August 5, 2008

In returning and rest is your salvation, in quietness and confidence is your strength.
 Is. 30:15

Dear Friends around the world,

A little boy was asked what he wanted to be when he grew up. “A missionary on furlough,” was his answer. Furlough is now called “interpretation assignment” (IA), and Art feels that he got the rest and quiet that he needed on home assignment, which we took from early March through August 6. In addition to rest, he also visited churches and shared his witness. But Sue had to make three trips back to South and North Korea during IA in addition to the church visits, so her schedule was very crowded and can be described by the words of Gen. 24:27, “being in the way, the Lord led me.”

Art and Sue were appointed for a new three-year term and ask your prayers as they travel in and out of the Pyongyang Airport, as shown here.

Both of us appreciate the warm welcome and hospitality we received from the churches and families who hosted us. There was great interest in hearing about the needs and opportunities for mission to North Korea, especially in the 19 Korean-American churches that we visited. We visited 14 English-speaking churches on this IA where we were blessed to meet those who support and pray for us. We want to tell about two churches in particular.

Our first stop in the continental United States was at the Community Church of Seattle at 6:30 a.m. on a Saturday. Two-hundred members showed up to find that instead of the original schedule, Sue was preaching about North Korea. Pastor James Kwon, who had succeeded Art in 1995 as pastor for English worship at Onnuri Church in Seoul, now leads what seems to be the fastest-growing church in our denomination. During our itineration, three of the pastors we met had been on a church staff with Art in Seoul. Praise God for their ministries now in the United States!

Our last church visit was to another Korean congregation, the Divine Light Presbyterian Church in El Monte, California. Art gave them a copy of the book about his Dad’s missionary service because Dad had preached for this congregation once a month for several years up until a few weeks before God called him home. Many expressed their appreciation for him. Among its 120 members, this church had several retired Korean pastors attending, which is common in Korean congregations of Southern California with its concentration of people of Korean background. Sue gave her missionary message at the afternoon service, including her exhortation that Christians in and from Korea, who are now the national group second in the number of missionaries sent, should not neglect doing mission to North Korea, despite the obstacles. She referred to Genesis 12, where God tells Abraham that he will make Israel a great (spiritual) nation before the Lord tells of blessing all nations through Abraham’s seed.

We were glad to bring our daughter Elaine from her small group home about once a week when both of us were in Pasadena to stay overnight and enjoy some of Mom’s Korean cooking. She is in better health this year after suffering digestive problems last year.

From July 1 to 4 Sue attended the annual conference of the National Korean Presbyterian Council at Boston and received special prayer after her North Korean work was endorsed.

After we attended the PC(USA) Assembly in San Jose, where Sue was a missionary advisory delegate, she attended the annual convention of the National Korean Presbyterian Council with representatives from the 450 Korean-American churches in our denomination. Her North Korea work was approved for support by NKPC churches, and they sent her forth with a special prayer. As we return to Korea, think of us as in the picture here at the Pyongyang Airport. Beginning a new three-year term, we need your continued support and prayers. We are overjoyed at increasing support for the Lighthouse Foundation work, but we need to tell you that Sue’s personal support account is undersubscribed. Churches are encouraged to give to Designated Mission Support D504874.

Prayer requests

The San Jose Assembly approved a commissioner’s resolution supporting the need to provide aid to North Korea because of the food crisis. Pray that what God’s people send can be delivered quickly so that starving people may be fed and a witness given of God’s love for those spiritually hungry.

Our largest supporting church asked whether more workers were needed to carry on this expanding ministry. Pray that God will send the right workers.

God’s peace and joy from us to you,

Art and Sue Kinsler

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