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