COVID-19 is still spreading: How are you doing?
Seven months have already passed since the outbreak of the Coronavirus Pandemic. The dangers and fears of the virus are still sweeping the world, and it is still a dangerous and challenging time in the United States. Not long ago, while I was having a conversation with a missionary to Kenya, he said to me, “Be healthy in the most difficult place in this difficult time.” It was a great comfort to me. There is no safe place globally. I’ve wondered, “How can the United States be so dangerous?” Though it is a difficult situation, I’m doing well.
Corona Comfort Project: Lydia’s Kitchen GRAND OPENING
Since March, we have been STAYING AT HOME, and my husband and I as well as the people around us have been thinking a lot about how to get through this crisis. Then one day as I prayed, I heard the voice of God saying, “Comfort my people.” I opened the Bible, thinking about what that could mean, and I found this Word accurately written in Isaiah 40:1.
“God said, ‘Comfort, comfort my people.’”
I heard the voice of God’s heart and His comforting message for God’s people, so I wondered how I could obey this Word. And I made up my mind with my husband that in this time, I would serve people on the front porch of my house. As we are Korean, we wanted to comfort the local people who were tired of the COVID-19 pandemic with Korean food. Of course, keeping in mind the risk of the virus, we invited one family at a time to maintain safe social distancing.
* Term: July-September (3 months)
* Every Monday afternoon 5:00-9:00
* Object: One family group or one group of people (who do not feel unsafe eating together)
* Where: Front Porch of Lydia’s House
* Menu: Choice of Bibimbap, Bulgogi, Fried Rice, Sesame Chicken, or BLT Sandwich
* Let me know your arrival time and your choice of food so we can be ready and set up the table before you arrive.
Progress
So far, nine families, a total of 34 people, have been treated and served. We hand-make the Korean food, so I shopped in advance the day before serving people, preparing ingredients in the morning and serving them in the evening. After that, we do dishes. The whole process of preparing the food is not easy. Nevertheless, we love this ministry because we can feel joy and happiness in the hearts of people exhausted from the coronavirus when they spend time at Lydia’s Kitchen.
This area is in the rural north of Michigan, so there are few opportunities to eat Asian food, and no place to eat Korean food. However, LYDIA’S KITCHEN is a chance for people to experience a part of a new culture, so my husband and I are preparing the food proudly. We explain the characteristics of the food and how to eat it. After the meal and desserts, we take a breath and spend time hanging out with our guests.
Bi-cultural experience: Food
For missionaries working in other cultures, I think food is an excellent bridge to make new connections with locals. It may be an unfamiliar and sometimes frightening challenge for locals to try foods that are not familiar. Still, if you explain the ingredients, origins, and methods of eating, everyone can naturally exchange cultures.
Korean food (K-Food) is in the spotlight worldwide, but I’m in an area where Korean food and K-pop are unfamiliar, so food plays an important role in getting to know and learning about the United States and Korea.
SSG Prayer: Prayer warriors who sow the seed and cultivate the land
In June, I opened the website for Lydia’s House, and I shared with you about the “SSG(Stop Stay Go) Prayer.” It is an intercessory prayer ministry where people can go to the Lydia’s House website, read the prayers updated every month, and then pray for 5 minutes. Many people have not yet promised that they will do it regularly. Still, there are ten prayer warriors who are currently praying to the LORD with the names of missionaries on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. And these prayer warriors are supporting the missionaries by leaving comments after praying. Although there aren’t many participating yet, we continue to pray for more missionaries and supporters to be connected by prayer as this intercessory prayer ministry is expanding. I want to thank all of you who quietly come in and pray using “SSG,” and if anyone has decided to pray on a specific day of the week, please contact me individually.
Missionary care 1:1
Alecia is a co-worker who helps with the Lydia’s House ministry and is studying TESOL to use in the future as a missionary. Alecia and I first met in Korea 4 years ago. At that time, she came to Korea as a short-term missionary for OMS Korea’s summer ministry called AIE (Adventures In English). At that time, she also helped teach English to the missionary candidates at the Gyeyang Missionary Training Center as an intern. After the summer ministry, she went back to the United States to pray for a year and prepare for a mission. Then, she returned to Korea to do an English ministry for Korean missionaries for a year. And at the same time, God put on her heart the desire to improve her “ability to teach English as a foreign language” professionally, and she came back to the United States. She is currently majoring in TESOL in graduate school and is praying for God to show her the next step. She is more than precious.
The time it takes to study to prepare for future ministry without being in the field is an exercise in patience that is not easy for those who have a vision for mission. While studying for a little more than two years, keeping God’s calling and preparing for it is like walking in the wilderness. However, I believe that praying together and encouraging each other is a good way to prevent her from losing the vision. So, Alecia and I are doing video meetings every other Wednesday. A year has already passed since we started doing this. During this hour-long meeting, we share about our daily lives and how we are doing as well as praying and blessing each other. During this, we speak in Korean so that Alecia won’t forget the language skills that she had learned in Korea since Alecia doesn’t have many chances to speak Korean in the States. I pray that her dreams and vision will be answered in God’s time with God’s way and that her future mission work will bear fruit abundantly.
Please pray for this:
- Through the Corona Comfort Project, “Lydia’s Kitchen” ministry, make it a time for church members and residents to experience God’s comfort and love and help my husband and me serve joy and gratitude.
- It has been almost a year since we completed submitting documents for a long-term visa. There is also the aftermath of the COVID-19, but it is getting harder for foreigners to obtain a permit to stay in the States. I believe that God has intervened in all the processes and procedures, and thank God and trust Him because He has already been accomplished and make us wait. ( I cannot do anything by myself since last November my driver’s license has not been issued.) Please pray for it.
- For this ministry of inviting, welcoming, and restoring missionaries, more pray partners and financial supporters are needed. Please help me to cooperate with more supporters to create a ministry of good and beautiful service.
- There are many restrictions on all church activities and individual religious life due to Coronavirus, but please do not weaken Christians’ faith in this land worshiping God.
- May my mother and younger sister in Korea live under God’s care and be healthy both spiritually and physically.
