Dear friends and family,

The second half of November has already begun. Halloween is over and Thanksgiving is here. We imagine the stores in the United States waiting anxiously for the Christmas shopping season to start. We heard about the passing of Walter Payton and Payne Stewart. It seems so far removed, yet we can imagine the TV stories and how people react to such stories. We have had several passings of "mothers" around us during the month. This morning I read that the worth of a life is measured not by its "duration" but by its "donation."

From our last note we found out that a bit of whining brings results. We received many messages from friends who were concerned about our life here. Many prayers came our way and we prayed more also. We only wanted to be honest and let you know—those of you without many missionary friends—that the romanticized version of missionary life is not the total story. We hope we are sharing our Christian life through mundane daily chores, whether at the hospital, at home, or amidst village life.

Meanwhile, in the village, the season for ant-hunting has begun. Children weave a small basket with elephant grass blades and go hunting for large ants, a good source for protein. It is very interesting to watch children insert a long blade of grass into an ant hole and eat the ants clinging to the blade. Yes, live ones, not chocolate covered or dirt washed off, but the whole thing—a good candidate for Alka-Seltzer commercial.

Mama Agnes, Mrs. Mvita, had a surgery and was hospitalized for a few days. Shortly after she came home, our alarm clock disappeared. It turned out Mama Agnes ate our alarm clock. We are seeing future alarm clocks in her yard these days.

In our own backyard, the first harvest of our vegetable garden is just about over. We had good crops of zucchini, cucumbers, Chinese cabbage, and tomatoes. The turnips yielded a lot of healthy turnip greens, but the turnips themselves turned out to be miniature boots. We prepared the bed with about five inches of loosened soil, with good nutrients, and underneath that was a very hard, sandy soil. They grew well for a few inches then they ran into very hard soil, so they grew sideways and twisted in search of softer soil. So we had fifty or so turnips with two very distinct texture and taste, in each turnip. That experience made us wonder whether there is a parallel in "personality development." We don’t mean to reopen the "nature or nurture" debate, just want to know how our faith matures when faced with difficulties, or would it just add a bitter bump. Certainly many people here had to endure in tough soils.

When we hear of the North Korean famine, one of the most devastating pieces of news was that most of the toddlers there had never known a full stomach in their lifetime, since the famine started before their birth. When we first came here, we thought people here should have enough to eat since the growing season is so long and fruits seem to grow in the wild. Yet at the hospital we get about one hundred children per year with malnutrition so severe it requires hospitalization. Many of these children also have malaria and tuberculosis. Almost all of the families live in poverty, so they cannot afford hospitalization. Seeing it in pictures is certainly different from looking directly into their vacant eyes. Seeing the stunted growth, bloated stomachs, and low body weights, we can’t help but think about their future and the future of this country. We can almost see the future in their bodies. Oswald Chambers said that "We are sent by Jesus to witness. Human needs are great, but it should not mask our main task." So we try to be brave and march to the order of our master.

During the past five years or so, when we were asked to work in many countries, we thought we were delivering "value." Otherwise, why would the people here spend so much money for our services? But, these days the same people only remember and mention our small acts of kindness, including admonitions given with genuine care. Perhaps it’s because we were well paid for the official tasks, they think the reward was given. But when we give our time and when we give from our hearts freely, they remember. Perhaps they also remember the times that we were too busy to give our time and attention, but God will forgive us and forget. We are learning not to hang our hats on great accomplishments here. We pray that our presence and work here encourages other Christian brothers and sisters in their struggle and at times lightens their load enough for them to catch a breath. So, we find each day worthwhile when we can think of an encounter where a smile appeared.

During the period of preparation and when we first came here, we thought we knew what a proper Christian posture would be. We heard enough sermons and talked about it and even thought about them from many different angles in Bible studies, prayer groups and in church socials. As missionaries, we enjoy the luxury of relative security, material affluence, and freedom (detachment) from cultural obligations. Our biggest struggle is trying to hold onto our sense of values and ethics in the midst of chaos. Is it a true Christian posture or a simple arrogance? Do we have any right to insist on an island of Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) code-of-conduct in this soil of war and struggle for subsistence? So if we bend a little to accept the practices as they exist, are we being culturally sensitive or are we simply taking an easy way out? We are certain this is a question faced by all missionaries working in difficult situations. They argue that "it may not be ‘right’ according to ‘your rules’, but we have to eat." Pray for us so that we can speak the TRUTH, but with LOVE and COMPASSION. God will help us to see the suffering humanities beneath the greed and selfishness.

While we will not be together with our children on this Thanksgiving day, we thank God for his guidance and care, especially for John and Kevin. John is in Benin now and Kevin should be getting near to finishing his first half of this school year. Please remember them in your prayers.

Many friends asked about the mail policy. The Louisville office listed below will forward all first-class mail (letters and cards) to us eventually. Third-class mail or parcels mailed as first class will not work. Mail takes about two months to get from Louisville to here.

A la prochaine,

Haejung and Simon

(If you email us, please don't send attachments. We have to pay by the byte.)

The 1999 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 33