Friday, July 13
Korea (South)
YAVs Becky Francisco, Katie Patterson, and Jenny McArdle visit with the directors and youth from the Sayum children's center.
Presbyterian mission in Korea started in 1884 when a medical missionary serving in China, H. N. Allen, was reassigned to Korea. Shortly thereafter, many others came to Korea and shared God's love with the people of the Land of Morning Calm. In 2010, three young Presbyterians came as Young Adult Volunteers (YAV) to Korea.
Korea now sends more Christian missionaries overseas than any country other than the United States. It is not surprising that both Americans and Koreans ask why we need Presbyterian missionaries in a prosperous society like Korea where churches are strong. Within six months of coming here, the YAVs taught us many reasons why God sent them here. One is that they are here to help reveal the image of the Creator in all of us.
In this competitive and success-driven society, wealth and power often hide God's images in the poor and powerless among us. Through daily interactions with children from poor families, our YAVs regularly show the image of God that is in them. Their love and care help the children to find God's image within themselves. In turn, YAVs depend on the love and care of Korean brothers and sisters for their daily lives and work, witnessing to the brotherhood and sisterhood of God's children, thus revealing another image of God.
The Young Adult Volunteers of our church today are building up the body of Christ that the missionaries helped build more than a century ago and are laying the foundation for the next century. Thanks be to God.
- Dr. Simon and Haejung Park, PC(USA) mission co-workers, Seoul, Korea
Let us join in prayer for:
Partners/Partnerships
PCK: Rev. Dr. Seong Gi Cho, general secretary, Rev. Kyung In Kim, executive secretary, planning and ecumenical relations * National Organization of Korean Presbyterian Women: Elder Bok Joo Kwon, moderator, Rev. Yoon Hee Lee, general secretary * Women Ministers Association: Rev. Jeum Im Park, moderator, Ae Shin Koh, general secretary * Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea (PROK): Rev. Tae Jin Bae, general secretary, Rev. Seung Min Shin, executive secretary, ecumenical relations * Christian Literature Society: Rev. Ji Kang Chung, president . Hanil University and Presbyterian Theological Seminary: Rev. Dr. Jang Bok Chung, president * Hannam University: Dr. Hyung Tae Kim, president * Hanshin University: Dr. Eung Jin Yun, president * Honam Theological University: Rev. Dr. Jong Soon Cha, president * Keimyung University: Dr. Ilhi Synn, president * Kwangju Christian Hospital: Dr. Byung Ran Park, M.D., director * National Council of Churches in Korea: Rev. Oh Sung Kwon, general secretary * Presbyterian College and Theological Seminary: Rev. Dr. Young Ihl Chang, president * Presbyterian Medical Center, Chonju: Min Chul Kim, M.D., director * Siloam Eye Hospital: Rev. Dr. Sun Tai Kim, director * Soongsil University: Dr. Dae Keun Kim, president * Yonsei University: Han Joong Kim, president
Presbytery Partnerships
Presbytery of Cayuga-Syracuse, Presbytery of LosRanchos, Presbytery of New Harmony, Seattle Presbytery, and Sierra Mission Partnership with the PCK; National Capital Presbytery with the PCK and the PROK
PC(USA) Agencies' Staff
Kathy A. Lincoln, FDN
Hallie Lindsay, BOP
Stephanie Ling, BOP
Let us pray
Our creative and loving God, we praise you for planting seeds of your image in each of us. With humility, yet with the confidence that your Son in us makes it possible for any of us, we submit to your command to love our neighbor as ourselves. Amen.
Daily Lectionary
Morning Psalms 84; 148
First Reading Deuteronomy 31:7-13, 31:24-32:4
Second Reading Romans 10:1-13
Gospel Reading Matthew 24:15-31
Evening Psalms 25; 40
