Enthusiasm

When a job is tough - stick it with enthusiasm. This is a journey that has forced me to learn such a lesson as this. Kids that can't speak the same way...try your patients. They are forced to do more then the average kid at extra ciricular activities and are drained by the time you get them, and as are you! Enthusiasm gets the job done. Then you crash on the couch in between shifts.

Teaching

Hmmm... teaching. It was not my first choice of profession. But as it seems God has found it to be something i enjoy. This is not where I would have guessed being if someone would have told me years ago. But I think the main reason is becuase He was working on me all this time, and still is. 

my first day of teaching was really rough. I was not as organized as I would have liked to be. But who is when they are trying something for the first time. You can't prepare for everything life throws at you. You have to try and do what you can and then let God do the rest, and adapt to what he has done for you. My goal was to make sure to pray at the begining of every class. The entire first day. I forgot. :( But God reminded me and I think because i felt so negative about forgeting the first day He will continue to remind me during the next year how crucial it is to pray in class. I am slowly warming my students up to who I am. I want to be able to remember there names with out any problems, but that will take some time. Especially with 2 classes with 20 people and only seeing them for an hour a day and sometimes only 4 days a week. 

    On weekends we have a voluntary class they can come to. Friday Night Program and other programs on sabbath. Pray that God can use me to encourage them to come. So that I can build relatinships with them. It's my 3rd day today and I feel like God has used me well thus far. Keep praying that my mind is open to his leading. It is interesting to look back at Bible Stories like Joseph and Moses. What did God do to them before he used them in his service? He led them out into the wilderness. To a place where they were totally dependant on him. It took moses 40 years to unlearn what the egyptians had taught him. And Joseph had to wait roughly 20 years to understand why God took so long and allowed him to suffer as he did. He has to take us out of our comfort zones so that we will fully rely on him and allow him to mold us to what works best for him, not us. 

    When I look back I see that this also happened in my life. Luckily it didn't take me 20-40 years to see progress. But i know God is not through with me yet. When I look back to before October I see that God took me out of my element. He took me away from southern back home and forced me to go out of my element. To talk to people i was unsure about, to speak and act in a way in which I could attempt to represent Christ to someone other than my family and church. He was preparing a way so that I could grow to build stronger relationships to lead others to Christ. 

     Please also pray for a friend of mine - we'll call him BOB for now. He's told his family that he does not want to be SDA anymore. And in Korea drinking is not seen as an issue. It's part of the culture here. Last I heard he came home drunk and his parents are worried about him. Please pray for the conviction of the HS in his life. 

Thanks for your prayers, 

miss you all - Chris

Wanju

I have now officially arrived at my school after a long stint in Seoul. I currently reside in Wanju. I start teaching tomorrow and am a bit nervous for what is in store. Understanding the culture and the people around is a bit difficult and transportation is not as easy as it would be since it is not downtown. I was told the town has about 300,000 people and from the looks of it very few highrises. The transportation is based on buses and much fewer taxis. The nice aspect is that my insitute is accross the street. So walking to work is the only option. Alot of uncertainty fills my mind.

Patience and answers to prayers

Not everyday you get bumped from the back of line to to front of the line in life. But this is how my life has gone in the past week. Upon recieving my flight itenerary from Seoul, Korea, I considered the thought that I should potentially pay extra dollars to ensure solid leg room for a long flight from Nashville to Seoul- The flight usually takes roughly 24 hours including layovers. However, I chose not to do to the cost. Calling ahead I discovered that 6 inches of legroom cost around $100 USD. Not something i needed to invest in. The patron on the other end of the phone also told me to check with the counter when i got to the counter. Well after some last minute prayers at the desk later on before departure I found out that i could enjoy more leg room due to an exit seat becoming avaliable. I thanked God and considered it an answer to prayer and figured that that would be it! No more 'promotions'. And come on how often does a promotion in class happen on any flight? I journeyed on to my Next stop in Denver, however due to strong head winds my plane was delayed over a half hour and then had to wait for an arrival gate to open. Which pushed me deeper into delay. However, God has a plan all setup.... I was bumped to a spot on another plane as soon as i walked into the terminal and placed in an coach plus which essentially gave me that 6". Once i arrived in San Fran. all the passengers unloaded from the plane and made there way to their destinations.  I got my gate number and started looing around... 95 ... 95 ... I saw all the way up to 86... then 87.... and it stopped.... I realized that i had to find the international terminal. Luckily I carried lots of books and electronics on the plane with all my heavy dress clothes! So i marched around the U shape from one point to the other.... and then made my way to the gate. When I arrived about ten to twenty minutes later, i set my stuff down, just as this happend my name was heard over the jumbled microphone. "Armandout C." I reloaded my pack up and carried it to the counter. When i Arrived they wanted to see my passport and information. They verified that my bags would make it on that flight... Then the thought came to me... "ask for mre leg room" Not neccisarily asking for an upgrade but an exit seat, an isle seat anything but where i was....in the middle of the 777. The supervisor looked up at me and then over at the worker, said something in Korean which i couldn't mimik.... The next thhing i know I was handed a 'golden' ticket! I was suppose to fly coach.... My ticket now said BUISNESS FIRST CLASS!  The next ten hours of my life were filled with bliss and amazing service. Mark 10:29, 30 Matt 19:29 This was read to me soon after I arrived in Korea. And I can list multiple stories from my journey in the past several days that this has been the truth - New friends, new experiences, new food, and total reliance on my God and Savior! God Bless and thankyou for your prayers. Please continue to pray for the people in Korea and the work that is here. The people are truely hungry for the word. My classes have not started yet but training is such that it keeps us all in check. !

Travel/Orientation

God works in mysterious ways. There were several neat things he has done for me this past week. Even though i am still not sure what time it is. He managed to bump me up to better seating throughout my flights. Everytime the better. One of my close friends in chattanooga gave me a book entitled "the shack" I have not finished it quite yet but it has been an interesting read. IT's whole story thus far is breaking down the stereo types that we put around God and all he can or can't do for us, and how we communicate with him. 

Not alot of exciting things happening quite yet. I arrived late thursday night, learned i am about 15 hours ahead of my world, got rough sleep, and am having a hard time adjusting from jetlag! The Korean people are extra ordinarily accomidating and nice. Very enjoyable to deal with. I dont' have a camera yet so no pictures, but i have a friend who is oging ot go to the market with me where i can barter for a good camera price! So i'm excited for that.  Thanks for your prayers.  time for bed.

New Beginings

Friends and Family, 

   This is one way in which i will be communicating with my friends and family back home in the states. Hearing from you will encourage me as I am working in His service. If you wish to contact me through VOIP, download the program Skype and add "troutthethird" as a contact. 

    I will fly from Nashville 7:30 Am Wednesday the 18th of February, And will arrive about 4:30 PM on Thursday the 19th local Korean time. The following week will be training and then it's off to teach for the next year. The company I am going through with will allow for great perks throughout the year including breaks every two months to enjoy the sights of Korea and maybe other places near by outside the country. Thanks for your contacts and prayers. 

Chris