Wink and a Prayer

I need to take a breathe. I know I will not be talking to you, but the words I am typing are coming at the speed of light from my mind. Here it goes...
We are packing our bags and drying our tears at the same time.
Today was especially busy, but full of memories that will last a life time.
First thing we were taken to the North Korean/South Korean neutral zone- the DMZ.
We stood out on an observatory tower and looked out across the river which divides these two countries. Barbed wire and guard towers abound and evil permeates the atmosphere. We learned from our drivers and hosts, the Cheng's, all about how North Korea is falling apart. It is impoverished communism with the saddest living conditions you could imagine. And in Seoul, which is so close, there is sits one of the ten largest, modern cities in the world. You could not help but feel for the families that are torn apart and the people of this country where Satan has got such a stronghold. We prayed for them, took some pictures, and loaded up for a couple hours of walking, and speed shopping at the South Gate (Nom Da Moon).
There we saw all types of foods and merchandise as we fought off tight roads and crowds aplenty. We RUSHED (pardon my pun) and got to go see the largest church in the world at Yoida Full Gospel Church which is across the street from the Korean and International Mission Boards.
Fast and furiously (the driving cannot be described by this feeble mind) we sped to make our way back to our housing where we changed, took a group picture, and then headed out to our Victory dinner which celebrated our weeks of work.
We met at Central Baptist which is a large church in a suburb of Seoul. The women of the church cooked us a traditional Korean meal (we are all dreaming of tacos, okra, cornbread, or chili) and then we sat down for a night of sharing. The teams each told stories of people they had met, and then the pastors of the churches where we served gave their testimonies from the weeks.
We had funny stories (I will tell you them in person because I'm sure they will not translate the same via written word), and couple of glorious ones.
The best, I think, came from our group and Jerry Horn.
Jerry was asked by a deacon to go speak to his wife. She was 60 years old and had a stroke about eleven years ago. The stroke had effected her left side in that all she could do is move her mouth a little and barely move her left eye. They came into their apartment. When they arrived, Jerry was asked to wait as the husband went into the bedroom. He then came out and went into the bathroom. He went back into the bedroom, and then he came to get Jerry. I don't think I can give any justice to his story and give a better description of the setting, but Jerry said the stench was almost unbearable. Remember, he is a veterinarian. They entered her room and there she laid under some covers. She was an emaciate skeleton was a catheter hooked to her and filled at her bedside. Jerry went to her bedside. He told her why he had come to Korea. He shared his faith and how Jesus had died for sinners. As he continued his story, tears ran down his face. When he asked this sad and afflicted woman if she wanted to put her faith and trust in Jesus as her Savior- she blinked. Not just once, but she kept on blinking. She hadn't moved one muscle the entire time they had been in the room, but when he asked her about receiving Jesus as her Lord and Savior- she reacted with she could give. A wink. And they prayed. Tears flowed in that room, and they also flowed as Jerry shared his story. I don't think anyone in our room had a dry eye. Blessings from heaven. Seeds were planted, and God watered them with His Son's love and the tears of His children.
Pastor Sheen, Yung Me, and Ki Wan came in late and our hearts jumped with joy, and they sat behind us as the ceremony continued. He was wearing the tie I had given him. I almost cried. But when he handed us a large silkscreen poster that had pictures from us with them and people from his church and those we shared with. I did cry.
The ceremonies ended and we took more pictures, hugged, and did not want to let them go. I got one last hug from young Ki Wan. He said "I love you", again, and I almost lost it, again.
We took them aside, prayed for their ministry, swapped emails, and walked out the doors holding hands, letting go, waving as we entered our vans, and we slipped away into the maddening traffic, a river of cars that flowed with red and white lights, which carried us from our new family. It was surreal.
We are sitting in the main room of our apartments discussing our night and days from the last 2 weeks.
I have SO MUCH to share! I can't type in all. It fills my head to overflowing.
We have a 6:45 ride to the airport so we can jump on a plane for Tokyo, then Detroit, and then home to Memphis, and Collierville, Tennessee.
Please pray for our travels.
Pray for those that we are leaving behind.
Pray for these relationships and the churches that preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.
They are 7000 miles away from you now, but they are in one accord with the Holy Spirit of God.
They are the church of God.
We have been blessed to serve with them.
I will add many reports and pictures in the days and weeks to come. Read them. Pray for them.
This, I do truly believe, is just a small, small, small taste of what's in store for us in heaven.
See you all soon!
Wink and a prayer