The door opens wider

I was able to meet with the pastor/principal here last Tuesday. God definitely went before me. I told the pastor that it was time for us to part ways like Paul and Barnabas separated to do more ministry. I explained that God had opened a door we needed to go through. He was very gracious in the meeting and understood us leaving. Several times in the meeting he stated that we were Christian brothers and that he wanted to maintain a friendship and to pray for each other. I agreed with him on this matter. I also gave him my proposal about giving us the furniture in the apartment as past payments. This was offered to give him an honorable way to get out of his debt and it would help us move on to our new position. He said he would like to read over the papers and he would give them back to me in the next couple of days. He gave them all back to me the next day. He was very sad giving them to me, but he understood that God was moving. This has removed a barrier between us and has relieved a burden from him. I had a meeting with him on Friday and he asked how things were going with our paperwork for updating my visa. He has listed our apartment to be able to rent it out to someone else. This makes one more bill he doesn't have to pay. Now, he is able to focus more on the school without having to worry on so many debts. I received an email of my new contract for review and should have a copy of it to sign in the next few days. I will send all of my paperwork back to the new school so they can get them processed at the immigration office. When they have my approval number, I will have to leave the country to go to a Korean consulate and get my new visa. This will be done in Taiwan or Japan, probably. We are supposed to move on Tuesday the 22nd or Wednesday the 23rd. My parents are supposed to arrive on Friday the 25th. Lastly, I am supposed to start my new job on August 4th. It sounds like so much to do in such a short time, but I don't really have any stress over it at all. God has given us peace about this whole situation. Please continue to pray for us as we try to accomplish all of this in this timetable.

In His service,

Derek (for the Woods)

Closed Doors, Open Doors

Closed Doors

As most of you know, we have been in Korea for a little over 6 months and have received less than $4,000 from the school where we work. It isn't that they don't want to pay us, they just don't have the money. The school only has 13 students. They are trying to pay for the school expenses (rent, utilities, loans, food, books, etc), our apartment rent, and their own bills (rent, utilities, food, etc.). There just isn't enough money for all of the expenses. When he contracted with us, the agreement was we would be paid every month for our work. Last month, I talked to him about him fulfilling his obligation to pay us. I told him that I didn't see that there was anyway he could pay us on a consistent basis with the current situation. He paid me in two installments what he owed me for my teaching for May. We had Pamela stop teaching in the school and start homeschooling again. He told me that he would make paying me a priority each month. He said that he would pay me in full without fail on the 3rd. He said that if anything came up where he couldn't, he would tell me a week in advance. On the 3rd of this month, he told me he didn't have the full amount and that he would pay me half as soon as possible and the other half by the 20th. This weekend he put a fourth of my monthly salary in my account. I talked to him last month explaining about keeping our word and not sinning by making promises that he couldn't fulfill. On top of this, there is little to no communication between us. I am supposed to administer testing on Friday to my students to evaluate them to see about their placement for next semester. He hasn't told me what he wants on the test or how he wants them evaluated. I asked him last week about it and all I got were some generalities, then he proceeded to tell me which students he was planning on putting in what class. So, it seems the test is just to tell the parents the children were tested to put them in whatever class he deems they need to be in instead of what their ability shows. This is just one example of the many communication problems we have had. So, needless to say, we feel that God has closed the door for us here at this school. That leads us to our next section, open doors.

Open Doors

While I was having the meetings with the pastor last month about his integrity and paying us, I called several friends from our home church that live here in Korea to update them and have them pray. I spoke with one couple, the Williams, and they told me about a friend of theirs that had a school that would need teachers, but when I called her she didn't need anyone until September. I spoke with another couple, the Levundusky's, and they said they had a friend that was planning on expanding his school, but they weren't sure when. They asked if I would mind them mentioning me to him. I said that would be fine. Their friend, Mr. Kim IkSang emailed me and told me that he wasn't needing anyone until September himself either, but he had a friend that needed a teacher or two as soon as possible. He forwarded my information to them and we have been corresponding back and forth for a couple of weeks. This school is in the Bundang area of Seoul which would put us closer to many things. Currently, we are in a brand new small city over three hours away from Seoul. This school teaches character from Character First in their kindergarten and they have opened the language school to continue teaching character along with English. I had a meeting this last Sunday with Mr. Kim, the school owner, and the school director to discuss our requirements for coming. Everything we needed to be able to come, they said would be no problem. We are finalizing the contract terms now and should have everything done on it by the end of the week. I am going to be talking with Mr. Kim after school tomorrow. Please pray that all goes well with our meeting. Since he owes us over $10,000, we are going to try to alleviate the debt by asking for the large furniture in the apartment like the refrigerator, bed, wardrobe, and the washing machine. I am going to propose that he give us these items and we will call the debt paid. Also, please pray for us as we will be moving in two weeks. After we move, my parents are coming on vacation and will be here for a week. Please pray as I will have to leave the country to update my visa sometime during this time also. I will start on August 4th at the new school. God sure does move in mysterious ways. Before we came to Korea, I met with our pastor to tell him about our trip and to have him write a letter of recommendation. Pastor Jerry Wells may not tell you he is a prophet, but his words from that meeting certainly came true. This is what he told me, "What are you going to do if when you get there, this school can't pay you. As a Christian, you don't want to take a fellow Christian to court. So, you will hit your knees and ask God to help you and provide for your needs. Remember, Derek, that sometimes God will move you one place to get you to another where he wants you to be." These were definitely prophetic words for us and I have held on to them for the last six months. I think that the part about God moving you one place to get you to another may come true many times over in my life in the coming years. Thank you all for all of the time you have spent before the throne of grace on our behalf. I want you to know that He has been faithful to hear and answer exceeding and abundantly over what you could ever know. If there is anything we can lift up to the Father on your behalf, feel free to email me and we will pray for you.

In His service,

Derek

Most people would say that I am a new missionary, considering I have only been in Korea for 6 months. I would say that I have been a missionary for years, only now I have crossed the ocean to continue what was started in America. The mission hasn't changed, just the location. The mission continues to be the same one that Jesus started and has been carried on through the centuries; to seek and save that which was lost and be a servant. I am serving now in the capacity of a teacher in a Christian school. I find it quite ironic that God sent me halfway around the world to have me teach in a school that uses American textbooks and is totally taught in English. I mean he could just as easily let me stay in America and teach the same material as I am teaching now. There are many schools that use the same Bob Jones curriculum there. I also find it funny that he would move us here to confirm that we are supposed to homeschool our children. God definitely has a sense of humor. For years, my wife and I were burdened for the hispanic people. We worked at a Spanish speaking church, had friends who were hispanic and even lived in a predominantly hispanic neighborhood. However, God decided we needed to go to South Korea. When we came here, I didn't know any Korean language and had only met a few Koreans. I didn't know anything about the country, it's people, or it's history. I am learning much about these things each day.

Before coming to Korea, I spent many hours passing out tracts, talking to people one on one or in small groups, and occasionally preaching in the open air. I sometimes went with a team, or if no one else was available, I went by myself. I enjoyed this very much, but God wanted to stretch me spiritually so he arranged for me to come to Korea. If you want to know more about how we came to be in Korea or about our current situation you can read my other blog.

Welcome

This blog is dedicated to my musings about theology, apologetics, evangelism, cross-cultural communication, cultural differences, and the Bible in relation to Christ's mission for all of us to make disciples of all nations. Sometimes, the musings will be serious and at others they will be very humorous. I hope you enjoy the writings. If you have any questions, or comments feel free to leave them here. Please remember that these are my musings and my memoirs, so they will be slanted in that they are my personal viewpoints. You may or may not agree with all things written.