March 17, 2008

Greetings from Korea!

PC(USA) missionaries in East Asia met for a retreat in Seoul in February.

Spring has come here in Korea, and flowers are bursting into bloom in the southern part of South Korea already. During February, we had a retreat here in Korea for all PC(USA) mission personnel serving in East Asia. It was God’s blessing. As chair of the retreat committee, I was very busy organizing and preparing for the retreat, and I am really grateful to God the retreat went well. It was very meaningful and blessed.

I was happy that I have had a chance to show my work site to Louisville staff before the retreat started. Jo Ella Holman, Elaine Matthes, and Pat Hendrix were interested in visiting the shelters and YeJi Church, where I serve survivors of domestic violence and runaway juveniles on behalf of the Women Ministers Association (WMA).

The Rev. Sook Hee Bae and PC(USA) national staff members visit with staff and runaway girls at the shelter sponsored by the Korean Presbyterian Church's Women Ministers Association.

Jo Ella, Elaine, and Pat had the chance to meet runaway juveniles and WMA staff. We discussed current issues with WMA staff and the runaway girls in the shelter shared their concerns and opinions.

I would like to introduce to you to two of the young girls, Nami and Sumi (not their real names), two sisters who came to our shelter recently. Nami, 15, is a high school freshman, and Sumi is 13 years old. Their parents are divorced, and Nami and Sumi were living with their father on the outskirts of Seoul. The father was violent. About a year ago, he sexually abused Nami and physically abused Sumi. Nami couldn’t tell anyone, not even her sister, what happened to her. She was deeply depressed. She lost interest in school life and wandered about.

Eventually, a teacher found out what was happening to her. Thanks to her teacher’s and school counselor’s efforts, the sisters were admitted to our shelter, which is called “Another Home.” Nami and Sumi decided to leave home and come to our shelter less than one month ago.

When I met them for the first time a few weeks ago, both Nami and Sumi kept themselves separated from the other girls and were very cold. Nami was ill-natured and not friendly to anybody. They had never been to church before arriving at our shelter. But since they began living in the shelter, they have attended YeJi church in the basement of the WMA building, which is the Memorial Church for the ordination of women ministers.

Last week I said hello to the two sisters, and they smiled back in response. I am sure Nami and Sumi will adjust themselves to their life with the other young girls. It seems that they’re beginning to adjust well to their new school life. They come to YeJi Church every Sunday to learn about Jesus Christ. They were lost ones, but I trust God will save Nami and Sumi as God’s children.

The Rev. On Kyo Han, the director of the shelter, said to me that Nami and Sumi have been receiving special psychiatric counseling. Nami will stay at our shelter for next two years, and Sumi will stay for four years. They have not accepted Jesus Christ as their savior yet, but I hope that in the next couple of years Nami and Sumi will become positive, bright, new people and grow as God’s children. I am really grateful to God that we are used as God’s tool to transform these young lives. I pray to God that “Another Home” is a turning point for Nami’s and Sumi’s lives, and I ask you to pray for Nami, Sumi, and other young persons in need.

Peace,

Sook Hee Bae

The 2008 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 101