Team Member Testimonies: 단기선교 간증 들

By: 홍인기
이번 멕시코 단기선교는 저에게 다시 맘의눈을 뜨게해준 시간이였습니다. 매주 주일 예배를 드리고, 중고등부 선생을 하면서도 저에게는 한가지 응어리 같은 문제가 있었습니다. 그것은 저의 차가운 마음, 남의 아픔을 머리로만 인식하고 마음으로 같이 하지못하는 것 이었습니다. 한편으론 이런 제 모습을 보면서 “하나님이 특별한 목적이 있으셔서 내 성격을 이렇게 만들어셨을거야.” 라는 생각도 해보았지만, 그뒤에는 죄의식이 내 맘속에 나도 모르게 커가고 있었습니다. 이런 저를 하나님께서는 이번 단기선교를 통해 다시 사랑으로 감싸주셨고, 두손으로 넘어지지 않게 인도해 주셨습니다.

저희가 멕시코에 도착하여 목격한 많은 것중 하나가, 길거리에 방황하는 수많은 주인없는 개들이였습니다. 하루는 임경환 집사님이 “개들이 주인을 닮듯이, 여기 길거리 개들을 볼때 멕시코 사람들을 보는 듯 하다.”라고 말씀하셨습니다. 먹이를 찾아 밤낮으로 혜메지만 항상 굶주려있고, 몸은 많은 피부병으로 흉해졌고, 시선은 멍하니 흐려져있는 모습이 저희가 찾은 엔세나다 시민과 비슷했습니다. 열심히 일하지만 보유할수 없고, 많은 가정이 불륜으로 파괴되었고, 술과 마약으로 찌들은 그들에게 하나님의 사랑을 전하기 위해 저희가 쓰여졌다는 것이 너무나 감사했습니다.

선교 나흘째 저희들은 언덕위에 한 주일학교를 찾게 되었습니다. 너무나 연약한 환경속에 사는 아이들에게 나오는 웃음들이 제 마음을 아프게 했습니다. 저희가 준비해 온 단 하나의 초콜렛과 음료수를 받은 아이들이 오히려 저희에게 다시 먹으라고 권할때 제 마음은 부끄러워 어찌할빠 몰랐습니다. 그날 저녁 찬양/예배부터 주님이 주시는 사랑이 그 아이들의 얼굴에 겹쳐 저에게 다가왔습니다. 주님은 또 저에게 “걱정하지 말아라, 내가 네안에서 일을 할 것이다.” 라는 맘을 주셨습니다. 어떻게보면 그리스도인에게는 매주 묵상할 말씀이지만, 저에게는 형용할수없는 기쁨과 비젼이 되었습니다. 이제는 아픈이들의 고통을 같이 느끼고, 슬퍼하고, 울수있는 감정이 살아있는 그리스도인으로 살아갈수있게 축복하신 주님께 감사드립니다.

By Samuel Choi

This ten day mission adventure has absolutely turned my life upside down. In Ensenada, I learned the importance of prayer, worship and especially having confidence in God.

On the first day, the worship service was pretty intense. It was the start of my new relationship with God.
I also learned about prayer. The fourth worship night clearly revealed to me the power of prayer. Prayer can change your life.
The main thing I received from this mission trip is to have confidence. On night eight, Kyunghee JDSN prayed with me. She told me that God wanted me to know that He loved me and was proud of me. I was touched but was not sure enough to truly effect my whole life. On the next day, we were building a house and out of nowhere, a staff member named Johnny told me how proud he was of me. He then told me Jesus was even more proud of me. How could it be a coincidence that two people tell me the same thing in two days? It was obviously God’s work in his miraculous ways.

I learned that I am somebody. And even when it seems as though everybody is against me, my God loves me at all times.

God loves you. John 3:16 says, “for God so loved the world he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

By: Julie Kim
I have a confession to make. Before this mission trip, my heart was cold and with each passing day, it was getting colder, harder and more bitter. So cold that my smiles were rarely ever genuine. So hard that I would constantly be hurting and getting into fights with my loved ones. So hard that I could not trust anybody.

I got on the plane to Mexico with a heart that I felt God would not be able to use. What was even worse was that I wasn’t worried about not being able to do what God wanted me to do. In fact, I was worried about the complete opposite happening – I knew He was (and still is!) an all-powerful One and would have His will be done. Despite my cold, hard and bitter heart, He was going to transform my heart. In order to do so, He was going to need to break down the ice-hard barriers I had kept from all the pain and hurt I kept inside of me. I had become so used to these walls that without them, I would feel so vulnerable and weak. To put it simply, I was afraid of change.

BUT. How truly great is our God? How great is He that He did break me down in ways that He knew that I would accept? Even form the very first night, God began to work in me. On the first night, he touched me with the praise and worship night. He chipped away at the surface of my frozen heart. On the second night, He showed Himself through the reenactment of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ the staff put on for us. He slowly but surely was getting through the ice. On the third night, God clensed my hands and and soul and spoke to me through our beloved JDSN, the things He knew I needed to hear. He was almost completely through in my heart. On the fourth night, He brought me joy. It was such a satisfying joy that even when I rather stupidly injured myself and fell onto concrete face first, I was still happy.

Now I was broken.

And how great is our God that He showed me love and opened my heart in ways that He knew I would not fear? Again, from the very first night, he surrounded me with love and care through people from all over the world that didn’t even know my name yet. The staff from the YWAM base were kind and welcoming from the moment we stepped onto their grounds. I’ve never seen such genuine love from people I didn’t know a thing about in my life. It had to be God. And their love and care didn’t stop there. Throughout the ten days, they continued to support us and help us in every way possible with such great patience. It was so inspiring.

The staff were not the only people to show and teach me about God’s love. Ironically enough, the very people that we were supposed to show and teach God’s love to were the ones who showed me. We mostly worked with children during our outreach but what open-hearted God’s children they were. All we really needed to do was look at them and they would smile and want to talk and play with us, not caring about the fact that we looked different from them and couldn’t speak the same language.

This all hit me as we were heading back to the airport and back and I wondered why shouldn’t I be the same? Why shouldn’t God be able to use me to show His love to others as well? And so, I was changed.

To be honest, whenever somebody mentioned Mexico or it’s people, I would usually imagine polluted lands and water, filled with people that were dirty because they loved much less fortunate than us, but God is always true and showed me just how wrong I was.

Mexico is an absolutey beautiful nation with people just as beautiful. And just as much as God is always true, He must be always loving or else I wouldn’t have had such a blessed time.

By: Peter Kim
My first Mission trip was to Ensenada, Mexico. It was a blessing to see the people of Mexico have such little belongings but appreciate the things they have. What hit me the most was that they had so little but had a big heart for God. I, on the other hand, who have everything I want, not need, have little faith and trust in God. That opened my eyes to know and realize how selfish I was about everything.

At Ensenada, we started at the YWAM base. On the second night, they showed us the Passion Play that showed me that I’m free from all of my sins. Throughout the mission, all the messages were telling me that I’m free and to ask and I will receive. On one night when we were worshipping, I just had to step aside. When I did that, this person walked up to me and told me that God sent him to tell me that I’m free. That completely broke me inside because the random Canadian person that God had sent told me everything I had done to God when I didn’t share anything with him.

I am free.

By: Danny, Hong (홍원기)

하나님안에서 선교를 잘 마치고 돌아오게 해주셔서 감사합니다.

임경희 전도사님께서 주일 3일전에 저에게 간증을 어른예배때 하라고 하셨었습니다. 저는 일단 하겠다고 하였지만, 정말 어떻게 해야할지 걱정이 많았었습니다. 주일날 저희들은 밖에 사역하시는 알래한드로 목사님 교회에 갔습니다. 목사님 교회는 정말 불타는 찬양이였습니다. 날씨도 더운상태에 찬양을 2시간 정도 했습니다. 성도들은 땀을 흘리며 찬양과 기도를 하는데 저에게 배울점을 많이 보여주셨습니다.
찬양이 끝나 우리 한무리팀의 프로그램이 끝나고 저의 간증시간이 다가왔습니다. 저는 너무 떨린나머지, 기도를 했습니다. “하나님, 저 지금 너무 떨리고 뭐라고 말을 해야할지 기억이 나지않습니다. 지금 어디 숨어서 나타나고 싶지않은데 어떻했으면 좋을지요.” 하나님께서 음성을 들려주셨습니다. “지금 스페인어로 하는 찬양을 하거라.” 저는 뜻도뭐르지만 여기 성도들과 한마음이 되어 찬양을 불렀습니다. 제 시간이 되어 간증을하기 시작했는데 신기하게도 떨리지도 않고 제가 있었던일을 말을하기 시작하였습니다. 감사하게도 성도들은 제가 말을할때마다 “할렐루야, 아멘” 이라고 말을 하였습니다.

간증도중 저는 하나님께서 요번 단기선교를 보낸이유는 집도 짓는 이유였지만, 지금 보이는 성도들에게 내 간증을 전하라는 이유였구나 하고 생각이 들었습니다. 마지막 간증부분에 저는 이렇게 말을 했습니다. “하나님께서 저에게 미소를 짓어주고싶은데, 마침 여런분이 저에게 미소의 웃음을 주셨습니다. 여러분을 통해 저에게 웃음을 주셨습니다. 웃으세요.” 하자 성도들께서 “아멘!” 이라고 하셨습니다. 저는 간증을 하기전에 하나님에게 오늘도 하나님 영에서 충만하게 해주시고, 하나님 영광을 보게 해주세요 라고 기도를 했는데, 역시 하나님의 파워는 대단하다고 느끼게 해주셨습니다. 그리고 이것은 진적으로 하나님의 은혜였습니다. “주 예수를 믿으라. 그리하면 너와 네 집이 구원을 얻으리라.” (행 16:31) 자상하신 주님은 나 혼자 구원받고 안타까워할까봐 다른 가족들을 구원하신다는 약속도 해 주셨습니다.

By: Julie Han
I thank God so much for giving me this opportunity to go on my first mission trip. This experience was a real eye opener and it had such an impact on my Christian life. When I first thought “mission trip”, I thought that we’ll be facing really hard times and I imagined us sleeping in poor conditions. When we arrived at the YWAM base, we were welcomed by the staff and as we walked in, we all thought that it was too good to be true. Exhausted from our five hour delay and six hour flight, we were in no mood for anything and most definitely we weren’t expecting such a nice place. God really blessed us by providing us with such wonderful staff members as well as everything else on the YWAM base.

The YWAM staff helped us to stay pumped in serving our one God. There was nonstop laughter and happiness in these past ten days and I believe it was because we were so filled up with joy by doing what God has called us to do. One of the main things we had to do on this trip was to build a house for a family in great need. Of course we made shelter for this family as well as making them happy but I believe that through this experience, God has build me up into a stronger, more stable Christian. I realize how closed minded and blind I was.

There are so many instances where I take everything for granted and I have so much more than what the people in Mexico have but I noticed that although I have all these materialistic things, I still complain and am not completely satisfied. But the children we served at VBS had a ample amount of joy in their lives. This was because they were so full of the love that God has given them and although I have that love too, I am completely numb to it because of all the things that happen all around me and it blocks me from God. But thanks to them, I opened up my heart and mind and I now know that God never disappeared from me and that he NEVER will. God didn’t speak to me directly but I know that God spoke to me though the people in Mexico.

One big thing that hit me from this whole experience is that one little thing I do can make a big impact on someone else’s life. God isn’t only back in New Jersey but he is everywhere, working in every single person. I truly feel that I got more out of it than the people that we helped and I was truly blessed through this trip. This mission trip was incredible and it was the highlight of my summer as well as it being a big part of my Christian life.

By: Dana Jeong
On this mission trip, I felt very blessed and touched by God. I think that this mission trip really changed me a lot. We learned four drama skits that we performed in front of the children at VBS. One of them was called, “Good Shepherd, Bad Shepherd”. The skit is about how the bad shepherd wants the sheep to go with him but the sheep don’t because they know that he is the bad shepherd. Next, when the good shepherd goes to the sheep, he tells the sheep that he is the good shepherd. Soon the sheep agree that he really is the good shepherd, worthy of following, and they follow him. It was a great experience.
On the second night of the mission trip, we saw a skit outside about how Jesus died on the cross for our sins. When I saw that skit I just started to cry because I felt like I wasn’t worthy of him dying for my sins. But later on, I realized that Jesus died on the cross for me because he loves me so much that he wants to cleanse me of my sins.

Another big thing that we did was to build a house for a family that really needed it. While we were building the house, it really opened my eyes. While we were building the house, I really felt that God called me to Mexico to serve the family with their lives.

The first day of building was hard and there was a hot of work to do but just seeing the family all really happy about their new home gave me energy and made me happy. During the second day of building, it was a bit easier but there was still a lot of work to do. When we finally building the house, we did not dedications. During the dedication, I was just so blessed to have built a house for such an amazing family.

When we heard how they felt, I just knew that they were so happy and thankful to God for their new house. When we left, my heart felt warm and full of happiness because I knew that we had really changed a family’s life.
I think that this trip has really given me the opportunity to change and I am really thankful to God for letting me be able to go on this trip.

By: Chrystal Lim
I arrived at YWAM base not knowing, unsure, insecure. I asked myself why God had brought me to Ensenada, Mexico. I was reminded how God had hand picked me and had His given purpose. I questioned and doubted with the lack of knowledge in God’s reasons. I remember being anxious and afraid of what to expect from the experience yet to be lived. I was hit with a big bang from the first step I took entering the base. There was a fire in everyone’s faces as I scanned each person. They looked so sure, so ready to praise God. I was nervous and timid, awkward to praise God.

The speaker Pastor Jeff gave a sermon of how God was going to wreck each and every one of us. What did he mean by “wrecking us?” Was I going to reveal my greatest insecurities, display the worst of me? This was a joke. I wasn’t ready to open myself to anyone or God. I wasn’t going to tear down myself and screw it so everyone could see.

Within the longest and shortest ten days I have spent this summer, God had prepared miracles for me. I rejected each one as it flew towards me. I told God to stop hurting me. He was reaching for the things buried inside I wasn’t prepared to admit and share with Him. Then that wall was torn down. I was shattered inside again. I thought I had been strong enough to endure what I had suffered through, the loss that was made. I was reminded once again of the pain each and every member of my family had experienced, the scar that would always remain in our hearts. I was angry, so angry at God for tearing me down. I repeated to myself of how God didn’t have to make us weak first to make us stronger. I didn’t blame God but held a hostile feeling towards what He had made of me. My heart was traumatized by what God had put me through. He didn’t need to take the living breathing life from our family. He didn’t need to take Caleb from us. He didn’t need to take my younger brother from me. I was utterly upset and felt beyond repair. I was depressed. No one understood my pain, the pain God had set upon me. I felt broken and wrecked. I admitted to myself how weak I had been, breaking the barrier between my feelings and myself.

One of the last nights at base Caleb appeared in my dream. I was happy again with him beside me. We were playing and he was talking to me. Then my friends appeared and asked me to come help them. I abandoned Caleb and followed my friends. I returned and found Caleb sitting and looking upset. He told me it was my fault he was gone, the blame was on me for not spending enough time with him and leaving him in the time he needed aid. I had betrayed his love. At the very last moment, after I pleaded for his forgiveness, Caleb took my hand in his and said I forgive you. I was wrecked in my eyes and God’s.
I realize now that God had spoken to me through Caleb. God had told me I was forgiven for the sins I committed, the very sins that hung upon his neck. He told me Caleb loved me as much as I love him. I was reminded to keep my family precious in my heart and never abandon them for a temptation Satan puts in front of me. I was precious in God’s eyes and I was freed from all the insecurities I held. God told me to let go of the pain and forgive myself. He said let go of the painful memories but hold on to the love and joy Caleb had put into my family and my life. My sorrows and pain were mutual with Him. God has put so many difficult obstacles before me but only what I can obtain.

By His will I was brought to Ensenada, Mexico and through His time I was able to experience a change in my life. He continues to tell me everything happens for a reason and though time passes, no one has forgotten to remember Caleb. There is so much I have gained from this experience and will always cherish. This is the start of the future as I live a free life in God’s name.

By: Christian Lim
The Mexico Mission Trip started off with a huge storm keeping the plane on the ground for five hours. In those five hours we did not know if we would leave or not. But we knew it was God’s will to go and the plane took off eventually. When we got to the YWAM base in Mexico, it was not what I had expected. The base looked like a retreat center and had a snack shop and a game room. I thought why is it so nice? We are supposed to be on a mission trip.

However, when we went out to help the people of Mexico, it was a totally different experience. The place that we went looked like a scene out of world vision brochure. The roads were not paved but were dirt covered and uneven. Five or more people would live in a room the size of a average living room. The children wore dirty and torn up clothing and had no shoes. But still they were pure, innocent and so very God blessingly open. The children would run up to you and embrace you. They would be shy and would just want to play. Seeing the children in those broken surroundings touched me and made me think about what I have at home.

On the second night, the staff put on a Passion Play for us. At first I thought, “Oh, this is just another little play where they show the same old story.” But this time, it was vastly different. The staff took the story to a whole different level and everything felt so real and it fully showed me what Jesus did just to forgive MY sins.
When I heard that we were going to build a house, I thought it would be nothing. However, once we got there and started working, I found out that even painting was a difficult job to do. It was a blessing that the family that we built the house for excepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. But the way they got the house to be built for them was more touching. The two sons were the one ones to go to church and through them, the parents were able to know about Jesus Christ and get a brand new house.

The most blessing and God willed event that occurred on the mission trip was on the last day. We were crossing the border back to the U.S with a fellow church from the YWAM mission. A member of the other youth group lost his Green Card. As we sat in a bus waiting for him, the pastor of the other youth group came and told us that he may be stuck for a couple of hours. At that moment, Andy SSN suggested for us to pray for our fellow brother. Not even five minutes after that, he was back on the bus and ready to go! That showed me that God listens to our prayers and will always be there for us!

By Charles Lim

Ephesians 2:19-22
19Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, 20built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

It is so hard to imagine for people of various nationality, culture, language, age, and background to come together in an area quite forgotten by modern advances. But God was amazing in how he used everyone to build a temple of God in the town nearby Ensenada, Mexico. Many houses atop the dirt piled hills rested upon a shaky foundation. But the Homes of Hope crew hired professionals to create a concrete slab, which will endure through time much like the foundation that we build our lives as Christians.

When I saw the surrounding neighborhood, I could not forget the images that kept stirring in my mind. I was recalling the time when I was a young boy of five in Dobongdong, a small, poorer sector of Seoul, Korea in 1973. The streets weren’t paved. We all shared a pump in the public square and everyone washed clothes in public. The public bathroom was a shack separated into two or three small rooms. No toilets and plumbing to speak of, only two by four boards gave us barely enough room for our footing to squat. Everywhere there was dirt and more impacted dirt. You actually saw the dirt roads taking the shape of what tread upon them. The hilly roads were like snow moguls except there weren’t any snow. Dust clouds formed whenever a vehicle passed by. The dust covered their clothes, their bodies, their lives.

We all met with a common cause—to reveal Christ Jesus our Lord and savior—and to glorify God through the Homes of Hope project. This Home of Hopes began fifteen years ago when a little child of four Andrea something said to her father Shawn Lambert, the current director of YWAM Ensenada. Her father and his companions were building a home for a Mexican family. She noticed that the other houses were broken down and needed much repair.

“Daddy, what about the neighbors, don’t they need a home too?” Andrea said. Her words put a burning in the heart of her father who decided then to begin Homes of Hope, which not only builds new houses but also rebuilds homes.

Strange as it may seem, the Garcias, a family of five—Jose, his wife, Jose Jr., Ricardo, and Carla—were not bothered by the dust cloud and the contaminated water. Smiles were generally on the faces of children and sounds of laughter filled the air. But you did not see genuine smiles and laughter coming from their parents. Unlike the smiling people of Ensenada, who lived in somewhat better conditions, you could sense a strain in their smiles. Their smiles were not sneers. Their faces did not show any hostility. But their eyes seemed to drift away when they spoke to us. The eye-to-eye contact was not as intense as you wanted. But God brought tears into their eyes when the house was completed. When we gathered in groups, they looked directly at us and said that they would pray for us. How great is our God!

Two days of putting together two gables, nine trusses, fourteen particle boards for the roof, four side walls, three windows, window panes, one front door, trims, roll of roof covering, ten 20-pack shingles, countless drywalls, plenty of two by fours and one by sixes, electric outlets and wires, galvanized nails, concrete nails, tacks, staples, paints brown and white, sweat, collaboration, cooperation, brotherly kindness, patience, and love were poured in the building of the house. But the final touches came when we held hands in a large circle showering the blessings that Lord our God will pour upon the family and the blessing that was already showered upon us as we took part in God’s great plan for the Garcias. With the help of our gracious God, the experienced hands of the staff and the eager hands of One Voice with Dave and Denise helped build a house and a home.

Aside from the house for the Garcias, two other houses were built in the same neighborhood. The actual building plan, however, began with God’s favor upon the Garcias; we were only his instruments. Before he called our youth group One Voice, the YWAM staff (Giezi a resident of Ensenada, Neil from Oregon, Mike from Sacramento, California, Rheanne from Manitoba, Canada, Holly from Virginia), Dave and Denise traveled all the way from Newcastle, England with their daughters Katie, Hannah, and Libby—to Ensenada, Mexico, he prepared the Garcias two sons Jose and Ricardo. They attended a local church and heard about YWAM and Homes of Hope. The two sons opened the door of opportunity for their parents to receive the gospel. They invited Jesus into their lives. The older, decrepit house next to the new house was left standing to serve possibly as a kitchen, storage area, and or as an extra home. The reminder of their former lives was there but gave a stronger sense of the new with the new house alongside the old one, giving rise to the scripture verse in 2 Corinthians 5:17 where Apostle Paul writes: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”

We knew that the few houses that were built during our stay will not have a huge impact on Ensenada and the nearby town. Many houses needed to be rebuilt or demolished. But it touched enough people to know that there is a gracious, living God who watches over them and has a plan for their lives. Above all, our father in heaven has a mansion waiting for them in the kingdom of God.

As I reflected on the Garcias and the people of Ensenada and the nearby towns, I saw something peculiar; I do not want anyone to take it the wrong way, but I noticed that the dogs they raised and neglected reminded me of their owners. I saw many stray dogs foraging for food. They often traveled in a pack. Malnourished, most were different breeds, some large and some small with open wounds and scars. Always one or two were badly treated by the bigger dogs. These hungry dogs barked often but were timid and ran away from people. The presence of foreigners did not drive them away. They peered at people with the same timid but hollow look.

Lord, I pray that Ensenada and the people of Mexico be healed from within as you touched the Garcias. May you touch the wounds and scars left in the hearts of many in Ensenada and the people of Mexico with your love and with the love of those you have sent for your good purpose. Please do not let them be enslaved to complacency but allow them to grow in you through Jesus Christ. Lord, provide them with generous hearts and visions to grow beyond the limits set by their circumstances.

Have I changed over the past ten days? I do not know if significant change has come over me, but I do know that the Lord our God was working through people. I was thankful to be part of that. And for some reason there are words that keep reverberating in my ears, the words last spoken by Cheryl the YWAM Mission Adventure director, “What you’ve experienced for the last ten days does not end here. You will continue with day eleven, twelve, thirteen, and so on when you return home. You have only begun.”

By: Anna Lim

오랫 동안 가고 싶었던 mission trip이 였다. 그것도 온 식구가 함께 말이다. 9일 동안 배우며, local people들을 섬기면서 많이 기쁘기도 했다. 잘 짜여진 YWAM program에 감탄하기도 하였다. 아무런 선입견도 없이 주민 들과 어울리며 어린이들과 함께 노는 시간도 너무나 감사한 시간들이 였다. 사람들을 만났을 때는 언어가 통하지 않았지만 웃음으로 서로에게 다가 갈 수 있었다. 다른 걱정, 생각을 하지않고 오직 예배, 기도, 섬김의 날들을 보낼 수 있었던 것도 너무나 감사한 일이 였다. 새로운 사람들(영어로 말 할 수 있는 사람들)을 만나 그들의 삶에서 하나님이 어떻게 역사하심을 들을 기회도 있어서 즐거웠다.

VBS를 준비하고 아이들과 찬양하며 성경 이야기도 나눌 수 있었다. 준비가 잘 되지 않았지만 하나님이 함께 하시고 역사하심으로 모든 순서 순서 하나가 너무나 은혜스러웠다. 그런가운데 왠지 모르게 마음에 시원하지 않았다. 내가 서있는 위치도 너무나 복잡하기만 하였다. 한 member도 아니고 그렇다고 leader도 아닌것이 나를 너무나 힘들게 하였다. 이런일을 격으면서 내가 요번 mission trip에 왜 하나님이 보내셨는지 알 수가 없었다. 그러다가 마지막 날 rally에서 찬양가운데 나는 다시 하나님께 물어 보았다. “하나님! 왜 저를 여기 Mexico로 보내셨나요? 저는 사람들을 보며 Mexico를 보면 내가 하고싶은 일 아니 하나님 나에게 말씀하시는 음성을 듣지 못 했습니다”라고 찬양 가운데 계속 하나님께 기도하였다. 그 가운데 하나님이 내가 처음 주님을 만나고 성령을 체험 했던 그날 밤을 기역나게 하셨다. 그날 이후 나에겐 알 수 없는 기쁨이 넘쳤고 주님의 전으로 가고 싶은 마음. 기도는 할 줄 몰랐지만 매일 교회에 가서 기도하며 집사님을 도와 교회 청소 하던 시간들을 내 마음에 채워 주셨다.

어떻게 보면 나의 평상시의 삶은 지난 9일 동안의 삶과 다를게 하나도 없었다. 교회에서 봉사하며 말씀과 기도 생활로 때때로 기쁨도 있었지만 보통 시간들은 덤덤했던 시간들이 였다. 하지만 하나님이 나에게 원하신 것은 하나님을 처음 만나 기쁨이 넘지던 나에게 있었던 열정 이였다. 환경과 주변에 눌러있었던 내 자신을 다시 새롭게 하시려고 나를 3000 mile 이나 먼 곳으로 보낸 것이다. Mexico에서 가난하고 힘든 사람들을 섬기며 집도 지어주며 그들을 위해 기도 할 마음과 사랑의 마음도 주셨지만 언제 어디서든지, 상대가 누구든지 처음 나에게 주신 기쁨과 열정으로 살아가길 원하시는하나님의 음성을 들을 수 있어서 감사하다. 나의 첫 사랑을 회복시켜주신 하나님 감사합니다.

By: Andy Kim

Acts 18:8-11 (New International Version)
9One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: "Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. 10For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city."
As I woke up to the morning sun, I found myself anxious and ready to leave New York City for Ensenada, Mexico. To leave New York meant no more worries or stress from work, the smelly subways, and especially the rude people that never say thank you or excuse me. I felt like God was allowing me to be free for 10 days where I don’t have to worry about these things. On the taxi ride over to the airport to join my fellow teammates I was thinking about the commitment I made to Jesus on going to Ensenada. I kept telling myself I wasn’t ready to help lead a team and found my heart was growing weary on leaving as it was moving farther away from my home. Then there was a loud bang and crash, my taxi driver started to swerve to the left and the right trying to gain control of the car. My taxi driver had hit another car and was driving dangerously fast to get away from the accident.

As I lifted a short prayer up to God to bring me to the airport safely I can honestly say I was afraid I wouldn’t make it. But, by the grace of God I arrived to the airport scared and stiff. As I shared with the team what I had gone through they kept saying “Thank God, that you are ok”. It was so true. I had nothing to worry about, even though the evil one was trying to stop me from joining my team when God has a purpose He makes sure it will be fulfilled. As my teammates and I boarded, our plane was redirected to several departing runways only to be stopped when it was our turn. How strange that on the day we were to mightily serve God there was golf size hail falling from the sky in the middle of the summer. I knew the evil one was trying so desperately so hard to stop God’s purpose.

As I arrived in Mexico to our base camp in Ensenada I was overwhelmed with love and joy in my heart. The staff and other fellow teams that arrived before us greeted us with smiles, song, and dance. It felt like a celebration. God spoke to me at that moment, “ Andy, I told you I am with you, I won’t let anyone hurt you, and that I have many people in this city”. Each day was so different and difficult, each day I had a new worry in my heart, but each day God renewed my spirit by reminding me just like apostle Paul, once God gives purpose and vision He will fulfill it and is always with me. These 10 days started off like an unforgiving storm, but as God became my rock to stand on through the storm and calmed the weather to only shine light through me.

“Safe? Who said anything about safe? Course he isn’t safe. But He’s good. “ – C.S. Lewis
God is so good. So good. So good to me. Gloria a Dios, en mi corazón JesuChristo.

By: Alex Yang
Mission Mexico was a great success! We finished the house and gave it to a family. We had such a successful outreach. Everything went according to God’s plan. I met so many people and got to get closer to God through them. One thing I learned a lot about was that kids can have a full effect as Christians. The family that we built for was not Christian, only their two sons were. Those two sons told their parents about God and they accepted Him and God gave them a new home. That showed me that God loves everyone. He doesn’t single anyone out. God has amazing plans for us and he planned for the fifteen of us to go on this mission and I think if one person was left out, it wouldn’t have been the same.

I thank God so much and appreciate him so much. It was a heart-opening experience.