Friday, February 23, 2007

South Korea

Hi some more action from the team, a bit from our last nigth at SMS, the airport and more of South Korea. TOYS!!



Happy.



Chilling at ferry terminal Picton.


Darren and the team, at River Valley, Darren and River Valley we love you, thanks for the sweet deal and a great time on the water.


Frances with Miriam and her Excel mates.


My Old Man is one of my best mates, I love you Dad!!!

Happy.


The girls at Snow Planet, our final outing before take off.




The Boys at Snow Planet. Boys and their "TOYS!!!"


I love my Mum too!!! The last time we saw the crew at the airport.

The plane, I watched Twister and Jumanji.



Us getting ripped off at Bangkok airport.



This young lady's pretty keen on Tim, we all love her, it's Michelle our awesome local guide, she has helped us out big time. She's the first one to make it onto our non-kiwi friends of Mission Aroha, Hall of Fame.



Another great hook up this family let us have free accommodation in a mint apartment right in town, thank you Lord and thank you to these guys too.



Us with all our gear boarding the sub way, the sub way is very user friendly.



This church is at a grave yard for missionaries, it's pretty inspiring to walk through the grave yard and see all the peole that gave their lives to plant the seed of the gospel in this land.



It's kind of weird they wrap up a lot of their trees to keep them warm. Yeah?



This is a replica Palace, when the Japanese invaded they burnt the original one down and built a big government building in its place. When the Koreans kicked the Japanese out they tore down the new building and built this replica of the old Palace.



Happy.




This is the apartment of the Korean Pastor, Pastor Paik who has helped tremendously with the organisation of our stay in South Korea. The little red lights are crosses on top of churches.



A scabby looking, deep fried egg, food can be interesting.



Korean beef, beautiful, that's more like it!!!

The brown brick building is Yoido Full Gospel Church, the biggest church in the world. They have 833,000 members, they grow at a rate of around 100 a day!!! Being around these people really inspires you to dream bigger, to dream the impossible.




This is prayer mountain, 6 miles from the border of North and South Korea, when we got there, these soldiers were just passing through. It's compulsory for all males to do two years military service. Their neighbours North Korea aren't generally very friendly.



A slightly better view of prayer mountain, check out the busses. If you were wondering how could Yoido Full Gospel grow so big, here's why. They have at least 3,000 people praying here a day. There are way more busses and cars that you can't see in these photos, these people are hungry for God, and this is just one of many prayer mountains in South Korea. Also a pleasant graveyard in the foreground.



Again there's way more cars and busses you can't see, hey, we can set up a prayer mountain in New Zealand, oh yeah, most of those busses are packed full of people with even the aisles full of people standing, what a massive commitment to prayer, no wonder this year is the celebration for a 100 years of revival.

And when they pray they go hard!!! They also have prayer services in just about every church, morning, noon and evening, the 5am prayer service is alive fiery and packed out, like 70 plus people.



Prayer Dog.


Beautiful! Heaps of frosts goin on, we've had frosts everyday. It was -3 degrees celsius when we flew into Seoul.

Choose one. Making you better feeling.

Hear this, this is a message for the church, for us all, "Prayer creates a deep rooted unsatiable desire for evangelism." That's my quote. So as well as quality and quantity prayer, they do a lot of evangelism in many ways. This is us with the main church we've been hanging out with, they go down town at 10am and 3pm just about every day for evangelism. 40% of this nation are practicing Christians and it's on the rise.

That's it from me for a bit, we've had incredible internet hook ups in South Korea- broad band everywhere, don't know what the rest of the trip will be like, fly out of here on Monday the 26th. Love you guys, p.s we've been praying heaps too!!! We're getting more and more hungry for God and it's great.



Hey there everyone!!!! Miriam here.............................. here are some lovely photos from our first few days in South Korea.......

Frances eating rice and red bean cake...YUM. A special Chinese new year treat given to us by a lady at church. The food they feed us is definately interesting.



We spotted this dog on our first night in Seoul. So cute! but strange....it could walk on it's hind legs. The dogs here are all pretty and small and nice hehehe



Our first dinner in Korea. Steak Pizza!!!! We ordered it thinking it had steak on it but it turned out that the base was made of steak. And by steak I think they mean giant over processed meat pattie. Tasted fine.


Traditional Korean dinner with some of our new friends.... Kenneth + Elizabeth - Americans who have been looking after us... what a Godsend!!!! They are taking us out somewhere tomorrow and also on saturday are going to arrange for us to visit the north Korea border and the Seoul tower... exciting!!!! And Michelle our Korean friend. She's gorgeous and has been showing us around the city a lot and teaching us what we need to know like how to use the subway system yeehaa!!

The four of us at Yoido full gospel church yesterday. The largest church in the world they have 800,000 people and actully see the power of God for real working through them. Was really overwhelming for me but gave me a lot to think about and a lot to aim towards..... On Wednesday we are going to a village of theirs which has people praying constantly so I think we will stay the night and see how it all works and pray like all day and all night or something?! Can't wait to observe the Christians in action!



Random yes. I took this photo at a subway station....I think its instructions incase of a terrorist gassing attack, you have to shove a bag over your head and it filters the air??? I found it pretty funny ya

There are tonnes of weird English things everywhere that don't make perfect sense!! This is the name of a really expensive looking restaurant in Seoul.



Ahhhh one of my favourite things about Korea. Beds don't seem to exist but its ok because the floors are heated!!!! Best invention ever cos its really freezing outside and we just come home to our apartment and sleep on the floor on top of a duvet. So incredibly comforting and cosy and I love it.







God has hooked us up amazingly with accommodation and people to look after us!!! We arrived having no idea where we would be staying, but some people had arranged for us to stay in an apartment which normally gets used by missionaries. Its in an expensive part of town and is really comfy, although chairs don't exist here either much to Benji and Tims dismay!!! Arrr.




This photo was also on our first night in Korea, we went for a little wander in our neighbourhood and discovered that there seems to be a church on almost every block here. I'm not exaggerating!!!! You can really tell that God is here in this country in such a massiver way than in New Zealand. The streets feel safe at night and everyone is really friendly. I don't know but the atmosphere is just happy and calm and peaceful......... hard to exprain





Ok guys thats it from me for now..... love you all to pieces!!!!

27 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi! It's Pauline! Love you all!

Unknown said...

Hey Yall, hows south korea going? (man, what a crazy question to be asking, quite surreal really) Anyways things here are all gd, so yea. Thinking of you all.

Philippa M said...

Hey guys,
wow oh my goodness south korea,
you guys are in asia now!!!!!!!!!!.....
How was the flight, did you get up to any mischief on the plane?
man you're fulltime missionaries for the next 5 months
so where are you staying at the mo in S.K. ?
I'm about to move to welly ....me and my dad drive up tomorrow.....omg only just finished packing up the car ...I was so scared it wasn't all going to fit, but by some miricle it did
you have to tell us about all the new sights/smells/sounds you've been experiencing
much love,
philippa

Anonymous said...

very happy for you all, i know you will be bless with a life experience, which will help you all grow in your faith. we are all at different levels of our faith,, god bless..

Anonymous said...

haha very good man and go to the jesus! Its brilliant! What a real 'Why dont you have a drink?' aye Tim! haha.

Very Goodman.

Anonymous said...

Hey Guys!
Its great to hear from you and see some pictures! We have all been hanging out to hear something! : ) Wow! That church sounds awesome! Don't you love Asian English? It cracks me up! : ) and it's so cute.
Thinking of you all and praying for you, God Bless, Love Alanna

Unknown said...

Man seeing that wack food brings back (painful!) memories of thailand...!hah!
I bet u guys are having an amazing time. Keep those photos coming....and dont eat any poo cakes
much luv 2 u all
xxx

Anonymous said...

Hey miriam sally here from polytech, it's funny not seeing you around, looks like your having an awesome spiritual journey. Would love to see pics of you sometime. xxx Take care.

Dave and Michelle said...

hey guys
fantastic to see some pics of a place where I lived for a year.
You will find panmunjoem - DMZ an unique experience.
And yeah there are heaps of churches everywhere but be aware that it may not be what it seems... I encourage you to look beyond the buildings and to see the heart of the people, to understand the culture... God's church is not confined to buildings...
Enjoy the yummy scrummy food, eat some dok bok ee for me! Go to a singing room!!!!
And learn as much as you can about how this fabulous culture worships God, look forward to hearing about that village that prays all day.
Arohanui
D and M

Anonymous said...

Wow, I just had a wee peak at your photos and read some of your stories. . . I'm sure God has lots more excitement in the months to come that will leave you inspired- it's so fantastic that you are doing what you were so scared to step out and do. May our big daddy lead you wherever you go : )

Arohanui,

Hannah

Anonymous said...

Hey guys,
So awsome to hear that you all ok and that you are having a great time and that god has got an eye on you and looking after you all! Glad that your loving the food fanfes! Missing you like crazy girl! Jade and Tane say hi :-) take care all. God bless! Love you :-D
Love Ali xoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Anonymous said...

Hey team rocket those signs are crazy as a very good man. Have fun and bring me back some of that steak pizza it looks like fire victim. brilliant

I'm working far to hard at the moment to miss you very much but on cold windless nights i hold my ear to the moon and wait till the dawn calls your names WOOOOSHHH WISSHHH, and all that. sometimes i even wake up in a cold sweat.

love you guys

remember chewing gum naked in the street is fine between the hours of 3 and 3 but not on sunday thats gods day silly.

Love from Christiaan

Philippa M said...

what happened to your bum rashes?

Anonymous said...

Hey Miriam This is Julia and Aunty Clare here. We are pleased that things are going so well for you over in Korea.
Uni is going well so far. Ive meet lots of people and Ive already had a week of classes.

All the best and God Bless...been praying for you all.

Unknown said...

Hey you lot looks like fun over there. Keep on truckin'Joy-Maree

Unknown said...

Hey you lot awesome to see all your photos and stories. Keep on truckin' We all praying here.

Anonymous said...

Hey your photos are so funny silly you guyses.
I love them, and your awsome quotes and all that underneath. sounds like all is going well for you guys and thats awsome. Benji could you get me an elephant whos trunk is up for good luck you'll be able to tell it's a good luck one cause it's trunk will be up. what else did you watch?

Keep it real my homies miss you all heaps.

Christiaan

Anonymous said...

Hey it's MEEE Iamsam It's great to see you guYYS are haffin a gOOd time in africa catch a rhino for mEEEEEEEE oooooK

TELL LUCY in the sky with diamonds
hauhahaha

bYYYE KEY KEY

Anonymous said...

Hey Ya'll,
Good to see you guys are having fun over there! and yea Benji we should start up a prayer mountain, that would be pretty TOYS!! nice photos too.
hope to here from you soon:)
God Bless ya....Brindel

Anonymous said...

wow sounds like ur having so much fun!!!
god bless

Anonymous said...

Hey guys

its awesome to see god doing such awesome things over there, There has been some awesome stuff happening here. the new connect youth service starts next week and is looking up already. love you all, missing frances everytime i go to buy a drink at NW now ;'(

Your Honey,

Connor

Anonymous said...

Hey guys, it's chelsea!! Miriam and Frances, you probably don't know me but ninji and tim sure will! wow, i'm loving the amount of church-ness (and the whole steak pizza idea, man i WANT SOME). band is good, but i miss our lads jams tim :( and i miss being hustled out the door at 6.45 am on friday mornings buy a mop-wielding ninja in big sunglasses :'( you've probably cottoned on to the idea that you are all incredible missed (see, i speaka asian England too haha), so good i will bye say, and when go to the jesus on sunday, think of you i will!-hah, figure that one out!
love you all, praying that whatevr you're doing it's serving God's purpose.
Chelsea the Drumming,llama-farming, mumsdollar-moshing,icecream-eating ninja.

Anonymous said...

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Anonymous said...

Hey Miriam and Frances Im raelly missing you guys. Thiland looks and sounds incedable. Wish I was there with you!!!

God Bless

Julia

Anonymous said...

Hey Tim its great to see you and the missionary's are doing such a good thing in spreading the word world wide! NICE :)
I just happened to pop into your place today and rodge gave me this awesome website address, hope you all are having fun and most of all take care dude ( and dudettes)
god bless

Papaka.

Anonymous said...

Hey Guys

Tim here. It was great to see prayer mountain. I was talking about it on sunday during the service. It's inspirational how many pray every day. Go with god guys. Lot's of Aroha.

Anonymous said...

Heya,
It's so awesome to see ya'll have so much fun! :D
And the kiddies are soo cute...i just wanna cuddle them! :)
It's also amazing to see our Savior work spectacular things in each one of your hearts, individually and as a team!

Fight for God Always & Forever.

Lots of love & prayer Brindel :D