A New School Year

Unlike the US, the Korean school system is tied to the calendar year.  This means that college freshmen start their classes around the first of March and end their year in early December.  Handong University is buzzing over the anticipation of this year's entering class.  Before classes start, the university faculty retreat takes place.  In Korea, a retreat is a bit different than retreats in the US.  Here the focus is on the faculty simply being together.  This means a schedule that can run from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 at night.  A well known pastor is invited to provide a series of sermons to offset some of the more mundane campus business that is conducted.  Refreshments are brought in and meals are served at the dining hall adjacent to the large chapel where the faculty meet.  I've mentioned in earlier blogs the Korean love for music and singing.  Students seldom have events without singing and the faculty is the same.  It is a delight to hear the collective voices of faculty members enthusiastically singing wonderful old hymns of the faith.  One of my favorites at this year's retreat was "I Know Whom I Have Believed".  The lyrics have such a wonderful contrast between those things we don't know and what we do know based on our faith in Christ.  There is so much truth in these old hymns.  This year our conference speaker was Pastor Park Eun-Jo of The Pangyo/Grace Saemmul Church in Seoul, Korea.  Imagine my surprise when he spoke about his daughter who graduated from HILS and is in California studying for the bar exam.  Could that be Jennifer Park who was one of two delightful young women from HILS who we hosted in our Anaheim home for a few days shortly before we moved to Korea?  Yes, and I was able to have a wonderful visit with Pastor Park.  I continue to be amazed with the people we meet that are part of God's kingdom.  On Monday I will meet my new students for the Spring semester.  As President Kim at Handong Global University is fond of saying, "God is Good, All the Time!"  On a sadder note, Daniel, Mary and Robert are also back to homeschooling after the deliciously long Korean winter break from school.  Most good things do seem to inevitably come to an end.