Visit to Rockford

Lydia and I went to visit Karyn in Rockford last weekend. We had a great time. It is the first time that Lydia has come with me and it made it a very special visit. On Saturday we went to an apple orchard. It was fun even in the rain.


Mel and Karyn

Lydia wanted to go on a wagon ride around the orchard. I really think she just wanted see the horses.

Then we went out with all of my friends there to say goodbye. Crystal was heading to France the next morning and I was saying goodbye before I left for Korea. It was a great weekend and I am really glad I got to see them all before I left.

Teen Bonfire

Last Wednesday I had the teens and some singles over to my house for a bonfire. It started off a little rocky but once it got dark they went a little crazy.

Mark wanted to see if he coudl jump over the fire without getting burned, he succeeded but his pants were a little warm!

Amber promised Mark she would let a zucchini grow rather large. She brought it to the bonfire. We decided to roast the large vegetable. Here it is in the fire. Mark also basted it with choclate syrup. It turned out rather tasty.

Mark and Kelsey decided to initiate two of the new 7th graders. She chopped the zucchini in half and then we had them it part of it. After that we played out zuchinni. if I ever get the cable to upload video to my computer I might have to post that video. It is hilarious. All in all we had a great time.

Brad and Beth's Wedding

Kurt and Grace's Wedding

I created my first Slide Show! Check it out!

34 Days and Counting

In 34 days I will be leaving on a plane headed to South Korea. I can hardly believe this is happening. I am very excited for the opportunity, a little scared, and beginning to miss everyone and I haven't even left yet.

Each time I see my sister I think, when I get back from Korea she may be a married women, and I might miss the wedding. When I hold Levi, Uri, or Christian I begin to cry because I will miss a year of their lives. While at church I soak up the Christian love and worship we have as a family, because I will not have that for a year.

I know this is what the Lord has for me and I am excited to see how He is going to grow and shape me. During our Sunday night service we put into practice New Testament Prophecy. I was encouraged to make sure I stay close to the Lord and to not forget the reason I am going to Korea. Please pray for me as I am in Korea that I will stay in the Word and I will not lose sight of my goal. If you could also pray the Lord will provide for my finances for the first month I am there. I will not be receiving a paycheck from my job in the States or my job in Korea. I have began to save and so has my sister, but please pray the Lord will provide all that is needed.

I will continue you to update everyone on all the goings on especially once I arrive. For those of you who might not have my email address and would like to keep in contact it is as follows: pukin2238@gmail.com I will welcome any correspondence from the States or abroad as I am away from my family and friends this coming year.

Chonbuk National University...Where I will be teaching in Korea.

I have had many people ask where am I going to be, what will I be doing in Korea, how did this come about? So I am going to take some time to relay the story and hopefully answer all of the questions I have received in this post.

I have been having some problems with my boss since January. It is a long story so I will not bore you. It all boils down to me being placed on a written warning for complaints against my teaching. These complaints are untrue but there is nothing that can be done about it.

In January I decided to stay and try to work through the differences. I continued to do my job to the best of my ability and received nothing but great reviews from my students and my boss. However, in July my boss decided to extend my written warning for 3 more months. The reasons for the extension were not valid so I informed her I would begin looking for a new job.

I have been thinking about going to Korea for 3 years now. When I first moved here I had a roommate who had just returned from teaching at this exact place. I began looking for jobs in the city but I was unsure what I really wanted to do now. I had dinner with Erica, my friend who had gone to Korea, and I asked her about her experience. At this point I began to pray.

I contacted the University and everything progressed from there. I will probably be leaving on October 27^th and be in Korea for 1 year. I will be teaching conversational English at many age levels. I will have an elementary school class, high school, and a college class. I believe I will be doing some other things as well.

This is not a mission's trip but I will have an opportunity to minister to fellow Christians that I meet in Korea. I know that there will be opportunities for Bible studies as well with my students. I am unsure of the doors the Lord will open while I am there but I am looking forward to see what he is going to do.

I will be teaching at Chonbuk National University in Jeonju, Jeonbuk South Korea. I will be about 4 hours South of Seoul, Korea. Here is the website to the university if you would like to check it out: http://cbnu.edu/

I received my passport in the mail yesterday. It only took three weeks from the time I submitted the paperwork. This is an amazing turn around time because it is suppose to take 4 weeks at the least amount of time.

I also have more good news about my plane tickets. I spoke with the Embassy today and I do not need to purchase round trip tickets in order to get my visa. This is because I will be there a year and I am unable to purchase tickets that far in advance. I was online yesterday and found tickets from San Francisco to Seoul from $481. It will cost me $130 to fly from here to San Francisco. By buying the tickets separately I save about $300. The Lord is working all things together for the good.

I am very excited to see how He continues to work all of the details for my trip out. I also want everyone to know that I will really miss my sister here in Minneapolis. I got an email because I didn't mention her in my last post!! It wasn't an oversight it was a given that it is going to be extremely hard to leave her just when we have become close friends. I love you Lydia and I will miss you tons! Thank you for your continued prayers.

Korea Here I Come

I will be leaving sometime around October 27th to teach English in Korea for a year. I am super excited about this and a little nervous. I will have internet and email while I am there so you won't be able to escape!! When I leave all email, snail mail, or phone calls will be welcomed. When I get my address and phoen number I will post it on my blog.

I do have a few prayer requests. I get reimbursed $1300 for airfair, however everything I am finding is $1700. Please pray that I will find a plane ticket within the amount I am going to be reimbursed. I am also very involved at my church, please pray that God would work in the hearts of individuals in my church to take on the responsibilities I have at this time. Finally, I will be leaving a wonderful church family and Natanya's family. Please pray that the Lord will give me the grace to leave these two groups of people.

I do appreciate your prayers in this matter. I will keep you updated on breaking news.

The Young at Play

Tonight Amber and I had the kids while the adults had a Bible study and prayer. Kids are such a blast! This is Alayna she is two now I think.

These are all of the kids. I will go clockwise from 12. Savannah, Alayna, Levi, Sabrinna, and Uri.



I know Uri likes pockets but I am not sure if he was trying to hold her hand or not! She definetely didn't appreciate it whatever he was trying to do.

Sabrinna and Savannah are showing love to their little sister.

 

A Visit with the Girls

Today I went to Stephanie's new house for a visit. I had to get my twin fix. I took a ton of pictures but my camera was doing something really weird and only a few turned out. Here are reagan and Kieran at 4 months old.

Reagan is on the left and Kieran is on the right

These are the best invention ever. The girls can already feed themsleves with a little help from a boppy and the tiny wonder!

 

Teaching Abroad

I have decided and I am actively seeking to go to Korea and teach English for a year. Don't worry for all of those out there who knew me in Teaching Elementary Grammar, it would be conversational English. I have submitted all of my paperwork and I have an interview this week sometime. I am waiting to hear back the exact day. I am asking that you please pray for me this week as I have my interview and continue to seek the Lord's will in this matter.


Update on 8.8.06: I am having my phone intervew this Wednesday at 8pm. I should know by the end of the week.

Almost There

Yesterday I ran a miracle mile. I ran one mile as a warm-up lap and then I ran my second mile timed. I ran faster than I thought I could go and made it a mile in 10 minutes and 12 seconds!! I am only 12 seconds off my goal on 10 minutes. I have to give a big thank you to Charlie because he pushed me to pick up the pace.

Maybe I will try to beat that time when I run with my friend Kristi at Bob Jones this Saturday. I will be heading down there for my cousin Beth's wedding. I am pumped to see some old friends. There will be pictures after I get back hoome from vacation.

Church Camping Trip

The last weekend in July about 10 of us from church headed to Rum River State Forest to camp for the weekend. We had a great time. It averaged around 100 degrees during the day. We had to find activities to keep us cool. We shot guns a lot which was great!

We went for a drive and saw some redneck art.

We also went swimming in the Rum River but I forgot to take pictures. I brought my camera but never put it to use. At 3:15am Saturday morning my pastor came to my tent and said get up a storm is coming fast. The winds were blowing probably 40 to 50 MPH at that time. We packed our entire camp in 22 minutes. here is a picture of my car as I drove home. I just rolled everything up and put in where it would fit. It took many hours to get all of it straightened out. 

Putt Putt Adventure

A few weeks ago some co-workers and I went putt putt golfing. We had a blast. it was very hot so Emily and I decided to go for a little dip in the waterfall below. It was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed spending time with my friends from work. We all missed Te and hope she will be able to make it next time.

Here is the whole gang minus myself. From left to right Stephanie, Susan, and Emily. Stephanie is holding Kieran and Susan is holding Reagan. Stephanie and I played putt putt with a baby each. it was defientely a handicap! But a really good one.


Kieran and Reagan chilling at Dairy Queen. They tried my Artic Freeze or whatever you call it!


Me with the girls. They are getting so big! 

My First Teen Lockin

In July the Singles Group hosted a teen lockin at our church. This was my first lockin ever. I had a blast. Thank you to all those who helped as well as the teens who came to make it such a great time. Here are a few pictures from our scavenger hunt at the Mall of America.

Mark with his neverending Lego race car!

Kristen proposing to little Logan.

Mark in his fancy duds!

 

Weight Loss Update

There was cause for much celebrating this weekend. I finally hit a milestone in my weightloss. When I stepped on the scale Sunday morning I had finally lost 100 pounds!! I have a few pictures on here from the fourth of July.

This is a picture of the sun setting over Lake Independence. God's creation is amazing. He never ceases to amaze me. It is only by His grace and mercy that I have been able to make it this far in my weight loss success.

I wanted to thank all of you for your prayers and words of encouragment. I really do appreciate it.

 

Still Running Strong

I wanted to give everyone an update on my running. I am still going strong ont he running. I have even picked up a couple guys from my church...to run with me that is. I am still trying to get them to go past the mile and a half mark...we will get there though.

I have decided against the Triatholon. I was not mentally or physically ready for it. Then I foudn out you have to wear spandex and I was totally out! I am however going to run a half marathon, not htis coming fall but next fall with Mistin. We would run it this year but she will be 7 months pregnant so it won't work!!

Emmaus Baptist Church Mission Project

The KING FOUNDATION COMMUNITY SCHOOL

Caldwell Coffee Farm, Montserrado County, Liberia, West Africa

The whole idea of establishing this school was advanced by my daughter Yeahnee. It was on the evening of August 12, 2002 when she returned from shopping. She said to her mother and me, “Mom and Dad, I want us to build a school.” We asked her, “What is the objective of this quick appeal and urgent command?” In a choking voice, and with tears streaming down her cheeks, she said, “Go on the streets of this community and see the little girls and boys who are not in school. They seem to have no one to care for them. Some are nude, some are eating from the garbage and others are smoking cigarettes. No one seems to come to their rescue. And I want to build a school for them.”

In reply to her urgent request, we told her that it was not possible, because everything we had was taken from us including our financial savings. She replied, “The God you told us to trust shall provide the means.”

We accepted her idea and went into a week of fasting and praying. After the fast we were able to obtain some money from a friend to start the project. We purchased some nails and tarpaulin for the roofing. I, with the help of two of my nephews, cut the reeds and sticks for the building because the funds were insufficient. The structure was erected within three weeks. This school is situated in Caldwell Coffee Farm, Montserrado County, Liberia, West Africa.

After the erection of the school a night of revival was held to glorify The Almighty God for his blessings. God led us to name the School The King Foundation Community School. During the revival we got five volunteer teachers who pledged to teach at the school. The school was registered with the Ministry of Education and started operation in Sept. 2002.

Presently there are two hundred thirty five (235) students. There are ninety-eight (98) girls and one hundred thirty-seven (137) boys. The school has a staff of thirteen personnel. The school is right now confronted with a serious problem, and if not immediately addressed, will lead to the closure of the institution. All the teachers at the school as well as the entire staff are volunteers, and are going to leave the school if we are not able to give them a salary. If we were to impose school fees on the students in order to be able to give the staff a salary, ninety-five percent (95%) of the parents would not be in the position to undertake the cost. It would take approximately two hundred and seventy-five US dollars ($275.00) to educate a child in elementary grades for one year.

Fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, this is an SOS signal and we would highly appreciate it if you were to observe the danger our school is facing and come to our rescue so that our children might get an education. Through the blessings of Almighty God, the school has been changed from sticks and tarpaulin to a concrete building with a zinc roof. It has a hand pump and an outside toilet. If all goes well, the school will reach the seventh grade the next school year. We also wish to include the following, if it becomes possible: A laboratory, Library, Auditorium and more class rooms, because each year a class is added to the institution. As the school develops, we wish to be mobile in order to assist the students who are distant from the school, especially during the rainy season, from May to October. It will also serve for other projects.

Our country has been totally destroyed beyond imagination. Schools and churches were burned down. Private homes were destroyed as well. Children and babies were raped and killed, not to mention grown ups. Presently the Cold War is very severe. Children have no homes to live in, are not able to go to school, and have no food or medical care. They have nothing at all. I’m begging with the hope that God will touch someone, and believing that God will move someone to help save the school and children of the community. Whatever we do for God will never go unrewarded.

Remember, if you rescue these little ones, God will rescue you in times of need. It may not be a financial need, but a spiritual need, sickness or trouble.

Yours in Christ,


Christian A. King

Chairman of the School Board

We thank you for whatever God Almighty has laid on your heart to do to keep these little children from future ignorance and destruction. May the blessing of God abide with you, as you think about a precious and healthy future for God’s little ones.

Great Weeping on Thursday

It is the bottom of the 7th inning and we are up to bat. We have a runner on third, one out and we are behind by one run. There is a pop fly to the out field that is caught...you should send the runner on third right? Don't ask me why we didn't send the runner home to tie the score. The next person is up to bat and flys out. We lose the game by one run and leave a duck on the pond.

So there you have it, our winning streak is over...but there is always this Thursday.

4th of July Camping

Kelsey and I went camping with some families from Parker's Lake over the Fourth of July weekend. As you can see we had a lot of fun. This are just a few of the pictures I took.