Greetings Everyone!
I pray that all of you are enjoying these last few weeks of summer. It seems like only a few weeks ago I was making very detailed and specific plans for what I was going to do with my newly acquired free time. Yet somehow as the summer progressed, that “free time” I thought I was going to have kept getting smaller and smaller until…there was not that much left at all. I learned something about myself years ago; I like to keep busy! Yes, like everyone else I need my time to rest and relax, but I find that working on projects, traveling, and volunteering give me an energy that resting cannot compete with.
That’s why for the past two summers I have spent time volunteering in South Korea. As most of you know, my wife and I just returned from our 2 week trip on August 14. We were volunteering at Gyesan Central Methodist Church in Incheon South Korea. While in Incheon, we facilitated 2 one-week English camps for youth ages 5-14. This summer, we had an attendance total of approximately 90 students during the two weeks. While this is very hard work, I can’t begin to explain how good I feel about my work in South Korea.
While learning to speak English may not sound like a huge deal, in countries like South Korea it gives people opportunities that they might not otherwise ever receive. A high school student who can speak English can go to college outside of South Korea, they can get a better job when they graduate, they can travel; these are only a few of the advantages that knowing a foreign language can give them. Consequently, the cost to learn English is extremely high, and generally only the wealthy are able to afford the necessary private education. The program at Gyesan is different though. It is partially funded by the church, and because the teachers are volunteers they are able to keep the cost down significantly when compared to most other English camps.
In volunteering in South Korea, I know that I am helping some students who would not otherwise be able to attend such a camp. By helping to teach these students, I know that I am (in a small way) giving them the opportunity to provide a better quality of life for themselves and their family in the future. So, even though it is hard work; even though its hotter than you know what; even though I have tremendous jetlag when I get home, it is still worth it.
I have no doubt that we are all very busy. Our days are filled with lists, sticky notes, and smart phones that remind us of all we have to do. And when we finally do take vacations, we want them to be as relaxing as possible so we can recharge our bodies. However, you might want to consider taking your family on a mission trip or doing some other sort of outreach instead of your traditional vacation. While it may not give you the recharge you are used to for your body, the recharge it gives your soul is well worth the cost.
— Christopher Carter, Student Pastor of Discipleship
