37 days.
37 days from now, I will be moving to Bangkok. It's crazy to think about. It doesn't even seem real, which is perpetuated by the fact that I have never been there before. It's so abstract, so "out there," it's hard to imagine what life will be like once I move there. The other fact perpetuating the surreality of moving to Bangkok is the feeling that I'll only be gone for a few short months before coming home again. Thus far, the longest I've been away from home--that is, the Northwest--is seven months, which was a tough length of time to be gone. This time, it will be even longer, and I will be gone for two years. Woah.
Home is an interesting thing for me. For the most part, I always enjoy coming home and seeing everyone again. I enjoy seeing familiar places, familiar faces, and having some kind of retreat from the craziness of life. For the past four years, home has meant being on some sort of break, typically before or after a job or between semesters. However, this time around--this summer, I mean--it has been different. Home, the place where my parents and brother live, became my "home home" again. Sure, in a way, I have been on a very extended break, between school and my future job. It's felt different though. Not only did I have to adjust to living at home again, but my family had to adjust to it as well. To be honest, there were growing pains the first couple of weeks I was home this summer. What does it look like to be 22 years old, your parent's child yet legally independent while at the same time living in their house again? It's a bizarre transition, one no one can really be prepared for. I'm thankful for the grace my mom extended towards me as we both figured it out together.
Then again, moving back in with my parents and brother has only been temporary. As much as I felt like I was moving back home, I felt like I wasn't; numerous trips throughout the summer perpetuated this feeling. The longest I have been home this summer was for five straight weeks, which was also the first time I came home after graduating. It was tough. Aside from the familial-interpersonal adjustments, it was difficult on a personal level. Home represents different things for different people. For me, it represents the past, for better or worse, with all of its joyful memories as well as its difficult ones. My family lives in the same house I lived in when I was in high school, which carries with it memories of birthday parties, prom celebrations, and random hangs with friends as well as memories of my dad's passing and family struggles, to name a few. I'm all about going back to those places, particularly the difficult ones, and working through past hurts and traumas. On the other hand, sometimes we need to move on; going to familiar places can lose its benefit and become nothing more than reopening an old wound that has completely scarred over. Only when we leave those places for good do we find true healing. I'm not accusing anyone of anything; my family's situation was such that the best option was to move back into our old house, and surely no one meant anything malicious by making that decision. Home means different things for different people.
I share all of this with you to be transparent. This summer has had many joys, opportunities and memories I wouldn't trade for anything. I'm not trying to downplay those things. But this summer has also had its difficulties: ruts, anguish, and fear included. Life has its ups and downs and there's no way around that. The only thing we are in control of is how we react to it. I'll be the first to admit that frequently this summer I have let ingratitude, a bad attitude, and pride get in the way of my own growth that could have come out of the hardships. I still believe that growth has happened, but the process has been a lot slower than it needed to be had I changed my perspective.
However these next 37 days turn out, I know God's grace will be over them. That is to say, however, that that is not an adequate excuse to do whatever I want (or to do nothing at all) and let these 37 days pass by without trying to make the most of them, loving boldly and living fearlessly. When I get on that plane to Bangkok, I want to have no regrets. It's not that I want to remember a summer without any hardships or mistakes--rather, I want to remember a summer where I was as intentional as possible with everyone around me, with the time I had, and with all I had been given.
Today's a new day, and today, I choose joy.
Saturday, August 29, 2015
Sunday, February 15, 2015
Let Us Not Grow Weary
"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up" (Galatians 6:9, ESV, emphasis mine).This verse has been weighing heavily on my heart lately. Subconsciously, it's been there for the last couple of years. Consciously, it came up during my cohort meeting for H.I.S.years (the mission program I got accepted into) last Tuesday. A day or two later I received in an email the "verse of the day" from Bible Gateway, per usual, and the verse that day was none other than Galatians 6:9. It's funny, I was trying to remember which verse talked about not growing weary. That was my thought when I received that email.
In my last post I talked about being stuck in the doldrums of life, feeling like I'd been in a rut for so long, a rut I'd been fighting on a regular basis. It's been a little over a month since then and I can't say much has changed. It's something I'm still fighting, which might be an effect of senioritis. My fellow soon-to-be-graduates know what I'm talking about.
Last Tuesday I began to deal with the onset of a sore throat, which progressed throughout the week and had me near dead by the end of it (okay, I might be exaggerating a little). We had Friday off of school, which I was extremely thankful for; it gave me an extra day to stay at home and get some much needed R&R (rest and recovery). It also forced me to stop. I canceled the plans I had made for both Friday and Saturday, which meant I spent most of those days at home, mostly by myself. This led to much reflection, which is part of the reason why I'm writing this post. To stop and reflect though, especially at this point in the semester, is something I've greatly needed. Our human tendency is to forget. We forget who we are, forget what we've been through, forget who God is, forget what He's done. We are in constant need of a reminder. If you need any proof, just look at the narrative of the Israelites' wilderness wanderings--they forgot all the time.
So who are we?
We are God's children, a chosen people, a priesthood, a light to the world. We have been saved by grace, we are forgiven, and we have been redeemed. We are constantly being sanctified, we have purpose, and ours lives are meant to mean something. They do mean something and they are valuable.
What have we been through?
Maybe it was our parents' divorce, maybe we moved around a lot as a kid. Maybe someone close to us passed away, or maybe we were in a serious relationship that ended in disaster. We've been through good things too, though. Great things, even. We've been blessed by the love of those around us, we've seen new parts of the world, we've been blessed with a new job or financial provision. Maybe we were able to go to college, buy a house, get married, or start a family (though less of us early 20-somethings have probably been through the latter three). Needless to say we've been through many hardships and faced many struggles, but we've seen many victories, too. We've seen some of the greatest joys that life has to offer.
Who is God?
He is the Creator of the cosmos and He is sovereign over all things. He is in control of everything. Sometimes He allows certain things to happen for reasons we do not and may not ever understand. He is love, He holds all wisdom, and He owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He provides for our every need and in Him we shall not want. He is faithful to the end. He is our strength, our joy, our everything.
What has God done?
He sent his son, Jesus Christ, to die for all so that all could have eternal life, not just in "the next life" but in the one we're living now. He has redeemed, provided, created, comforted, and much more. We could go on and on. More specifically, maybe he delivered you from an addiction. Maybe he comforted you when someone betrayed you, when a significant relationship ended, or when someone close to you passed away. Maybe he provided the finances you needed, whether for college, a car, or something else significant. Maybe he helped mend a relationship. Whatever it may be, He has been there.
We reflect on these things and in that find a much needed reminder. We're reminded that everything's going to be okay, that God is in control, and that whether we're going through the rocks or sailing on smooth seas, God will always be with us and continue to be faithful. We're not to sit around and be mere consumers, though. We're called to give, to take risks, to love others even when it is risky or when it hurts. We're called to live as Christ lived, glorifying God and surrendering our lives to His kingdom. We're not called to save the world though; after all, only Christ can carry the promise of the world's redemption. It doesn't mean that our work on this earth is meaningless; the work we do matters greatly: to God, to us, and to those we serve. But by not carrying that burden, the burden that the world is ours to save, we're left with incredible freedom. We can give, serve, and love freely because we believe and trust that all is in God's hands. Is it not? That hymn many of us learned in Sunday school had some great truth to it:
He's got the whole world in His hands.
It is in His hands that we entrust our lives, and with them the life of the world.
//
For a great read on this topic, check out the book "The World Is Not Ours to Save: Finding the Freedom to Do Good" by Tyler Wigg-Stevenson.
Tuesday, January 6, 2015
One more round.
It's January 6, 2015. I'm sitting at a coffeeshop back home, wondering about the next few months, wondering if all of this is even real. It's the year I graduate college and it seems pretty surreal. I'm not sure what I expected it to feel like, but it certainly doesn't feel like what I thought it would. It's a mixture of, "Is this really happening?!", excitement, and anticipation, all tainted with a small dose of fear and anxiety. What does the future hold? What does life look like beyond school? How will I support myself? How will I pay off my loans? And all those other "real life" things we college students on the cusp of "real adulthood" wonder about.
It's interesting looking back on these past four years. They have been filled with so much joy, adventure, new friends, and new things learned as well as much hardship, struggle, and maybe even some things I wish I could take back. Maybe it was something I said, something I did, something that doesn't really matter at all but something I worry too much about regardless. Years ago I made a commitment not to live by regrets; after all, there's nothing you can do about the past. However, it's easier said than done when you're reminded of your past and how broken you are. It's humbling, but it can also be condemning. It's the latter I've had to continually fight against, reminding myself that we all make mistakes, none of us are perfect, and as the saying goes, "smooth seas never make good sailors." I think I'll pocket that one.
It's a new year, a new semester, and change is upon us, the class of 2015. All we've ever known is school, a life measured by semesters and breaks. We're not entirely sure what's on "the other side," but whatever it is, we have to believe that it's good. We don't want to settle. Not for a life of complacency, a life of merely getting by, or a life of living by regrets. They say that life is what you make it, and as cliché as it is, it's a profound truth. Don't get me wrong, I'm all about living life to the fullest and finding and doing the very thing where your greatest passions and the world's greatest needs collide. However, sometimes life deals us a crappy hand. It might be unemployment, it might be the end of a relationship, it might be the loss of someone we love. Sometimes we're stuck in a rock and a hard place. Isn't that the illusion, though? That we're stuck? Sure, we may be stuck in a situation--we can't leave town, we have families or other responsibilities to take care of, we don't have enough money to do some thing or go on some trip like we've always wanted. It's our minds and our hearts, however, that don't have to be stuck. Life is what we make it.
I'm preaching to myself more than anyone. For so long I've felt stuck in the "doldrums" of being an upperclassmen, where I was over school one too many semesters ago and life has become a little too routine, a little too normal. Regardless of how I feel, feeling like I'm stuck, I won't give up. I will fight for adventure, fight for joy, fight for everything that's good in life and everything God intended it to be. That means striving to love everyone I come into contact with, to live a life of generosity and service, and to make life a lot less about me and a lot more about others. Everything I do I want to do for God and for others. [Yes, that does mean taking care of yourself, too! You can't take care of others if you're not taking care of yourself...]
A little over a month ago I found out I got accepted to a mission program at my school. Essentially, you commit to serving abroad for a minimum of two years and they cover your loan payments during that time. You still need to fundraise for the mission trip part, but your loans are covered while you're gone, which is huge. Emphasis on HUGE. I don't know where I'm going yet, but I'll be figuring it out over the next few weeks. We'll see where God takes me, clearly beyond anything I could've ever dreamed or imagined. He has been incredibly faithful over the 21+ years of life I've lived. He's been faithful during my four years in college and He will continue to be faithful. God is always faithful and I hope you know that. I mean, really know that.
Well, here goes one more round, one more semester. Here's to the joys, the adventures, the friends to be made (and the ones still there!), the things to be learned, and the struggles and hardships to come too.
It's interesting looking back on these past four years. They have been filled with so much joy, adventure, new friends, and new things learned as well as much hardship, struggle, and maybe even some things I wish I could take back. Maybe it was something I said, something I did, something that doesn't really matter at all but something I worry too much about regardless. Years ago I made a commitment not to live by regrets; after all, there's nothing you can do about the past. However, it's easier said than done when you're reminded of your past and how broken you are. It's humbling, but it can also be condemning. It's the latter I've had to continually fight against, reminding myself that we all make mistakes, none of us are perfect, and as the saying goes, "smooth seas never make good sailors." I think I'll pocket that one.
It's a new year, a new semester, and change is upon us, the class of 2015. All we've ever known is school, a life measured by semesters and breaks. We're not entirely sure what's on "the other side," but whatever it is, we have to believe that it's good. We don't want to settle. Not for a life of complacency, a life of merely getting by, or a life of living by regrets. They say that life is what you make it, and as cliché as it is, it's a profound truth. Don't get me wrong, I'm all about living life to the fullest and finding and doing the very thing where your greatest passions and the world's greatest needs collide. However, sometimes life deals us a crappy hand. It might be unemployment, it might be the end of a relationship, it might be the loss of someone we love. Sometimes we're stuck in a rock and a hard place. Isn't that the illusion, though? That we're stuck? Sure, we may be stuck in a situation--we can't leave town, we have families or other responsibilities to take care of, we don't have enough money to do some thing or go on some trip like we've always wanted. It's our minds and our hearts, however, that don't have to be stuck. Life is what we make it.
I'm preaching to myself more than anyone. For so long I've felt stuck in the "doldrums" of being an upperclassmen, where I was over school one too many semesters ago and life has become a little too routine, a little too normal. Regardless of how I feel, feeling like I'm stuck, I won't give up. I will fight for adventure, fight for joy, fight for everything that's good in life and everything God intended it to be. That means striving to love everyone I come into contact with, to live a life of generosity and service, and to make life a lot less about me and a lot more about others. Everything I do I want to do for God and for others. [Yes, that does mean taking care of yourself, too! You can't take care of others if you're not taking care of yourself...]
A little over a month ago I found out I got accepted to a mission program at my school. Essentially, you commit to serving abroad for a minimum of two years and they cover your loan payments during that time. You still need to fundraise for the mission trip part, but your loans are covered while you're gone, which is huge. Emphasis on HUGE. I don't know where I'm going yet, but I'll be figuring it out over the next few weeks. We'll see where God takes me, clearly beyond anything I could've ever dreamed or imagined. He has been incredibly faithful over the 21+ years of life I've lived. He's been faithful during my four years in college and He will continue to be faithful. God is always faithful and I hope you know that. I mean, really know that.
Well, here goes one more round, one more semester. Here's to the joys, the adventures, the friends to be made (and the ones still there!), the things to be learned, and the struggles and hardships to come too.
Saturday, November 1, 2014
Decisions & God's Will.
Obviously I haven't blogged for a while. The last time I wrote was when I was in Israel, just after a two-week study tour of the Holy Land. I recapped the second week of the tour and the beginning of the dig, and although I didn't recap the first week of the tour I promised I'd do so later. I intend on keeping my word, but for now, it'll have to wait. The last few months have involved much contemplation, introspection, and figuring out how to bridge the gap between who I am now and who I want to be. It's an endeavor we should all pursue no matter where we find ourselves in life. I must admit though that it might be a little bit easier to do (or maybe it's more difficult) when you're in your senior year of college, six months away from being thrust into the world of "real life" and "real adulthood."
The season I've been in for the past few months has been an interesting one. One of the biggest challenges I have faced has been decision making. Some of you may laugh at this, especially knowing how indecisive I can be--but it's a season that's been less than pleasant yet entirely necessary. It's been a season where I have had myriad opportunities before me, from the "little" things like getting involved at church to the "big" things like figuring out what I'm going to do after college. As I've prayed through, meditated on, and consulted others about the many decisions before me, God hasn't been giving me many answers. However, although there's been much silence, it's not a silence that says, "Continue to wait and seek My will," but rather a silence that says, "I don't care what you do. All of these things are in My will and it's up to you to decide which path you want to take."
I think God does that often. As crazy as it may sound, He actually trusts us. If you're as indecisive as I am, that's scary. How in the world can God trust me if I hardly trust me? And that's where we have to trust God as He trusts us. If we're seeking God and His will He will make Himself known in His time. His answer to our prayers may be "yes," "no," "not yet," or "I've got something better." However, there may be a fifth answer, an answer that says, "it's up to you." He invites us to participate with Him in His will, His purposes, and His kingdom.
This reminds me of Genesis 18, where Abraham intercedes for Sodom. According to the text, God intends to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah for their wickedness, yet Abraham intercedes on behalf of the few righteous that may be within the city. It's almost as if he changes God's mind. Let me stop and briefly address the theological issue we confront here. Who God is never changes. However, God's actions, what God does, may change. Does this mean that God Himself changes? Not at all. What God does is always consistent with who He is. In the case of Abraham, it is not that he is changing God; God is open to Abraham's petitions because He is in relationship with Abraham and that is what true, loving relationships are like. Both parties listen to each other and serve one another. It wouldn't be a true, loving relationship if God was not concerned with Abraham and his petitions. [As far as the notion of God destroying a city is concerned, I don't have time to unpack it here. I'll address it by saying that that narrative reflects Israel's history as they understood it and the theological beliefs Israel had about God. God was for them, for sure, but we must also read this text in light of the story of Christ and the overarching cause and purposes of God throughout history.]
God trusts us. His will isn't dependent upon us and what we do (or don't do), yet He desires and chooses to use us anyway. As we go through life, as we go through different seasons and phases of life, it's inevitable that we will have many decisions to make, some easy and simple and others difficult and complex. God's answers may vary, from "yes" to "no," from "not yet" to "I have something better." Yet there may be a fifth answer, one less talked about and perhaps much more difficult: "it's up to you. Either way you're in My will and I trust you regardless of the decision you make."
So, the question I leave you with is this: do you trust God?
The season I've been in for the past few months has been an interesting one. One of the biggest challenges I have faced has been decision making. Some of you may laugh at this, especially knowing how indecisive I can be--but it's a season that's been less than pleasant yet entirely necessary. It's been a season where I have had myriad opportunities before me, from the "little" things like getting involved at church to the "big" things like figuring out what I'm going to do after college. As I've prayed through, meditated on, and consulted others about the many decisions before me, God hasn't been giving me many answers. However, although there's been much silence, it's not a silence that says, "Continue to wait and seek My will," but rather a silence that says, "I don't care what you do. All of these things are in My will and it's up to you to decide which path you want to take."
I think God does that often. As crazy as it may sound, He actually trusts us. If you're as indecisive as I am, that's scary. How in the world can God trust me if I hardly trust me? And that's where we have to trust God as He trusts us. If we're seeking God and His will He will make Himself known in His time. His answer to our prayers may be "yes," "no," "not yet," or "I've got something better." However, there may be a fifth answer, an answer that says, "it's up to you." He invites us to participate with Him in His will, His purposes, and His kingdom.
This reminds me of Genesis 18, where Abraham intercedes for Sodom. According to the text, God intends to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah for their wickedness, yet Abraham intercedes on behalf of the few righteous that may be within the city. It's almost as if he changes God's mind. Let me stop and briefly address the theological issue we confront here. Who God is never changes. However, God's actions, what God does, may change. Does this mean that God Himself changes? Not at all. What God does is always consistent with who He is. In the case of Abraham, it is not that he is changing God; God is open to Abraham's petitions because He is in relationship with Abraham and that is what true, loving relationships are like. Both parties listen to each other and serve one another. It wouldn't be a true, loving relationship if God was not concerned with Abraham and his petitions. [As far as the notion of God destroying a city is concerned, I don't have time to unpack it here. I'll address it by saying that that narrative reflects Israel's history as they understood it and the theological beliefs Israel had about God. God was for them, for sure, but we must also read this text in light of the story of Christ and the overarching cause and purposes of God throughout history.]
God trusts us. His will isn't dependent upon us and what we do (or don't do), yet He desires and chooses to use us anyway. As we go through life, as we go through different seasons and phases of life, it's inevitable that we will have many decisions to make, some easy and simple and others difficult and complex. God's answers may vary, from "yes" to "no," from "not yet" to "I have something better." Yet there may be a fifth answer, one less talked about and perhaps much more difficult: "it's up to you. Either way you're in My will and I trust you regardless of the decision you make."
So, the question I leave you with is this: do you trust God?
Sunday, June 29, 2014
Israeli Halfway Over Already?!
It’s Sunday,
June 29th and my time in Israel is almost halfway over. On one hand,
I can’t believe it’s already halfway
over; on the other hand, I can’t believe it’s only halfway over. Having had a two-week study tour and almost a full
week of working at the dig site, it’s hard to comprehend all that’s happened in
the last few weeks.
As we wrapped up our final days in
Jerusalem we visited the Mount of Olives, the Pools of Bethesda (I was
commissioned to lead a cappella worship in the church there, which had amazing
acoustics!), the Via Dolorosa (the way that Catholic tradition holds Christ
carried his cross), and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (where tradition holds
Christ was crucified and buried). The last five days of the tour were spent in
the Galilee region; the hotel we stayed at was right on the southwestern shore
of the Sea of Galilee (fun fact: it’s actually a lake!). Sites we visited while
we were there included Caesarea (a major port city of Herod the Great), Mount
Carmel (where Elijah had the prophets of Baal killed in 1 Kings 17), Bet She’an
(the capitol city of the Decapolis mentioned in the New Testament), the Spring
of Harod (where God narrowed Gideon’s army down to 300 men based on how they
drank the water; cf. Judges 6:1-8:3), Nazareth (Jesus’ hometown), ancient
Migdal (where Mary Magdalene is from), the Mount of Beatitudes, and Capernaum.
We ended our second-to-last day with a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee; it was
definitely one of the highlights of the tour. On our last day we visited Bar’am
(the abandoned town where Elias Chacour, author of Blood Brothers, lived; I definitely recommend the read!), Tel Dan
(it has the largest spring in the Middle East), and our final site was ancient
Caesarea Philippi. We ended our time there by having communion together and
everyone received a certificate certifying them as a “Jerusalem Pilgrim.” It
was a great way to end the tour and an incredible two weeks that I will surely never
forget.
 |
| On a boat ride in the Sea (Lake) of Galilee |
As soon as the tour ended, the
archaeological dig began. The tour ended last Tuesday and the dig started on
Wednesday. I’m here on the dig for a total of four weeks, which is the entire
dig season this year. We are digging at Abel Beth Maacah, which has many
biblical references, the most prominent being 2 Samuel 20:13-22. If you’d like
to follow what we’re doing at the site as the season goes along, check out the
website here and/or like the site’s Facebook page here. We dig Monday
through Friday and have the weekends off…thankfully! Also, during the week we
dig from 5am-1pm, having the rest of the day off and avoiding the heat of the
day. They really take care of us and make sure we’re not too overworked—just
worked hard enough. ;)
 |
| My team and I at Area F, one of the three excavation sites on the tel |
All in all, I’ve had an incredible
time in Israel so far. From traveling the entire country to working at a dig
site, I’d say I’ve had a good variety of experiences here. Although I don’t
desire that my last few weeks go by quickly, I’m looking forward to going home
and being able to see how my time here has changed me. This trip isn’t just
about me but also God’s Kingdom and how my experiences can be used to benefit
others in someway. On the second day of the study tour we spent some quiet time
under some trees in the Wilderness of Zin. It was during that time of silence
and listening to God’s voice that I first considered furthering my education
and teaching Bible academically. I’m not sure what will come of that, or if it
was just from my own thoughts, but I know that seeds have been planted and God
is at work. It’s amazing what can happen when we take the time to “be still”
and listen to God’s voice; I feel like there’s so much God wants to say to us
that we don’t always hear because we’re so caught up in the busyness of life. God
wants so much for us!
Thanks again for your support as I’ve
been on this journey. I hope hearing about my experiences has encouraged or
benefitted you in some way, not because of who I am or anything I have said but
rather because of the power of the Spirit who is at work within you.
Many
blessings as your summer continues!
Gary
*I will blog about my first week on the study tour later. These last couple of days have been the first two days I've had free since before I left... I'll get to it soon though! :)
*I will blog about my first week on the study tour later. These last couple of days have been the first two days I've had free since before I left... I'll get to it soon though! :)
Sunday, June 8, 2014
Israel... the time has finally come!
If the subject of this email or the title above doesn't say it all, it looks like I'm finally headed to Israel tomorrow! It's always a strange thing, traveling. By the second and third trip you begin to feel less of the hype that you felt when you first went abroad. You're excited, no doubt, but until you've left, the place you're going to is nothing more than an abstract idea, a place you've only heard about in movies or the news or read about in books. Having grown up Christian, this trip is significantly different from any other I've been on. My life has been permeated by my faith in God, the God of the Bible; the man Jesus Christ who lived on this earth and died for our sins; and the story of God's people. The Bible has always been something I've only been able to imagine. Sure, I've seen pictures, read books, and studied the Bible, but it's an entirely different thing to be in the place where the biblical narrative took place. The Bible coming to life is one of many things I am excited for. I'm trying my best not to have any expectations, whether socially, experientially, or otherwise, about this trip. I want to be open to whatever may happen while I'm there.
I'll do my best to keep you all updated over the next six weeks while I'm there. During the first two weeks I will be on a study tour with 15 (or so) others, traveling all over Israel and visiting sites pertinent to the Bible (i.e. the Dead Sea and Jerusalem). After the study tour I will be on a four-week archaeological dig in northern Israel (Galilee area). If you'd like to know more about the site I'll be at, check out their website at http://www.abel-beth-maacah.org/. There's more than enough information to be found there, including past discoveries and the significance of this site. We will have a total of 65 people participating in the dig this season, whether for two weeks, three weeks, or the entire four. With that much help, we're going to be able to excavate much more of the site than we'd be able to otherwise!
Along with email updates, which I will try to keep brief--let me know if you'd like to be added to that list!--I will be updating this blog, which I have had for a couple years now and have used for life and other trip updates (for example, all blog posts from my time in South Africa can be found here). I'll also be updating Facebook, Instagram, and other things along the way, so if you happen to be following me on any other social media, stay tuned for updates there as well!
Again, I thank you all for your prayers and financial support as I've been on this journey. At Christmastime I didn't think I was going to be able to go to Israel due to finances. In January, the night before the application was due, I felt the conviction that God can provide and we shouldn't let finances be an excuse to not take opportunities that God has given us a heart for. Between February and April I was able to fundraise all needed funds, which also included my mission trip to Mexico in March and choir tour in South Korea last month. I am humbled to be given this opportunity and do not take it for granted. My only hope is that God uses me as He wills on this trip and that it would mold me into the man I need to be for God's Kingdom. So, I take back what I said before--I do have one expectation, and that's it.
Well, this is it! The next time you hear from me I'll finally be in the Holy Land. Until then, many blessings!
Gary
I'll do my best to keep you all updated over the next six weeks while I'm there. During the first two weeks I will be on a study tour with 15 (or so) others, traveling all over Israel and visiting sites pertinent to the Bible (i.e. the Dead Sea and Jerusalem). After the study tour I will be on a four-week archaeological dig in northern Israel (Galilee area). If you'd like to know more about the site I'll be at, check out their website at http://www.abel-beth-maacah.org/. There's more than enough information to be found there, including past discoveries and the significance of this site. We will have a total of 65 people participating in the dig this season, whether for two weeks, three weeks, or the entire four. With that much help, we're going to be able to excavate much more of the site than we'd be able to otherwise!
Along with email updates, which I will try to keep brief--let me know if you'd like to be added to that list!--I will be updating this blog, which I have had for a couple years now and have used for life and other trip updates (for example, all blog posts from my time in South Africa can be found here). I'll also be updating Facebook, Instagram, and other things along the way, so if you happen to be following me on any other social media, stay tuned for updates there as well!
Again, I thank you all for your prayers and financial support as I've been on this journey. At Christmastime I didn't think I was going to be able to go to Israel due to finances. In January, the night before the application was due, I felt the conviction that God can provide and we shouldn't let finances be an excuse to not take opportunities that God has given us a heart for. Between February and April I was able to fundraise all needed funds, which also included my mission trip to Mexico in March and choir tour in South Korea last month. I am humbled to be given this opportunity and do not take it for granted. My only hope is that God uses me as He wills on this trip and that it would mold me into the man I need to be for God's Kingdom. So, I take back what I said before--I do have one expectation, and that's it.
Well, this is it! The next time you hear from me I'll finally be in the Holy Land. Until then, many blessings!
Gary
Monday, June 2, 2014
Oppa Gangnam Style!
"How was Africa?" The question I struggled with when I came back from my semester abroad in South Africa. How do you sum up an entire four months of experience in a few words? Most didn't want any more than that. Those that did were far and few. Their availability and intentionality allowed for a few extra words, words to give life to the memory of four months' worth of experiences.
"How was Korea?" Not as difficult, but a tough question nonetheless. A question I've faced in the last couple of weeks as I got back from South Korea two weeks ago.
"Busy and exhausting, but good. Got to do some cool things and have some meaningful experiences."
Solid. Nothing but vague generalities and a question pretty much left unanswered. Meaningfully, at least.
So this is how Korea really was.
The night before we left, April 30th, we found out that our director, Harold Clousing, was admitted to the hospital for possible renal (kidney) failure. A choir tour without Harold would be like having a burrito without a tortilla; it just wouldn't work. Sure enough we were worried. I'm not sure we were worried about tour being a flop as much as we were concerned about not having our musical and spiritual mentor and friend. Harold had never not gone on tour before; again, it just didn't happen. He always went. We prayed, sent out prayer requests, and hoped for the report of a false alarm. But the report never came.
We departed for South Korea on Thursday, May 1st, without our director. It was Thursday of finals week, which meant we had to get some of our finals done ahead of time. We took off with Dave Bixby, the Executive Vice President of APU. That had been planned from the get-go; also planned was the arrival of Jon Wallace, our university's president, for the second third of tour and Steve Johnson, the Dean of the School of Music, for the final third of tour. We also had Dr. Kim, or "Mama Kim" as we came to call her, with us for the entire tour. She had planned the entire thing as she had myriad connections over in South Korea. Leading us musically was to be Michael Klein, a senior music major with a big heart for music and an even bigger heart for God. Leading us generally was our choir president, Michael McClellan, and the rest of the Board with him. They really stepped it up as far as leadership goes; it almost made it less strange that Harold wasn't there.
We arrived in Korea on Friday, May 2nd around 6pm. We had jumped ahead 16 hours into the future, which was kind of trippy. Our first full day, Saturday, was spent in Seoul, where we got to explore. Some friends and I ventured around and visited a Buddhist temple before taking the subway to the other side of the city to a mall complex that included "Lotte World," a theme park inside the mall. Supposedly it was "the Disneyland of Korea," but having been to Disneyland many times before I chose not to believe it as to not be disappointed. We spent the end of our afternoon near the place where we had been dropped off; there were streets with myriad shops and more than enough people. We also got to visit the Myeongdong Cathedral, which was right up the street.
Sunday, May 4th began our actual tour. We sang at two churches: one in the morning and one in the evening. The one in the evening was Myungsung Church, where we sang for a congregation of 10,000 people. We couldn't wear shoes on stage, a custom common in Korean culture (not the stage part but the "no shoes" part), and having screens all over the church made it all too distracting, as you would see yourself and try not to smile. Fortunately we got used to that and it got easier as tour went on. Singing at those two churches, as it was throughout most of tour, we sang for 20-25 minutes as a part of a church service. Although we do that on a typical tour we also usually have a full concert in the evenings; not having that in Korea took some getting used to. It was one of many things that made tour different from any other we'd been on.
Monday, May 5th was Children's Day, a national holiday. It was especially significant because of the ferry tragedy that had happened a few weeks prior; many parents were having their first Children's Day without their children. In the morning we visited a missionary cemetery, learning about how the Gospel was brought to Korea and the many missionaries who died in the process. It's amazing how so many sacrificed their lives in pursuit of spreading the Gospel. That afternoon we went to An San Memorial Park, where we went to the official memorial altar for the ferry tragedy. We got to put roses on the altar and singing the first part of "Arirang," a traditional Korean folk song, the lyrics of which are from a woman to a man, lovers separated but anticipating being together again. It's a song that captures many emotions, including longing, sorrow, anger, and hope. It's a song that flows from the heart of every Korean, especially in light of the ferry tragedy. Many were crying, including those of us in the choir. It was an out-of-body experience I will never forget.
Tuesday, May 6th was Buddha's Birthday and we spent the day at a traditional Korean folk village. It was interesting getting to learn more about Korea's past and witness (in a sense) traditional Korean culture. My friends and I ate lunch on this elevated platform with low-rise tables where you would sit on the ground and eat (without shoes, of course). Overall it was a good day; something I appreciated about the first half of tour was that we had ample down time to rest (our voices) and recover. Things got busier as the tour went on, as we were singing multiple times a day for multiple events.
Wednesday, May 7th was one of those days I was talking about; we sang three times that day. In the morning we sang at Suwon Central Baptist Church. In the early afternoon we sang at a convalescent home the church had established, which was a highlight for many of the guys on tour. The woman I stood next to (we sang in the round) kept holding my hand and speaking to me in Korean; obviously I didn't know what she was saying, but I smiled and held her hand in return. Everyone there was so sweet. It was great to minister in a setting like that one; it was very different from what we usually did but I'm glad we made the trip. That evening we had a full concert at Shinchon Holiness Church; it was then that Dave Bixby flew back to the States and Jon Wallace came out to meet us.
Thursday, May 8th was Parent's Day (talk about coming during holiday week!), significant for the same reason as Children's Day. Our call time that morning was the earliest it'd been all of tour, which was something like 5 am. That morning we sang at the Far East Broadcasting Company, which turned out to be a sort of church service televised internationally. Despite being tired we enjoyed singing there; again, it was an experience much different from what we usually do. We were back at the hotel by mid-morning and got to do whatever we wanted for the rest of the day. Some friends and I went into Seoul and explored some more; we walked everywhere, visiting Gyeongbok Palace, another Buddhist temple, another palace, and other places as well. That night we had dinner at a hole-in-the-wall Korean restaurant down an alleyway. It was a little sketchy, but those places usually end up having the best food; the food did end up being pretty good!
Friday, May 9th was a very full day. That morning we sang at Ewha Women's University, the leading women's university in all of South Korea, for their chapel service. We sang a song with them as well, entitled "Peace Prayer of St. Francis." After the service we took a group picture, right after which the "selfie craze" ensued. I have to admit, I myself was guilty of it. It got crazy though because someone would pull out their phone and everyone, Korean and American, would flock to them to get into the picture. The "fame" aspect of tour was yet another element that made it different from our typical tours. In America we're a bunch of college guys singing praise music; in Korea you'd have thought we were One Direction. Especially because of our mission and what we do, this was nothing short of peculiar. One would think being a ministry choir and being "celebrities" wouldn't go together, but in Korea, they sure did! There are endless stories about Korean girls who searched desperately all over Facebook to find their "true love," a Men's Chorale guy that they had randomly bumped into and said a few words to at a performance we had. We all had a good laugh about it but did our best to remember why we were in Korea in the first place. After singing for the chapel service we were given a tour of the university, and I'll tell you, it's a really nice university! The architecture, which is amazing pretty much everywhere in Korea, was beautiful. That night we sang at Yoido Full Gospel Church, the world's largest Presbyterian church, which has somewhere around 20,000 congregants that attend its services throughout the week. Globally it has about 1,000,000 members. I later found out that the service we sang for was a 9 pm to 4 am service; we only sang for 20 minutes, which was tough for some of us as the front two rows had to kneel the entire time because there weren't any risers. I have to say, it's probably one of the toughest things I've ever done! Those of us who had kneeled could hardly walk afterwards; your legs felt like lead and you had to hold onto the wall to stabilize yourself. Again, another aspect of tour that we laughed about later.
Saturday, May 10th we sang at CBS, the Christian Broadcasting Station, with their children's choir. They sang for us, we sang for them, and we ended up doing a joint performance outside in the middle of a shopping complex. The rest of the afternoon was spent having lunch and playing a game similar to dodgeball (us Men's Chorale guys were the targets, of course). We hung out with them at a shopping center until we left. That night we sang at a choir festival--again, something we don't usually do. It was especially interesting considering that all other choirs were singing traditional choral music while we were singing praise music. It was fun to sing for and listen to other choirs though; having grown up doing choir I appreciated the exposure to choral music and other ensembles.
Sunday, May 11th was spent at GwangMyung Presbyterian Church, our "home church" in Korea (we joked that every church we sang at was our home church). Jon Wallace preached, which was refreshing, as most sermons we weren't able to understand. Fortunately several of the churches we sang at during tour provided headsets so that we could listen to the sermon in English via a translator. In the morning we sang several songs for each of three services and in the evening we had a full concert. My friends, Nick and Eric, and I met a woman named Ruth whose husband's name was Boaz and their children's names were Mary, Joseph, and Hannah (all English names, of course). We spent a lot of time talking to them, including talking to Joseph about APU and Men's Chorale and how great it is. Having been hindered from developing relationships with and getting to know the Korean people for most of tour by a language barrier it was great getting to meet them and being able to have a thorough conversation with them.
On Monday, May 12th we went back to Ewha Women's University, where we spent the day and had a joint concert with them that night. What was cool about it was that not only did we get to sing a couple Korean pieces with them but we also got to sing some of our own repertoire with them as well. Knowing how difficult it was for us to learn the Korean pieces I had a lot of respect for them for taking the time to learn some of our pieces in English.
Tuesday, May 13th was spent at the DMZ, or Demilitarized Zone. Essentially it's a buffer zone between North and South Korea, established out of an armistice (peace agreement) at the end of the Korean War. Although it temporarily divides the two Koreas the Korean people have hopes of reunification one day. North Korea usually gets a bad rep because of its leadership, but the North Korean people as a whole are oppressed and want to be reunited with their South Korean brothers and sisters. We spent the beginning of the tour at a tourist site a little ways from the actual DMZ; there were monuments, statues, and other memorabilia there. Later we crossed into the DMZ, which required your passport, and had lunch there before going to the third of four infiltration tunnels. They were discovered by South Korea and created by North Korea as part of a plan to invade the South. We hiked far down into one tunnel that eventually took us into the original tunnel dug by North Korea. It was humid, unpaved, and you had to crouch down or lean over the entire time. The end of the tunnel (where tourists were allowed to go) was still a ways from the North Korean side of the DMZ, but it was somewhere around seven stories underground! After that we went to a lookout point that looked into North Korea. Unfortunately the weather was hazy and we couldn't see very much, but you could still see some of it, which was crazy. It's one thing to hear about a place and it's another to see it in person. Visiting the DMZ and getting to see North Korea was one of the major highlights of tour. That night we had a full concert, again singing at the Far East Broadcasting Company. It was undoubtedly one of the best performances we had on tour.
Wednesday, May 14th we switched hotels and traveled further south. We spent the day at Baeksoek University, rehearsing with their choir and hanging out with them in the afternoon. I ended up in a large group of Men's Chorale guys and Baeksoek University students. We basically hung out and ended up singing for each other in their campus common area. That night we sang for their chapel service.
Thursday, May 15th we sang at a seminary for their chapel service in the morning. That evening we sang with the Baeksoek University Chamber Choir for a joint concert.
Friday, May 16th we sang at an international high school. A long bus ride beforehand proved harmful to our voices as we had a pretty rough performance that morning. The school was hospitable and we were each partnered with a student (or students), who we had lunch with and hung out with until we left. Although the students I was with spoke broken English we were able to communicate fairly well. That night we sang at Gwangju City Hall with The Singers, a women's choir from the community. We sang really well that night, which became the best performance we'd had all year. It was an outstanding night of music that I'm sure we'll never forget.
Saturday, May 17th we went to an all-girls high school, which was scheduled similarly to our time at the international high school. We sang for a part of their assembly and they had some performances for us as well. Some girls did a traditional Korean dance, some others danced to a K-Pop medley, still others did a skit telling of Korea's history (of oppression) with Japan, and they ended it with a flash mob that we got to partake in the second time. It was pretty fun! After that we had lunch with our host student (there were 2-3 of us per host student) and hung out until we left. My friend Gabe and I were hosted by a girl named Ji Hoo, who was quiet but so friendly and spoke great English. When we got back to the hotel we had the rest of the day off. We started debrief, a time where guys take turns sharing whatever they want in front of the entire Chorale, and relaxed the rest of the day. We were very tired and were grateful for the time to rest.
Sunday, May 18th was our last full day of tour. We sang at Wolgwang Church, where we spent the day. We sang for three church services in the morning, continued debrief in the afternoon, and had our final concert (of tour and the year) that night. It was a really good night. We as a Chorale have talked often about how before anything else we are worshipers and I think we really got it that night. It felt good to let it all go and worship God simply because God deserves it. After our concert we finished debrief, which ended at 12:30 am. We didn't get back to the hotel until 1 am or so and some of us ended up staying up all night. I hadn't intended on staying up all night, but my dislike for packing caused me to put it off for a while. I also wanted to hang out with the guys, seeing as it was the last night of tour and the last time many of us would be together.
"How was Korea?" Not as difficult, but a tough question nonetheless. A question I've faced in the last couple of weeks as I got back from South Korea two weeks ago.
"Busy and exhausting, but good. Got to do some cool things and have some meaningful experiences."
Solid. Nothing but vague generalities and a question pretty much left unanswered. Meaningfully, at least.
So this is how Korea really was.
The night before we left, April 30th, we found out that our director, Harold Clousing, was admitted to the hospital for possible renal (kidney) failure. A choir tour without Harold would be like having a burrito without a tortilla; it just wouldn't work. Sure enough we were worried. I'm not sure we were worried about tour being a flop as much as we were concerned about not having our musical and spiritual mentor and friend. Harold had never not gone on tour before; again, it just didn't happen. He always went. We prayed, sent out prayer requests, and hoped for the report of a false alarm. But the report never came.
We departed for South Korea on Thursday, May 1st, without our director. It was Thursday of finals week, which meant we had to get some of our finals done ahead of time. We took off with Dave Bixby, the Executive Vice President of APU. That had been planned from the get-go; also planned was the arrival of Jon Wallace, our university's president, for the second third of tour and Steve Johnson, the Dean of the School of Music, for the final third of tour. We also had Dr. Kim, or "Mama Kim" as we came to call her, with us for the entire tour. She had planned the entire thing as she had myriad connections over in South Korea. Leading us musically was to be Michael Klein, a senior music major with a big heart for music and an even bigger heart for God. Leading us generally was our choir president, Michael McClellan, and the rest of the Board with him. They really stepped it up as far as leadership goes; it almost made it less strange that Harold wasn't there.
 |
| "Mama Kim" and I on the last day of tour |
We arrived in Korea on Friday, May 2nd around 6pm. We had jumped ahead 16 hours into the future, which was kind of trippy. Our first full day, Saturday, was spent in Seoul, where we got to explore. Some friends and I ventured around and visited a Buddhist temple before taking the subway to the other side of the city to a mall complex that included "Lotte World," a theme park inside the mall. Supposedly it was "the Disneyland of Korea," but having been to Disneyland many times before I chose not to believe it as to not be disappointed. We spent the end of our afternoon near the place where we had been dropped off; there were streets with myriad shops and more than enough people. We also got to visit the Myeongdong Cathedral, which was right up the street.
 |
| Myeongdong Cathedral |
Sunday, May 4th began our actual tour. We sang at two churches: one in the morning and one in the evening. The one in the evening was Myungsung Church, where we sang for a congregation of 10,000 people. We couldn't wear shoes on stage, a custom common in Korean culture (not the stage part but the "no shoes" part), and having screens all over the church made it all too distracting, as you would see yourself and try not to smile. Fortunately we got used to that and it got easier as tour went on. Singing at those two churches, as it was throughout most of tour, we sang for 20-25 minutes as a part of a church service. Although we do that on a typical tour we also usually have a full concert in the evenings; not having that in Korea took some getting used to. It was one of many things that made tour different from any other we'd been on.
 |
| Singing at Myungsung Church, the second-largest Presbyterian church in South Korea |
Monday, May 5th was Children's Day, a national holiday. It was especially significant because of the ferry tragedy that had happened a few weeks prior; many parents were having their first Children's Day without their children. In the morning we visited a missionary cemetery, learning about how the Gospel was brought to Korea and the many missionaries who died in the process. It's amazing how so many sacrificed their lives in pursuit of spreading the Gospel. That afternoon we went to An San Memorial Park, where we went to the official memorial altar for the ferry tragedy. We got to put roses on the altar and singing the first part of "Arirang," a traditional Korean folk song, the lyrics of which are from a woman to a man, lovers separated but anticipating being together again. It's a song that captures many emotions, including longing, sorrow, anger, and hope. It's a song that flows from the heart of every Korean, especially in light of the ferry tragedy. Many were crying, including those of us in the choir. It was an out-of-body experience I will never forget.
 |
| A yellow ribbon, signifying hope in the safe return of the ferry tragedy victims |
Tuesday, May 6th was Buddha's Birthday and we spent the day at a traditional Korean folk village. It was interesting getting to learn more about Korea's past and witness (in a sense) traditional Korean culture. My friends and I ate lunch on this elevated platform with low-rise tables where you would sit on the ground and eat (without shoes, of course). Overall it was a good day; something I appreciated about the first half of tour was that we had ample down time to rest (our voices) and recover. Things got busier as the tour went on, as we were singing multiple times a day for multiple events.
 |
| Eating lunch at the traditional Korean folk village |
Wednesday, May 7th was one of those days I was talking about; we sang three times that day. In the morning we sang at Suwon Central Baptist Church. In the early afternoon we sang at a convalescent home the church had established, which was a highlight for many of the guys on tour. The woman I stood next to (we sang in the round) kept holding my hand and speaking to me in Korean; obviously I didn't know what she was saying, but I smiled and held her hand in return. Everyone there was so sweet. It was great to minister in a setting like that one; it was very different from what we usually did but I'm glad we made the trip. That evening we had a full concert at Shinchon Holiness Church; it was then that Dave Bixby flew back to the States and Jon Wallace came out to meet us.
 |
| Singing at the Suwon Central Baptist Church convalescent home |
Thursday, May 8th was Parent's Day (talk about coming during holiday week!), significant for the same reason as Children's Day. Our call time that morning was the earliest it'd been all of tour, which was something like 5 am. That morning we sang at the Far East Broadcasting Company, which turned out to be a sort of church service televised internationally. Despite being tired we enjoyed singing there; again, it was an experience much different from what we usually do. We were back at the hotel by mid-morning and got to do whatever we wanted for the rest of the day. Some friends and I went into Seoul and explored some more; we walked everywhere, visiting Gyeongbok Palace, another Buddhist temple, another palace, and other places as well. That night we had dinner at a hole-in-the-wall Korean restaurant down an alleyway. It was a little sketchy, but those places usually end up having the best food; the food did end up being pretty good!
 |
| Kyle, Macklin, and I on top of a Buddhist temple |
Friday, May 9th was a very full day. That morning we sang at Ewha Women's University, the leading women's university in all of South Korea, for their chapel service. We sang a song with them as well, entitled "Peace Prayer of St. Francis." After the service we took a group picture, right after which the "selfie craze" ensued. I have to admit, I myself was guilty of it. It got crazy though because someone would pull out their phone and everyone, Korean and American, would flock to them to get into the picture. The "fame" aspect of tour was yet another element that made it different from our typical tours. In America we're a bunch of college guys singing praise music; in Korea you'd have thought we were One Direction. Especially because of our mission and what we do, this was nothing short of peculiar. One would think being a ministry choir and being "celebrities" wouldn't go together, but in Korea, they sure did! There are endless stories about Korean girls who searched desperately all over Facebook to find their "true love," a Men's Chorale guy that they had randomly bumped into and said a few words to at a performance we had. We all had a good laugh about it but did our best to remember why we were in Korea in the first place. After singing for the chapel service we were given a tour of the university, and I'll tell you, it's a really nice university! The architecture, which is amazing pretty much everywhere in Korea, was beautiful. That night we sang at Yoido Full Gospel Church, the world's largest Presbyterian church, which has somewhere around 20,000 congregants that attend its services throughout the week. Globally it has about 1,000,000 members. I later found out that the service we sang for was a 9 pm to 4 am service; we only sang for 20 minutes, which was tough for some of us as the front two rows had to kneel the entire time because there weren't any risers. I have to say, it's probably one of the toughest things I've ever done! Those of us who had kneeled could hardly walk afterwards; your legs felt like lead and you had to hold onto the wall to stabilize yourself. Again, another aspect of tour that we laughed about later.
 |
| Men's Chorale guys with some of the Ewha Women's University choir members |
Saturday, May 10th we sang at CBS, the Christian Broadcasting Station, with their children's choir. They sang for us, we sang for them, and we ended up doing a joint performance outside in the middle of a shopping complex. The rest of the afternoon was spent having lunch and playing a game similar to dodgeball (us Men's Chorale guys were the targets, of course). We hung out with them at a shopping center until we left. That night we sang at a choir festival--again, something we don't usually do. It was especially interesting considering that all other choirs were singing traditional choral music while we were singing praise music. It was fun to sing for and listen to other choirs though; having grown up doing choir I appreciated the exposure to choral music and other ensembles.
 |
| Men's Chorale with the CBS Children's Choir |
Sunday, May 11th was spent at GwangMyung Presbyterian Church, our "home church" in Korea (we joked that every church we sang at was our home church). Jon Wallace preached, which was refreshing, as most sermons we weren't able to understand. Fortunately several of the churches we sang at during tour provided headsets so that we could listen to the sermon in English via a translator. In the morning we sang several songs for each of three services and in the evening we had a full concert. My friends, Nick and Eric, and I met a woman named Ruth whose husband's name was Boaz and their children's names were Mary, Joseph, and Hannah (all English names, of course). We spent a lot of time talking to them, including talking to Joseph about APU and Men's Chorale and how great it is. Having been hindered from developing relationships with and getting to know the Korean people for most of tour by a language barrier it was great getting to meet them and being able to have a thorough conversation with them.
 |
| Hannah, Joseph, me, Eric, Ruth, and Nick |
On Monday, May 12th we went back to Ewha Women's University, where we spent the day and had a joint concert with them that night. What was cool about it was that not only did we get to sing a couple Korean pieces with them but we also got to sing some of our own repertoire with them as well. Knowing how difficult it was for us to learn the Korean pieces I had a lot of respect for them for taking the time to learn some of our pieces in English.
Tuesday, May 13th was spent at the DMZ, or Demilitarized Zone. Essentially it's a buffer zone between North and South Korea, established out of an armistice (peace agreement) at the end of the Korean War. Although it temporarily divides the two Koreas the Korean people have hopes of reunification one day. North Korea usually gets a bad rep because of its leadership, but the North Korean people as a whole are oppressed and want to be reunited with their South Korean brothers and sisters. We spent the beginning of the tour at a tourist site a little ways from the actual DMZ; there were monuments, statues, and other memorabilia there. Later we crossed into the DMZ, which required your passport, and had lunch there before going to the third of four infiltration tunnels. They were discovered by South Korea and created by North Korea as part of a plan to invade the South. We hiked far down into one tunnel that eventually took us into the original tunnel dug by North Korea. It was humid, unpaved, and you had to crouch down or lean over the entire time. The end of the tunnel (where tourists were allowed to go) was still a ways from the North Korean side of the DMZ, but it was somewhere around seven stories underground! After that we went to a lookout point that looked into North Korea. Unfortunately the weather was hazy and we couldn't see very much, but you could still see some of it, which was crazy. It's one thing to hear about a place and it's another to see it in person. Visiting the DMZ and getting to see North Korea was one of the major highlights of tour. That night we had a full concert, again singing at the Far East Broadcasting Company. It was undoubtedly one of the best performances we had on tour.
 |
| At the first tourist site we visited near the Demilitarized Zone |
Wednesday, May 14th we switched hotels and traveled further south. We spent the day at Baeksoek University, rehearsing with their choir and hanging out with them in the afternoon. I ended up in a large group of Men's Chorale guys and Baeksoek University students. We basically hung out and ended up singing for each other in their campus common area. That night we sang for their chapel service.
Thursday, May 15th we sang at a seminary for their chapel service in the morning. That evening we sang with the Baeksoek University Chamber Choir for a joint concert.
 |
| Me with some of the members of the Baeksoek University Chamber Choir |
Friday, May 16th we sang at an international high school. A long bus ride beforehand proved harmful to our voices as we had a pretty rough performance that morning. The school was hospitable and we were each partnered with a student (or students), who we had lunch with and hung out with until we left. Although the students I was with spoke broken English we were able to communicate fairly well. That night we sang at Gwangju City Hall with The Singers, a women's choir from the community. We sang really well that night, which became the best performance we'd had all year. It was an outstanding night of music that I'm sure we'll never forget.
 |
| Me with my hosts at the international high school we visited |
Saturday, May 17th we went to an all-girls high school, which was scheduled similarly to our time at the international high school. We sang for a part of their assembly and they had some performances for us as well. Some girls did a traditional Korean dance, some others danced to a K-Pop medley, still others did a skit telling of Korea's history (of oppression) with Japan, and they ended it with a flash mob that we got to partake in the second time. It was pretty fun! After that we had lunch with our host student (there were 2-3 of us per host student) and hung out until we left. My friend Gabe and I were hosted by a girl named Ji Hoo, who was quiet but so friendly and spoke great English. When we got back to the hotel we had the rest of the day off. We started debrief, a time where guys take turns sharing whatever they want in front of the entire Chorale, and relaxed the rest of the day. We were very tired and were grateful for the time to rest.
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| Me, Gabe, and Ji Hoo |
Sunday, May 18th was our last full day of tour. We sang at Wolgwang Church, where we spent the day. We sang for three church services in the morning, continued debrief in the afternoon, and had our final concert (of tour and the year) that night. It was a really good night. We as a Chorale have talked often about how before anything else we are worshipers and I think we really got it that night. It felt good to let it all go and worship God simply because God deserves it. After our concert we finished debrief, which ended at 12:30 am. We didn't get back to the hotel until 1 am or so and some of us ended up staying up all night. I hadn't intended on staying up all night, but my dislike for packing caused me to put it off for a while. I also wanted to hang out with the guys, seeing as it was the last night of tour and the last time many of us would be together.
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