the kids of the highschool co-op

This is of Isaac translating for Dad during Great Communicators. It is funny to watch Isaac try to copy Dad while he translates since Dad is SO animated!



This is just before co-op started.



One of Krissy's 3 science discussion groups. They were having fun competing with each other for candy!



Three of Dad's english class students - Isaac who is most fluent in english, Sally whose father is a creation scientist, and Sarah whose parents are one of the high school lead families. They read and discuss articles on current events and other teen related articles. I am in it too! (They didn't know I was taking pictures. The girls especially hate getting their pictures taken!!
My dad thinks it funny (so do I) that he is leading an english class as he says english is not his 1st language!!



Sarah Kim. I FINALLY got a picture of her!



Daniel Lee reading a (Korean) book.



The fastest thumbs in the west! Actually, this is what the kids do whenever they want. Normally it is hidden under the table during the co-op.
We now have four and a half more weeks to go! That is exciting, yet, I have REALLY enjoyed it here and how fast the time has passed! It is amazing to look back and see what a change God has done in my heart. How He changed my attitude about being here, serving with my family, be separated from friends and the 'comforts' of our (new) home. Two weeks before we left, as the reality set in, I began to get resentful and a bit fearful about coming. I did not understand why the Pents had to leave when they did. Gods answer: That is so your family could go! But now, I LOVE it here and want to come back! So please pray for God's will, not my will, to be done with my family and that I will be content regardless of the outcome.

~Sarah

p.s. I need some help. I am writing personal letters of encouragement to each of the highschool girls (one per week). Many of these girls have been in public school all their life and homeschooling is a new and different experience for them as you can imagine. I am including a unique scripture verse with each letter. I would appreciate you sending me your favorite verse(s) and maybe a brief comment of why. Don't worry about the context of what I will be writing and how your verse may fit in. Just send me your favorite verses and God will inspire me to create a special message around it. Or I'll just include it as a special verse from a friend of mine. Thanks in advance! ~ sarah

What we do at the co-op

We...

...help mom demonstrate the character trait...

...and Mom and Dad speak on topics such as character, parent training, and teach English

Yes we also have fun and sometimes the kids get wild like this cute little fellow.

(Dahae, how do you say "look at my tonsils" in Korean?) :-)

Happy birthday!!!!!!!!

This was a big week for birthdays (and birthday cake!!). Mrs. Willing, Mom, and Mr. WIlling. We love how the Koreans take such special notice of birthdays. In our family many years ago we began to put more emphasis on birthdays to make them really special. At that same time we began to eliminate gift giving at Christmas. Also, Koreans have an unusual way of calculating a birthday. They consider that your are born at 1 year and then each January 1st EVERYONE gets another year added to their birthday. They still celebrate on the actualy date, but depending on the birth date, there can be 1 or 2 years difference in "american" age.

It is the korean custom to make big deals of birthdays and just drop in. So....


The Kim family dropped by to say happy birthday on their way to orchestra. They live an hour away!


Grace and Mayo Kim (another Kim Family) came as a suprise and brought an umbrella and African Violets!

We also had a small celebration with the Hurtados, a Korean friend of the Hurtados, Willings, and Mr. Voeller.




The middleschool/elementary co-op celebrating mom's birthday. Notice the cake. (It's from Costco)


I love how the Koreans celebrate by just stopping in! You never know who will yell SURPRISE to you!!!


I know, this is a little late, but..... We loved celebrating your birthday with you in Korea Mom!!!!!!!!!!

p.s. and Mom - I know one of the little brothers of a families in the elementary co-op asked you your age and then
guessed "100".:-) We don';t think you look a day over 30!!! Must be the Kimche!!! :-)

China!

Oops... my pictures are in backwards order. They start at the bottom. Sorry...



























Mom's comments on China...

When we came to Korea we got a tourist visa which is good for 90 days. It must be renewed by traveling outside the country before the 90 days has past. We chose to go to China. We were in Beijing from May 16-19. God provided safe passage and an exciting adventure! Inspite of the beauty and rich culture, it is a very pagan, superstitious country. We must pray for the missionaries there and for Christ's gospel to reach many. Please pray for our tour guide Jason. He was extremely informative and funny but has no relationship with Christ. As we left we realized how blessed we are to be children of God and to be free to worship Him!!!

Tuesday

Every Tuesday we teach the elementary/middle school co-op. It meets in the afternoon from 2:00 - 5:30. We teach English, and character training and one mom each week does Korean history. The last hour Mom and Dad do parent training.Mom and Dad are using the book Shepherding a Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp for this.For character training there is a character trait and Command of Christ for each month. For example this month the Command of Christ is Seek ye the kingdom of God, and the character trait is initiative. We help Mom during character training by acting out Bible verses and doing skits, We also have a craft each week that we prepare at home.

Teacher's Day

Last week the kids in the H. co-op kept taking pictures of us. We asked what they were for but all they said was "secret!" Today they suprised us and said "today is Teacher's day" and gave Mom, Dad, and Krissy gifts. Then they ALL got up on stage and sang a BEAUTIFUL blessing song to our family. Next they revieled what the pictures were for. It was a slide show saying how much they appriciated us. It was a BIG suprise and blessing.

P.S. I tried putting a video of the song on here but it didn't work. Maybe later...

My first Korean dentist visit

Today I was eating some pretzels when I noticed my braces felt funny. I felt around and found a desconnected bracket! So Dad took Mom, Dahae, and me to the dentist. The first one we went to wasn't open. Dahae saw another one down the street so Dad drove us over there. We went in and they got me in the "chair" right away. The dentist comes in and starts talking to Dahae in Korean. He asked what was the problem, so she told him. He asked her when we were going back to America. She translated it to us as you will have to go back to America! Mom and I burst out laughing!!! We knew it was a mistake and got it fixed. So he decides it is the best thing if he just glued it back. The hygienists ushered Mom and Dahae away. So there I was. No translator, (I can only say a few words) a story of Mr. Voeller's sister's braces being ruined, and many uncomfortable thoughts about the doctor's smokey breath. Well here he comes! He first dries my mouth out till it feels like a prune. Then I lose feeling in my tonge. Next, he pulls my wire half way out. That HURT! So he leaves it out hanging like that! Then he glues it. That was the best part. After they had dried it he endeavored to put the wire back in. Endeavored. He placed one hand behind my head and grabbed the pliers with the other. He then pushed and pushed as if my head was made out of rubber. It HURT!!!!!!!! He did that 3 times and then took it out again. Well, he did it over and over and FINALLY... after a pounding headache... it all is FIXED!!!!!!

A pretty building

I have WAY TOO MANY pictures to put on here but this is one of my favorites.

Krissy

Our dear friend and "sister".

a few of our korean friends

I again took the picture but these are all the young people that went.

The whole group.

Me

I've been taking all the pictures so I thought I needed some pictures of myself.

Mom and Dad

Standing under the "Gate of Youth"

A nice bird

A nice little blue heron that wanted to pose for me.

Our friend Dahae

Yesterday we went on a trip with the Lees to Mrs. Lee's favorite palace. It was a good day for pictures!