ASA is Ready; Read-A-Thon Coming Soon; Reading Activities, etc.!!

Another cold, busy, and exciting week in my life in Seoul!  After School Activities (ASA) for elementary students is all set and ready to begin for Quarter Three on Tuesday!  On Monday, students have a day off while teachers, administrators, and staff have a day of In-Service activities centering in on grade-level meetings and working technology seminars!  One of the big happenings in the elementary school in February is our annual Read-A-Thon!  The PTO does a great job in organizing this and working with classroom teachers to provide excitement for reading.  I am continually impressed that our students still like to read a lot, and still enjoy reading with a book where they have to turn pages!

The excitement of Read-A-Thon begins on February 4!  I can't wait for "Mystery Readers' Day," "PJ and Pancake Lunch Day," and "Caught You Reading" but not sure about the final assembly day when the results of the students are announced and I may have a new look!

I probably should prepare you for a possible event that may happen at the conclusion of our Read-A-Thon! When I was Headmaster at MCA in Trenton, NJ, I was always asked to do some strange thing to give incentive to have students read.  I have had pies (with lots of whipped cream - a requirement) smeared in my face, my hair styled in corn rows with an obligation to go out to a public event with my new style, my Santa Fe car written and painted on (with paint that is washable), etc.  Well, in a very weak moment I have agreed, along with the elementary Principal, to have my head shaved if our cherubs reach their reading minutes' goal!  The last time I had a "GI haircut" was as a sophomore in high school.  I was finally allowed to let my hair grow and it has been ever since - although there is less of it in spots. If the goal is reached, we will have our heads shaved at a public assembly in front of the kids!  Maybe it is time for me to retire! :-)

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Third grade teachers were preparing for the Read-A-Thon in their Reading and Writing classes with some Readers' Theater pieces!  I had the pleasure of seeing a couple classes as they performed their Readers' Theater selections.

Mrs. Herman's 3A cherubs performing one of their Readers' Theater selections!  Loved it!

Here are some of Ms. Everett's 3C cherubs doing a selection for readers' Theater!  They also did a great job!

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Last Wednesday was our Fun Day for January.  It was "Career Day."  Students and teachers could dress in an outfit that showed the career they want to have when they grow up, or if a teacher, the "other" career she/he would like in addition to teaching.  It is always a fun day and students love to show their future careers.

I love Ms. Weir's (2A) and Mrs. Birmingham's

(Assistant El. Principal) "other" career outfits!

Aren't these two first graders so cute?  One wants to be a baker and the other a doctor!

A fourth grade budding artist!!

I liked these fifth graders in their white coats; a chef, a couple doctors, an engineer and a scientist!

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Wednesday night I received a text from a former SYME student, Dennis (Youngkwang), asking me if I had time on Thursday evening to have dinner with him and do some grammar checking of a business presentation (in English) he needed to present on Friday.  (These delightful young men get great delight at asking me to assist them at the last minute!!  I actually love doing it!)  It was my privilege and joy to meet with Youngkwang to help him.  He thought it would take only a few minutes, but he didn't realize how long it would really take.  So Thursday night I went to bed later than my usual bed time, but it was worth it!

Here I am with Dennis (Youngkwang) at Wang Thai

in Itaewon catching up on former days as well as helping

him with his business presentation and enjoying some 

excellent Thai food!

You know you wanted to see a close up of our tasty

Thai meal! :-)  I know you would love it!  So good!!

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Friday was an exciting day of sharing in parts of Chapels and OASIS assembly!  Part of our time is helping our students learn to respect and love people who are different than they are.  This is all leading up to a very special and exciting opportunity our fifth graders (all 75 of them) will have on Thursday, January 31!  The Special Olympics is being held in South Korea this year and our fifth graders have been asked to help.  I am soooooo excited!  I have always wanted to be involved in the Special Olympics, but the timing has never been good.  I will be going along with them and can hardly wait!  Please pray for all of us as we travel to the Special Olympics for a long day on Thursday!  We leave at 8:00 AM and will get back at 8:30 PM.  Parents are also very excited about this opportunity!  I hope I can share lots of pictures and perhaps some reflections from our students next week.

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I was invited to a special author's visit at my favorite bookstore, "What the Book?" in Itaewon on Saturday!  I had the privilege of meeting a new author as he read his book and interacted with children at the What the Book? bookstore on Saturday morning!  His name is Darren Farrell, from Hoboken, NJ.  Darren has married a Korean lady and is living now in Seoul.  He shared his first book, Doug-Dennis and the Flyaway Fib!  It is a neat book and he did a great job reading it with great expression to the children and parents who attended!  What I really like is that he not only writes his books, but also illustrates them himself!  I loved how he involved the children.  He finishes his second book in two weeks and then it goes to the publisher.  He is very excited about the possibility of coming to share with our kindergarten and first grade cherubs at YISS!  I hope that it can all work out!

I had the privilege of being present at Darren Farrell's

first author visit in Korea with his first book, Doug-Dennis

and the Flyaway Fib!  I liked how he signed my book:

"Honesty is the best policy; highfiving a jellyfish, not the 

best policy!"

 Here is Darren getting to know the children before he begins reading!  I loved how he interacted with the little ones throughout the story and also at the end when he did some drawing for them using their input!

 It was so much fun watching the expressions of the 

children as Darren read his book to them!!

 Another picture of the children as they listened to the reading of Darren's book!

These two girls were priceless!  Their expressions as

well as their questions and input throughout!  I loved

them!

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Saturday evening I had a wonderful and refreshing time with my awesome friend, Gunmo!  I love our times together!  We are able to talk freely and encourage each other and pray for each other!  We had a delicious dinner at Ho Lee Chow (above picture) and then I introduced him to Ben's Cookies!  We took our cookies and walked to Starbucks where we talked and talked and talked and enjoyed our yummy cookies!  Gunmo now loves Ben's Cookies, too! :-)  Please pray for Gunmo as he helps prepare his second sister's wedding on February 23.  Continue to pray for his father's salvation!  Gunmo was delighted that his grades for this last semester were even better than the previous one!  Continue to pray for him as he finishes his university and his job!

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I thought you might enjoy seeing some of what we had for lunch at Choir rehearsal today after the church service. :-)  My typical Sunday routine is:

8:30 - 9:55 AM:     Choir Rehearsal

10:00 - 11:15 AM:  Worship Service with Choir singing

11:15 - 12:15 PM:   Lunch with Choir Members

12:15 - 1:30 PM:     Choir Rehearsal

At lunch today we enjoyed two of my favorites: Kim Bop and Chock Pile (that is probably not the correct spelling but that is how it sounds phonetically).  What is Chock Pile?  Yummy Pigs' Feet!!  I really like it dipped in the tasty Korean red sauce!

Above is what remained of the Pigs' Feet

after choir members had a yummy feast! 

Above is my good friend, Rebecca, a soprano in Choir getting all of the meat from the Pig's foot that she can!  She made herself look so greedy in this picture!  She is a wonderful young lady and she and her hubby, Joseph, have been so encouraging to me.  She also loves Chock Pile!!

Above is Joseph, Rebecca's hubby and my 

tenor friend in Choir, enjoying some Chock 

Pile!  Don't you want some? :-)

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It returned to very cold weather again as we approach the end of January!  I am ready for warmer weather!  I never tire of thanking you for your encouragement, prayers, love, and support!  Thank you so much!  I trust you are enjoying a great 2013!

Love,
Gregg

Another Busy, Cold, and Wonderful Week at YISS!

I continued to receive Christmas cards and family photos through regular mail this past week!  It is always great to receive mail from friends outside of Korea!  It helps warm my heart and soul when it is very cold in Seoul!  Yeppers, it was another cold week in Seoul, but a tad warmer!  Please pray for our teachers and students.  Many are suffering with nasty colds and some with the flu.  Two of our teachers (who don't want us to say who they are in any of our blogs/emails back home) have been diagnosed with cancer over the last several weeks.  Both are being treated and the prognosis looks good.  Thank you for praying for them.  God knows who they are!

It has been a very busy week!  Online registration for Elementary After School Activities went well - after a technology glitch as soon as the online registration began.  I immediately became anxious (a slow learner in this area), but went directly to one of our IT people, Carol Pitts, who is so calm and peaceful.  She and her husband have been used of God to continue to teach me to relax and not become so frantic.  Carol calmly corrected the problem and things progressed well!  After the registration closed on Wednesday, a mountain of work involving the use of technology had to be accomplished.  I am actually enjoying working with these sorts of things now.  It still takes some time and changes have to be made after I have everything just right (but I am learning to go with the flow) and continue to realize it is not about ME!  I am so thankful for technology because what I have to do to get everything ready for the first classes of Quarter Three After School Activities would take MANY MANY more hours if I had to do it all the old fashioned way.  Thanks for praying!

One of our second grade teachers shared the following on a post and I have been thinking lots about it:

‎"This is what I've come to believe about change: it's good, in the way that childbirth is good, and heartbreak is good, and failure is good. By that I mean that it's incredibly painful, exponentially more so if you fight it, and also that it has the potential to open you up, to open life up, to deliver you right into the palm of God's hand, which is where you wanted to be all long, except that you were too busy pushing and pulling your life into exactly what you thought it should be...I've learned the hard way that change is one of God's greatest gifts....and that in many cases...change is a function of God's graciousness, not life's cruelty." S. Niequist~

I heard someone say once that the only ones who like change are babies with dirty diapers.  I do not like to have my plans changed!  I want it my way!  Rather selfish I believe.  Maybe you don't suffer with this as I have.  Technology and after school activities are continuing to help me understand change and how selfish and prideful I really am.

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The YISS PTO had its Newcomers' Coffee this past week!  I always enjoy meeting the new families and seeing them get so involved right away with volunteering at YISS.  One of the areas in the elementary school that these new parents can get involved with is our Read-A-Thon.  Just before Christmas we had our Fall Book Fair and many PTO volunteers made it a great success.  The past two weeks volunteers have been covering the MANY books purchased by parents, and by the proceeds of the Book Fair, to be given to the various classrooms!  It was so exciting to see them happily covering each of the new books for our students!

Some of the wonderful PTO volunteers covering books

for the elementary classrooms!

 Above is the PTO Chair for Books, Mr. Hagerstrom!  I really enjoy getting to know him.  He has multiple sclerosis but is so joyful and calm!  He is doing an outstanding job coordinating all of the many book activities at YISS!

Here are just a few of the boxes of books that were 

covered for classroom teachers to enjoy with their 

students in their classroom libraries!

More of the PTO volunteers enjoying each other as they cover books for our students!

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In the middle of the very busy week, I also had the privilege of leading devotions with our elementary staff on Thursday and then being involved in a puppet skit in each of the Chapels and the OASIS assembly on Friday!  It is always a joy of mine to share with the tremendous group of teachers at YISS and to also be able to share each week on Fridays in the lives of all of our elementary students.

I have been thankful that I have not had as many problems with colds and coughing this year.  Many of you have been praying!  I also have been trying to eat more of one of my favorite soups in Korea - Chung Guk Jang!!  Many call it the "Stinky Soup" because of the nasty smell, but I really like it and have been trying to eat more of it especially during these cold days.

This is one of my favorite soups - Chung Guk Jang!!  So delicious although it smells like dirty socks!!  It is very healthy for you!  I also enjoy Kimchik Chigae (not sure spelling is correct) and Booda Chigae!! (spelling may not be correct but that is how it sounds.)  You should come and try one of these tasty soups!!

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On Friday night as I was walking home from YISS, I noticed a brand new business.  I am afraid it will not be a good thing for me! :-)  The business is called "Ben's Cookies" and the aroma coming from the tiny store was amazing!  It was saying, "Gregg, come in here and just try a nibble." I did and now I am afraid I am hooked on Ben's Cookies!  They are simply delicious!!!!

This is the sign that greets those who pass

by this area in Itaewon!

 This is the storefront of this tiny shop with the LONG line of people waiting to enjoy the very delicious cookies!!!

Two of my favorites are in this picture: Coconut 

and Double Chocolate Chunk!!

Another view of the warm and yummy cookies that can be seen as you pass by the store.  You really need to taste one!!

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It is such a privilege and joy to know each of you!  You are very special to me and I thank you for your great love, tremendous encouragement, many prayers, and continued support.  We still need two elementary teachers (Grade 2 and Grade 3) for the elementary school at YISS next year.  The expansion construction project continues to move forward and should be ready by May or June.

Love, Gregg

Welcome to 2013 and a New Quarter at YISS!!

Well, the temperatures have risen to above 0 degrees Celsius the past couple days!  A heat wave...finally!!!  But all week it was "Indoor Recess" for the elementary kids!  Finally, on Friday the temperature hit -6 degrees Celsius so they could go out.  Teachers were thrilled - to say the least! :-)

We had a great start to 2013 and Quarter Three at YISS on Monday!  Students returned excited!  Thirteen new students arrived with their parents at 8:30 AM for New Family Orientation!  I was privileged to escort two new kindergarten and two new second grade students to their classrooms. It was so exciting to watch the students in each of the classrooms welcome the new students with open arms and observe them throughout the day as they helped the new ones to learn the routines!  I love our students at YISS!

The past week was a busy one as electronic report cards were prepared and sent out to parents!  I also was heavily involved with making final preparations for Quarter Three After School Activities.  Several new activities begin this quarter: Board Games, Beginning Band, Advanced Basketball for 4th and 5th grade boys and girls, and Music for Ensembles.  Eight of our 5th grade students are involved in a Middle School activity called Scratch Computer Programming - a program through MIT.  They love it and I have now been asked to try to offer a class in robotics for elementary students as well as a photography class!  Praying that instructors for these will come forth!

Many of you have been praying for my brother-in-law, Leigh Huss.  Thanks so much.  Leigh has returned from Holy Spirit Hospital in Harrisburg, PA with a new part to his body - a pacemaker!  Leigh already is one who has been a great role model to me as a peace maker; now he can show me what it is like to have a pacemaker!  He and my sister, Julee, returned having had very little sleep at the hospital and both have caught bad colds; lots of coughing and sneezing.  Thanks for your continued prayers for both of them!

Above is Leigh, the Chief Griller , at our 2012 Garman

Family Reunion!  Here he is with my sister-in-law, Linda,

teaching the newest master griller, Jackson DeFord how 

grill! He is so patient with the children and grandchildren!

I love observing his patience!

Another picture of Leigh as he gives instructions for one of the creative games at the Garman Family Reunion!  Teams had to create a Marshmallow Launcher!

Here I am with the younger of my two older sisters, Julee.

Julee was with celebrating her birthday last July!  She and

 her "boyfriend" have been  in love and married for almost

45 years!!

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On Wednesday evening after school I was delighted to be able to meet two former SYME students, Seo Woo (Jessica) and Ji Hye (Carolyne).  Seo Woo is home from the States where she is studying international business at Liberty University.  Ji Hye is studying to be c=guidance counselor and teacher through a Korean university.  They are both wonderful young ladies who desire to serve the Lord with their talents and gifts!  Thanks for praying for them!

Left to right: Seo Woo (Jessica), Ji Hye (Carolyne) and GGG at Suji's!  It was Seo Woo's idea for Suji's; not mine! :-)  We had a great time of catching up and seeing how God is working in each other's lives!

One of the yummy Risotto dishes we enjoyed!  This 

was the Salmon and Cream Cheese Risotto!

Another of the tasty Risotto dishes: Mushroom Risotto!

On Friday a few of the students who are in the Puppet Ministry performed a puppet skit in the three chapels and OASIS assembly for the elementary students.  It is always a delight to see them use what they have been learning to communicate principles and truths to the students!  I was especially proud of one of them, Paul, one of my Discipleship boys! After the first performance, I spent some time with them to give encouragement and some suggestions to help them in their next three times.  It was so great to see how they improved! I also had the privilege of sharing in the OASIS assembly on the character trait of respect!  I was using a real life story from my home church.  It involved a young man, Craig, who has Down Syndrome.  He was born in 1983 and was not expected to live.  Craig is now 29 and this summer I am hoping to sing a duet with him at our home church in Chambersburg!  I had many 4th and 5th grade students come to me and ask many questions about Craig and especially about God.

Here is the Puppet Team for this past Friday!  They did an awesome job!  My Discipleship buddy, Paul is on the far left!

Above is the Puppet Team at work.  Sorry for the poor quality.  I can't always get good shots on my cell phone camera.  Still working on getting a new camera.

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On Saturday I was taking my Saturday walk through Seobinggo and Itaewon and, as is my habit, I stopped to talk to various business people whose businesses I frequent.  As I was chatting with Mr. Mike, a tailor, and the Gremez family (a family at YISS), I noticed a group of young men watching me and listening to me as I chatted.  They continued to follow me to my favorite bookstore in Itaewon, "What the Book?", and observed me interacting with my friends who operate the bookstore.  Finally they got the courage to talk to me and ask if I would be willing to help me with their "mission" for their class at a local English academy.  I often get stopped by Korean university students who are doing projects for their English courses.  These guys really enjoyed chatting and we had a great time getting to know each other.  One of my favorite things to do on my walk is meet new Korean friends and Saturday was special!

Here I am in "What the Book?" with my three new friends!  It is such a joy to make new friends and be able to help them as well.  

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If you think about it, please pray for me on Monday morning (Sunday evening around 5:30 - 6:00 on the East coast) as we activate the on line registration for After School Activities for Quarter Three.  I would love to have all of the technology work well - especially at that time when many parents will be on line to register their son/daughter for some activities.

Thank you so much for your great encouragement, many prayers, abundant love, and tremendous support!  You are so special!  Please enjoy a great 2013!

Love, Gregg

A Snowy and Very Cold New Year's Week!!

Happy New Year to each of you!  This past week in Seoul was a VERY cold week - the coldest few days in a long time in Seoul.  Temperatures were between 0 and 4 degrees Fahrenheit in the morning!  As I got off Bus 405 on January 1, I was greeted by snow and very slippery sidewalks! I was very happy that I did not slip and fall during the week although I saw many young and old slipping and falling!  I even bought a pair of long johns! I was warm!

On January 1 this is what I saw as soon 

as I got off Bus 405 at Hangangjin Station. 

This is a place known as Blue Square!

Next I looked across the street and saw the nice snow on the hill leading up to YISS!!

As I got closer to the main entrance of YISS, I saw 

that no vehicle had driven up the driveway yet!  I was 

going to be one of the first, by foot, to arrive on New

Year's Day in the freshly fallen snow!

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I was back to YISS to work this past week!  Teachers and students return on Monday - although some teachers arrived at YISS on Friday to get their classrooms ready for the cherubs.  I was working on After School Activities; getting make up days for canceled classes in Quarter 2 and preparing the website and all of the information to go to parents for Quarter 3!  I was also working with our Elementary Principal on interviewing teachers for the additional elementary staff we will need because of the expansion that will be completed in May!

Friday would have been my mother's 90th birthday!  This was her third Christmas (at least as far as our earthly minds conceive of Christmas) that she was with the Lord and my Daddy.  I posted some pictures on Facebook in memory of both of them but will place a few here of the parents I was privileged to have.  They taught me so much for which I am so grateful!  I still miss them, but know they are enjoying being in His presence and know that I will see them both again some day!

Above is my mother (known as Monny by the grandkids, etc)!  She did not like having her picture taken but we were still able to get a few from time to time!  She taught me so much about loving people unconditionally!

Here are Monny and Popeye (that's the name my Daddy got from the grandkids) on the celebration of their 49th wedding anniversary at Camp Joy-El!  It was a great time with two very special people!  They loved each other for over 63 years before Daddy went Home

Now this is a winner!  A picture of the Garman family as it was in 1965 at the 25th wedding anniversary for Monny and Popeye in our backyard at 135 Garman Drive! In the front row on the left is GGG and my brother, Jared is on the right.  Left to right in the back: Daddy, Gae, Mother, Julee (I think she is sleeping standing up!) and Ralph.  Ralph and Gae were the only other love couple at the time! :-)

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Last Sunday we had a great time at Choir!  We sang Handel's Hallelujah Chorus during the worship service.  Loved it!  Then at our practice I was presented with a small gift for my times of assisting the conductor when she could not be there.  They are such a great group.  As the coordinator of the choir presented me the gift, he whispered in m ear, "Please share something from the Word to encourage us as we begin the New Year."  I have learned throughout the years, but especially in Korea, to always be prepared to share.  I even kept it to 4 minutes! (That may be a record!) :-)

Two of my choir friends who were celebrating their 

birthdays: Saang Keub and Rebecca! We had just 

finished singing "Happy Birthday" to them!

One of my great friends in the Tenor section, Joseph.  He is married to Rebecca and I love them both so much!  They are so caring and kind!  The little red knitted ski cap (on my sweater) was knitted by Rebecca for each of the choir members!

Another of my tenor friends, Andy.  He had been away

for a number of weeks and just returned to introduce us 

to his bride-to-be, Rachel.  They will marry in May!

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After Choir I was so excited to see a former SYME student, and current student at Jeju Island WOL Bible Institute,  Sangjeon (Tall Joshua)!  He had called and asked if we could have dinner and catch up.  I miss him so much and love singing with him.  Sangjeon has the most amazing singing voice and it has been my pleasure to sing some duets with him.  I know he would value your prayers right now as he has some struggles at Jeju BI and is also very desirous of finding a wife!

Above is my excellent friend, Sangjeon!  He chose to eat Mexican food.  He selected the Chicken Fajitas and they were soooo yummy!

Here is Sangjeon and GGG right after our delicious meal!  What a great conversation we had!  Please pray for Sangjeon has he makes some very important decisions in the near future!

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New Year's Eve Day my friends from Prefield Orientation at the NICS headquarters last June came up from Pyeongtaek International Christian School to have a late lunch with me!  Jonathan Edwards is teaching sixth grade at PICS and his wife, Laura, teaches kindergarten.  They are doing a great job and it was so good to see them!  They were one of the four couples in my small group at PFO back in June.  I know they would also appreciate your prayers as they return to teaching next week.

Jonathan and Laura Edwards with me at my favorite Thai restaurant, Taste of Thai in Itaewon. I is owned by my good friend Young Ho.  Please continue to pray for Jonathan and Laura as they teach at Pyeongtaek International Christian School.  Pray also for Young Ho as he continues to ask questions about God and my beliefs.  He will text or call me if I do not come by o see him at least every two weeks.  He wants to make sure I am not sick! 

Jonathan enjoyed a chicken dish and he LOVED the Thai Iced Tea!

Laura had the Shrimp Omelet with Thai Iced Coffee.  She also enjoyed her yummy lunch!

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Thanks so much for your abundant love, many prayers, great encouragement, and faithful support!  I trust you will experience a wonderful year in 2013!  I would value your prayers as students return on Monday to YISS.  We will have 13 new students in the elementary school and New Student Orientation begins right at 8 AM on Monday!  Lots to do next week as Quarter Two grades are finalized and prepared for distribution to parents.  Have a great week!

Love, Gregg