January 9, 2008
Dear Friends,
Where were you on January 2, 1998? Not many will remember this day as clearly as the day President Kennedy was assassinated or when our country was attacked by terrorists on September 11, 2001. On January 2, 1998, Haejung and I reported to our mission personnel orientation at Santa Fe and learned that our appointment with the South African Council of Churches has been withdrawn. That’s how we started the ten years of our amazing journey as mission co-workers with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). On January 2, 2008, I was introduced to the staff of Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) as the new interim coordinator. I don’t dare to think about what will be the news on January 2, 2018. We can never “figure out” God’s sense of humor and the power of the Spirit to guide us through experiences never imagined possible. My new assignment with PDA is a surprise. It’s both sudden and temporary, and I pray very temporary at that. Some have already asked whether we have left the mission service. No, I am “on loan,” and Haejung will return to her duties at Hannam University later this month.
I probably should explain what “PDA” and “interim” mean for those of you who are not familiar with the ministries and structure of the PC(USA). For those who find my simplistic explanation to be alarming, I ask for your prayers.
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance is the ministry program that helps people suffering from the effects of disastrous events such as tornados and hurricanes, as well as man-made events such as war, famine, and other violence. PDA is usually the church’s first responder and the primary channel for church members to share their expression of compassion and solidarity with the “poor and weak” as God’s children. I am too new on the job to give you a good overview of PDA. I am grateful to have assisted in the field activities of PDA over the years and have seen the responses of church members and those we assisted. I invite you to visit PDA's Web site to learn more about our ministries.
The term “interim” may be foreign to many of you. When there is a leadership change in our church we appoint an “interim” to guide the members through the process. My role as the interim coordinator is to ensure that the core ministries of PDA continue with little disruption while preparing for PDA’s future. It is like moving into a new house. There are so many fond memories that we would like to carry to the new house, but one must evaluate items based on how useful they are and how they will fit into the new house, rather than how it was in the old house. While we must choose carefully and discard the unnecessary ones, we also must identify the new items we will need in the new house. We have begun to identify the mission and vision of PDA and examine the things we do.
We are evaluating our current programs based on our competence, the capabilities of our partners, and the needs and wants of people affected by disasters. As I write this letter, I am on my way back to Louisville after an all-day meeting with our PC(USA) partners serving together for the restoration of lives affected by the hurricanes in 2005 (Katrina, Wilma, and Rita). All the partners were encouraging and very kind to the new kid on the block. I need to respond in kind. As an “interim,” I will be preparing the foundation for the permanent coordinator to build a house of service. I pray the day will come soon.
Pray for Haejung and me, that we would have the energy and wisdom to know what God is asking from us and the courage and humility to obey with the faith that he is with us. It will be a period of much travel for me and our staying connected with each other through phone (Skype). I will write more when I learn a bit more.
Grace and peace,
Simon
The 2007 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, 259 |
