Dear Friends in Jesus Christ

Greetings! The presidential election is just finished in the United Stated, but the Filipino people are requesting that their president, Joseph Estrada, resign. Both pro-Estrada and anti-Estrada groups are marching in the streets. It is a time of crisis in the Philippines—political turmoil, economic collapse, social fragmentation and moral decline. We need to pray for both the Philippines and the Filipino people.

I was very busy last semester, from June to October, with many teaching assignments. Besides teaching two subjects—church history and mission—at the Divinity School, I taught "Introduction to the New Testament" to about 40 students at the College of Arts and Sciences. In addition, a student from Myanmar began his master’s of theology program under my guidance. I taught him three subjects, but he had problems with English and other academic insufficiencies, so it was difficult to teach him. Due to this overload, I suffered from fatigue at the beginning of the semester.

The first semester ended in the middle of October. Then we had only a two-week semester break. I finished grading and submitted the grades during the first week, and during the second week, which was registration week, I prepared for the second semester—making syllabi and teaching plans and reserving text books in the library. So I did not have enough time to take a rest.

Lecturing at the College of Arts and Sciences gave me many opportunities to get to know students. As we know, students are different in each semester. I have observed various differences not only of religious characteristics but also lifestyle or consciousness between Divinity School students and students at the College of Arts and Sciences. I have learned that it isn’t easy to teach and to associate with Divinity School students. Their ability to learn and their ethical sense seems to be somewhat behind that of the students at the College of Arts and Sciences. Divinity School students are more critical, and they have a strong sense of nationalism and exclusivism.

During the first semester, I was a liturgist at Sunday chapel service on July 27, led a dormitory devotion on August 1 (during Christian Emphasis Week), was a celebrant of the Lord’s Supper at Silliman University Church in the morning and afternoon Sunday services, was invited as a special guest on October 23 (United Nations Day) by the Rotary Club of Dumaguete City, during which I spoke on Korea and its relation to the UN, and was invited as a guest speaker at a family cluster of the Silliman Church and spoke on the Reformation. I attended the a consultation of church-related hospitals, the United Church of Christ of the Philippine’s General Assembly and met with Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) representatives from November 5 to 8 at Silliman University Medical Center. At that time, I met the Reverend Insik Kim, coordinator of East Asia and Pacific in the Worldwide Ministries Division.

The second semester began October 30. I teach church history at the Divinity School and three mission subjects to a Myanmar student.

I donated two boxes of used books to the Divinity School, but they still need more books. I am going to provide some textbooks, including church history and mission studies, to the Divinity School. If you want to help me on this project, send used or new books to me.

It is a time of thanksgiving but there is no Thanksgiving Day in the Philippines (since they have three crops a year). I have not yet learned how the Filipinos express their gratitude. Instead of Thanksgiving Day, Filipinos prepare for Christmas beginning in October. You may think that it is too early, but this is the Filipino style. Now it is Christmas season in the Philippines.

I would like to ask your continual prayers for me, my teaching, and my ministry.

May you have a happy Thanksgiving Day and Merry Christmas!

Sincerely,

John Eunsik Cho

The 2000 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 170