School life has settled back into the daily grind for me. It seems like it would be easy to forget all that happened in Korea; mentally the memories are seeming further and further away in the distance. There isn't as much freshness or excitement in the recollection of it as there was some days ago. Yet there is more upon which to reflect, more things to share, and there hasn't been a lot of time to process. What follows is a condensed adaptation from my journal.
On Thursday, April 11th, we woke to a breakfast at Kwanglim's Seminar House of toast, cereal, salad, fruit, and eggs. After a meeting with Dr. West, we left to go visit Ilsan Kwanglim Church, which used to be a branch of Kwanglim Methodist Church, but now is independent. The city of Ilsan was built as a first line of defense in the case of an invasion from North Korea. When we arrived at Ilsan Kwanglim, we received a tour of the church and eventually got to meet their pastor, Dr. Park. He was very hospitable, and some of his staff treated us to a very fancy meal. You know that it's ritzy whenever the napkins are folded to look like a suit coat!
We ate our fill of great food and, of course, received gifts from the church (every church and family we visited gave us a gift. It was great!). We left hurriedly and loaded the bus to start our journey to the DMZ.
A tension seemed to settle over the group, especially in light of all the threats and posturing that Kim Jong Un had been making over the past few days. We drove along the Han river and noticed that a barbed wire fence started lining the bank, with outposts every 1/4 mile or so. You could see North Korea across the river at some points, and some small cadres of South Korean soldiers could be spotted walking along the fence and looking into binoculars. We were stopped when we were a few kilometers out from the DMZ; we had to report our intentions to some South Korean soldiers. After waiting a few minutes, they cleared us to go forward and we were led by an army jeep to a base where we had to park the bus and unload.
We entered in; the atmosphere was filled with discipline and seriousness. We were given United Nations badges and sat through a presentation by Private First Class Park, who spoke very good English and had lived in Los Angeles for a few years. We could only take pictures when given permission; taking pictures inside the base and of any of the South Korean military’s positions was strictly off limits. Such valuable information could be leaked or intercepted by the North Koreans. After learning about the history of the DMZ, we boarded a military bus and went further into the region. PFC Park told us that there were landmines in the surrounding countryside; there were also several checkpoints and watchtowers in the region.
We unloaded the bus and were put into two single-file lines. We were instructed not to make any sudden gestures or hand motions toward North Korea once we were out in the open - - it could get us shot and might start an altercation. We stepped out of the building that overlooks the boundary marker, still in our two single file lines. We stood there, facing North Korea for about a minute, making no motions. We did this so that the North Korean soldiers could see that we were unarmed and were visitors. This was probably the tensest moment of the trip for me – it was like all the rhetoric about nuclear strikes and war came into clear focus. The two histories, two governments, two nations were facing each other. I felt like I walked into something much bigger and older than myself, like I had entered into a story of hurt and death and sadness. The DMZ seemed to be the very public symbol of the scarred relationship between the two nations; it was an unhealed wound that had recently been agitated.
The only visible North Korean soldier put something to his eyes and looked at us while we were lined up and still; at first I thought he had a gun and was scoping us out. It turns out that he was only looking at us through binoculars, which PFC Park said is symbolic of North Korea always watching what’s going on in the South. We took some pictures as a group at the border, then went inside the United Nations conference room. Half of the building is in North Korea, half is in South Korea. Sensitive microphones line the middle of the table. The room has been used to hold talks between the North and the South. PFC Park and two other ROK (Republic of Korea) soldiers were in the room to ensure our safety. We all took a few steps into North Korea and took photos with the South Korean soldiers, who looked quite intimidating. They all have sunglasses on so that you can’t see their eyes. This is to keep the North Korean soldiers guessing, but also is designed to prevent any emotional struggles that may erupt into conflict when eyes are locked between South and North Korean soldiers. There are always some ROK soldiers facing boldly into North Korea, sending the message that they are not afraid of them.
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| Me standing on the North Korean side of the United Nations Conference House with a South Korean soldier. |
Afterward, we left the demarcation line and got back on the military bus. PFC Park showed us some more important sites related to the DMZ, like the Bridge of No Return and the site of a tree whose removal led to a brief conflict between the North and South. We were taken back to the initial base where the presentation was given; they had a gift shop that several of our members used. Before we left, we got a photo with PFC Park. Dr. Rynkiewich asked God to bless him, which was poignant to me. He was living in a dangerous place.
We loaded up and got out of the region controlled by the military. To kill some time, we went to a public observation tower that overlooks North Korea; it is dedicated to the reunification of the two Koreas. If the DMZ is a depressing reminder of the hurt present between the two nations, things like the reunification tower and listening to the stories of South Koreans longing for the two nations to become one again sowed the seeds of hope in me. I think most of the South Korean Church is praying for national reconciliation to become a reality.
We learned of how North Korea destroyed a South Korean submarine a few years ago, which caused dozens of South Korean soldiers to lose their lives. There was a memorial inside of the reunification tower to that incident. We later went up to the observation deck and took pictures. Afterward, we went to their coffee shop. Soo got us all drinks; I had honey tea, which was probably one of the best teas I’ve ever had. Think of Southern sweet tea, but served hot and even sweeter.
I sat and talked with Beeson Pastor Cheol Ho Yoon, who is a native South Korean. He told me about some of South Korea’s history, about his dreams to write commentaries on all of the books of the New Testament like Ben Witherington III has, but for the Korean Church. He said that many of their commentaries are very conservative, and the Korean Church could benefit from having something like socio-rhetorical commentaries. He also told me of the concept of Han, which he said is something that every Korean goes through. If my understanding is correct, Han is a Chinese character, and it tells the story of a threefold movement: 1) You are depressed because of a painful history and difficult circumstances, 2) You overcome this inward depression and triumph, 3) You unite with others and form a harmonious collective or society. He said that many Korean theologians have contextualized the concept of Han and used it as a lens through which to look at the Christian faith.
After our conversation, we all loaded up and went to grab some dinner. I think we stopped at a Pizza Hut this time around. When we got back to the Seminar House, we went to a meeting with pastors of new church plants (it was called a SALT meeting; I forget what the acronym means). Their stories were inspiring. Some of them sacrificed money, living spaces, and one endured worship services with only his two other immediate family members for three months. They started growing through their outreach – children seemed to be a particular focus for them (youth groups are important!). Prayer was a big focus as well, especially during the discouraging times.
Kwanglim’s SALT program helped support them until they could become more self-sustaining, giving $1,000 a month. Kwanglim also provided ideas and training teams to the people of these smaller churches. One team taught the congregation how to do street evangelism, which led to them evangelizing and growing. It was a neat example of how a mega-church could partner with smaller churches and the two could learn from each other and support each other's ministries. These pastors had good personalities, and they all had a good sense of humor. It was a blessing to see their commitment and willingness to sacrifice for the Kingdom of God.
We learned of how North Korea destroyed a South Korean submarine a few years ago, which caused dozens of South Korean soldiers to lose their lives. There was a memorial inside of the reunification tower to that incident. We later went up to the observation deck and took pictures. Afterward, we went to their coffee shop. Soo got us all drinks; I had honey tea, which was probably one of the best teas I’ve ever had. Think of Southern sweet tea, but served hot and even sweeter.
I sat and talked with Beeson Pastor Cheol Ho Yoon, who is a native South Korean. He told me about some of South Korea’s history, about his dreams to write commentaries on all of the books of the New Testament like Ben Witherington III has, but for the Korean Church. He said that many of their commentaries are very conservative, and the Korean Church could benefit from having something like socio-rhetorical commentaries. He also told me of the concept of Han, which he said is something that every Korean goes through. If my understanding is correct, Han is a Chinese character, and it tells the story of a threefold movement: 1) You are depressed because of a painful history and difficult circumstances, 2) You overcome this inward depression and triumph, 3) You unite with others and form a harmonious collective or society. He said that many Korean theologians have contextualized the concept of Han and used it as a lens through which to look at the Christian faith.
After our conversation, we all loaded up and went to grab some dinner. I think we stopped at a Pizza Hut this time around. When we got back to the Seminar House, we went to a meeting with pastors of new church plants (it was called a SALT meeting; I forget what the acronym means). Their stories were inspiring. Some of them sacrificed money, living spaces, and one endured worship services with only his two other immediate family members for three months. They started growing through their outreach – children seemed to be a particular focus for them (youth groups are important!). Prayer was a big focus as well, especially during the discouraging times.
Kwanglim’s SALT program helped support them until they could become more self-sustaining, giving $1,000 a month. Kwanglim also provided ideas and training teams to the people of these smaller churches. One team taught the congregation how to do street evangelism, which led to them evangelizing and growing. It was a neat example of how a mega-church could partner with smaller churches and the two could learn from each other and support each other's ministries. These pastors had good personalities, and they all had a good sense of humor. It was a blessing to see their commitment and willingness to sacrifice for the Kingdom of God.
As I've thought some more about the DMZ and recall the stories of Koreans longing for reunification, I must admit that my heart started to break a bit. How painful it must be, especially for those who remember a united peninsula... I've been praying for the reunification of the two countries. I've been praying for the Gospel to spread throughout North Korea, as well as justice, good governance, and peace. Many in North Korea have died of starvation due to them having mineral resources but very few agricultural capabilities, not to mention that they have closed themselves off to trade. I hope you will pray for them, too. Also pray for leaders on both sides to guide the people to reconciliation and reunification.
Pray for the pastors who are living sacrificially so that people can meet and grow in Jesus.
That's all for now.
Pray for the pastors who are living sacrificially so that people can meet and grow in Jesus.
That's all for now.
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