Letter 1 – 05-09-10 –from David & HyeRan Kim-Cragg, Korea

Hello all,

This is meant both as an official update, submission for the observer and letter to friends.  If it lacks in any of those departments please let us know.  The text is contained both in this e-mail and as an attachment.

Yours truly,

Dave

Report for UCC and friends by the Kim-Craggs

September 9, 2005

Hello from Korea. This will be my family’s first report as Overseas Mission Personnel. There is much to tell about from our good-byes to dear friends to our first weeks of preparation to our first days of ministry in Korea. More than anything it is our hope that all who read this will feel that they are a part of the work we are doing in Korea. We could not be here without you.

From the moment we received the call asking us to go to Korea our hearts have been filled with many emotions. It was our 4 year-old son whose big brown eyes fist filled with tears when he heard we would be leaving our beloved home on the Burns-Mooreline/Mandaumin Pastoral Charge for a new adventure. Nevertheless the call to return to Korea has been burning in our hearts for some time and we were ready to respond.

After a warm and touching farewell we bid Lambton County good-bye and set off for Toronto to undergo an orientation/training programme and make final preparations from David’s parent’s home in Aurora. This was an important and formative time indeed. The orientation programme took place in the Toronto School of Theology and was conducted by the Forum of Global Ministries. This is an ecumenical organization. The 16 participants were from the United, Presbyterian and Anglican churches as well as from the United Church in Jamaica and the Presbyterian Church in Trinidad and Tobago. Our leader was a Roman Catholic. A children’s programme included Noah and Hannah in a very special way. We were all changed and spiritually lifted during this time. As well as joyfully celebrating the presence of God we learned to treat our new ministries with great respect. We all share an ambiguous history of mission that along with wonderful acts of faith and love also includes collusion with less happy spirits. Often Christianity has come as a package deal, summed up as the three G’s, “God, Gold, and Guns” or the three M’s, “Mission, Money and Military.” It has been difficult in the past to separate these three things and their impact on others. Indeed this legacy is still quite tangible in Korea as will become clearer to you as we write these reports.

After a canoe trip with the family, a farewell party or two and a tearful parting at the airport Hannah, Noah, HyeRan and David were on their way. God’s Spirit was powerfully at work the moment we stepped on the plane. The biggest question weighing on our mind before leaving had been, would we be able to find a suitable school for Noah who would have been going into JK in Canada. No sooner had we taken off than Noah and Hannah started visiting with the children sitting behind us. It turns out that their mother was a kindergarten teacher living quite near to our new home in Korea. She gave us excellent advice and set our hearts at ease.

After 14 hours on a plane we arrived in Incheon International Airport, collected out 8 huge bags stuffed to the gills and were greeted by Mary Collins, a colleague and long time Overseas Personnel to Korea and Japan. With her was a staff from the Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea General Council, a big basket of fruit as a welcome present and a large van for all our stuff. As an example of the kind of people Koreans are we would like to relate the following story. With carts loaded to the gills and children clinging to our backs we set out to find the van that would take us to our new home. As we were crossing the road David’s baggage toppled off his cart into a great heap smack dab in the middle of the crosswalk. Many cars were waiting to go through. David motioned them by. There would have been just enough room to drive around. Instead of leaning on the horn or whizzing past, however, the first driver put his car in park and rushed out to help David get his things to the curb. Many smiles were exchanged and not a honk was heard.

When we finally arrived “home” HyeRan’s family had been there getting the place reading for a whole day. They all rushed out to greet us and to give Hannah, whom most had not seen before, their first big hugs and kisses. Supper was served, including HyeRan’s favorite food, marinated crab. We had a lovely visit. Every now and again we would have to pause in our conversation as a fighter jet buzzed the area doing ay and night-time flight training from the nearby military airbase. We have started to become accustom to this noise which can start as early as 9am and continues at times into the night. It is loud enough however that our children have to cover their ears when the planes roar by.

We live in an elegant, first floor apartment in a complex of buildings that is home to 1500 families. It is only one of many such complexes within a 20 minute walk of our place. The children have already started to make friends. We have a nursery school for Noah that specializes in art. The teacher is a member of our own Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea (PROK), the UCC’s partner here. David and HyeRan have begun their work teaching English (mixed with theology) and leading worship at the Hanshin University and participating in the life of a large church is Seoul. We look forward to sharing more with you in the months and years to come. God bless.