It's not until something is broken or gone that we realize how much we take it for granted. When the car breaks down and you have to do without it, you realize how much you take it for granted. When a loved one dies, you realize how much you took for granted that they had always been there. Living in a foreign land, you realize that you took many things for granted. For instance, being able to go to the grocery store anytime you want. Here the big stores like E-mart don't open until 10am and close by midnight or earlier. You also have to either walk or ride a bus to get there. No hopping in the car, buying the groceries, putting them in the trunk, and driving home. Here you have to take a wheeled cart and several re-usable bags to the store with you and either have to walk the mile home pulling or carrying the groceries or carry the bags and cart up into a city bus to ride to the bus stop outside our apartment complex. Once you get to the store, almost everything is written in Korean. This has been difficult for Pamela who is one of those people who liked to read every ingredient on the products she buys. It is really interesting when she was trying to decide which package was baking soda and which one was baking powder. She was tasting them to figure it out when Caitlyn came up and read the Korean characters that actual transliterated the English word. You also take for granted being able to be understood when you speak and to understand what is being spoken to you. You never knew how much you could communicate with just your body language. Sometimes, that is all we have to rely on. There have been many times where someone would come up and ask a question and we have no clue as to what they want. So, you tell them you don't understand Korean in Korean and they just keep right on talking in Korean to you. Then, I tell them I don't know much Korean, and they just keep talking. Finally, you just say bye and have to leave. You also take for granted your money. How easy it is to think in terms of dollars and cents and denominations like ones, fives, tens, and twenties. Here we have to think in terms of cheon (1,000) won, the smallest bill, o cheon (5,000) and man (10,000) won, the largest bill. I get paid in the millions here every month. So, I am a multimillionare in won every month. Then, there is riding the bus. Many of the driver's here are former race car drivers, or at least it seems like it. If you are in one of the seats, it isn't too bad, but if you have to stand, it can be pretty interesting trying not to fall down. I am amazed at how the Koreans can stand up on a bus or subway and read a book, watch TV on their cell phone, or text while the vehicle is in motion, especially the women in high heels. Another thing I had taken for granted was evangelism. Almost every week, I was witnessing on the streets in OKC. I have been in Korea for 15 months and have only been able to witness like 4 times. Most of those in the last week. Our church here in Korea has just started an Evangelism Explosion class and I was invited to attend. It is great because the pastor asked me to join the class knowing I had done evangelism before. It also is great because we are witnessing to foreigners in English. I don't know enough Korean to do much of anything, much less share the good news. Although, that is something I am wanting to learn to do in the near future. We have tons of people who come to visit our church just because it is in English. We are trying to meet up with each one to share with each one that they can know they are going to heaven. I took many things for granted living in the US that I miss now. In closing, take the time to look at what you have around you and be grateful for it, because tomorrow it could be gone. Don't take anything for granted, especially the little things. God has given you more blessing than you realize. Be thankful for them. Don't wait until your loved ones are gone to realize how much you loved and needed them. Let them know today how much you care. If you recieved this from me, then you know that I care about you and don't want to take our relationship for granted. While your at it, tell God how grateful you are for all that he has given you and for the relationship he died to have with you.
In His service in Korea,
Derek
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