Third, both of us spent untold
hours reading and re-reading and correcting the English on four
masters of theology theses submitted by our international graduate
students. The students—from India, Myanmar, Kenya, and Indonesia—were
working in English, which for all of them is a second or even
third language. We also served as members of their thesis committees
and participated in their oral examinations. We are pleased to
report that all passed and have returned home to their churches
and families. We can also say, however, that without our working
with words, their theses would not have been accepted by the graduate
thesis committee.
Fourth, both of us have been working on the redesigning of several
courses, and this has entailed writing new course outlines and
weekly assignment schedules. It has been said “that for
every hour spent in class, the professor spends three hours of
preparation outside of class,” and that has certainly been
true this summer as we prepared for the fall semester.
Fifth, Carol has spent several weeks preparing the orders of
worship for the Jeonju English Church for the months of September
through December. This has involved selecting hymns, prayers,
Scripture readings, sermon titles, and assigning liturgists and
preachers for each Sunday. Dan has already begun writing sermons,
beginning with a series of eight sermons based on the churches
of Galilee.
Sixth, a number of our Korean faculty colleagues have recently
begun to submit articles written in English to overseas journals.
Invariably, their articles are returned with the directive, “Do
not resubmit until this essay has been read by a native speaker
of English.” Since Dan is the only native speaker of English
at Hanil University, this means more working with words.
Seventh, and finally, we have been keeping up an active correspondence
with supporting churches, mission supporters, academic colleagues,
former students, and friends scattered around the world. There
have probably been over 100 letters written this summer, if you
include email. The “active correspondence” file on
the desk in Dan’s study contains 157 letters, most of which
have been written since May.
Working with words is not a particularly glamorous or visible
part of what we do. It entails hours, days, and even weeks in
front of a computer screen or sitting at a desk reading page after
page of a thesis or book manuscript. Since working with words
is a time-consuming activity, it is best carried out during the
summer and winter vacations or on weekends. Without our working
with words, however, there would be no classes taught, no sermons
preached, no articles or books published, and no international
church leaders who return home with a Th.M. degree. There would
be no contact with our friends and supporters around the world.
Indeed, without our working with words there would be no occasional
letters such as this one. So we will continue to work with words,
for this is a vital part of our calling to make the Word known
in the world.
May God grant all of you grace and blessing as together we proclaim
the Living Word to the world in both word and in deed.
Faithfully in mission,
Carol Chou Adams and Daniel J. Adams
The 2003 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, page
174
|
