| Missionary in Thailand Please pray that:
We will be more effective servants for the Thai church.
We will not grow tired and weary, after just a little bit over a year.
We will continue to improve our Thai through ministry as well as weekly tutoring. Short term missions guide. www.paulmkim.com/ministry/shortTermChecklist/shortTermChecklist.html
update newsletter from Thailand. 3/10/2008 vol 4.2, Great Expectations
Dear Friends,
WE TRUST THAT YOU ARE DOING WELL, enjoying the grace of God as you serve His kingdom with your talents and resources. Thank you so much for your prayers and financial support. Our family has been good too; Sarah and I are growing more aware of our roles in Thailand. We’ve been inspired by some great missionaries around here. But, instead of wishing to “move up” in this missionary world, we just want to be faithful with what God has given us. Instead of being discouraged with any visible lack of success or admiration, we want to be thankful for the good things God gives us. We continue to expect great things from God, not for our own profit or fame but for the church in Thailand. We want to do God’s will, even if it doesn’t look “successful” to others.
THERE ARE SO MANY NEEDS AND OPPORTUNITIES in the mission field. As a result of the decentralized Christmas events in Chonburi, there are now many more children coming to the church in Chonburi Center on Sundays. There are also “Saturday schools” in two locations outside the center where the seminary students teach the Bible and even try to teach English. The English Bible study for Thai professionals at SDRF (Sustainable Development Research Foundation, Jim Gustafson) that Santosh and I have been leading is going well; the cell phone photo above is from last week. In fact, some of the people are asking for more! Most of the members just walk from their office to the ministry center that is right in the heart of the financial district of Bangkok. But SDRF is vacating that building in August and will focus their ministries elsewhere in Bangkok. Santosh and I are praying about how to continue serving this group, and are hoping that some of the staff in Newsong Bangkok will step up to help, individually or as a church; pictured below is the Newsong Bangkok staff at a recent staff retreat in Hua Hin.
A LOT OF STUFF IS GOING ON. I finished my first year of teaching at the seminary in Chonburi Center. Rev. Nathan Kim from our home church, TGSC (Torrance Good Shepherd Church) is coming tomorrow for 4 days as a speaker in the 90th Good Shepherd Institute in Chonburi Center; it’s a seminar for Thai church leaders that my dad has been directing every two months for the past 15 years. Rev. Nathan will be joined by his wife and three others. Two weeks later, I will be going to Sicap Center (Daniel and Ruth Kim, GP) in the Philippines to speak at a graduation in their seminary.
ELI PAK, a former student of mine from LAKMC (Los Angeles Korean Methodist Church), will be coming for a one-year term this May. He will teach English in one of the schools in Chonburi Province, while also helping out with the orphans and seminary students in the center. Pray for him as he would be the first Korean-American to venture coming to Chonburi Center for that long. This summer, we will have a team from Harvest Community Church (Jae W. Kim, Houston) for the second year in a row in early July, followed by a team from TGSC in late July. A third team from New Life Community in Los Angeles (Chris Lee) will be here in the first half of August.
Please pray for Yvonne Huang, Sarah’s sister-in-law, who is recovering from a major car accident.
Please also pray that:
1. The Thai church will continue to grow in the depths of the love of Jesus Christ.
2. We will get enough funding for a reliable vehicle to use for a long time in Thailand.
3. God will continue to mold us, even in suffering, to become better missionaries in Thailand.
In Christ,
Paul, with Sarah, Lydia and Timothy
9/4/2007 vol 3.2, Time for a Break
Dear Friends,
“TIME FOR A BREAK ALREADY?” You might ask. Mission agencies recommend furloughs every 4-6 years. Global Partners recommends a brief mid-term break after two years, so we can rest and visit churches and friends. The GP office in Anaheim will provide a car and a cell phone for us to use during our stay. Contact Global Partners if you also want to be a missionary! But I pray that your faith is shining brightly, right where you are.
SO WE’LL BE IN USA from October 9 through December 2, after we visit Korea from October 2. We’ll visit our home church (TGSC) that will be celebrating its 6th year anniversary, go to the East coast on October 25 and visit my old Christian fellowship at Wesleyan University, Chicago/Milwaukee on November 8, and back to Los Angeles on November 19. Unlike two years ago, when we stretched our visits over several months, our schedule this time will be tight. We still want to meet every one of you; please help us by letting us know your schedule. In the future, we would like to focus on a specific region to visit at a time, instead of trying to tour the whole country.
WE THANK GOD for so many of you who continued to pray for us and support us. Many of you emailed us to say that you’re supporting us. Some of you sent financial donations. Eight churches in USA and one church in Korea have been supporting us financially. Twenty individuals have been making regular donations (“regular” means either more than once a year or more than $100 total). More details are available for regular donors inquiring to know. We are eager to meet potential supporters. Please visit our partnership page if you want to help in some way.
THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS have been exciting. Many mission teams visited Chonburi Center. Harvest Community (Houston) was the first team I hosted as a missionary; you can see their “Thai 7” video on our ministry webpage. San Diego Calvary college group visited next, and my parents did most of the hosting while I was speaking at Ezemiah Conference in Korea. See some of the photos by Kevin, member of the San Diego Calvary team. I got to meet Missionary Ruth Baek of MK Nest in Korea, as well as Tim Jeong and other senior MK’s or missionary kids of MK Korea; Tim is the first full-time staff for MK Korea, which is a great network of Korean MK’s. In August, a team of GP missionary candidates visited and endured my one-hour lecture on how to make it to the field. My grandfather also visited with a team of eight people from Mogpo, Korea. We’re thankful that many people are showing interest in Chonburi Center and its many ministries.
TEACHING AT CHONBURI SEMINARY is going well, and I’ll finish my last class of the term tomorrow. I’ve also started helping Santosh, a Boeing engineer from California, lead English Bible studies to a group of Thai professionals. It’s part of Jim Gustufson’s SDRF ministries in Bangkok. Santosh is a staff of Newsong Bangkok. I love this network of great-hearted leaders of the Gospel! I’ve been enjoying a men’s prayer group with guys from Newsong Bangkok; they’ve been my accountability partners as well as people to hang out with. Praise God!
Please pray that:
1. God will grant us a safe and refreshing trip as we visit our friends and supporters.
2. We will be able to get a reliable vehicle to use for a long time in Thailand.
3. Our friends in Thailand will continue to grow in their understanding of and faith in Jesus Christ.
In Christ,
Paul, with Sarah, Lydia and Timothy
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3/15/2007 vol 2.5, Missions and Money
Dear Friends,
IS IT TOO LATE TO SAY HAPPY NEW YEAR? We pray that your satisfaction in God is increasing as you continue to draw closer to Him. The kids are on summer break. Timothy will go to a Korean kindergarten for two months. Lydia will begin homeschooling. Sarah is done with full-time Thai school. Paul will study for two more months. We've had many encouraging visitors. And, we're learning a lot about serving and evangelism through our connection with NewSong Bangkok.
[photo caption] Sarah teaching English in a Christmas camp in Chonburi Center, where about 1,350 children came from neighboring villages last December (Above). The Newsong Bangkok small group or Underground Verge that meets in our home. Poom with guitar in the back. (Below)
YOUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT is important! Thank you for your donations. There has been a 15% drop in the value of the dollar (from 41 to 35 Baht) since we arrived over a year ago. More bad news: Paul's parents had prayed for $10,000 to support the big Christmas event for 1000+ children. A church sent exactly $10,000 just two weeks before the event, only to say, after the event, that they made a mistake and had meant it for another missionary in Thailand who is building a church. They asked for the money back. We're still about $5000 short; if you'd like to cover for some of it, please email us. Good news: We had planned to request scholarship money for Rattana, an orphan in Chonburi who is going to college. But one couple made a special donation for scholarships before we even got this letter out!
VEHICLE PURCHASE is our major financial project for this year. We're hoping for $25,000. If you're so moved, please make a special donation with a memo on the check for "T17: Paul Kim, vehicle purchase". Only 3% (instead of the standard 10%) administrative fee will be deducted. We will display monthly updates of this special fund in our website. Please don't replace your regular donations, since our regular needs remain the same. But we sincerely ask that you give according to your budget and level of cheerfulness (2 Cor 9:7), even if it's just two pennies.
KOREAN LANGUAGE may not be your thing, but some of you may have been receiving Korean literature after supporting us financially. Please let us know if you no longer wish to receive them, and we'll let the office know.
THIS JUNE will be exciting as we begin ministering without full-time language classes. Paul will begin teaching two classes in a seminary in Chonburi Mission Center, and may teach another class in Bangkok. We will also receive our first short term missions team from Harvest Community Church in Houston, on 6/29-7/12. San Diego Calvary Korean Church will visit Chonburi on the first week of 7/16-27. We'll continue to do field research in Chonburi province and other areas, primarily to seek God's guidance regarding the possibility of a church plant.
Check out Lydia's updated webpage in our site! She will begin homeschooling next month.
Please pray that:
We will be more effective servants for the Thai church.
We will not grow tired and weary, after just a little bit over a year.
We will continue to improve our Thai through ministry as well as weekly tutoring.
In Christ ,
Paul & Sarah, Lydia and Timothy
| | | | Date: January 21, 2009 3:51:53 PM PST
Greetings from Pasadena, CA! I am back from Niger! What a trip it was... About 21 presenters from N. America, Europe, and East Africa were gathered to serve missionary families serving in West Africa.  It was well worth all the trouble I went through, such as getting yellow fever shot and taking malaria pills, to get to this conference and lead 6 sessions of workshop with a Korean missionary couple (yes, only one Korean couple came L) who drove all the way from Ghana with their two children. But it was a good introduction to Africa for me since I will probably go back there in the coming years to lead more workshops and conferences. If you would like to learn more about Niger, go to: http://www.sim.org/index.php/country/NE Attached are some photos from the trip: Street vender, Sahel Academy for missionary children, Dorm students. I'm am off to Manila next week to teach at MK Connection where new MK teachers are being trained. Please pray that my teaching time will be effective and productive. Also, I will be meeting with my future team members to discuss my role in the team among other things. When I come back in late Feb., I would like to invite those who are in Southern California to an informal gathering where I can share more about the ministry. So look out for the invitation! :-) Talk to you again later, youngmee shin
Letter from Youngmee December 16, 2008 Hi,
I'm back from the month long trip to Spain and Germany. It was a time well spent learning, listening, and growing in the vision for the work ahead of me. Oh, the trip to Morocco got cancelled few days before the trip began... but we had other wonderful opportunities in Madrid!
Here are some photos:
 Me at North Africa Partnership with Latino workers in Malaga. First time ever making a presentation through a translator! 
Met up with two Latino workers in Granada at a McDonald! But the time spent with these ladies were educational. I learned that Latino children do not leave parents' home until they are married. So one of the ladies have two grown children move to Spain with them from Central America! That brings up a whole new area of caring for MKs who are older...
Kindergarten class at Evangelical Christian Academy in Madrid. This is a small MK school that serves about 85 students from many different nations. I was blessed to hear from the director that ECA tries to be part of the community by letting the community use the school building whenever it's appropriate. There's even a church meeting in the all-purpose room on Sundays!  We spent three days with a couple who is working with TCKs in Spain, hearing their vision, exchanging ideas, and learning to partner withe people who are on the same or similar path.  Students I used to know at Black Forest Academy. There are over 50 Korean students attending BFA now! Have a wonderful season of celebrating the Lord as you spend time with your loved ones. My family will be getting together in Dallas! thanking you always, youngmee
Letters from Youngmee December 11, 2007  Newly wed entering the reception hall Here is a fun poem, written by Shel Silverstein, I read with my students
today:
Snowball
I made myself a snowball
As perfect as could be.
I thought I'd keep it as a pet
And let it sleep with me.
I made some pajamas
And a pillow for its head.
Then last night it ran away,
But first - it wet the bed.
*
Weather:*
Our new team members from Philippines are hoping for some white stuff to fall and get a chance to play in it for the first time in their lives.
But the season has been unusually mild and dry so far. Though I am glad for it, if it continues to be this way for long time and not get enough rain or snow, we will see the negative effect. The farmers will suffer later, and there won't be enough water to produce hydro-electricity. If there isn't enough electricity produced, K-stan won't be able to export it to Uzbekistan... and when K-stan does not export enough electricity, the Uz government will cut off the gas supply to K-stan... oh boy.
*  Some of Youngmees kids
Visa situation:*
Well, as I've written before, the saga continues. A couple trying to get to K-stan found out that even K-stan embassy in DC is not issuing one year, multi-entry visas anymore... I will still attempt to get it from the embassy in DC, but if all fails, I can get a one-month tourist visa at the airport when I come back after spending Christmas with Connie and my sister - hooray! - in California. And then I will try again to obtain the visa from here. But it's harder to transfer tourist visa to ordinary... oh help! :-)
*
Reading the Bible with Gulia:*
We've finished discussing the preliminary things about the letter, such as the writer, the occasion of the letter, and the recipients, and now we are reading it again section by section and discussing them. She is struggling to make her walk with the Lord a reality, not just some nice idea...but she lacks the discipline.
*Local friends:*
Just recently, a young local believer was 'taken' by force and now he is in the military. All young men who are of age and not married must serve in the army for one or two years. But because most young men have left the country to work, there's not enough recruits. Many young men get out of serving in the army by bribing the officials. And because of the incredibly harsh treatment in the army, most try to avoid it at all cost. No one ever reports to the army voluntarily. Therefore the army actually goes around the country, searching for the young people who must serve. So this young man has been in the army for less than a month now, already been beaten several times for no reason... but he is keeping his faith strong and searching for ways to be the light and salt around him. Last I heard, he is already ministering to local orphans around the army base.
I've been meditating on the following verses as I think of the locals who are going through hard times and also suffering because of their faith in Jesus.
Isaiah 43:1-5
"...Do not fear for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you. For I am the holy One of Israel, your Savior... Since you are precious in My sight, since you are honored and I love you, I will give other men in your place and other peoples in exchange for your life. Do not fear, for I am with you..."
*Contact while in California:*
I am very thankful that I will be spending this Christmas with Connie and my sister in Pasadena, California... I will be there from 17 Dec. to
4 January. If you are anywhere near Pasadena and would like to see me, please email me or call me in Pasadena: 626-794 -3573 . I would love to be able to see some of you while I am there.
Thank you so much for your prayers and encouragements.
On 10/2/07, Youngmee Shin wrote:
Hello,
I've been 'home' for three days now after a week in Bishkek. I was able
to meet with people to discuss things concerning MK ministry. And then
instead of flying to J-bat from Bishkek, I decided to get a taxi ride
since I had some heavy bags to take with me. I was so thankful for a
trustworthy taxi driver to be riding all by myself as a passenger.
It's about 600 kilometers (about 360 miles) to J-bat and it took just
over 7 hours, thanks to recently paved road for the last 150 or so
kilometers! It used to take up to 10 hours due to unpaved road. Most of
the way is just mountain road after another curvy mountain road, with
even some snow on the very top and very little trace of human
habitation. But as I was passing through small to tiny villages dotted
far between along the valleys, I was urged to pray that somehow people
in those places will hear the Good News.
Now I am half way finished with cleaning, rearranging, and unpacking,
just trying to make it 'my home'. I've moved to another house to
house-sit for a family who left for a year long furlough. Please pray
that this place will be a place of worship and prayers as well as a
welcoming place for local friends who are not yet followers of Christ.
I am hoping to start teaching one student next week. Two more will come
towards the end of October and one more around middle of November. I
will start the language learning as well. Also, a local college student
asked me to read the Bible with her. Please pray that this will be a
time of learning and growing in the Lord for her and that I would know
how to pray and minister to her.
Oh, I think I might have shared with some of you that I was told by an
optometrist that there's some signs of Macular Degenerative disease in
my right eye. Just before I left to come back, I was able to get a
thorough check up by ophthalmologist and I don't have that disease. PTL!
But instead I was told that I have a high risk of getting glaucoma in
both eyes...yikes! Please pray that I would be healthy all over.
It's early, but I need to start thinking about Christmas, mainly because
I would like to spend it with Connie somewhere outside of K-stan. To be
honest, last Christmas was the hardest time ever, having to spend it
alone. Also all along the Christmas season, I would like to create a
healthy (?) Christmas celebration with my local friends without the
trappings of western 'holiday' mindset of gift giving and parties... We
from the west may continue to celebrate the way it's been done, but
people here do not have to copy that, do they? Please pray that I would
be humble in my thinking... :-)
Thank you so much for your prayers and words of encouragement. I cannot
be here and do what I do without you!
youngmee
Connie went back to California... Few days before her departure, we
were able to 'fix' the visa problem by going to the consular at the
airport who made the mistake. He just wrote over the mistake!Thank you
so much for praying.
We had a wonderful time together. Three weeks just flew by and it was so
hard to let her go. She is so excited for college life. I think I did
mention that she will be going to Washington State University in
Pullman, WA.
I will be meeting up with some Korean workers in another city. It's my
first time making this 2 hour driving trip by myself. Please pray that
the meeting will go well. The main purpose of the meeting is to see what
can be done to help with their children's education. This year, there
are 13 Korean families with 23 children! I will write more about the
meeting when I get back.
Thank you so much for your love and prayers,
youngmee
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