raise $150,000 to build the clinic — while attending school full-time and coping with their parents' deaths — will soon be screened at universities across the country.

"It's not common to have a couple of village boys come to the U.S. and advocate for a clinic to be built in their country," said Barak Bruerd, program director of Blood:Water Mission, a Nashville-based nonprofit that has contributed to the clinic. "The fact that they were able to bring so much support to their community is amazing."

Before the clinic, Mr. Ochieng says, sick villagers often had to be carried for miles just to get to a paved road. As a child, he remembers seeing a friend's mother taken away in a wheelbarrow during a difficult labor. Neighbors pushed her for 45 minutes before she died. The image stuck with him. His father, high school chemistry teacher Erastus Ochieng, emphasized the need for health care closer to the community. It was his dream to see a clinic in Lwala, a village of about 1,500 people in southwestern Kenya. It wasn't until a college service trip to Nicaragua, where students worked alongside villagers to build such a facility, that Mr. Ochieng started to think his father's dream could become reality. The elder Mr. Ochieng would not live to see the project completed. He died in 2005 of AIDS, which had killed Mr. Ochieng's mother the year before.

For several years, Mr. Ochieng made plans. Fred Ochieng followed him to Dartmouth and then on to medical school at Vanderbilt. By 2005, Milton Ochieng was ready to build, except he had no money. So he put Fred Ochieng in charge of fundraising. That weekend, Fred Ochieng raised $9,000 at a conference for a Christian ministry group. But it took another two years to raise the $150,000 they needed. They were finally able to open the clinic in April 2007, helped by a $45,000 donation from Blood:Water Mission, which was founded by Christian rockers Jars of Clay to reduce the impact of HIV and AIDS in Africa. In its first year, the clinic saw 20,000 patients at a cost of about $100,000.

"It's important for people to get a sense of how far the U.S. dollar can go," Milton Ochieng says, noting that one woman had emergency surgery for an ectopic pregnancy at a cost of only $250. A similar procedure could cost at least $10,000 in the U.S. The clinic is also getting help from former TV reporter Barry Simmons, who quit his job after interviewing the Ochieng brothers to work full time on a documentary about their struggles to build the clinic. "Sons of Lwala" has so far raised about $230,000.

"It was always the plan to give them a platform to raise money and spread their story," Mr. Simmons said. The volume of patients is growing, Mr. Ochieng says, because of the high standard of care the clinic provides, even without running water or a consistent electrical supply.

The Washington Times Sunday, July 6, 2008

My Testimony Prepared for Park Street Church

This testimony was prepared for the Tuesday New Members' Class with Rev. Gordon at Park Street Church on October 14, 2008.

When my mother was expecting her third child, me, our family lived in a neighborhood that there were two remarkable pastors’ families. Naturally, the two pastors’ wives became good friends with my mother thanks to their mutual interest in children’s education. One of the wives is Dr. Eunsoon Yang, she later established His University in Corona, CA for family ministry. Through their prayers, my mother became the first Christian in our entire families, and my two older sisters and I grew up in a half Christian family.

My father did not have faith when my mother started to believe in God. But to my surprise, even he was not interested in Christianity, he helped Rev. Lee, Tae Woong, who finished his Ph.D. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, to build Global Missionary Training Center right next door. It was possible because my father liked him. Moreover, sometimes, when the training center was full, some of the missionary trainees stayed with us since my father and mother agreed to open our house willingly to the young trainees. For me, to meet the young passionate Christian families and singles planning to go to mission fields remains one of the most wonderful childhood memories.

When I became a freshman, one day, I started to doubt everything about Christianity. I had too many questions. I wanted to understand God intellectually but often I could not get clear answers to my questions. Soon after, I became cynical about all Biblical messages, church, and Christians. While looking at people praising and praying at church, even I thought that they might be crazy. I totally lost my way. It is very difficult for me to explain exactly how, but I came back to having faith in Christ. I realized that there is no place hidden from God. I could no longer deny that God is God. It was actually a very scary experience for me to feel His real being. Many church friends and pastors knew that I had been struggling against doubts. I believe that God worked with their prayers.

After I went through the transitional time, I wanted to know God deeply. So when I learned about short-term mission works at church, immediately I applied to the opportunity, and was selected as a researcher in Myanmar. Through this rare chance, I could stay in Yangon, Myanmar for four months. During the time, I stayed with a pastor’s family, unavoidably, I had to go to every morning prayer meeting with the family. I am not a morning person, so it was very hard for me to get up before 6AM. However, it turned out that the period was a blessing itself in my entire life! 

One day in Yangon, Myanmar, I mumbled myself “Why does it rain everyday here?” Myanmar has a tropical climate, so everyday there is heavy rainfall. At that moment, unexpectedly, God talked to me, “When it rains, let it rain, and you just get wet in the rain. 비가 오면 비를 맞어.” I cannot explain how I could listen to the God’s talking, but obviously he talked to me. I was really surprised at his sudden approach like a close friend. After the unforgettable moment, I came to understand something important. Even though I get answers to my questions, there are always things I can never understand. God created this world and reigns everything. Since then, I have tried to obey what He makes me do, even though I cannot understand the reason wholly.

On the other hand, I began to see the vulnerable, oppressed, and helpless people there. I started to realize that there are many people suffering on the other side of world because of the chaotic political situation, and the lack of education, and etc. God opened my eyes. I started to think about justice, which I had not thought about before. I got an inkling of my passion for governance issues beyond being an architect or an urban planner. Or I probably got a strong desire to participate in something urgent for His kingdom. I think the passion eventually brought me here to the States to study International Development at Cornell University.

Here in the States, as a foreigner, I am struggling to find a job and have many fears of my uncertain future. I still do have many questions. I cannot get clear answers to some of my questions. But it is ok. I know He will lead me and make a way for me. One of my most important prayers is that He may provide me with wisdom and discerning heart to recognize His voice on time. This is because knowing God and following Him are the most important things in my life.

Volunteering Work at A Homeless Shelter in Washington DC

I thought I could help and serve homeless people in Washington DC, however, it was my wrong guess. Ironically, I've been served and beloved too much here in DC. I'm also a kind of homeless in the States. I think I'm not that different from the people. Only one different thing is I have a chance to give them some stuffs, which are also supported by some others. I could neither heal their sickness nor change their hard situations. Jesus came to the earth for the lowly, the poor and the oppressed, only he has been able to do something for them. I found there were few things I could help except talking with them for a moment. Something in my heart of hearts was shouting. "We have to help them, there will be practical ways." How? I have no idea at this time but I think I need to find the ways in my position. I prayed to God for keeping me live as a sincere servant of God. I don't want to waste my resource before I leave for heaven. Everlasting truth! It was a blessing to meet God's servants - Changhoon, Jihae, Junko, Kisung, Susan and Yojin through this volunteering work. Where a good purpose is, there are always good people. Next time I hope to join this ministry again with my Aquila :)

Stand on Mount Gerizim!

Today is my parents' wedding anniversary. Since December 9th, 1971, our family has succeeded. In the beginning of their marriage, both father and mother didn't know God. My mother became the first Christian in our family and then she brought up my two sisters and me to be a Christian. I often observe others' family history. Though fundamental notions of success in Christ are different from those in secular world, it's clear to me between the family with God and without God. Of course, my household and I will serve my God with all faithfulness as no man will be able to stand against Him. It's a really simple life what He showed us. Strangely enough, people seem to be familiar with intricate ways of life. I'm sure it's definitely a Satan's deception.

Deuteronomy 11:26-29 

"See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse-the blessing if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today; the curse if you disobey the commands of the Lord your God and turn from the way that I command you today by following other gods, which you have not known. When the Lord your God has brought you into the land you are entering to possess, you are to proclaim on Mount Gerizim the blessings, and on Mount Ebal the curses."