3 arrest, 2 weddings, and a musical....

Just kidding guys (well about the arrest and weddings at least)! Today we went to pass out flyers about the musical to people around town at a park, a local university, and the mall. We didn't really get the response we expected but that is a different story. While at the university, we passed a group of traditional Korean dancers and they did a performance for us. It was so cool! After passing out flyers for a little bit we went to the local seminary where they are in the process of making a museum of the first Christians in the city who ca,e over in the late 1800/ early 1900's. It was really cool to see some pictures of the first missionaries in the city and also some pretty cool stuff (100 year old organ and piano, and some old pews Used in the 1st church here). After that we went on a mini hike to go see the cemetery where those first missonaries are buried. One of the signs at the cemetery had the verse Philippians 1:21 on it "For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." How awesome is that? We then had a little down time before the musical so we spent some time at the church playing some games with a few students from the youth group. After the musical tonight, the church had a reception for a going awa party and also for the musical being a success. Kinda sad that we only have one more day. Tomorrow we will be going out to doing a little hands on work. We will be painting/ construction work at some elders houses and an orphange (I think). After that, we have the rest of the night to spend with our home stay families. Emily and myself will be enjoying Korean pizza and The Dark Knight Rises!! I am so excited!!! Well, we have a long day tomorrow so we are going to get some rest! Please be praying that the people we come in contain with will be blessed by our work and that we would be blessed by them! Thanks guys! Love y'all! Liza

The last 2 days have been awesome. All day yesterday the Korean students would come up to us and ask for pictures. We all felt like celebrities! We spent time with the students and got to do a bible study with them. At worship last night, our group sang a song for them, had 3 members give their testimony, had one member preach, and had another do a dance. It was so good! Then we had a Q&A session with the students. They asked us questions like what we do in our free time and what our school is like in America. We finished out the night with a group activity with the students and they made posters for us with pictures from Monday and Tuesday morning and they gave them to us. When we got back to our rooms to get ready for bed we had 3 trays of fried chicken and fries brought to us! It was delicious! Also while we were doing the group activities they had snacks out for us and one of them was corn on the cob! I was a little confused to eat that for a snack but I ate some for you Jana...only thing missing was some butter! I was kinda sad to leave the retreat today, so I can only image what it will be like on Friday night for our last night with our home stay family. They have been too generous to us! We finished up the youth retreat this afternoon, went to a few places in the city, saw a beautiful view of the city from the mountain, and got to eat American food!!!! Haha. We found a TGI Fridays...or as Mr. Dale calls it TGIF Fridays. We had a great time together and got to go "downtown" in the city. Then we came back to the church for Wednesday night worship with the whole church. Please be praying for us, as well as the students of the church,tonight and tomorrow. The students of the church have prepared a musical and they are performing it tomorrow night for all of us and the church so pray that God will be glorified through it and that we will be blessed by it. Thank you so much for all of your prayers so far! Love y'all! Liza

As the week goes on...

Tuesday, July 24,2012 Koreans live a lot differently than we do and it has been so interesting and such a blessing to experience a different culture. They worship God with a fire I've never seen before. Even though I can't understand their language, just watching them praise the Lord the way they do is inspiring. We worship a lot differently than they do, but there is no wrong or right way if God is being glorified. We had a service this morning where Pastor Kim preached on how to be a King of God's kingdom. After the sermon we had lunch in the cafeteria (some kindof beef stew w/o the beef) and around 2 o'clock our group will lead bible studies with the youth. I pray that God will work through us to get across a clear message to our Korean friends. Tonight my dad and I will give our testimonies and I know the Lord will give us the words to say, he never fails us. I hope the rest of the week continues to be a blessing as these first few days have been! Chandler Arnold

The Great Commission

We have made it to the retreat center for our time with the youth. We had an amazing time worshiping with the church yesterday. One of the best parts was singing American hymns while the Korean members of the church were singing it in Korean. That is why we're here. Matthew 28:19 says, "Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father & the Son & the Holy Spirit." It was an amazing experience for us to witness the worship yesterday morning. Mr. Philip did an awesome job speaking as well. The church had a day full of events for us. After the morning service we had a traditional Korean lunch and then a small service with their youth and young adults. We then had a dinner at the church. I asked someone and they said that they usually eat lunch and dinner at the church every Sunday! And I'm pretty sure the same ladies make every meal. At the night service 2 of the youth from Madison gave their testimony in front of the whole church (it was translated into korean so they would understand of course) and our whole group sang "Mighty to Save" for the church. So far it has been so much fun. Over the next 3 days we will be staying at a retreat center where we are hanging out with the youth and college students of the church. Please be praying that God would speak through us, as well as the speakers for this retreat and the God would be given all the glory for anything that happens at over these next 2 days. Thank you all for your prayer and support! Hope to blog again sometime soon! Liza

It's FLY DAY, FLY DAY gotta get down on FLY DAY...

After over 24 of traveling, we have finally made it to South Korea!!! And Emily and myself survived our first flying experience....and we got our wings! If you were to ask me yesterday after our first flight how much I enjoyed it, I would have told you I loved it! But after our first flight (which was only an hour and a half), we had a 13 hour flight...but it was all worth it! I can't believe I am writing this from South Korea right now! How awesome is that? When we arrived in Seoul yesterday afternoon, we were greeted by the youth pastor, a deacon, and 2 other members of the church for our 4 hour drive to Kwangju. Once we got to the church we were showered with gifts and a lot of the members of the church were there to meet us and were so excited to meet us. Me and Emily are staying with a family from the church and they have already been too kind to us. We are attending the church service today where our own Philip Vestal will be preaching for the morning and evening services. Tomorrow morning we are leaving to go to a conference center to spend time with their youth. Please continue to pray for us as we spend time with their youth and that God would use us to make an impact with this youth group and that this group would make an impact on us. Thank you for all of your prayers already! Hopefully I'll get to put up another blog soon! Love y'all! "And you are helping us by praying for us. Then many people will give thanks because God has graciously answered so many prayers for our safety." -2 Corinthians 1:11 Liza

9 days...

9 days until I take my first flight, 9 days until my first international mission trip, and 9 days until I have a lot of other first! It is hard to believe that just 9 months ago I was approached by my preacher from my home church, Mr. Philip, about this trip. Once I found out about the trip, I spent the whole next week praying if this was where I was being called. I remember the following Friday I called Mr. Philip back and just started crying (and believe me this was NOT the last time I would cry about this trip) when I told him I wanted to go to South Korea. And now here I am! I have felt everything from nervous to excited & unqualified to blessed. It is amazing how truly blessed I am with an awesome family- I wouldn't be the person I am today without each and every one of you, amazing friends-who have encouraged me through the last 9 months while I have prepared for this trip, an extremely supportive church family- who has supported each one of the teammates, and finally a loving and awesome GOD- who continues to amaze me with all He does for me on a daily bases. I can't thank everyone of yo who has supported me & the other members of my team financially or just through prayer. Please continue to pray for our team, which also includes 7 members from Madison Baptist, 1 person from Pennsylvania, and 4 people from Texas, as we start our mission.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do and he will show you which path to take." - Proverbs 3:5-6

-Liza