Rain Begins; New Staff Arrive; Reunions and MEETINGS!!!

Following some beautiful sunny weather, the rain began in full force this past week in Seoul! We may get a little break on Sunday and Monday, but it will be here for a bit!  As I write this on Saturday morning in Seoul, it is raining off and on, but there is a nice wind that has made it a bit cooler today.

This past week I was able to meet with some Korean friends as well as some American friends who are now working in Pyeongtaek, South Korea.  Then in between working on After School Activities for Quarter One, I was involved in MANY meetings with our new Headmaster and new Elementary Principal as we prepared for the new staff as well as the returning staff.  I have been very impressed and excited with the direction our new Headmaster is bringing to YISS!  I believe it is going to be a great year.  Yes, there will be a lot of transition and a number of bumps in the road, but that is what our journey with the Lord is; not always smooth, but He is with us as we make our way through the bumps and pot holes in the road on which we are traveling.  I believe with this fresh vision, direction and strong leadership, God is going to do some exciting things at YISS this year.

Above is our group of administrators preparing to meet on Thursday morning with Mr. Ray Johnson, our new Headmaster.  Bottom left is our new CFO, Mr. Mike McCarthy.  We enjoyed some great times together as we prepared for the 2014-15 school year.

We learned early on that Ray likes to begin meetings on time!!  I am soooo excited about that!  Above he is checking his watch to see the time.  It was 8:30 AM and we began as soon as he checked his watch. :-)  To his left is our new Director of Admissions, Lindsey Powell.  The lady to his right is Mrs. Birmingham, the new Elementary Principal!

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On Wednesday I had the pleasure of traveling to the Incheon Airport to pick up one of our new elementary teachers.  When he assigned me this task, the Human Resource Director, Barry Birmingham, did not know that I had already met the teacher he asked me to pick up.  When Kara Minor came through the Customs Exit at the airport, I then remembered that I had met Kara through my good friends, Ben and Kari Davis.  When I officiated at their wedding, Kara was one of the members of the Bridal Party!  After greeting Kara and showing her how to purchase a bus ticket to the Capital Hotel, we boarded the bus an enjoyed a wonderful time of conversation on the hour trip to the hotel.  Kara will be teaching Grade 2D at YISS this year and she is very excited!  We have a number of new staff in the elementary school this year and so far I have been able to meet five of them.  Here are their pictures for you so you can pray for them.  I will have pictures of the other new elementary staff next week.

Kara Minor - Grade 2D

 Karen Henspeter - Elem. Librarian

 Itiel Sarmiento - Grade 4B

Lauren Dean - Grade 4A        

Kelly Han - Grade KB

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During this past week several of our returning teachers have been in to YISS to get their rooms ready for the first day of school on August 11th.  I have been excited as our Elementary Principal, Mrs. Bev Birmingham, our new Assistant Elementary Principal, Mrs. Krista Roll, and I have walked through each of the elementary classrooms and offices praying for the teacher in each room as well as the children who will be in that room.  As we made our journey through classrooms on Wednesday morning, we came to Grade 2B where Mr. Bennett was already working in his classroom.  He had three wonderful helpers with him - three of his children, Lukas, Zachary, and Zoey!  They were unpacking boxes for Mr. Bennett and I just had to get a picture.  Below is a picture of Zoey (recently adopted from China) and two of her loving and protective brothers:

Lukas, Zachary, and Zoey Bennett in Grade 2B preparing the Classroom Library!

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During this busy week of greetings and meetings, I was able to meet with several friends.  Last Sunday evening I was so happy to be reunited with Jisan (Jared) in Hyewha where we met to enjoy some great fellowship and a very yummy meal of Doenjang Jjigae - a fermented soybean paste stew with veggies, tofu, and fermented soybean paste!  So delicious!!  Please pray for Jisan as he wants to use his talents and gifts in acting and directing with plays and movies that will be honoring to God and lead people to Jesus.

Above is the yummy Doenjang Jjigae I enjoyed

                   with Jisan in Hyewha!

GGG and Jisan enjoying a great time!!

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Tuesday evening my longtime friend, Tony Kuhn, and his wife, Sue, came up to Seoul from Pyeongtaek to have dinner with me.  Tony has returned to teach Bible and Math in the Middle School at Pyeongtaek International Christian School.  We had a delightful time together at one of my favorite restaurants, On the Border.  I got so involved in our conversation and enjoying one another that I forgot to bring out my camera from my briefcase to get a picture of Tony, Sue, and me enjoying our yummy meals. :-(  I was very unhappy.  I promise to get a photo next time Tony, Sue, and I meet.  Please pray for them as they serve the Lord in Pyeongtaek.  Pray especially for Sue as she adjusts to living in South Korea.

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On Saturday I was so excited to be reunited with my wonderful friend and former SYME student, Jinseok!  Jinseok is enjoying his translation work for the Korea National Tax Service.  We continue to enjoy a great friendship.  I have the privilege of doing some grammar checking and giving some assistance to Jinseok with some of the more difficult pieces of translation.  Please continue to pray for this dear young man as he seeks to serve the Lord.  The National Tax Service will be restructured and he is hoping that he will be able to be in the group that will be used in serving his seniors.  Thanks for praying for my dear friend!

Here I am with Jinseok at Smoky Saloon in Itaewon for some tasty burgers and onion rings!

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I continue to communicate with Gunmo and JiSang, and am very eager to meet both of them.  I have communicated with them via Kakao Talk and email, but really want to meet them face to face soon.  Thanks for praying for them as they seek to serve God in their positions.

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Just got back from New Harvest Ministry on Sunday morning and wanted to ask you to pray for our summer missions teams that are doing service and ministry this summer.  A week ago our Thailand Team left for their ministry in Cambodia and will return on August 2.  This morning we heard from our Mongolia Team which will be leaving on August 1 to serve in and around Sainshand, returning on August 10.  I know they would value your prayers!

Above is the Mongolia Team singing this morning at the NHM worship service.  There are actually 10 members singing; one is hidden behind the young man in the front on the left. :-)  Thanks for praying!

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Thanks so much for your great encouragement, wonderful love, faithful prayers, and continued support.  Please enjoy this last week of July.  Hard to believe August will be here soon!

Love, Gregg

Refreshment in the USA; Return to the Heat and Humidity of Seoul!

I have returned to the heat and humidity of Seoul!  Really no different than being in Chambersburg - just a bit more rain at times.  Good to be back in Seoul although I enjoyed a wonderful time for relaxation and refreshment with family and friends.  I only wish I could have seen more of my friends, but time and money were limited.  Thanks to so many who made my time of refreshment so enjoyable.  It is always great to return and see my wonderful family at our annual Garman Family Reunion!  Had an excellent time with almost all of the family on July 12th!  If you wish to see pictures of my travels in the USA this summer, you can check them out on facebook.

I arrived safely back in Seoul on Tuesday evening, July 15th - right on time and with all of my luggage accounted for.  It seems they push me through customs and immigration much more quickly and smoothly these days.  Took the Airport Bus to the Hotel Capital and then loaded all my stuff in a taxi for the short ride in the rain to my very hot apartment in Seobinggo!  Turned on the air and began unpacking.  On Wednesday afternoon I went into YISS to get my office in order after the outside waxing people had moved many of the items.  Went in a bit longer on Thursday and by Friday I was there the entire day working on items for new staff orientation, elementary field trips, emergency sub folders, and After School Activities.  It was great to see most of the Korean staff who do such an outstanding job for us at YISS.

This next week will be busy with meetings with our Elementary Admin Team (Bev Birmingham, Principal; Krista Roll, Assistant Elementary Principal; and GGG, the other AEP.  We will also have a number of meetings with the new Head of School, Ray Johnson.  I am enjoying getting to know him during the last few days as the only other administrator at YISS right now is the new High School Principal. (I will give you his name later, because it is a hard one to spell and I don't have it in front of me.)  New Staff arrive on July 23rd and they begin their orientation on the 24th. Returning staff are to be in country by August 1 and then we begin All Staff Orientation on August 4th.  The first day for students will be on Monday, August 11th!  Thanks for praying for these busy weeks of preparation and transition.  In addition to the transition of leadership in all schools, the elementary school will be moving Grades 4 and 5 (7 sections) to the 3rd floor of the new wing (added last year).  I know teachers are going to be VERY busy preparing their rooms, but those who are moving rooms will be especially busy.  Thanks for praying.

One of the first things I noticed on my walk up the hill to YISS on Wednesday afternoon were these beautiful flowers.  This flower is the national flower of Korea.  In Korea they are called Mukunghwa; in English you may know this flower as Hibiscus or some call it the Rose of Sharon. I think they are really beautiful.

I hope you enjoy these beautiful flowers.

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After taking care of a little problem with the Korean phone I use, I was able to reconnect with some of my wonderful Korean friends: Gunmo, JiSang, Jin Seok, and Yeongmin.  So great to connect with them again.  I was able to meet with Yeongmin on Friday evening for dinner but forgot to take pictures.  All four of these young men are very busy with their full time jobs and seem to be doing very well.  Thanks for praying for them.  Each of them are eager to find a beautiful wife! :-)

Friday I had several delightful meetings!  For a quick breakfast I met with my new friend from New Harvest Ministry, Kyunghoon Rhee.  He had just finished his final exams at medical school in Korea but wanted to meet with me before he left with his Mom and Dad to go to Nebraska to visit his sister and observe her at work in a hospital in Nebraska.  I am excited about what God has in store for this delightful young man. We seem to have hit if off and time goes by so quickly when we are together.  I know Kyunghoon would value your prayers.

Kyunghoon and I at church right before I left to come to the States.

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Then I met Heidi Corbett, one of our excellent third grade teachers for lunch at The Flying Pan Blue.  This restaurant serves breakfast all day (I love that) so we had more of a breakfast than a lunch.  Heidi has been teaching in Korea for almost 12 years and she continues to do a great job - especially in getting her cherubs to think.  She also is so good at building lasting relationships with her students.  Heidi leaves Sunday with a group from her church in Seoul to travel to Cambodia to do some mission work.  I know she would value your prayers.

Heidi Corbett and I at The Flying Pan Blue eating our very yummy breakfasts!!  Great conversation!

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I had a special surprise on Friday evening while I was waiting at the Itaewon subway station for Yeongmin.  I saw this family walking by and I noticed one of my little dancing buddies from Grade 2.  I called out, "Thiago!"  Immediately he looked up and ran over to me giving me a huge hug and calling out to his mother, brother, and a friend of his mother's, "Look Mom, it's Mr. Garman!!"  He had the huge "Thiago smile" that I love so much.  He was just coming from a Taekwondo lesson.  We chatted for a bit and he told me he was so excited about going into Grade 3 at YISS.

Above is Thiago with some of his friends in Grade 2.  He had just done the "Thiago Happy Dance" for me to the delight of his friends and me!!  He makes me smile so much!

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Well, I think I better stop for now.  Once again it is a pleasure for me to write to you.  I really love your encouragement, prayers, love, and support.  You have been so faithful and I really appreciate that!  I am praying for you as well.

Love, Gregg