Our new friends from South Korea!



Jang and Lee with son's Gene and Edward

 One of our best friends here in Kona has been Jang and his wife Lee.  They have two beautiful little boys, Edward (4) and Gene (2).  Those are their American ages.  Koreans use a different year than we do in America, and the boys are older in Korea.  Its fun to ask all the kids here on base, "Is that your age in America or Korea?"

They are attending the Go Asia - DTS.  Another school just like our's, however it is taught entirely in Korean.  Sometimes we share instructors and have it translated in both languages. 

Always thoughtful, Jang dusts me off as we clean the pool area

I love it when Gene calls me Uncle Dave :)

Jang always has a smiling face and a favor to our family.  He gave us a terrific book on the missionary history of Japan and yesterday he had some fresh sliced watermelon for the kids and I.  A few weeks ago his wife Lee made a traditional Korean dish for us for dinner, JaJang Bob!  Yummy!!  White rice with a spicey bean sauce and veggies in the sauce.  David had three helpings :) 

What I most admire about him is his courage and joy in learning English.  He's getting better every day.  I also enjoy watching his son's worship each week in the Prayer room.  They embody true joy and the love of their parents.

Everyone packed into the jeep to head to swim!

Jang is a pastor at a church in S Korea and he wants to continue in the Counseling Field after his DTS.  He may end up attending the terrific YWAM Counseling Schools after going back to S. Korea in August.

Gene and Jang in their shark towel/hoodies

Recently we spend a Sunday at the Sheraton Hotel to swim and have lunch.  What fun!  The water slide appealed to all.  We bought hamburgers and chicken fingers to return the favor of a meal in our nationality :)

Jang left a few weeks before us for his outreach to China.  Crazy that they do outreach in a country where it is illegal to be a Christian!!!  They meet in the basements of businesses and in house churches.  YWAM is very strong in China, though they keep it all hush-hush.  Current estimate is that there are 150 million Christians in China today and in the next 10 years it will be the largest Christian nation in the world.  Pray for Christianity to continue to penetrate this nation.  Can you imagine if China became a Christian country!  How great would that be for the world!!!


One of the reasons Christianity is really gaining traction among the higher-ups is that each time the government gives money to Christian entrepreneurs they find that the employers pay their taxes and treat their employees fairly.  This has not been the case for other investments made in entrepreneurs that are atheists from the Communist strongholds.

Worshipping with Korean and American Families at family prayer room

Anyway, Jang and I are staying in touch since he has left.  However, I am not able to mention prayer, Jesus, or anything spiritual in my emails as they are scanned by the govt.  So we talk in code :)

I have made a spiritual brother for life in this gentle man from Korea.  During our time here our entire family has grown to love the Korean culture and people.






Jang always tells us that he has a vision of us being a river in japan.  A river that receives the Holy Spirit and then releases it.  A river must receive and flow out.  As I was typing this blog Jang sent me this update from China.  What a picture :)

Dave,

How about your parents in kona?

We everyday think you & your family. And I ask to him for your Japan trip safy.

(you Understand What I say.)  I'm sorry  that I wrote without Googletranslate. So broken English. 

But I know that We are one mind.

Dave make river in japan ,

Jang

Three Spiritual Brothers, Jarle/Norway, Dave/USA,
Dongsu Jang/S Korea

a special moment.  Jang and Jessica both baptized me here on the beach.  My third baptism :)
Thirds charmed right?