Refreshing, yet Very Busy Week; Feeling Appreciated!!

Spring is always a special time for me - both in the USA and also here in Seoul!  I just really enjoy the change of seasons, and especially enjoy the Cherry Blossoms and beautiful flowers and warmer weather!  I am blessed at YISS in many ways and this week gave me many opportunities to realize this once again.  One of the blessings is to have the school surrounded by God's beauty right in the heart of a busy large city!  I love walking during this time of year and the walk up the walk and driveway leading to the main entrance of YISS is so beautiful during this time of year.  Here is one of the pictures I took on one of my walks leaving YISS one day this past week.

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As you know, I am working diligently to finish well my responsibilities at YISS, while keeping informed and assisting as needed with new responsibilities at International Christian School - Pyeongtaek.  God has been doing some wonderful things to help ease this old man's stress level during this time of transition.  I am such a slow learner when it comes to placing my complete trust in the Lord to provide for me just at the right time - HIS time; not mine.  Maybe you do not struggle with this, but I do.  I have been learning more and more about giving my stresses to the Lord and letting Him take care of them.  That doesn't mean I am supposed to do nothing, but it does mean that if I come to the Lord with my concerns, struggles, and stresses right away, it is amazing how He brings everything together.  I would like to share two stories that took place over the last several weeks.

First, I am not someone who loves to pack and move. :-)  So when I realized that I was supposed to head to ICS-P to become the new Director, I started worrying about packing and moving. Where will I live?  How will I get things down to Pyeongtaek?  How will I afford furniture? (I really own one chair, a couple small tables, a few pots and pans,  an electric piano, an exercise bike, and a couple small fans. All of the bookshelves, desk, nice bed, clothes closets, dining room table and chairs, and kitchen dishes, etc. are owned by YISS.)  Will the new apartment have closets for all of suits and shirts?  And I am supposed to have a car!  How will I get a car and how will I secure a Korean Driver's License?  Question after question kept coming.  And Gregg kept stressing!  I even stressed out some of my dear friends with all of my worries.  Once again, God smiled as I ran around stressing! :-)  He was waiting for me to give everything to Him.  He knew ahead of time that I would be receiving a salary that was much less than what I received at YISS.  I sat down one day and just looked in the mirror and laughed at myself! :-)  Then I began praying for the Lord to just take care of things while I did all that I could, but then leave all the worrying up to Him.

The current Director at ICS-P contacted me again to tell me the process of how ICS-P would come to Seoul and pack all of my things and move them to Pyeongtaek.  I was shown several apartments when I went to visit ICS-P on March 11.  It just seemed that the right thing was to move into the current Director's apartment.  Then Mr. Newman shared with me that he and his wife did not want to take the furniture they had back to the States.  He said that the car he owned would be available for me to purchase.  He began listing all of the items he wanted to sell: all of the furniture (living room and dining room, two queen size beds with homemade quilts and all of the linen, an American-made washer and dryer, a desk and desk chair, a new microwave, all of the kitchen utensils I would ever need, two really nice fans, a TV as well as Apple TV, some miscellaneous items, plus his car.  I was excited and then I thought, "I can't afford all of that."  He said all that he wanted was $2,200!  I couldn't believe it!  Three years ago I started a savings plan where I would put cash in an envelope each Saturday for the 52 weeks of the year.  The first week of the year I put in 2,000 Won, the second Saturday of the year - 4,000 Won, the third - 6,000 Won, and so on until the 52nd Saturday, when I put in 104,000 Won.  At the end of this last year, after December 31, I kept the cash not realizing why.  Now I do.  The total on December 31, 2015 was 2,386,000 Won which is almost $2,100!!  Even before I asked, God had provided!

Then I was hearing many different stories of getting a Korean driver's license.  I was getting more and more confused and once again, prayed that God would make it clear to me.  This past week, I was prompted to go see our YISS High School Assistant Principal, Lee Parsons.  he and his wife have been serving in Korea at two different international schools for a number of years.  Someone told me he had helped them get a Korean driver's license.  He was thrilled to give me the information I needed.  I knew that the best way was to get the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to grant an Apostille for my PA driver's license, but wouldn't be home to do that until the end of June.  Lee got me in touch with an organization that can do this very quickly.  I followed the simple steps this past week and within 3 days I received an Apostille.

OK, I am sorry that took so long.  I just wanted to share how God is taking care of all my stresses one at a time and in His timing and through wonderful people who are open to His leading!  Thank you for all of your prayers for this man who continues to need to be reminded of God's faithfulness! :-)

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Very quickly, let me share my week with you:

Sunday - I was treated to a special birthday dinner at one of my favorite restaurants, Lobster Bar, by two very special and fantastic teachers of YISS, Shauna Weir and Lynn Greaves!  These two Godly women have been at YISS a little longer than I have been.  Both will be leaving this year to serve God in new places!  Please pray for these dear ladies as they go to serve.  They will be greatly missed at YISS.  We had a great time of joy and laughter and memories at Lobster Bar on Sunday evening!

Ms. Lynn Greaves and Ms. Shauna Weir celebrating my birthday at Lobster Bar!  I always have such a great time with these two Godly women!

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Monday - This was the day for Parent-Teacher conferences at YISS.  In the elementary school, we had Student-Led conferences!  I absolutely love these days when students share with their parents what they have been learning, how they have reached many of their goals, and actually involve their parents in some of the learning activities.  It is so exciting to go from room to room and observe children leading their parents in many activities.  Prior to the student-led conferences, teachers have been teaching students on oral presentation skills.  Parents are always so impressed with their children and it is so much fun to see their responses throughout the conference.  Enjoy some of the pictures from this year's conferences! I took about 30 pictures throughout the day, but I have narrowed them down to 12. :-)

Tuesday & Wednesday - These two days were busy with Chapels and an OASIS Assembly in the elementary school as well as planning meetings for our annual VBS (Values Based School) at the close of the year.  These days were also days that I could put final touches on the After School Activities  program for Quarter Four.  GIRO Payment Slips were sent home and parents began making payments for the many classes in Quarter Four.  One of the Swimming classes began on Tuesday; another on Thursday; and then the official beginning of Quarter Four activities began on Friday.  Things went very smoothly for Quarter Four which offered the most activities we have ever offered in a quarter.  Thanks for all of your prayers.

Thursday - Grade 4 has a couple days each year when they have a Market Day.  One of the units in their Social Studies curriculum studies economics, business, and marketing.  Each student, or a group of students, prepares a product or service to sell.  They spend a lot of time studying various marketing techniques.  Thursday was the culmination of this study.  The Main Multipurpose Room was packed with student vendors and many parents and even high school students + many teachers coming to purchase.  One other thing that the students study during this unit is a culture.  They had just finished studying about India and the number of people in poverty.  Teachers then present a number of ways that business can help those in poverty.  The students agreed to give all of the money raised on Market Day to these two organizations: "Free the Children" and "Gospel for Asia." I love these days. It is almost like a night market in Chiang Mai, Thailand that I was able to experience a few years ago. 

The Fabulous Four Fourth Grade Teachers who worked with students to prepare Market Day!  From left to right: Ms. Lauren Dean, Ms. Itiel Sarmiento, Ms. Lynn Greaves, and Mrs. Kimberly Lynch!  They and their students did a fantastic job!

Some of the business people and some of the buyers.

Another group of vendors with those interested in buying!

Some more vendors!                                   

More of the vendors and buyers including parents!

One of the mothers came for her daughter to create some henna on

                          interested buyers' hands or arms.

I had to get a picture of my buddy, Sigge.  I was planning to buy one of his yummy cookies, but he wanted to give it to me.  He said that he made them himself.  (His mother was right beside me and she said, "Yes, he did.  All by himself."

Two more buddies, Max and William!  They had me shooting   

nerf darts on the target.  I think they were impressed with my aim!

This is Isaac, who also had a dart game that he wanted me to try.  He always has his smile!

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Friday - One of the very special days of the year at YISS is Teacher Appreciation Day!  This is an event sponsored by the YISS PTO.  There are over 130 faculty and staff at YISS and this group of amazing volunteers provides a huge yummy feast for all of the faculty and staff to show their appreciation for the YISS teachers and staff.  From 11:00 AM until 1:30 PM the B1 Cafeteria is filled with PTO volunteers serving an amazing variety of main dishes as well as desserts to the teachers and staff.  Each staff member is also given two huge containers of gifts including snack foods, gift certificates, coffee mugs, etc.  It is truly a grand event!  I am so grateful to be blessed by this awesome group of PTO volunteers!

Here are some of the wonderful volunteers who made Friday's Teacher Appreciation Day such a great success!  They are wonderful!

     These are only some of the desserts that were 

                available for all of us to enjoy!

Part of the table with all sorts

meats, etc.  Most of them prepared by volunteers!

My first dessert plate! :-)

   These are cupcakes!  I had never seen such

     beautiful flowers like these on cupcakes!  

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Also on Friday, the 4th and 5th grade boys' basketball team wore shirts and ties as they prepared for their tournament on Saturday with other international schools in Seoul.  Mr. Resende, one of our Physical Education teachers does a great job with the boys and it is exciting to see them learn how to play the game, but more importantly how to win and lose with the right attitude!

Here is Mr. Resende and his 4th and 5th Grade Boys' Basketball team!

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Friday evening was a special evening for me.  Henry Kwon, Korean young man, who went to SYME before I came but we got to know each other through Word of Life in NY, had just returned from his studies in the States and wanted to get together with me.  We enjoyed a delightful time of fun and fellowship at "My Thai" restaurant in Itaewon.  Henry is excited to see what God has for him in the area of film production in the sports industry.  Please pray for Henry as he searches for that position that God wants to place him.  

Henry and I at "My Thai" preparing to enjoy some yummy food and continue our delightful conversation!

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Saturday - I enjoyed another planned late birthday dinner celebration with my wonderful "son" and friend, JiSang!  I always enjoy our times together.  Thank you for continuing to pray for this young man as he continues to seek to serve God each day.  JiSang wanted to go to his now favorite restaurant in Itaewon - the Original Pancake House! :-)  I knew what he would order before he even arrived.  He wanted the Thick Cut Bacon (3 strips), Sunny Side Up Eggs, and pancakes!  He ate every bite, although he reluctantly offered me some bacon, but I refrained because I wanted him to eat the entire meal so that he could gain some weight! :-)  We enjoyed a wonderful time of fun, food, and fellowship!

Here we are preparing to enjoy our delicious meals at the Original Pancake House!

       Above was my choice!  I loved every bite!

Here is JiSang showing off his favorite meal at the

Original Pancake House! He ate every bite!!    

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Last Sunday, three beautiful ladies from Tanzania came to New Harvest Ministry for the first time. They were ushered into my row and one of the ladies joined me in the small prayer group before the message.  (At NHM we have everyone get into groups of 3 or 4 prior to the message to learn about those fellowshipping at NHM.  Then we spend a few minutes in prayer right before Pastor Doug preaches.)  All three of the ladies are nurses from Tanzania and are visiting Seoul for a Nurses' Study Conference for two months.  I had such a delightful time with the one in my prayer group.  All three are believers and they all came back again this Sunday.  I hope you will pray for these three delightful nurses as they study and then return to Tanzania to serve the Lord in hospitals there.  

Here I am with the beautiful lady who is the Head Nurse for all three who are visiting.  This was this Sunday morning following the service.  I look forward to getting to know all three of these wonderful ladies while they are here in Seoul.

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Thank you for your continued encouragement, love, care, emails, regular mail, prayers, and support. This coming week I will travel down to ICS-Pyeongtaek to be there for two days of their Accreditation Visit.  Thanks for praying that their report will be a positive one and that ICS-P will be recommended for another term of accreditation.  Enjoy a great week!

Love, Gregg