We're back in B-town. Things feel pretty normal: Jaina wants me to fly her around on a "magic carpet ride" (her blanket folded) and the Bills lost another heartbreaking game. Ah, home.
Thanks again for your prayers. We are tired (42 hour Saturdays do that), but happy to be home. I look forward to sharing the events of the trip with you all--privately, one at a time, and promise to tell you stories about a week that felt like a month, about a trip that felt like a dream, about all the strange and wonderful things we saw in route to and from Korea.
Just like a father folding his daughter's blanket with perfect symmetry for the third magic carpet ride in an hour, Our Father is folding our lives with perfect balance, with delicate hands.
Peace and love,
Jae and Tash
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Friday, November 26, 2010
Westward bound
In about an hour, we're heading to Incheon to the airport. I'm relieved we are heading home.
This morning, we cared for the infants in the orphanage here at Eastern. It was hard to hear them crying, but harder to leave. Many of them had runny noses and colds--they were miserable. I found a little guy in the corner with dried snot all over his face who was burning up red from crying so hard. We walked down the hall and rocked and I was praying for him and wondering how his life might unfold.
I wondered if he might come back to Korea one day and realize some of the things that I have on this mission trip--that the reach and design of God's plan is infinite and that we are wholly finite. That there is no such place where wholeness is achieved--at least no concrete place. That when the Lord tugs on your heart, it is useless to resist. We do not need to know the reasons why we do the things we do; that's why it's service. We do not need to know so many questions that may haunt us. What I have learned, personally, on this trip is that there is one answer for every question, but that some answers are questions in and of themselves.
It was a remarkable trip. We traveled across the world to give love to children who will never remember us. Isn't that exactly the kind of selfless love we all seek? Isn't it amazing that this is the love we receive daily and still can't keep it all in perspective?
Heading home. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. Keep it going, especially for Tash as we have a long, long trip ahead of us.
JN
This morning, we cared for the infants in the orphanage here at Eastern. It was hard to hear them crying, but harder to leave. Many of them had runny noses and colds--they were miserable. I found a little guy in the corner with dried snot all over his face who was burning up red from crying so hard. We walked down the hall and rocked and I was praying for him and wondering how his life might unfold.
I wondered if he might come back to Korea one day and realize some of the things that I have on this mission trip--that the reach and design of God's plan is infinite and that we are wholly finite. That there is no such place where wholeness is achieved--at least no concrete place. That when the Lord tugs on your heart, it is useless to resist. We do not need to know the reasons why we do the things we do; that's why it's service. We do not need to know so many questions that may haunt us. What I have learned, personally, on this trip is that there is one answer for every question, but that some answers are questions in and of themselves.
It was a remarkable trip. We traveled across the world to give love to children who will never remember us. Isn't that exactly the kind of selfless love we all seek? Isn't it amazing that this is the love we receive daily and still can't keep it all in perspective?
Heading home. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. Keep it going, especially for Tash as we have a long, long trip ahead of us.
JN
More Photos - Jacob's House & Eastern Orphanage
Last 2 Days in Korea....
Yesterday we spent the day with children from the Jacob's Home. This is an orphanage for abused and neglected children who will probably never be adopted. It was heart-wrenching. This morning we feed, rocked, and sang to newborns at the orphanage. We leave this evening for the US. More stories to come...
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
News from Gyeongju
Hi all:
I imagine that most of you are aware that North Korea blasted off 180 rounds of artillery on a island just off of Incheon. Things were tense last night; while it occured, we were walking around a beautiful pond illuminated by lights. It was a historic shrine full of pottery and art. Needless to say, we were suprised when we got back to the hotel.
We're fine. The South Korean president is calling for an "enormous" reply, but things are smoothing over here. The people are upset, especially since it was an attack on civilians. But there's a growing feeling that things are going to be okay, as they have before when Pyongyang has initiated its tendency to grab attention.
We're fine. This is always what would could occur here. It's a place still technically in a state of war. Today we danced with children and played games with domestic adoptee families. We visited a folk village over 700 years old. I wore a pink hanbok. It was a strange day full of ceremonies and cultural enrichment, but again we're on the South East tip of Korea now, away from the area where the shots were fired.
Last night we had a traditonal Korean dinner full kimchi, rice, and all the other fixings. Luckily we were sitting with a couple from California (the woman was born in Korea and spoke it fluently). Tash made a passing comment that she'd love a Coke and the woman, Amy, ordered it for us. Moments later, out came a woman carrying a glass bottle Coke with two small glasses. There was a moment where I thought, "I really shouldn't drink this. It's really Un-Korean of me." We were drinking warm rice water. But that idea passed and I drank that whole Coke and it was the best Coke of my life.
More photos to come including pictures of the aforementioned pond and a picture of my birth mother, Tash, and I. Back to Seoul in a few hours. We're off this morning to visit a grotto and temple in the mountains.
I imagine that most of you are aware that North Korea blasted off 180 rounds of artillery on a island just off of Incheon. Things were tense last night; while it occured, we were walking around a beautiful pond illuminated by lights. It was a historic shrine full of pottery and art. Needless to say, we were suprised when we got back to the hotel.
We're fine. The South Korean president is calling for an "enormous" reply, but things are smoothing over here. The people are upset, especially since it was an attack on civilians. But there's a growing feeling that things are going to be okay, as they have before when Pyongyang has initiated its tendency to grab attention.
We're fine. This is always what would could occur here. It's a place still technically in a state of war. Today we danced with children and played games with domestic adoptee families. We visited a folk village over 700 years old. I wore a pink hanbok. It was a strange day full of ceremonies and cultural enrichment, but again we're on the South East tip of Korea now, away from the area where the shots were fired.
Last night we had a traditonal Korean dinner full kimchi, rice, and all the other fixings. Luckily we were sitting with a couple from California (the woman was born in Korea and spoke it fluently). Tash made a passing comment that she'd love a Coke and the woman, Amy, ordered it for us. Moments later, out came a woman carrying a glass bottle Coke with two small glasses. There was a moment where I thought, "I really shouldn't drink this. It's really Un-Korean of me." We were drinking warm rice water. But that idea passed and I drank that whole Coke and it was the best Coke of my life.
More photos to come including pictures of the aforementioned pond and a picture of my birth mother, Tash, and I. Back to Seoul in a few hours. We're off this morning to visit a grotto and temple in the mountains.
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