Urgency!

It’s a scary thought to know that the trip is winding down, and how quickly it’s doing so! I feel like in the midst of teaching and meeting up with students/roommates one on one, the time has just flown by. And most certainly within that time, G has worked in ways that I cannot explain and I do not deserve to witness. Yet, though it has been tough to accept my inability and praise Him in the midst of what seemed like barrenness in what I was doing, G has softened my heart. And if there’s one thing I learned/experienced in a very powerful way is that He is the author and do-er of everything…EVERYTHING!

Going back to the part about winding down here, I feel like (at least for myself; not too sure of Jer and Beli) there is somewhat of a…lull? I’m not sure if that’s what you would call this; I know the time is short and that urgency and focus is an utmost, but at the same time, time just seems to be passing and my heart isn’t quite following where my mind already is. We’ve been talking for a while how intentionality and purpose is crucial in the coming days. And since we’ve had this talk, I think it has pushed me to be more upfront about the good news in my one-on-one’s with my students. This has been amazing, and G has been showing me how He has been churning in their hearts a desire for something more than this world. It has been a huge encouragement and source of joy to see that in the midst of their hopelessness and dislike of studying their major at an intensive school as this one, G is still there and He’s doing SOMETHING!!

With that said, I feel like the urgency is making me take matters into my own hands; that because I’m constrained by time here, I have to do my best and all I can to hit these students’ hearts with our Father’s good news. I’ve been realizing this over the past couple days, and time I should’ve spent prxxing, I just simply was not. This is a dangerous place to be, especially for me, because my personality is one to reward effort. As such, once I start to think that this is all about effort, I’m already on a slippery slope. I pxxy that you would pxxy for me, as well as our whole team, that we would die to ourselves, our deeds, and our efforts and know that without His grxxe, we are nothing and this trip is nothing. After speaking with some of the volunteers here, prxxing on my own, and going through my share of discouragements, He has taught me it’s only through His grxxe; THAT’S IT. I feel like I’m in that dangerous place of growing okay in my efforts and thinking I can do these last few days on my own. ABSOLUTELY NOT!! Please pxxy against that!! Already, the past couple days I have been shirking pxxyer, and I’m pretty sure it comes from this sentiment.

Please please please please intercxxe for us, that EVERYTHING that we do comes not from our efforts that we can boast in ourselves. But that in EVERYTHING, we lean COMPLETELY on His abundant grxxe.

Thank you for reading, thinking of us, and pxxying for us,
Ki Hoon and the Y-U-ST team

Mary, Not Martha

Hi Everyone!

It’s been a pretty crazy week here at the university. On top of our regular teaching loads, we’ve been working hard to prepare for several English House (an English immersion program where we live with our roommates and speak “English only”) activities as well. We recently had an America’s Got Talent/American Idol type show where each room presents a performance of some sort, while the judges select a winner. It took a lot of brainpower, hard work, and persuasion to get our roommates to be excited about it and to want to participate, but in the end we were able to spend a lot of time with our roommates, just having fun and being silly.

In English House, B, K, and I have been really pr–ying for and reaching out to our roommates. Some have been more receptive than others, but each of us is learning how He has a specific plan with specific timing for each of these students. Please pr–y that we would continue to be steadfast in pr–ying for a loving them, whether they are open to the truth or not. For me, I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to study the word (jn.) and to go to service with my seeking roommate, YB. He’s a really quiet, yet contemplative guy, and he’s so hungry to know more about JC and the word. Please pr–y for YB, that his hunger would just continue to grow and grow, and that He would provide f–thful brothers and sisters to walk with him as he seeks.

In the classrooms, teaching has been a struggle for all of us in one way or another. We’ve dealt with overwhelming or failed lesson plans, minuscule class sizes, and cheating, among other things. As we’ve been struggling through these issues in class, He’s been proving over and over again that His hand is so evident in all of these things. Through these struggles, He’s been working to humble and stretch us, but He’s also provided opportunities for m-n-stry with the students as well. I have seen over and over the power of Him, that all things are for His glory.

In the midst of all of these opportunities and responsibilities, we’ve been feeling the pressure to be like Martha. There is so much serving to do, so many things to be worried and anxious about. Each day, we have to lesson plan, teach, meet up with students, have team meetings, grade, spend time with our roommates, etc., and all of this stuff to do can easily consume our days and our minds. Please pr–y that we would all grow to have the heart of Mary, to sit at His feet in His presence and listen for His voice. Please pr–y that we wouldn’t set our minds on the earthly tasks at hand, but that we would set our minds on the things of heav-n. Please pr–y for us that we would be so committed to spending time each day with Him, that everything else would feel wrong without having encountered Him in that day. Please pr–y that we would be so hungry to know Him and seek Him more.

Lastly, as we approach crunch time with the end of the summer semester and all, please pr–y that we would be wise to find rest. Each of us has a tendency to pile things on our schedules and lives, but please pr–y that we would know our limits and set time aside to simply spend with Him.

We’re so thankful for this community and the love and devotion that you have shown in supporting us. Please continue to pr–y for us! We want and need your pr–yers!

In His Name,

Jeremy and the Y*ST Team

Learning to See with His Eyes

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Hello and hullo to allllll!!

We’re nearing the halfway point here at YxST, which is so crazy! As much as I feel like I’ve gotten used to the rhythm of life and preparing for classes here, it still feels like we’ve been here for a very short time (certainly shorter than a couple weeks). But here we are, and we have been learning more of what our Father has been doing at this school and in these students’ hearts. Thus far, I’d have to say what I’ve seen has been different from my expectations. In fact, that’s not saying too much, given I didn’t really know what to expect coming here. I was surprised at how…normal and un-M-like the student life was, and still am a little bit. Students here, just like in the US, procrastinate, play games, stay up late doing work, and party downtown. What has really been encouraging me time and time again, however, is the dedication and perseverance of the professors. The first morning here, I couldn’t sleep well, woke up at around 4 am, and decided to check out a prxxer meeting at 5:30 am. As the time drew near, I saw numerous professors rise early and come together to seek the Father on behalf of this school and its students. That after years of doing such work they continue to struggle through prxxer and reliance on grace has shown me the greater-than-human love that G has placed in their hearts for this school and for His work to be done here.

Along the same lines, the Father has been breaking me to love the students here more and to see the brokenness within. Though on the outside, they seem joking, jovial, and “normal,” it didn’t take too many encounters for G to show me that these students desire the promise, hope, and love of something beyond what they see. And that void many feel is Chxxst calling out to them. I met up with a student on Monday evening at the student cafe here, a comfortable atmosphere where I could build a comfortable relationship with students. I was talking with a student of mine (LS) and G opened up a door where we could talk about things beyond just a superficial level. He expressed that he didn’t like his major, didn’t know what he was doing here, studying what he was studying. He liked the friends and the atmosphere here, but even after trying and thinking, he couldn’t tell me what his purpose was. After expressing my motivation and end goal as G, that He found me and called me, he continued to ask how one even knows what’s the truth and what’s certain in life. The only thing he could trust, he said, was that he was alive. I could see the gears churning in his head and that he wanted to find this meaning and purpose.

And that’s when my Father lovingly, yet sternly enough told me to wake up. This m trip is about His work being done, not my trying to feel meaningful and helpful to these students. And His work is entirely about love and His recognition. His heart burns with love and longing for these students that are thirsty for something more; I found myself lacking the Father’s heart in this regard. I thank Him that He has pierced me, revealing my lack and showing me where I need to grow. All along, I knew these students needed C, but I didn’t feel it. From this conversation with LS, G brought me into these people’s lives, showed me the pressures and uncertainties they carry, and how they mount to such great burdens on these their shoulders. G brought me down to a point of brokenness for them, but please pxxy that I remain in that place, interxxding for them and learning how to love them in a deeper, more C-like way.

Among the many requests, I’ll narrow it down to a few for the sake of the theme in this letter:
Please pxxy for all of our hearts to break at how much the students here need C.
Please pxxy that J, B, and I seek to see this campus with its people the way G sees them. That way, G may even show us how much we are still in need of Him, and break us for His work here, even further.

With love and thanks,
Ki Hoon and the Y-UST team