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Mark 11:22 - “‘Have faith in God,’ Jesus answered.”

Our 2014 key verse was Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

In the beginning of January M. Paul Hong and his wife visited Slovakia UBF. He delivered a lecture on how to live a life that pleases God based on King Solomon’s life. Through the graceful fellowship with him we learned that God expects professionalism, spirituality, and globalization from missionaries like us. This became the clear orientation for campus mission and disciple-making in Slovakia UBF. We thank God with all our hearts that he used M. Paul Hong and his wife’s visit to reveal his love and his plan for us again.

On January 24th, 2014 Shepherdess Grace Choi from Chuncheon UBF came by faith to serve God’s ministry in Slovakia. In contrast to her act of faith we were very worried because of the financial situation in Slovakia. But God was delighted with her firm faith and gave her peace.  In this way she became one of the happiest missionaries despite her material difficulties.  God started the plan he had in store for her. Through the efforts of M. Esther God helped her to get her visa for her studies and a room in a dormitory. Although she had paid the tuition fee and the rent for the dormitory for only one semester, the university granted her an admission and a rental agreement for three semesters. In all of this we realized God is with her and takes care of her.

On February 14th M. Esther went to Korea for a month because of an implant. As a result of the examination we unexpectedly learned that she suffered of thyroid cancer. It was a shock for our ministry. In this crisis M. Grace, Shepherd Lukas and I started a prayer fellowship to pray together for M. Esther’s health. Furthermore I prayed for wisdom to love and serve the two kids Enyung and Minseuk with all my heart.

While M. Esther received medical treatment in Korea (Feb 14 – Jun 30) God worked powerful in our ministry. M. Grace grew in faith and became a mother of prayer. Shepherd Lukas turned into a capable coworker. Furthermore Enyung and Minseuk got independent in many aspects. The ministry developed into a loving Christian ministry. Most of all God protected M. Esther and granted her a successful surgery. We experienced a lot of prayer support and brotherly love from Chuncheon UBF and Europe. During my stay in Korea I was a source of blessing for my in-laws. In this difficult time God lead us gracefully. In May God opened a door for M. Grace’s working life. An international school in Bratislava was looking for someone to teach Korean. M. Grace’s English was not good. But Enyung, Minseuk, Shepherd Lukas and someone from the embassy helped her to master her job interview. God granted us his grace because M. Grace was accepted to teach Korean at that school. Through this we were filled with great joy. Even to M. Esther in Korea this was an encouraging gift of God.

God is our father who lovingly takes care of his children. In June a friend of M. Grace visited Slovakia and stayed to weeks with us. Her name is Gyurim and she speaks Arabic fluently, is a good cook and is good in business. Most of all she was very impressed by God’s love. She often cried when she thought about Jesus’ love. God has used and blessed my house church where we pray for one another and share the word of God. Through this Shepherd Lukas, who faithfully attends Bible study since October 2010, could experience God’s support for M. Grace and his love in Gyurim’s life. Now he wanted to experience God’s love for himself. God saw his heart’s desire which is why he became a faithful coworker who served our ministry with all his heart while my family was gone:

• Monday – Tennis game & prayer fellowship
• Tuesday and Wednesday – prayer fellowship at the campus
• Friday – Bible study
• Saturday – Tennis game
• Sunday – Worship
• Bible study with Minseuk and fellowship with my family (once a week).

He was grieved because he liked M. Grace a lot but could not confess that. In August he had to start a new business. That’s why it seemed impossible to attend the ESBC.

In July we held a 5 day long SBC. M. Esther was able to participate. During the conference we shared our life testimonies. In that hour God powerfully worked in us because through this we could become one and the conference turned into a heavenly feast. Shepherd Lukas studied Apostle Paul’s mission life and gathered a lot of insight. He really is as good as a coworker as the evangelist Luke was for Apostle Paul. This moved his heart and he decided to participate at the ESBC. God blessed his decision and life. After the conference prepared a suitable partner who is a believer, intelligent, and beautiful. On August 24 Shepherd Lukas and M. Grace celebrated their engagement and on September 13 they had a beautiful wedding in Chuncheon, Korea. God liked M. Grace’s faith and Lukas’ obedience and established a believing house church for his ministry in Slovakia. In the beginning of July God sent M. Samuel H. Lee und M. Anna Lee to us. He served us with God’s word about the work of the Holy Spirit and she served us with her life testimony and worship. We had a loving fellowship and learned a lot from them because they always try to challenge new things in life and find new ways. It was reviving especially to us because my wife M. Esther and I were spiritually exhausted. It was a great encouragement for M. Grace so that she had a hope for founding a family of faith. In the weeks before the ESBC God sent many brothers and sisters of faith to us: M. Johann Kim’s family who works at the University of Technology Yunbyun, James Kang’s family along with two native shepherds from Bulgaria, M. Andreas Kim’s family and M. Matthew Kim’s family from Hungary.

At the worship service M. Johann Kim delivered a message based on 2 Kings 23:26, “Nevertheless, the Lord did not turn away from the heat of his fierce anger, which burned against Judah because of all that Manasseh had done to arouse his anger.”

Through this I learned to live each day in the reverence of God and to take his word to heart. Furthermore I could foresee the work of the Holy Spirit which he would do with the devotion of the coworkers.

Since September we hold our worship service with newly wedded mission’s family (Shepherd Lukas and M. Grace). God’s miracle in this country has already begun. While looking for an orientation for our ministry we stood before God. From the human perspective we seem small and low. But in God’s eyes each one of us is a father and a mother of his great people. God gave us his word from Exodus 19:4-6, “‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”

God has hopes that we can be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. We don’t have to do great things for that, but hold on to God’s grace in our hearts. Then we should see that all this belongs to God. In addition to that we are supposed to listen carefully to God’s voice and be obedient to it with all our strength. Through our small faith and our obedience God will work powerfully among the students in Slovakia. We have big and small mountains ahead of us before we can hold a perfect worship service. First we are supposed to move the mountain of language. For the coming year we pray that we can celebrate the victory of faith by throwing this mountain into the sea.

Key verse and prayer topics for 2015

Key verse: Mark 11:22 - “‘Have faith in God,’ Jesus answered.”

Prayer topics:

1. To master the Slovakian language by having faith that moves the mountains – write Daily Bread in Slovakian.
2. To teach disciples by having faith that moves the mountains – 12 times one-to-one Bibles studies
3. To deeper understand and love the Slovakian people – publish a magazine about the Slovakian history and culture.
4. Live according to God’s word in the Bible – learn one verse with a promise by heart and summarize the history of Christianity again.

Paul Chang