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Norway UBF

February 21, 2013

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.”

I praise the Lord Jesus Christ who was with us as Emmanuel throughout the year. Through the National Directors’ Conference at the beginning of the year, I accepted Norway as a country entrusted to me by God, and God gave me a new vision. I saw God’s gracious work, how he had raised up a native shepherd family and then assigned them his ministry. In January I experienced God’s grace by receiving a new job in Dale. While treating many patients, I often noticed that they suffered not because of physical sickness, but because of fear of death and of sickness, because of depression and stress, because of inward wounds from the past. Often times I observed that their symptoms disappeared, when I listened to them wholeheartedly and gave them my attention. Based on this fact, that the basic problem of the world is a sin and death problem, I prayed all the more heartfelt to be a doctor with a shepherd heart. Once, a patient came with a large sack of pus on his back. After the pus was pressed out, the infection got worse. The patient sent a letter of complaint to the head of the department, my mentor, with the intent to sue me. There were slanderous content in the letter and it hurt me very much personally so that I almost quit. I lost my self-esteem and suffered for a long time. My new job as a practicing physician was not easy. There were many very old patients living alone so that I had to make a lot of house calls. Then I had to go to work in an ambulance, but I got so car sick in the closed vehicle. When I arrived at the patient’s house, my condition was often worse than that of the patient. Everyone found it so funny. From this weakness, I learned to ask God persistently for wisdom and grace for healing and thus to be able to rely more on God.

In the summer, two cousins who are students came to visit. My once peaceful family became lively and full and the worship service in the family became larger. There was also a worship service for the second gens. This had a good effect on the children and we could remain watchful. Through it, we could learn to be watchful and useful, and somehow to invite the young people and to serve them. By God’s grace M.Maria began her Norwegian language courses at the University of Bergen. I was very happy that my co-worker went back to classes. Up till then she had so little time to learn Norwegian because of work and raising the children. She has a dream to become a hospice nurse in Norway, to serve God’s work in Norway greatly. I pray that she holds on to this vision and never loses it.

Sister Kyung-Mi, whom M.Maria cared for, finished her doctoral studies after four years and gave God the glory. In 2012 we had several visitors from Kyungsun UBF Center. The guests, who served us instead of being served, relieved us and brought us joy and gladness. On the other hand, I was ashamed of my unfruitful work and of my unbelief. Please pray for us to be workmen of the gospel who do not need to be ashamed.

In August the northern European summer Bible conference took place in Denmark. Although the work of the gospel seems to be unclear and small, we dreamed of a revival and cried out with hope in prayer to God.

At the end of November, we learned God’s grace by moving into a new apartment after eight years. There is a student dorm directly in front of the house, and the apartment has a lovely view. We decided to create a spiritual atmosphere and to become a house church where sheep can come in and out and receive spiritual nourishment. We are also thankful that Missionary John Jun visited us in the northern European countries and studied God’s word with us. We are thankful for renewing our salvation grace through God’s word from Ephesians and recognizing the heavenly gifts of God again. We pray that our house church loves the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross and praises him and is filled with thanksgiving. I pray to lead my mission life in Norway day by day by this grace and faith.

By Josef Chin, Norway