News > North America

World Missions Night - Chicago UBF United Friday Leaders Meeting Report    

On June 24, Chicago UBF held its monthly United Friday Leaders Meeting with the theme of world missions. Around 200 members from Chicago area chapters attended. To begin the evening, Dr. Elijah Park shared his graduation testimony for receiving his PhD in spiritual leadership based on Dr. Samuel Lee’s spiritual leadership. Dr. Elijah is well-known as the steward of Chicago Center. He quoted Psalm 84:10a, “Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere...” While serving joyfully at the center, he also used every free moment to study on-line and obtained his PhD in 6 years.  We thank God for his excellent example of living by faith, serving God, working hard, and being blessed in everyway. Next, Missionary Hanna Yoo shared her tearful, heart-moving life testimony. She grew up under her highly abusive, single mother and was bitter and angry. Through Bible study in college, she met Jesus through Luke 23:34a, was healed, and even led her mother to Christ. After establishing a house church, her family served as missionaries in Israel, Texas, and now in Chicago, where they serve UIC ministry. Afterwards, Second Generation Missionary Grace So (Moscow) also shared a tearful, graceful report of her short terms missions trip to Mexico to serve an orphanage through a program at North Park University. There, she encountered the Father God personally and was healed of the scars from her childhood. Next, Pastor Ron Ward shared an update of missionaries sent out from North America and their prayer topics.  Among them: Mike Thompson prays to stay firm in St. Petersburg UBF, though his wife stopped attending; John and Maria Peace have raised 3 committed Ukrainian shepherdesses, Natasha, Anya, and Maria; Sarah Youk and Ruth Hong have experienced God’s blessing of doubling the ministry in Wuppertal, Germany; Heather Kumanichliev and her husband Georgi have pioneered their own chapter, Sofia 2, in Bulgaria: Jonathan Reese in Indonesia is delivering the Sunday message in English and needs prayer to get a suitable job; and Dr. Joseph and Esther Chung in Uganda have experienced a revival in their ministry and will be returning to the states at the end of July.

The second half of the meeting focused on prayer for the HBF Uganda Missions Trip, July 17-29. Sixteen HBF students and leaders will go to Uganda to serve at an orphanage in the Muslim part and poorest part of Uganda. The team members are: Francis Choi, Yvonne Lee, Helen Kim, Christine Mun, Moses Lee, Rebekah Reyes, Grace Baek, Joanna Yu, Joanne Lee, Deborah Pozo, Jessica Mun, John Wang, Peter Won, Paul Won, Daniel King, and Moses Magardician. They will serve 2 VBSes at two schools, with 400 students each.Two students, John Wang and Joanna Yu, shared their testimonies of how God has been working in their lives and preparing them to serve on this trip. Then, Francis Choi, who is leading the trip, shared his testimony of how God is preparing him to go to Uganda to join his wife Theresa, who attends medical school in Uganda, and participate in Makere UBF. Francis has served HBF sacrificially for 7 years. He also gave up his savings for a house to support his family for the next year in Uganda. Then, his father, Missionary Richard Choi and Pastor Ron Ward prayed for Francis and Theresa Choi. We also watched a thank you video made by the Uganda Missions team to thank church members for their donations to their fundraising events. Msn. David Choi, the former HBF director, prayed for the team. As a conclusion, we celebrated with a Chicken and African dinner provided by Dr. Elijah Park and HBF. Thank God for using us for world missions! Please pray for the HBF Uganda Missions trip and missionaries sent out from  North America to be strengthened in his Spirit and and be used very preciously.

By Yvonne Lee