January 2010 Update

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

We started off the second half of the year with two snow days in a row. The first Monday after Christmas break, we woke up to a heavy snowfall, and in Seoul, it was reported as one of the heaviest snowfalls in a long time. (I personally think it was all of the students' prayers to have an extended break. Never underestimate the power of elementary students' prayers!)

January has been full of events - semester exams, spirit week, a pep rally, basketball games, SAT's - life has been full these past few weeks. What has impacted me the most, however, has been the realization that many of our students are struggling. With a smaller staff, we have been in survival mode, and that has carried over to our students. Please pray for spiritual revival and refreshment for all of us. We need to remember that we are in this together and that we should be supporting and encouraging each other, not "holing up" and waiting for the year to end. I think many of us are hiding behind a mask of looking like we're doing all right, when really, we're not. Pray for openness as well as broken and surrendered hearts.

In certification news - well, there really isn't any news. Every time we think we're close to being done with the process, we find out the government is requiring something else: another inspection, another meeting, another round of paperwork.... It doesn't seem to end. Please pray that we will know something soon - our director is praying specifically for an answer by next Wednesday, February 3. He leaves Thursday for the States to go to a recruiting/administrative conference, and it would be helpful to know where we stand before he leaves. Plus, staff and students will have to begin making plans for next year very soon, and not knowing the status of the school makes that difficult.

As always, thank you for praying and supporting our ministry here. I love to hear from you all, and your words of encouragement have meant a lot to me this year especially!

Blessings!