Letter from Overseas
HyeRan and David Kim-Cragg write from Korea

Letter #12 January, 2007

Sorry we were not able to get cards or letters out this year. We focussed what little extra energy we had on the Amnesty International Greeting Card campaign, sending out nearly 50 cards to people imprisoned or suffering unjustly in some way. We hope that you will consider this a Christmas gift you can support and receive in some way. We have been thinking about you all more than you can know.

With blessings of peace,

David

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Kim-Cragg Christmas Letter

2006

Dear friends and family,

We want first to tell you how much we cherish you and count ourselves happy because you are in our lives. This letter comes with our deepest prayers and hopes that you are all well and that the presence of God made flesh in Jesus Christ become a reality for our world at this time and throughout the coming year.

There are a number of significant events that blessed us over the year 2006. Mom and Dad came to visit last January. We had a wonderful time together. Noah began his junior kindergarten at a new school and has had a lot of fun. Hannah has been spending two days a week with different neighbours. She has won the hearts of the families that look after her and has helped us to make friends and build relationships in our neighborhood. Since January we have attended a new church with given responsibilities to lead an English worship service and Bible Studies. We have developed a global theme, using resources to connect the congregation not only with North America but with the whole world. It has been a learning/growing experience.

Apart from family and congregational life the family has been working hard on its “official” mission within the Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea (PROK) and its sole University and Seminary, HanShin. Our responsibilities have focused more on the teaching of religion this year and less on language. We organized a “Mission Trip” course for a group of students this past summer, visiting 8 churches in Canada. HyeRan and David together have accepted offers to be guest preachers at many different churches and university chapels. Everywhere we go we are welcomed and the Good News that Koreans and Canadians are not alone but together and that they are friends in this world is well received.

The year has had many highlights. To name just a few: HyeRan prompted the family enter a family singing contest. Much to our surprise out of 23 entries we won second place singing the “Do Re Mi” song from the Sound of Music before a crowd of over 1000 people! Our time in Canada both with students and with family was a great blessing crowned with a family canoe trip into Algonquin just before we left. Last September David and his university friend Doug, Korean-Canadian found themselves in Korea together for the first time. Their brief meeting seemed to create a personal bridge making Korea and Canada feel much closer and continuous than they had before.

May God bless all of you and those who are expecting babies or are blessed with new babies in this season of Advent, awaiting the coming of the baby Jesus.