Many "Ups"; A Few "Downs"!

This past week began with a lot of pain!  I had been having some bad pain during last weekend.  I thought it might be the beginning of another kidney stone.  The pain was strong on Saturday.  It came and went on Sunday.  Then Monday morning on my 5:45 AM public bus ride to YISS, I had a severe attack of pain.  I could not get a comfortable position on the bus.  The Korean riders on the bus must have thought I was a crazy man or a drunk man as I kept grabbing the seat in front of me, standing up, sitting down, moving to this position and then another position, and making strange noises and peculiar facial contortions.  I thought that I was going to throw up before the bus was able to get to my stop near the school.  I finally was able to get off the bus and then began a very painful walk up the hill to the school.  The pain got worse and my administrative colleagues ordered me to go to Dr. Kim and then go home.  I went to Dr. Kim and he did an ultrasound and took an Xray and blood work and discovered a kidney stone in the making.  He gave me some medication to help pass the stone plus some pain medication.  I went home and rested all day Monday.  It was the first day of After School Activities for Quarter Three so I didn't want to miss school.  But my boss told me to stay home or she would have to have some of the Korean men on the YISS facilities team come and tie me down. :-)  I am glad she made me go home.  Since Monday, I have not had any pain and it appears that the nasty little stone has left the building!

As you know, I have been getting treatment for a burning rash on my inner thighs from my regular doctor, Dr. Kim for about 3 weeks.  He decided to send me to a dermatologist, Dr. Park.  He diagnosed the rash as a severe case of eczema.  Dr. Park also checked out my feet.  I have had very dry feet for a long time and can never get shoes to really fit me.  I get these delightful corns and other strange things on my toes and between my toes.  He ordered some strong cream, for the eczema and gave me an injection (in the normal Korean location).  He also prescribed cream for my feet and said he would check out the one painful corn, that I can't seem to get rid of, in a week.  I returned to Dr. Park on Friday evening and he was very happy with the progress with the rash.  He wanted to look at my feet again.  He said he was going to scrape away some of the corn that was growing quite large and continuing to be very painful.  I like Dr. Park!  He speaks very good English and enjoys my teasing!  He gives it right back to me. :-)  I am to continue doing the treatment at home on the rash and see him about three weeks.

The remainder of the week was busy as the After School Activities began in full force.  One of our new activities, Speed Cup Stacking, has been a big hit as well as our new Tap Dance and Jazz Dance classes.  I love watching Mrs. Abby Williamson, work with all of our elementary dance classes. Abby is the wife of our Grade 5A teacher and has been a great help to me in the mechanics of the After School Activities program + providing some great teaching for our Ballet, Tap, and Jazz Dance classes.

On Wednesday morning there was an Ed Tech Elementary parents' session.  This went along with our emphasis of the month of February: Stand Up and Be a Guardian; Protect Our School Climate. There was a good group of parents in attendance to learn how they can help their children at home with our campaign against cyberbullying.

In addition, our Chapels and OASIS assemblies are working hard on dealing with teaching our students what they can do to stand up against bullying and stand up for what is right!  On Friday we encouraged those students who purchased the "Stand Up" T-shirts to wear them.  In Friday's Chapels and OASIS assembly Mrs. Franck and I were encouraging students to stand up when they know they should.  I have been reading The Invisible Boy each week in these sessions and the interactive discussions during Chapels and in the classrooms has been fantastic.  Students were left with a homework assignment for the next week.  Look around your classroom and throughout our school for those who seem to be "invisible" (left out, alone, etc.) and began to show a simple act of kindness (as they learned about in The Invisible Boy) and see what happens!  It was exciting to see the kids get excited about standing up for what is right and standing against that which is wrong.

This is the book I have been using in Chapels and OASIS assemblies the last several weeks.  I have been impressed at what the kids are remembering and actually putting into action from our readings and discussions.

    A group of second graders leading the Grades 2-3

                               Chapel in music.

Some of the second and third grade cherubs singing our "Stand Up" song in Chapel!

More music with Second and Third grade students in Chapel!     

   Some of our Kinder and Grade One cherubs singing in Chapel!!

3B teacher, Ms. Corbett with two third grade boys, Thiago and Luke modeling their new "Stand Up" T-shirts.  On the back of the shirt it reads "...and be a Guardian!"

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Another very exciting "up" this week was my visit from my dear friends from SYME days in Songtan.  David and Annie Kim with their son, Daul, came to YISS at the end of the day on Wednesday for a visit with me.  I hadn't seen them since before they gave birth to Daul so I was so thrilled to see them and catch up!  We had a great time at YISS and then went to eat dinner together at Los Amigos.  It was such a great time with this beautiful family.  Please pray for them as they have many decisions to make concerning their future and how to see SYME in Korea grow.  There are some very complicated issues that need to have God's intervention and I would really appreciate your prayers for this dear family.

David and Annie Kim with Daul in my office at YISS!  My first

              time being able to hold Daul!  He is soooo cute!

Here we are getting ready to eat our dinner at Los Amigos.  Annie wanted to eat Mexican!

Daul loves trains and he brought this set along to play with!     

And Daul loves reading books!  Here he is with Annie as she reads to him.  He kept asking her to read more!  I love it!!

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During the visit at YISS by the Kims, I lost my keys!  I usually get very stressed when I lose something that is very important.  This set of keys is on a small key ring and included a master key to almost all of the facilities at YISS.  I have been doing much better when things like this happen during the last number of years.  Almost immediately I spoke a prayer to the Lord asking Him to help me locate the keys.  I still was worried, but there was a real sense of peace that came over me.  I took the Kims on a tour of the building and still NO KEYS.  We were on the 3rd floor in the cafeteria at YISS and about ready to leave the school.  I had already informed the YISS Security Manager to have his staff on the lookout for them.  Almost all of the YISS teachers had departed.  As we were ready to head down the stairs to go out the front of the school, one of Middle School Phys. Ed. teachers, Mr. Davis came through the cafeteria.  I was talking to the Kims, but stopped to say hello to J. J. Davis and introduce him to the Kims.  I told him that if happened to see a ring of keys, they were probably the ones I lost and have been looking for.  We said good bye and headed down the stairs.  J. J. went on to the Middle School area.  We were almost at the first floor when we hear this loud yelling from the 3rd floor.  J. J. said there were keys in Ms. Murphy's room on a desk.  He described them and immediately I let out a joyous scream thanking the Lord.  I had been in Ms. Murphy's room earlier in the afternoon and was teasing with some of the Middle School students.  I had been acting crazy with one of the boys and put my keys on the desk and then made a quit escape from the MS kids.  I forgot all about it!

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Saturday evening I was invited to a "Going Away" reception for one of our families at YISS.  I have known the Chadwicks as long as they have been at YISS.  They came to YISS with their two boys the same year I arrived.  They have been so involved in the program at YISS.  The boys are great young men and it has been great to see them grow during these last 5 years.  It is a "down" to have to say "Hasta la vista" to wonderful friends, but it is such an "up' to have gotten to know such a wonderful family.  Please pray for them as they relocate for their next assignment to Singapore.  The last day at YISS for the boys will be February 17.  Thanks for praying for them as they go.  It is especially difficult for Conrad, the older of the two boys.

GGG with Randi and Robert Chadwick at their Going Away Party!

Some of the guests at the party.  This picture was taken while a number of friends shared memories of the Chadwicks!

Rob and Randi posing with one of the gifts their friends presented

to them at the party on Saturday.                           

                                  

Here is a recent photo of the entire Chadwick family.  Pierce is on his mother's lap and Conrad is standing beside his Dad.

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I thought I would leave you with this wonderful sign that appears on the two water coolers in the cafeteria at YISS.  They just put these signs on the coolers this past week.  Our cafeteria service is operated by a Korean catering company, J & J Catering.  I am not sure who does their translating, but I am still trying to figure out what exactly the want the kids and staff to do when they read this sign. :-)

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Thank you so much for continuing to encourage me, love me, pray for me, and support me.  You are very important to me.  Thank you so much!

Love, Gregg