9.18

I turned 6 years old in Korea this past Tuesday.  This was the first time I had forgotten about my overrated anniversary.  Does this mean something?  Some of my friends like to use words like "lifer" or "forever" whenever they talk about how long I've been here.  In the past, it used to make me sad.  But maybe now, I'm starting to embrace it.  Just maybe.

September 18th also marked my third month at my school.  I had my first observation class and got a score of 89.  I hadn't written a proper lesson plan in so long that I had forgotten to put in any explanations or directions.  After all, lesson plans are merely references and outlines for the teacher.  I totally could've gotten an A-.

Anyway, the kids are getting ready for the midterms, which means I'm getting new lessons ready for post-추석.  I had a lot of trouble thinking of a good first activity for my third year students but finally came up with a press conference.  Here's what I'm going to show to introduce the lesson:


You have no idea how much I've come to embrace powerpoints and Youtube in the past three months.  Happy Friday.

Thought of the Day:  Book Orders!
Song of the Day:  Sara Groves-First Song That I Sing

This week's persecuted church: Somalia

A Somali Islamic fundamentalist group accused Christian aid workers in Somalia of spreading Christianity in the coastal city of Merca.  The group said that if the Christianization in Somalia does not stop, the people have a right to jihad.  The vice chairman of the group said in an interview tht all Somalia Christians must be killed according to Islamic law.  He concluded his interview by saying that Somalis are 100% Muslim and they will always remain so.

Thought of the Day:  Waterguns
Song of the Day:  Jay Sean-Down

Naked Taboo

I've been playing Naked Taboo in my classes these days.  Korean teenagers never fail to surprise me:

Word:  "Bulgogi"

Taboo:  Clue given-"fire meat"
Charades:  Clue given-student points at his thick dark arm.  Team gets guesses correctly.


Word:  "Milk"

Charades:  Student acts out cow and milking the cow.


Word:  "Ballet"

Charades:  This is hilarious every time.


Word:  "Still"

Charades:  Student pretends he's going to steal a base.


Word:  "Still"

Charades:  Student does "Gangnam Style" dance.  No one gets it and in frustration he goes, "야 니네들 스타일 뭔지도 모르냐?!"


It's Friday!


Thought of the Day:  Martin!
Song of the Day:  Paul Oakenfield-Starry Eyed Surprise

Teaching Ups and Downs

My head teacher likes sending me random jokes from time to time.  Today, he sent me:

그 강아지는 숲 속으로 뛰어갔다.

The dog ran into the woods. (X)

The dog ran into the soup. (O)

Today, I kicked out one of my students for the first time for talking too much.  But when I went outside to go talk to him and bring him back in, he wasn't even in the hallway.  What an adolescent.

Thought of the Day:  Stye

Song of the Day:  Psy-강남스타일

This week's persecuted church: Uzbekistan

Eleven Protestants in Nukus were questioned at the public prosecutor's office and pressured to convert to Islam.  They were also threatened with being shot, though the city prosecutor denied this.  He also tried to have a Protestant expelled from his university medical course, but the man has resisted the pressure.  This kind of pressure is also continuing elsewhere in Uzbekistan.

This week's persecuted church: China

Peace in the Lord! On this past Sunday, we held the thirty-fifth outdoor worship service of this year. The weather remains sunny and hot. As far as we know, one sister was taken to be detained at a hotel on Friday. And on Sunday morning, at least twenty-two believers were taken away from locations near the platform for attending the outdoor service. They were then sent to three different local police stations. Thirteen believers were released by noon, and the rest of them were released one after another by 20:00pm on Sunday.

Xie Min, maltreated during her detainment last Sunday, now temporarily moved to live with another sister. However, after Xie moved in, they often got harassment. They got strange visitors, and the home phone number of the host even got posted on the webpage of a website providing housing information. We strongly protest against such harassment.

Thought of the Day:  G-Dragon
Song of the Day:  S.E.S-달리기

This week's persecuted church: Pakistan

Human rights campaigners condemned the killing of Samuel Yaqoob whose burned and tortured body body was discovered on Eid, the celebration which marks the end of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan.
His lips and nose had been sliced off, his stomach removed and there was evidence that his legs had been mutilated too.

The boy had been missing since Monday when he left his home in the town's Christian Colony to visit a local market. His relatives identified his body from a distinctive mark on his forehead.
Yaquub was reported to be an orphan but in local newspaper reports his mother Asia Bibi was quoted denying he had been accused of blasphemy. "We neither received any phone call for ransom nor were we told that Samuel had committed blasphemy," she said.

Thought of the Day:  Bread of Life
Song of the Day:  Be Still My Soul

David Armand

I'd like to have him on my Guesstures team.  Happy Friday, everyone.

Thought of the Day:  Seating Arrangements
Song of the Day:  2NE1-Hate You

A Thousand Words

One of our head teachers just sent this to me.  Isn't that awesome?

I've also been using this picture in one of my powerpoints all week, and the same teacher sent me a link showing that she happened to be a Korean-American.  What a way to represent, huh?

Thought of the Day:  Sam
Song of the Day:

Sharpener

Every morning, I pray to God asking Him to make me into a better teacher.  This morning after my first period class, the co-teacher for that class asked if she could share some of her "opinions" with me.  Basically, it was a short list of SHOULDs and SHOULDN'Ts for me to keep in mind.  Short yet painful.  She is definitely one of the most experienced and professional teachers at our school, but that also makes me uneasy every time I have to teach with her.  I feel like I'm under her observance glass as she takes copious notes on my teaching skills (or lack thereof).  But I also know that teaching with her is sharpening me into a better teacher.  I just hate how sharpening always hurts.  What a curveball answer to my prayers.

Thought of the Day:  Caller/Receiver

Song of the Day:  Moby-Porcelain

This week's persecuted church: Kenya

A church was attacked and looted on July 7 by an armed mob believed to be sympathizers of the al Qaeda-linked Somali terrorist network al-Shabab.

"At three PM, attackers armed with guns stormed the compound and immediately began pulling down one iron sheet after another and soon 60 iron sheets were gone," Pastor Joseph Lokuruku, who helplessly watched the incident from a distance.  "It was terrible sight to watch the walls of the church come down, [but] I could not shout for help because the attackers could gun me down."

Despite the recent assault on Game-Loitiki church, however, Pastor Lokuruku refuses to be intimidated by the threats and continues to gather for worship on Sunday mornings.  "We will not move away from Game-Loitiki, but will trust God for his sustenance and protection," the pastor said.  "We are leaving everything to God."

Thought of the Day:  Bagels
Song of the Day:  The Presidents of the United States of America-Peaches

This week's persecuted church: Indonesia

Protestors forced a church in Bandung, West Java, to shut down on Sunday amid claims that it was operating without a permit.

The Batak Karo Protestant Church (GBKP) has been in operation since 2007. But protestors claimed that the congregation agreed not to use the building as a house of worship in a 2011 agreement.

“On Sunday of last week, they used the building for Sunday service,” Amin Safari told Tempo.co. “That is why we sealed the building.”

The protestors also hung a banner on the church’s gate reading, “We the people of RW 06 [a neighborhood unit] hardily reject the use of this building, at Kawaluyan 10, to be used for religious activities.”

Thought of the Day:  Lazy Saturday

Trash Talk

Thought of the Day:  On the Border
Song of the Day:  Psy-강남 Style

올림픽

This year's Olympics is full of all kinds of controversies with Korea's athletes.  But the few that get past all of that mess really do stand out.  One of my favorite victories (so far) is the judo champion who bowed to his coach after winning the gold.

Isn't that beautiful?  Humility upon humility when they are both champions.

It's too bad that I can't really watch anything this year with the time difference and my new job.  Go Korea!

Thought of the Day:  Caesar Salad Dinner
Song of the Day:  Jay-Z-Empire State of Mind

This week's persecuted church: India

Village leaders will meet church advocates after Hindus opposing the construction of a church tore down the partially built structure and stopped all work at the site on Saturday.

A 20-member committee comprising 10 members each from the Christian and Hindu communities in a village in Haryana state has been formed to determine whether construction should continue. Building work had started just five days before the attack.

The head of the Hindu delegation, Hanuman Prasad Bishnoi, claimed the majority of villagers were against the church’s construction. Bishnoi also serves as the Sarpanch (head) of Patli Dabar village in the northern state’s Sirsa district.

Apart from two people who have converted to Christianity from Hinduism, none of those associated with the church are from the village, he said.

Thought of the Day:  철물점
Song of the Day:  Feeder-Feeling A Moment

This week's persecuted church: Indonesia

Government actions have made little difference, citing a “urine attack.”

That attack in May involved a Muslim mob throwing plastic bags of urine and feces at members of the Batak Christian Churches in Bekasi, Indonesia.

“The Indonesian government seems indifferent to the rise in religious intolerance. Only a few days after the urine attack, the religious affairs minister for the country, Suryadhama Ali, claimed that Indonesia was ‘the most tolerant country in a world,’” Morgan said.

Morgan said there’s no in-depth information on the level of penetration of the Indonesian government by jihadi groups, but he says the number of violent incidents is increasing.

“I can tell you that we’ve seen a rash of incidents carried out in recent months by radical groups such as the Islamic Defenders Front against Christian churches,” Morgan said.

Morgan also cites a mid-June incident.

At that time, “an Indonesian official in Aceh, the same region where a huge terror cell was busted in 2010, ordered 20 Christian churches to be torn down by the congregations themselves,” Morgan said.

“So far the Christians have mostly ignored the order as far as we can tell, but we also have a report that one of the churches in Aceh was attacked by a large angry mob during its Sunday service,” Morgan said.

Thought of the Day:  Retreat
Song of the Day:  The Game-Hate It or Love It

This week's persecuted church: Kenya

Kenyan Muslims are joining the police in protecting churches in the northeastern province where Christians have come under increased attack from suspected Somali Al Shabab Islamic militants.

Following July 1 attacks on churches in the town of Garissa -- close to the Kenyan-Somali border -- local Muslim leaders have decided to provide their own protection to the churches of their Christian neighbors. Last Sunday, July 8, local Muslim youths and their leaders patrolled with the police during church services, and no attacks were reported.

The patrols are a strong statement of rejection for the militant methods and ideology of Al Shabab, the Somali Islamist militant group that is suspected of carrying out the July 1 attacks in Garissa. By targeting Christians, militants in northern Kenya appear to be punishing Kenya for sending troops into Somalia to attack Al Shabab, and to prop up the shaky Somali government.

Thought of the Day:  Spaghetti!
Song of the Day:  Kingsmen-Louie Louie

"Paradoxes"

O Changeless God,
Under the conviction of the Spirit I learn that
the more I do, the worse I am,
the more I know, the less I know,
the more holiness I have, the more sinful I am,
the more I love, the more there is to love.
O wretched man that I am!
O Lord, I have a wild heart,
and cannot stand before thee;
I am like a bird before a man.
How little I love thy truth and ways!
I neglect prayer,
by thinking I have prayed enough and earnestly,
by knowing thou hast saved my soul.
Of all hypocrites, grant that I may not be an evangelical hypocrite,
who sins more safely because grace abounds,
who tells his lusts that Christ’s blood cleanseth them,
who reasons that God cannot cast him into hell,
for he is saved,
who loves evangelical preaching, churches,
Christians, but lives unholily.
My mind is a bucket without a bottom,
with no spiritual understanding,
no desire for the Lord’s Day,
ever learning but never reaching the truth,
always at the gospel-well but never holding water.
My conscience is without conviction or contrition,
with nothing to repent of.
My will is without power of decision or resolution.
My heart is without affection, and full of leaks.
My memory has no retention,
so I easily forget the lessons learned,
and thy truths seep away.
Give me a broken heart that yet carries home the water of grace.

Arthur Bennett, editor, The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions, revised edition (Carlisle, Pennsylvania: The Banner of Truth Trust, 2002), pp. 128–129. 


Thanks, Sam.


Thought of the Day:  Louis C.K.
Song of the Day:  Utada Hikaru-First Love (Piano)

Finals Week

My school is going through finals this week, so I get to show movies.  For my first year students, I decided to show The Sandlot.

For my second year students, I showed Big.

I'm so glad they enjoyed both movies.  It's weird having so much freedom.  I don't have any classes for the next three days, so I'm just going to go ahead and start preparing my lessons for second semester.  That and lots of Youtube.

Thought of the Day:  홍어
Song of the Day:  The Tokens-The Lion Sleeps Tonight

This week's persecuted church: Pakistan

Thousands of people dragged a Pakistani man accused of desecrating Islam's holy book from a police station in central Pakistan, beat him to death and then set his body on fire, a police official said Wednesday.
The incident highlighted the highly charged nature of Pakistan's blasphemy laws, under which anyone found guilty of insulting Islam's Prophet or the Quran can be sentenced to death.

Gujar said the victim seemed to be mentally unstable. He was arrested after residents said he threw pages of the Quran into the street. While the man was being questioned, some people started making announcements over mosque loudspeakers, urging residents to go to the police station and punish him.

Within hours, thousands gathered outside and demanded the man be handed over to them. Gujar said police tried to protect him, but the mob turned violent. They burned several police vehicles and wounded seven officers before grabbing the man and dragging him into the street, where he was beaten to death and his body set on fire. Gujar said the mob also attacked the house of an area police chief and burned his furniture and possessions.


Thought of the Day:  Craigslist
Song of the Day:  Great is Thy Faithfulness

This week's persecuted church: India

The attack on three men on June 9th, were in response to an open air Gospel meeting where a pastor was brought in to preach the message.  It seems that the 40 Hindu extremists attacked the believers in hopes of stopping these types of meetings from continuing.  While the believers were beaten, "rioters started breaking into the houses of Christians, includring these three.  The houses were looted, cattle were robbed and household things were stolen."  The men were brought to a hospital, seriously wounded, while other Christians fled to various villages, some even hiding in the jungle.

Thought of the Day:  Spiderman
Song of the Day:  Fun-We Are Young

Whimoon Middle School

The first day was absolutely draining and overwhelming, but I have finished my third day today and feel like I'm adjusting well. I love how some of the kids have to clean around the teachers' desks as punishment. I love how my kids clean my classroom. I love how there are a million of them and they all know who I am and say hi to me when I pass by them. Having a wireless microphone and touchscreen board is awesome! It's wonderful having co-teachers who are super supportive and patient with me. It's so great having breaks in between classes and being free to do anything I want during those breaks. School food is good food. I'm finally a real middle school teacher!

Thought of the Day: Bank
Song of the Day: The White Stripes-Seven Nation Army (The Glitch Mob Remix)

This week's persecuted church: North Korea

A former female prisoner in one such facility, Camp 18, recalled coming upon a fellow prisoner who, apparently crazed from hunger, had beaten her daughter to death and was cooking the body in a pot.

A woman who served time in the Jeungsan Re-education Facility, a smaller prison near the capital of Pyongyang, told the South Korean commission that thousands of prisoners are buried in a mountainside cemetery. The woman said she served on burial detail several times and that, because graves are so shallow, the ground "feels squishy when taking a step."

Thought of the Day:  Earmuffs
Song of the Day:  Biggie-Hypnotize

This week's persecuted church: Uzbekistan

Secret police officers and other officials raided the Sunday worship service of an unregistered ethnic Korean Baptist Church in the town of Chirchik in Tashkent Region on Feb. 5.

Police Inspector Otabek Alimov, Urtachirchik District and Nurmina Askarova, Chair of the local Mahalla Committee, were among the 10 officials who raided the 9 a.m. worship service; they confiscated a sound amplifier, microphone, keyboard, projector, hymnals, audio cassettes and DVDs.

The officials said that the confiscated items would be sent to the state Religious Affairs Committee for "expert analysis"; they then charged Pastor Vyacheslav Kim under Administrative Code Article 184-2: Illegal production, storage, or import into Uzbekistan with a purpose to distribute religious materials.

Thought of the Day:  Dream
Song of the Day:  Martin Solveig & Dragonette-Hello

Catching Z's

"Yes, sir, that is true, and I am grateful for all favors, I am sure, and anything that I could do to oblige you, or the lady, I should be proud and happy to do; but I can't give up my Sundays, sir, indeed I can't.  I read that God made man, and He made horses and all the other beasts, and as soon as He had made them, He made a day of rest, and bade that they all should rest one day in seven; and I think, and I am sure it is good for me; I am stronger and healthier altogether, now that I have a day of rest; the horses are fresh too, and do not wear up nearly so fast  The six-day drivers all tell me the same, and I have laid by more money in the Savings Bank than I ever did before; and as for the wife and children, sir-why, heart alive! they would not go back to the seven days for all they could see."
-Jerry Barker from Black Beauty


As I'm getting older, I'm realizing just how valuable and necessary sleep is for the mind, body, and soul.  If you miss one good night's sleep, the rest of your week kinda snowballs into an imbalanced usage of energy and efficiency.  A lack of sleep messes with your emotions and concentration whether you're at work or home.  It screws up your appetite, metabolism, and exercise.  Routines are out of whack along with future sleep that tends to spiral down into ugly cycles.  I'm a pretty big fan of food, but I'm beginning to see a growing value in sleep these days.

I can easily see how good rest for the body and mind often brings good rest for the soul as well.  I always try to "start my Sabbath" on Saturday night instead of waking up really tired on a Sunday morning.  More often than not, these "early Sabbaths" help me to have a much more enjoyable day of rest that God has given to His people.  And when His people rest on His day, I believe we can be stronger, healthier, and happier people during the week.  So get yo rest!

Thought of the Day:  HIV and TPBE Tests
Song of the Day:  TaeTiSeo-Twinkle

코리아

I watched "Korea" with Michael yesterday since they're taking it out of theaters this week.  With Michael's love for ping pong and North Korea, we knew we had to watch it when we found a theater with English subtitles.  But more than the ping pong, the heart of the movie was about a unified Korea.  I never knew it was based on true events.

Although 하지원 was the main actress of the movie, I personally liked 배두나's acting more.

My student calls her the Frog-eyed Girl.  Haha.

I'm sure you can guess which event I'm anticipating the most for this year's Olympics.  I love the Olympics in Korea!

Thought of the Day:  Cover Letter
Song of the Day:  DJ Babyboi-April Tears [Piano Solo for DJ HHH]

Uncle Drew

Thought of the Day:  코리아
Song of the Day:  Juniel-바보

This week's persecuted church: Myanmar

Fighting between government troops and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) in northern Kachin state has forced dozens of civilians to take shelter at a Baptist church in Sumprabum, located about 80 miles north of Myitkyina.

At least 40 people from Mai Htawng village arrived at the church yesterday and it is expected that more will come over the next few days, according to church volunteers. Church officials also say they cannot continue to support the displaced people unless they get more aid.

More fighting is also said to be taking place in two other nearby villages, Hka Garan Yang and Sumpyi Yang.

Thought of the Day:  Wedding Dress
Song of the Day:  IU-너랑 나

This week's persecuted church: Egypt

"The television and film are also inundated with Islamic propaganda. In the schools, the boys and girls start their day with Islamic teaching. It starts when the students are outside they are again inundated by Islamic propaganda; it is called Khutbah. When there is a transition from one teacher to the next the same ritual is again repeated.

In terms of employment when one is looking for work particularly in the public sector, you are asked for your name, which is normal, but in Egypt, you are asked your name; this is the system, and through your name particularly in Egypt your name, your father’s name and your grandfather’s name and if there is no mention of Mohammed in your series of names then you are known to be a Christian .. You will know that you have been classified and it could be a reason for a refusal of a job and things like that.

You also find discrimination in the university. A Christian cannot be a gynecologist, or teach Arabic, because their reasoning is that being Christian, how can one teach Arabic when it is based on the Koran and how can you teach the Koran if one is not a Muslim.”
-Father Samir

Thought of the Day:  Evites
Song of the Day:  Humming Urban Stereo-Hawaiian Couple

Bibliomaniac

I got The Lost Hero during the winter and finished the 550+ pages to give to my student for Children's Day and also to use it for our next reading material.  I figured the book was long enough for him to read for a while so that I would have about two weeks off of preparing new reading material.

He finished it in three days.  He liked it so much that he asked his mom to buy the next book too, which is 500+ pages.  He finished that one in two days.

I'm not even proud of my student.

I'm behind in my reading.  =(


I hope I can get this public school job.

Thought of the Day:  Interview
Song of the Day:  Yozoh-My Name Is Yozoh

This week's persecuted church: Nigeria

At the same time the attack on the Catholics was taking place, other members of the sect attacked the Chapel of Victory Protestant church service, meeting outdoors near the Faculty of Medicine. Professor Julius Falola, who was preaching when the Islamists arrived, recounted a horrific scene similar to that described by Professor Olofin. Explosions and gunshots were followed by fleeing church members who provided easy targets for Boko Haram killers.Falola said that some of the Christians “jumped over the fence while others ran deeper into the campus.” Falola hid in the university clinic. Falola and Olofin, as well as other witnesses, said that the police did not arrive until 10 AM. “The shooting went on for 45 minutes,” said Falola.

Boko Haram topped off their killing spree later that night, by opening fire on the Church of Christ in Nigeria parish in Jere. Because of a state of emergency in the town, worshippers had foregone meeting in the morning in favor of what they assumed would be an unnoticed and therefore less dangerous evening worship. Halfway through the service, witnesses reported that the Islamists came “in their trademark car, Volkswagen Golf, dressed in flowing gowns.” After “their routine shout of ‘Allah akbar,’ they . . .  headed straight for the altar” where they shot and killed the pastor, Reverend Albert Naga. Four others died from the attack, as well.

Thought of the Day:  Costco
Song of the Day:  Taetiseo-Twinkle

공포

One of my students is fascinated by American horror movies, so lately I've been educating him on Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street series.  Today, he asked a lot of questions about The Texas Chainsaw Massacre:

Student:  So is the Keychain really dangerous?

Me:  You mean Chainsaw?

Sometimes, I can't believe I get paid to do stuff like this.  Only sometimes.

It's freaking hot.

Thought of the Day:  Lesson Plan
Song of the Day:  HAHA-너는 내 운명

This week's persecuted church: Bangladesh

His journey towards conversion began abroad, far from Bangladesh. It led him first to baptism in the Presbyterian Church. After that, he fell in love with a Catholic woman, married her and then converted to her faith. Once they were back in Bangladesh, Vincent and his wife were welcomed by threats and violence. Members of his community beat him almost to death.

After almost two months in hospital, Vincent is back home. But the same Muslims who followed him and held him in high esteem when he was their imam now cannot accept his new "status".

Beating is also not enough. Other forms of violence can be used. Both husband and wife have been ostracised, forced to move from home to home. Vincent eventually lost his job and now has to do odd jobs to survive.

Thought of the Day:  Lotte World
Song of the Day:  Small Talk

This week's persecuted church: Laos

A Lao student and six Thai Christians are still being jailed for participating in worship services in Luang Namtha district of Luang Namtha province. On March 24, 2012, Lao police went to Tribal School in Phonsawang village and arrested a Lao student, known by his first name as Ala, for religious involvement. The police authorities also arrested six Thai Chrisitans who visited Ala. It has been 25 days that Thai Christians, known by their first names as Ayo, Sanon, Tawit, Taweesak, Sarlapong, and Piloo, hve been waiting in prison in order to be charged formally. Later today (April 17, local time), Lao officials are expected to informally charge Thai Christians and also to inform those charges to the Lao Christian leaders in Luang Namtha province.

Thought of the Day:  Curtains
Song of the Day:  Amazing Grace

Finding Neverland

Last week, I had to read The Wizard of Oz.  This week, I had to read Peter Pan.  Although there were many obvious similarities with their movie versions, the books had all kinds of details that the movies left out.  There is a lot more violence.  Both Dorothy and Peter are supposed to be significantly younger.  The antagonists are much more evil.  But through it all, I really hated how I couldn't get the movie versions out of my head while reading the stories.

One thing that surprised me though about Peter Pan was how sad and profound the story was.  The lost boys long for a motherly figure which would eventually become Wendy.  Wendy and Tinker Bell long for Peter's love.  Self-centered Peter longs for his own mother that he can't remember yet refuses to give in to a life of maturity and responsibility.  The mature and responsible characters of the book, Mr. and Mrs. Darling, long for their children to come back home.  Even the evil Hook longs to put an end to Peter's cockiness.  Everyone is longing for something...

But no one seems to be able to find a solution to their heart's desire.  Even Neverland doesn't suffice Peter who continues to come back to Wendy's bedroom over the generations.  I felt a lingering melancholy while reading this book intended for children.  There was no resolution.  The ending was not a happy one.

But as Keller points out in his sermon series on Esther, none of the characters are longing for the wrong things.  They're all desiring good things but looking for them in the wrong places.  There is nothing wrong with seeking things like acceptance, comfort, beauty, and honor.  But there is something horribly wrong when we seek these things outside of Christ.

Peter Pan, you need Jesus just like the rest of us.

Thought of the Day:  Friday
Song of the Day:  Norah Jones-Don't Know Why

This week's persecuted church: India

On Easter Sunday in Chamrajnagar (Karnataka), police went to the home of Rev Rajesh, 27, a pastor in the Indian Pentecostal Church of God (IPC) who had just finished a prayer service. They asked him under what authority he conducted the service at his home. Then, they insulted and eventually ordered him to vacate his home.

Later that day, Rev Rajesh and five other pastors went to the local police station to file a complaint about the incident. As they were briefing the attending officer, about 100 activists from the Bajrang Dal stormed the station and attacked the clergymen and a parishioner. The latter, named Babu, was wounded to the head and needed 24 sutures. Police present at the scene stood idly by.

Thought of the Day:  Suit
Song of the Day:  The Beach Boys-Barbara Ann

Original American english teacher

My student, John, and I share the same birthday.  Last week, I gave him Naruto comic book #54 and a monkey key chain for his birthday.  Although he didn't "pre pare" my present, I have a strong feeling it wouldn't have beat receiving this letter.  I wish you guys could see the cut up envelope he stapled and stickered up with Angry Birds.

He has a fascination with American names.  Why are there middle names?  How can 'Henry' be a last name too?  Is Nicholas the real name or is it Nick?  He loves the name 'Hiccup' like from How to Train Your Dragon.  He wishes his name was Dink.  Haha. Not Dinko.  He can't get enough of hearing me say the name Sheba.  He isn't the best English student I've ever had in my life, but he's up there on my good list.  Thanks, John.  I hope to see your english wings soar!

Thought of the Day:  Running
Song of the Day:  FF 8-Fisherman's Horizon

This week's persecuted church: Syria

Islamist attacks against Syria’s Christian community, including kidnappings and murder, have occurred almost from the onset of the popular uprising against the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad which began in March 2011.

These murders, which have killed over 100 Christians, include the hanging of a 28-year-old man; a 40 year-old father of two shot dead; two young men killed while waiting in line at a bakery; and a 37-year-old father with a pregnant wife, his body cut into pieces and thrown in a river.

Most recently, a car bombing targeted the Christian district in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, killing three and wounding 30.

Thought of the Day:  Dress & Tux
Song of the Day:  He Leadeth Me, O Blessed Thought

It's My Party

Me:  So what are you doing tomorrow?
Student:  Nothing.  Just studying.
Me:  But it's your birthday!
Student:  What are you doing?
Me:  Working.
Student:  But it's your birthday!
Me:  What about you?!
Student:  I'm a student, so I have to study.  But you're an adult.  You should meet your girlfriend and friends.
Me:  I'm an adult, so I have to work.  You're a student, so you should play!
Student:  But it's your birthday!

I know.

Thought of the Day:  I can cry if I want to.
Song of the Day:  2NE1-Scream

This week's persecuted church: India

A young woman was thrown out of her home this month for daring to give thanks for healing in Christ’s name in a predominantly Muslim village in India’s West Bengal state, and then her parents helped Islamic extremists to beat her nearly unconscious.

The attack on Rekha Khatoon, 22, took place on March 9 in Nutangram, Murshidabad.

“I boldly told those who beat me up that I may leave my parents, but that I will not leave Jesus,” Khatoon said. “Jesus has healed me, and I cannot forget Him.”

Thought of the Day:  수지
Song of the Day:  Eagles-Hotel California

This week's persecuted church: Laos

The first story concerns a man named Khamla, the only Christian in a village in the district of Viengphuka, Luang Namtha province. He is a recent convert, after being cured of a long illness through the fervent prayers recited every day by a friend in a neighboring district. The authorities have repeatedly ordered him to abandon the Christian faith. At his refusal, on 2 March officers faced him with a choice: leave his home and the village, or renounce his faith. This is because, said some witnesses, "the authorities want to keep Christianity away from Viengphuka". At the moment there is no information about his fate because of strict censorship on the issue. 

Thought of the Day: Rings
Song of the Day: Ewan McGregor & Alessandro Safina-Your Song

KONY 2012

I finally saw the Kony video that my brother sent me.  I saw Invisible Children a while back but was surprised to see that it was connected to this 2012 cause.  If you haven't seen it yet,
KONY 2012 from INVISIBLE CHILDREN on Vimeo.
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Thought of the Day:  표현
Song of the Day:  Wu-Tang Clan-Clan In Da Front

This week's persecuted church: Iran

Media sources from Iran warn that the number of arrested Christians in Iran is on the rise in various cities.

HRA News reports that the arrested, are mostly new Christians who have converted from Islam.

In the city of Esfahan, two women, Shahnaz Zarifi and Maryam Del Aram and a man, Shahram Ghaedi have been arrested.  Reports say that Mr. Ghaedi’s home was searched during the raid and a number of items were taken by the Iranian security forces.

Mr. Ghaedi is a member of the St. Pauls church in Esfahan and a theatrical artist.  He has repeatedly played the role of Jesus in various Iranian theaters.   Those familiar with him and his family say that his whereabouts are currently unknown.

Maryam Del Aram, 56, was also taken from her home on the same day.  Iranian security police searched her home at the time of arrested and took a number of items including her bible with them.  It is said that Mrs. Del Aram suffers from severe illness and is currently deprived of her medication by Iranian regime forces. Multiple attempts by her daughter to give her the medicine in prison has failed.

Shahnaz Zarifi, is a new Christian who converted from Islam and has two children.  She was arrested last week.

Thought of the Day:  Housing!
Song of the Day:  브로콜리 너마저-말

Mess

"You know some of us for whatever reason sometimes think that the only places Jesus is prepared to be are those places that are in perfect order. But the places where Jesus does his best and his deepest work are usually a mess because he loves to transform the mess of our lives when we admit it to him. When it comes out into the open, he loves to transform the mess of our lives into something gloriously, orderly, and purposeful for his honor."
-Sinclair Ferguson

Thought of the Day:  Snakes
Song of the Day:  Ben E. King-Stand By Me

This week's persecuted church: Syria

Syrian dictator Bashar Assad's security forces last week killed Husam al Murra, a Syrian Christian who had joined the Syrian Free Army, which is fighting to topple the regime in Damascus.In recent weeks, several other Christian men have been shot and killed in different parts of the country.

In recent weeks, several other Christian men have been shot and killed in different parts of the country. One of the victims was a priest from the city of Hama, who was killed while trying to provide humanitarian and medical aid to people injured by Syrian army gunfire.

According to a Christian lawyer in Damascus, Assad's security forces have also begun targeting churches, monasteries and schools under the pretext that they were being used as hideouts for "armed gangs."

Many Christians have stopped going to Church on Sundays, and some Christian schools have been forced to shut down out of fear of being targeted by Assad loyalists.

Thought of the Day:  Awesome 집
Song of the Day:  When I Survey the Wondrous Cross

BA-NA-NA

Thought of the Day:  샤브샤브
Song of the Day:  Despicable Me 2 Trailer

This week's persecuted church: Nigeria

Police discovered the body of a 79-year-old Christian woman killed in northeast Nigeria, with a note in Arabic left on her chest reading: "We will get you soon," a witness said Thursday.

Her killers slit the woman's throat, then wrote a note with red pen they left on her chest, witness Audu Ibrahim said. Ibrahim said the woman's family believes the message is for her son, who is a pastor of a local church where the 79-year-old sang in the choir.

Thought of the Day:  LH
Song of the Day:  Panic-내 낡은 서랍 속의 바다

This week's persecuted church: Eritrea

A friend of Ruta’s sister, Zula, likewise attracted attention because of her ‘strange’ behaviour – she had refused to drink and dance at a military camp party. When asked about this, she admitted that she was a “Pente” and was immediately taken to prison.

Zula and Yonas were offered the chance to sign a statement, Ruta says, promising to abstain from practising their faith as a condition for release.

Both declined. Whereas Yonas spent two years in prison and returned to the army, Zula remains in custody.

“Until now, five years later, while my sister has been studying and has achieved so many things, Zula is still in prison because she decided to follow Jesus,” Ruta says.

According to USCIRF’s Annual Report 2011, there are between 2,000 and 3,000 people being held hostage by the authorities on religious grounds. Prisoners face horrendous conditions, such as being kept in airless metal containers in the desert heat or herded like animals in underground cells without toilet facilities.

Many contract diseases due to the lack of hygiene, while others die from starvation and hunger. The ones who do survive are tortured on a daily basis.

“It is physical but most of all mental punishment”, Ruta says. “There are so many things they do to the prisoners.”

She explains that prisoners are forced to do “ridiculous things”, like counting the grains of sand in the burning sun in the middle of the desert. The heat and the humiliating work makes some of them “lose it”.

For her there are only two options: “Either you come out stronger or you get crazy.”

Yonas’ experience has strengthened his faith and he told Ruta that the more they punished him, the more he loved God.

Thought of the Day:  Dominoes
Song of the Day:  BoA-Eat You Up

Dejuj Kries

Student:  Teacher, what is Dejuj Kries?
Me:  Where did you hear that?
Student:  My teacher she always said, "Believe in Dejuj Kries!"

So apparently, my student had a substitute teacher who always taught about Jesus in his computer and math class.  She ended up getting fired because she wasn't really teaching what she was supposed to be teaching.  A clear breach in state and church.  But what was interesting was how upset my atheistic student was with these "strong believers" of Christianity.  He began to tell me about another negative experience he had with a woman who was evangelizing to him on the street and saying that he would suffer painfully in hell for not believing in God.  My student is just entering 6th grade.  As you can imagine, he has a pretty bad image of evangelistic Christians.

Brennan Manning said that "the greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians..."  I remember hearing that for the first time in middle school and being surprised by such a profound idea and statement.  But through the years of being surrounded by both Christians and non-Christians, the surprise has only been replaced by sadness.  When people ask me questions about the Bible, my answers are inadequate and poor.  When people view my life, it is inconsistent with what I profess to believe.  When people see my Christian brothers and sisters, they don't see a community of believers.  I'm sad because I know that I too am a cause of atheism in the world today.

But thank goodness that God is greater than my failures and even the poor preaching and presentation of Dejuj Kries.

Thought of the Day:  STOP NORTH KOREAN REFUGEE EXECUTION!
Song of the Day:  Taru-Summer Day

The Jeremy Lin Show

My my my.

This week's persecuted church: Saudi Arabia

A Christian leader from Saudi Arabia explained: “The Saudi officials are accusing the Christians of committing the crime of mixing of sexes because if they charge them with meeting for practicing Christianity, they will come under pressure from the international human-rights organizations as well as Western countries. In fact, when an employer of one of the detainees asked for the reason for their employee’s arrest, the Saudi official told him that it was for practicing Christianity.”

Saudi officials strip-searched all the women and subjected them to an abusive body-cavity search, and assaulted the men. In a remarkable prison interview with the Voice of America’s Amharic-language service, one of the women, who contracted an infection from the search, attested: “We are traumatized by the strip search. They treated us like dogs because of our Christian faith. While talking about me during a recent visit to the prison medical center, I overheard a nurse telling a doctor ‘if she dies, we will put her in a trash bin.’”

Thought of the Day:  Resource Conflict
Song of the Day:  Humming Urban Stereo-넌 그날 (Gros Câlin Mix)

This week's persecuted church: India

Hindu extremists barged into a prayer meeting led by a pastor and beat him and stripped him naked.  They shouted at the Christians in coarse language as they started beating and kicking the pastor before parading the naked pastor in a procession throughout the village.  At about midnight they tied the pastor to a tree near a temple and sent for police.  The police took him into custody for questioning, was charged and locked up, but was later released the same night.

Thought of the Day:  Wedding Fairs
Song of the Day:  SNSD-Mr. Taxi

This week's persecuted church: Nigeria

The Nigerian Islamist sect Boko Haram has killed at least 935 people since it launched an uprising in 2009, including more than 250 in the first weeks of this year.

The report said 550 people were killed in 115 separate attacks by Boko Haram last year, mostly in the far northeastern state of Borno, where the sect was founded in 2002.

Boko Haram has moved from drive-by shootings and petrol bombs to suicide attacks using large and increasingly sophisticated explosives. A suicide car bomb last year killed 25 people at the United Nations headquarters in the capital Abuja.

Thought of the Day:  Antarctica
Song of the Day:  Just As I Am, Without One Plea

This week's persecuted church: Uganda

A Pentecostal preacher who has converted thousands of Muslims to Christianity was disfigured when men shouting “God is great” in Arabic threw acid in his face in a Christmas Eve attack that has stoked religious tensions here.

Mr. Mulinde, a 38-year-old father of six, described the attacker who threw acid onto his face as a man pretending to be a Christian. The attacker approached Mr. Mulinde after the Christmas Eve service at his Gospel Life Church International, about 10 miles outside of Kampala.

“I heard him say in a loud voice, ‘Pastor, pastor,’ and as I made a turn and looked at him, he poured the liquid onto my face,” Mr. Mulinde said.

Mr. Mulinde said the man fled, shouting, “Allah akbar,” or “God is great.”

The attack disfigured the right side of his face and left him blind in his right eye.

Thought of the Day:  Luke Sermon Series
Song of the Day:  Etta James-At Last

This week's persecuted church: China

The brothers and sisters of Shouwang had no choice but to continue meeting outdoors on Jan 1st, 2012. The worship time was 8:30 a.m., so we rushed to the plaza [that had been Shouwang’s designated outdoor worship site], but unfortunately, at 8 a.m., the police had already taken into custody all the brothers and sisters who were making their way to the plaza. The plaza [was now] totally empty, with only one person in a red coat with a camera standing alertly in an inconspicuous corner looking as though he was ready to pounce. He photographed everyone in the plaza who passed by him. Police had used green tarp to enclose the entire plaza and block off all access to it, and several police vehicles were parked next to the plaza, their drivers waiting for arrests. We took a few cell phone photos, then walked the long way around to the Xin Dong Fang building next to the plaza, hoping to find a way through the building to the plaza.

Many brothers and sisters were in tears, not only because they could not worship indoors, but because they saw the government’s unbending attitude, unwilling to give any ground at all and unwilling simply to sit down and talk, an attitude of not giving up until the death [of Shouwang]...Because of the Sunday restrictions, if Shouwang brothers and sisters want to go worship in the plaza, they have to stay away from their homes starting on Friday and spend the night elsewhere.

Thought of the Day:  Crazy Arcade
Song of the Day:  The Killers-Mr. Brightside

Millenium Falcon

Me:  Would you ever eat human meat?
Student:  No.
Me:  What if it was just a tiny piece?
Student:  How small?
Me:  Like a little 삼겹살 piece.
Student:  No.
Me:  What if it tasted really really good?
Student:  Only if you ate it first.
Me:  Then you would eat it?
Student:  No.  I would call the police.

Me:  What if I said I would give you a Millenium Falcon?
Student:  OK maybe.

Thought of the Day:  현백
Song of the Day:  T-ara-Lovey Dovey

This week's persecuted church: Eritrea

Thirteen Eritrean hostages who are being held in northern Sinai, close to the Israeli border, have issued a desperate appeal for international intervention after being informed that they would be sold to organ traffickers if an exorbitant ransom is not paid for them.

The hostages said, "We have been beaten, tortured, humiliated in the most atrocious fashion. We have now received an ultimatum from our persecutors: if our families do not pay US$33,000 per head within 24 hours, we will be sold to clandestine clinics that traffic in human organs. We are calling on the civilised countries, religious people who abhor these atrocities, the United Nations and the European Union not to abandon us. If we had been Europeans or Americans, would you have left us in this terrible condition? We are young men and women who have fled from a country that persecuted us.”

Thought of the Day:  1000만원
Song of the Day:  Celine Dion-To Love You More

Smiley Face

"I have a friend who's just because of the way his face is made, he looks as though he's never smiling, and I remember him saying..his grandmother said to him one day, 'You keep that look on your face and one day God will freeze it.'  I actually think that happens.  I mean some of us are facially put together in such a way that we seem to be constantly smiling.  That's so irritating, isn't it?  But you know, nobody with ordinary health is incapable of smiling.  And some people almost seem to make a point of not smiling...Sometimes when I look into this face that used to be a young boy, I think, 'Have I made this face by the way I've lived?"  You do, don't you? You make your face.  It kind of settles in. Whether it's physiological or whether it's just disposition it settles in. You never smile.  You never laugh.  You're a frowner."
-Sinclair Ferguson

Sometimes when I have conversation classes with some of my students, I like to ask them what they would change if there was one thing they could change about themselves.  Whenever I used to aim this question at myself, the first thing I usually thought of was physical appearance.  I had wished I would look more like this or less like that.  But I know that if I were to ask my parents what they could change about me, they would say something along the same lines of my answer.  They would wish that I smiled more.

Next year is 2013.  That's the year when my California driver's license expires.  Three months later, that's when my passport expires.  Three months after that, that's when my visa expires.  That's the year I turn 30 (Korean age).  I remember telling someone that I thought it was going to be a very special year with all of the mentioned coincidences lined up one after another.  I remember thinking so many of my questions would be answered by then.

2012 is here.  Most of my questions remain unanswered.  When questions remain unanswered, it's hard to smile.  It's hard to laugh.  It's easy to be a frowner.  But I am hopeful.  I am hopeful because God gives me reasons to smile even when my questions become even bigger, more difficult questions.  I am hopeful because our mistakes and accidents are not coincidences, and our successes and joys are planned to the very last detail.  I am hopeful because even when you don't see me smile, God is turning me into someone who will never frown ever again.  But till then, I'll try to smile more.  =D

Thought of the Day:  Do you know the Muffinman?
Song of the Day:  Park Bom-You And I