Our last two weeks were spent in Asan, and this is how it went.
On Sunday the first we left from our hostel in Seoul to Asan at 3:30. We arrived at the Asan city hall at about 5, then unloaded all of our things. 6 o'clock we gathered in the main meeting room of the city hall and had an introduction video we watched, were greeted, and introduced to our host homes. We left to our host homes for the night. Going home with my host family, they didn't speak a lick of English, so when I got to the house and their son was home from college and he spoke English I was relieved.
Monday We went to the Taeckmin methodist church for a service. We didn't do anything during that service, we were mostly there for appearances. When the service was finished we ate snacks with the kids and played with them a little. For lunch we went to a very nice restaurant (complements of the city) and had an interesting dining experience. In the afternoon we went to the Habitat for humanity village outside of town, a part of the jimmy carter work project. It was a dump community until HfH came in and built a small community of houses in that land. During that time we took a tour of the area, then went back and played games with the kids and ate with them, just a time to show people love.
Tuesday we went to Samil Presbyterian Church. We did worship, gave a few testimonies, and did one of our drama's. Samil is the church that the Korean "English as a second language" students from are base are from and the home church of my former roommate. In the afternoon we went to an Orphanage in the city. We were told about the orphanage and then we played with the kids, danced with them, karaoke with them and just did our best to show them the love of Christ.
Wednesday we packed up and left our host homes (Chinese new year is a big holiday so we left so they could celebrate it) and went to the city hall. We dropped off our stuff and headed out for a hike up the beautiful mountain outside the city. after going up and coming back down we went back the the city hall and got our belongings and headed to a Condo outside of the city. In the afternoon we went to a Korean history Museum an General Yi's memorial shrine and museum. It was cool to learn about the history of the country that we were in.
Thursday we had the morning to sleep in because the church that we were supposed to visit canceled on us. so we had a meeting at 11 and then we went to a historic replica village to learn more about Korea's past.Friday we got up and went to some kind of bible museum. it was strange to me because we had to dress up in these white robes (just imagine what that looked like) and it had the life up Jesus in clay models, and a replica of what a temple would be like. it was kind of strange. The Afternoon we spent at a nursing home, doing worship, talking and socializing with the people there, and then serving them dinner and feeding it to some of them. It was a different experience.
On Sat. we met in the meeting room of the building next door, and had a "dwell" time. We spent time as a group seeking God and spending time with him in his presence. It was nice to do that alone together for the first time since we got to Korea. For lunch we went out to Pizza Hut (complements of the city of Asan) and had pizza for the first time in a while. After lunch we went out to E-mart for people who needed to shop, I jsut got batteries and hair wax(like gel). Later that afternoon we went back to our host homes.
Sunday we spent the day with out host homes. I went to church with them in the morning and then spent the rest of the day off resting at the apartment.
Monday we started teaching English in the schools and it was quite interesting. it was hard to get the kids to talk, and when they did, they weren't as advanced as we were led to believe. It was hard to get them to do anything and they were too embarrassed. In the afternoon we went to the salvation army children's center and spent time with the kids there and served them dinner and cleaned up afterwards.
Tuesday we were teaching English in the schools. In the afternoon we spent time at a daycare playing with the kids and doing activities with them.
Wednesday we started teaching English in an all girls school. we had classes of 30 and had one class for 3 hours, it was quite fun. In the afternoon we went to a daycare and played with the children, then went to a church and taught English to the kids there.
Thursday we we back in the all girls middle school teaching English with a different class for another three hours. In the afternoon we visited the Hyundai plant just outside the city. It was cool to see how they make their cars with so many machines. We left the Hyundai plant and went to the Samsung LCD plant. they showed us how they made LCD screens and what they were used for.
With the help of our base director the city of Asan signed an agreement of sisterhood with the city of Tyler, to share economical ideas and trade students and education. We are the first Americans from Tyler to come to Asan since that happened. It didn't hit us until we were here but we are representing a lot being in this city. We are representing; YWAM, Tyler, Texas, and America for God.....WoW that is a lot! Its amazing what God will do with you if you just obey his call.
So that is up till now in a nutshell. Miss you all and am looking forward to heading back up north.
