December 13, 2006

Friends and Family,

Greetings of joy and hope as we anticipate a new beginning with the birth of Christ in all of our lives. As we briefly mentioned in our earlier letter, we are preparing for yet another new chapter in our lives in Korea.

Haejung will start her role as a missionary associate in the chaplain’s office of Hannam University in Daejeon, Korea. Ever since we answered the call to mission service nine years ago, it was always Simon who received the primary assignment and Haejung found proper ministry once we arrived at the community. This time, she has a specific responsibility of assisting the chaplains and the staff as they nurture the university community in the Spirit of Christ. Haejung and Simon are to be the visible presence of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) on the campus and help develop closer ties between the PC(USA) and the university community. We do not know what specific tasks await Haejung, but she trusts that God will enable her to carry out the mission and will guide her.

In preparation for our move to Korea, we sold our house in Indiana. We are finally houseless and are thankful for that. Perhaps the greatest blessing we received through our mission service is learning to appreciate a simple lifestyle. During the time we spent in financially poor communities such as Congo and Nepal, it was necessary to maintain a simple lifestyle in order to be part of the communities. During the last two years in Indiana, we coveted the creature comforts and pursued the American virtue of “control” over our own lives. We were excited to buy a log cabin two years ago and have dreamed of keeping the house when we move overseas again for the security of having a place to call “home.” But as we prepared to move our base to Korea, we realized the house would be a distraction from becoming fully engaged in the new community. We admit that when we sold our house and other possessions in 1997, we could not let go of the anxiety over the uncertain and unfamiliar future. We stored furniture and purchased a small condominium—not as much for practical reasons but as a “security blanket.” This is the first time we do not feel the urge to prepare a safety net ourselves, and we are actually enjoying the freedom of being houseless but not homeless.

What’s this have to do with Christmas? We believe God’s primary purpose in sending His son was to give all His children a new opportunity for abundant life. He disappointed many by not living up to the expectations, even to this day. Many expected to receive more of the same things: maximum possessions, maximum power, and absolute security. Instead, Jesus offered an alternative model based on sufficiency. He told us God’s grace is sufficient for all our needs. We learned in many ways that it was the management of our needs rather than our possessions that balanced the sufficiency equation. Many tell us that they admire all the sacrifices we made. We have gained so much more: learning to manage our needs, the ability to join the poor communities of this world, forging new relationships with friends who carry out their ministries through us, and experiencing firsthand that God provides for our needs. Yes, there are times we still yearn for things we want rather than what we need, but little by little we are learning to be thankful for what we have and value the relationships we can build with God, neighbors, and nature. Blessed are the peacemakers!

We look forward to the joyous occasion of Kevin and Sariah’s union in January. We pray their relationship will grow into true commitment to each other and that they find joy in supporting each other. John and Kevin will spend Christmas with us at the Stony Point Center, which is our home for now. Stony Point Center used to be the missionary training center for Presbyterian and other denominations. We are the first active missionaries to live on the grounds for some time. We are using our presence here to share the mission stories in this area, and Simon is assisting the administration of the Center as they plan for next year. In other words, we are called to do the same things we have been doing although we did not know that when we came here.

In January, we will move into our new home on the campus of Hannam University. As we move into the tradition-rich mission station in Daejeon, God will guide us to live as members of the community, hopefully sharing the abundant life Jesus brought us.

May you also be blessed with God’s version of abundant life and be a source of blessing for all of God’s creation.

Haejung and Simon

The 2006 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, 261