| Dear Friends, So far, it's been a busy couple of weeks since I've been back in Korea. I hit the ground running. Literally, you should see the lines at immigration at the airport. No, really, while it's been busy and challenging, my time has been good. Here's a bit of what's been going on since school began again. What it's all about... Hopefully before Valentine's Day our school will have raised enough money to buy a laminating machine for a school in Afghanistan. We've been focusing our high school chapel times on Afghanistan and the educational needs there. Our students are largely unaware of the needs in other places around the world, so since we have friends in Afghanistan we decided to focus their awareness there. We've been showing slide shows and videos and talking about the needs in Afghanistan, and the students really seem to be responding. We want the students to be more involved, and this seems to be a good way to accomplish just that. It looks like we will need a total of $1200 U.S. to buy the laminator and send it to Afghanistan. Evidently, the laminator is of value at the school because it increases the life of posters, bulletin board materials and other paper products. It's important to have things that last a long time when supplies are hard to come by. If the Holy Spirit is leading you to help in this effort, please contact the NICS home office who will help you, help us. At any rate, the students will get a taste of the joy of helping others, and that's a good thing for everybody. A Shot in the Arm... Spiritual Emphasis Week is January 26-30th. Our former Librarian and her husband, an Air Force Chaplain, are coming from their post in Italy to host a week long event for us. They are the Hawkins, Glen and Kitty. Glen will be handling the high school end, and Kitty will be speaking for the elementary. It promises to be a great week, and It will be so much fun to visit with them again. However, this week, although scheduled since last year, comes as a shot in the arm for the school. Spiritually and physically the Enemy has been attacking us on all sides in the last two weeks. Not only have staff members continued to fight with illness, but some of our most trusted students have recently been involved in some major illegal activity, and some other of our older high school students have been caught bullying a few younger students. All of the information about the students has come out in the last week, and it's been shocking to say the least. In light of all that's been happening, I (we) would really appreciate fervent prayer on our behalf. This coming week will be a time of more intense exposure to the Gospel, and I am praying that students whom we have been faithful to pray for will come to relationship with Jesus Christ. I am also praying that students who have claimed the name of Jesus Christ will make the choice to live like the redeemed. Again I ask for prayer, especially for this week. PI; Not Magnum.... We're looking toward Spring Break already. I know it seems really early, but plans have to be made. A group of us on staff have been wanting to take students on a mission trip for some time, and the last two years just haven't worked out (aka..it wasn't God's timing). It seems though that this year may be the time God allows us to do it. It looks like the Philippines is where we will most likely be headed. Here's the deal: There is a large Philippine population in this area of South Korea. These people are here working in factories mostly and sending money back home to their families. Some people, since they have very little "extra" income are living below the poverty level and therefore do not have the money to travel to and from PI when they want. This means also that expectant mothers when their children are 3 months old must send their children to live with family in PI because they cannot affort to feed them or pay for daycare here. It also means that some people have not seen their respective families in years. So our mission would be to adopt a Filippino worker and be messengers between that worker and his/her family in PI. We would videotape a message from the worker to the family members; take supplies to the Philipines and bring back gifts from the Philippines. Now some of you may be asking, "Why don't you just use the money it would take to travel and send the Filippinos themselves?" Good question. The answer is this: Missing a week's worth of work for them is unacceptable. Not only could they be replaced very quickly, but they also cannot afford to lose the money. So, please pray that we would be faithful in prayer as we prepare for this trip. All of these plans are not set in stone, so please pray that God would make His will clear to us as we seek His face and His glory in all of this. Please pray for the students who will be going on this trip that they would submit to what God wants to accomplish in them. I guess, for that matter, please pray that God would accomplish in me and the rest of the teachers what He wants. Thank you again and again for your prayer and financial support I'd love to hear from any of you. Until the next time... Emily. |
| PYONGTAEK POST JANUARY 15, 2004 |