Korea - Volunteer work

For 2 days we were involved with the mercy work for the poor, the aged, forgotten by their families, the abandoned babies, orphans, multiple handicapped people. I'm excited to see Jesus in them! I worked in the Ignok Hospital in the hospice ward. The patients are called family members. Most of them in the hospice ward are in vegetative states. They can't move in their beds, needing the volunteers/nurses to turn them once every 2 hours, they are fed by tube 5 times a day, they wear adult diapers. While I wondered if i was making any difference, simply massaging them, talking/singing to them, folding some of the 7000 diapers they use each day, hand mopping the floor, reading the bible, praying with them, even though i know there'd not be any kind of interaction or response.

While i could look out the window when i need a change of view, their only view from their bed is the ceiling and the walls. In their vegetative state, do they feel imprisoned in a human shell? Are they brain dead? Are they thinking anything at all? As i prayed with them, I felt a deep sense of peace and serenity, God is with them even at this stage. Even though their family members have abandoned them, some on the streets, they are now in a loving environment, surrounded by loving volunteers who come over to pat them, joke with them, people who find it a privilege working there! These people have my deepest respect.

Korea - University students

Now a bit more about korea. The food and hospitality is fantastic. The first outreach to the university students was very blessed time for all of us. These students are all finishing their final year in Social welfare, most of their parents think they are crazy to pursue this kind of work, but they are perservering. God really showed what He wanted to do in their lives. Many had breakthroughs during this short 2 day retreat.

Korea - House of Joy!

Another day, we were invited, impromptu, to a kind of celebration they were holding. All we know is that we will be performing one dance. But to my pleasant surprise, the huge hall was filled with very young children and older adults, many with various handicaps. The hall was exploding with joy! This house is called the , they were dancing away to the live band playing there, very free, not at all shy with us. The minute they saw us, they came running to us and hugged us, and started talking animately ...in Korean! Despite finding out later that we dont understand them, they kept asking us questions and some simply just sat on our laps. Though our participation with not more than half an hour, we left the house feeling exuberant and very very joyous. They gave us more than we gave them.


This is the official website: www.hcwy.org