News > Latin America

April 18, 2013

“Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1).”

 

I have to praise God whose wondrous and mysterious holy work transformed our weaknesses and problems into blessings. God helped all coworkers to serve mission independently when I was sick in 2011 and God helped all native shepherds to be the main characters of God’s work while my family was suffering from health and financial problems and other problems in 2012.

Native Shepherds Growing

 

While visiting Korea for the 5oth Anniversary Commemorate Conference, there was a division among missionaries and it ended up that one brother missionary left his family and UBF, and it caused students to have doubts about UBF ministry. And another missionary family wanted to stop coming to the ministry in UBF. I was so sorry and guilty for not helping them well. However, I praise God who never stops his ministry. God transformed our problems into blessings to raise native shepherds. I thank God for Shepherd Edwar (Accounting, Master’s Degree) who became an intern shepherd by our prayer support. He grew in God as His coworker and leader of Guatemala UBF, serving weekend conferences and Christmas worship service independently while we were far away in Korea in 2012!

 

Currently, 4 messengers -S. Edwar Ti, Dimas Blanco, Dr. Ab Gilberto Salazar, M. Joshua Ham- serve the Sunday worship service. They have been growing as servants of the word of God and leaders, and also became God’s coworkers through growing in making a good relationship with their sheep. God was so pleased by their faith and co-working that we could rent a Bible house for a long time, serve 5 fellowship meetings, Monday leaders’ Bible study, Thursday reflection sharing sincerely. God blessed financially and their studying so we have been praying for raising many native shepherds and shepherdesses.

 

We have around 25-35 Sunday worship service attendants and 5 fellowship leaders- Edwar, Dimas, Dr. Ab Gilberto, Dr. Ivan, Saul. Although having little payment, they sacrificially served fellowship lunch every week and became a good role model. Their good influence made other shepherds serve every Thursday reflection meeting with snacks. I truly thank God for His blessing on them and enabling them to have a job and be a financially independent family. In such a country where people think that they are poor and have no money, these leaders became the light and salt of the society by obeying God’s word based in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

 

God is sending Bible students continually through the holy work in native shepherds. Shepherds serve Bible students with the word of God and food, understanding and listening to their real problems and weaknesses. Thankfully Bible students come to their shepherds more and more to converse with them and get wisdom and direction. So, missionaries’ mission changed to serve native shepherds with Bible study and prayer meetings. I pray that we may have a deep Bible study with shepherd leaders and help them to serve God’s ministry and be good shepherds for their Bible students.

 

I thank God for His grace among 2nd gens. Sarah Ham (20 years old) entered the military academy for officer training. Also, there are Rebekah Ham and Sunghee Kim in high school, Esther Ham and Yoonhee Kim in middle school, and 7 elementary students including Habok Jung, Haeun Jung, and Elizabeth. They serve orchestra for Sunday worship service. 2nd gens became their parents’ best co-workers and served all programs independently every conference and meeting.  I pray that God may bless them abundantly to open a way to get a palace education like Moses did in a poor condition in education in Guatemala. I pray that they may grow in God’s wisdom and spirit.

 

I thank God for M. Jose Ahn’s visiting and his serving all leaders one by one staying up till late at night though conversation. I thank God for Chicago UBF’s invitation for us to have a rest spiritually and physically after serving God over 25 years. I praise God that God transformed our weaknesses into raising native shepherds as leaders in His holy work and continuing discipleship ministry as Paul confessed in 2 Corinthians 12:10, “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

 

Prayer Topics

For 4 messengers’ Bible study material preparation meeting once or twice a week and raising a native director

For my family to be a role model of healthy and happy house-church and establishing many house-churches

For Missionaries financial struggles –M. Josue & Anna Ham’s architect-business, S. Ab Gilberto & M. Sarah Jung’s working at sewing factory and business, M. Mercy Kim’s Chinese restaurant business.

For a plan to build a Central America Mission House in Guatemala

 

Personal Reflection

I became knocked out by deception and negative thoughts from the evil spirit that I could not serve God’s ministry and other missionaries and shepherds as a director, and financial problems for a year and health issues. However, my spiritual eyes were opened through M. Jose Ahn’s visiting and serving to see God’s powerful and wonderful work in around 10 shepherds’ heart to grow in faith, using my weaknesses-Edwar, Dimas, Dr. Ab Gilberto, Dr. Ivan, Cesar, Saul, Allan, Hary, Karina, Silvia, Rosario. While visiting Chicago UBF, we learned secrets to make a healthy and happy house church by the help of senior missionaries, house church Bible study, and reading symposium. Especially, I could learn from M. Mark Yang’s Know-How regarding of discipleship ministry and Bible study through Bible studies with him. I came to know the simple truth that I needed to learn Jesus deeply first for the disciple ministry. I learned that discipleship is not choosing talented people and bringing them into God’s ministry. Rather, it is to love and help wounded and sinful souls with Jesus’ mercy and compassionate heart. I pray that I may overcome the deception of evil, my weaknesses, and my negative thoughts and injustice. I made a decision that I devote myself to learn Jesus deeply first, be a role model as Jesus’ disciple, serve sinful and poor Guatemalan students with love, be used in the salvation of young souls and to raise Jesus disciples.

 

I pray for 4 Sunday messengers-S. Edwar, Dimas, Dr. Ab Gilerto, M. Joshua Ham-, 1-2 a week Bible study research meeting. I pray to develop this Bible study research meeting well so that all of us may grow in Jesus and God may raise a native director. I pray that my family may become a good role model as a healthy and happy house church and we may establish many house churches which can serve world mission.

 

One word:  Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ