Chile, Argentina and Uruguay Visit Report

by WMD   09-12-2011   0 reads

I and my coworker M. Hannah Rhee visited three Southern Latin American countries: Chile, Argentina and Uruguay for 10 days from last August 17 to 27. Even though I didn’t intend it, I found out thatthese three countries are different from other Latin American countries with their unique social background. I thought that we need to consider this in the future mission strategy in Latin America. These three countries have mainly white people and they feel superior because of this. There is racism which is a barrier for the gospel ministry.

We had two purposes for our journey.InChile,Iwanted to knowaboutthe health condition of Missionary Josue Chun and to support their self-supporting missionary life. InArgentina, I wanted to see the successful succession of ministry to M. Mark Kim´s family since M. DK´s family returned to Chicago from Buenos Aires. Also, we wanted to have fellowship and mutual encouragement through prayers with missionaries who are working at the ends of the earth.

1) Chile

The commitment of M.Josue and HannahChun to the Lordwas verybeautiful. A year ago,M. Josue had sudden anginasymptomsand went to Koreato receive treatment. They soldthe shoe store which was their means of self-support. After caring for his healthin Korea, they returned to their mission field even though the doctor advised him not to do it.When they were back toChile, it was more difficult than the first time because they needed tostart all over again with everything. They needed to support the sixthandfifth grade-educationof two children, Paul and Joshua and needed to rent a place to stay. Also,there were difficulties financially since they used all their earnings for health treatmentsin Korea. These two missionaries are workingin storesrun byKoreans. From a human point of view, if they didn´t appreciate the mission and lived in Korea, they would have lived well.However, their lives inthe mission fieldwere verysimple withall worn-outstuff. Due tofinancial difficulties, the self-supporting and mission centered-life seemed to be impossible and they thought to do otherministry. However,they held onto God's callwho called them to the campusgospelministry in Chile.

Msn. HannahChun works from9 am to 7 pmat the storeand returns homeby subway. Msn. Josue works until2 pm atthe storerun by Koreansto helptheir children after schooland alsovisits campus. He prepares dinner for Msn. Hannahwho arrives late. However,their facesarevery bright. I sawthat they didn´t look like people in this worldbut the angels in heaven. Theirlivesareimpressive.Their young childrenalsogrew upwell. We exchanged many opinions about self-supporting ways in Chile. We thought about getting a job but it´s not easy because of their age. I pray God may help them to open the way to run their own business.

The students in Chileclaimfreetuitionand they refused to have classes duringthree months. Demonstrations andriotingcontinueday after day. The day wearrivedwas the coldest dayduringthe winterof this year. Despite thecold weather,there wasa bigdemonstration. I pray thatthe campusmaysoonnormalize.

Prayer topics:

- To raise up Abraham, Sarah and twelve disciples in the university in Chile

- For the health of Msn. Josue Chun

- For the treatment of gastritis and knee osteoarthritisofMsn. Hannah Chun

- For self-supporting and get a Bible center near campus

 

2) Argentina

A. Buenos Aires

We left Chile and arrived at Buenos Aires airport after one and a half hours offlight. After several financial crises, it was hard to see the gloriousappearanceas thesixthlargest world's economy in the past. Unlike Brazil that opens the door of their universities to theneighboring countriesto receivetalented people in order togrow its economy, Argentinahasdespised its neighboring countries because of their pride. As a result, its economy is in stagnation but there is nowillingness toimprove it yet.

M. DK. served the pioneering ministry here during 11 years. He was sent to Paraguay as English teacher for a year but has served Paraguay and Argentina during 13 years faithfully. M. HK has worked hard from 6 am to 9 pm. Now they are returning to Chicago to start a new missionary life in the USA. So Msn. Mark and Ruth Kim will serve Buenos Aires chapter as a director family. At first, they tried to solve their financial problem with a software business. But it wasn´t so successful so they opened a clothing store last year with the help of Msn. Isaac Cho and Msn. Juan Moon of La Plata. They suffered a lot because of employee´s legal accusations. The Argentine government has an excessive protectionpolicy forworkers so the workers accusetheir employers in order to receivecompensation for any small reason. Because of this kind of policy, many companiesget out ofthe country andthereareno largecompanies.Despite this difficulty, the family of Msn. Mark Kim is learning the God of Argentina.

Dorka, Claudia, Karen, Aslith, Sandra, Jose and Darwin are growing up in Buenos Aires and Msn. Erendira from Mexico City is serving the ministry sacrificially. Msn. Erendira is in a Master’s program at the University of Buenos Aires. Because of this missionary´s labor, sisters are growing well and they began to receive common life training.

Their earnest prayer topic is the growth of Argentine sheep. Most of the sheep are immigrants from Peru. Since Argentine sheep don´t like to be involved in an immigrants’ meeting, to help Argentine sheep is the most important and earnest prayer topic.

Prayer topic

- For Msn. Mark and Ruth Kim to be good shepherds for Argentines.

- To raise up an Argentine college leader

- For Msn. Kim´s family to have a baby and for their successful business

- To make a co-working vessel of sister’s common life house


B. La Plata

It takes 45 minutes to get from Buenos Aires to La Plata by car. Msn. Isaac and Mary Cho and Msn. Juan and Johana Moon are serving the National University of La Plata and are co-working well.

Msn. Isaac Cho arrived in Buenos Aires in 1992 and coworked well there. Several years ago he pioneered La Plata. He succeeded in running a clothing store and recently opened another big clothing store. Msn. Juan Moon purchased the clothing store from Msn. Isaac in Buenos Aires. He is studying Spanish and visiting campus in the morning and working at the store in the afternoon.

The daughter of Msn. Isaac, Msn. Ester Cho, established a house church in USA and is now serving there well. Shep. Isaac and Maria Cho are being good coworkers for their parents. The son of Msn. Juan Moon, Juan Moon Jr. entered the university and is growing as good campus leader. Nadia and Jorge, both Argentine sheep, are growing well. They pray for her to grow up as a mother of faith.


Prayer topics

- For one Abraham and one Sarah

- For 12 disciples

- For 6 leader candidates in this year

- For 20 house churches by 2020

- For Msn. Isaac Cho´s powerful Sunday message


3) Uruguay

The capital city of Uruguay, Montevideo, is 45minutes away from Buenos Aires by flight. It is located by the South America'sgiantriver,La Plata. Europeanconquerorskilled thenativesbrutally for theirmigration. UnlikeotherLatin Americancountries, in Uruguay, thereisno influence ofany religion. The numberofChristiansis onlyabout 5 percent. Therefore,sharing gospelon campusis strictly prohibited. Despite these difficulties,Msn. JoseandRebekah Park are servingthe Republic University of Uruguay. Because Uruguay hasa smallpopulation, theyfaced financial difficultiesbut raised theirtwo children well,Msn. Goheun Rebeca and Msn. Grace Park. They married by faith and were sent to Guadalajara and Houston as missionaries. Now Sebastian is growing well with stewardship.


Prayer topics

- To raise up 12 disciples

- For self-supporting of Msn. Jose Park´s family

- For the work of the Holy Spirit among many sheep since they are fishing everyday in Medical and Chemistry School.

- For the powerful Sunday message by Msn. Jose Park each week.

Reported by M. Timothy Rhee

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