Tale of Two Travels?

This is our life today....two suitcases being unpacked, two being packed....general chaos...but now there's order and Mike's packed....while I'm unpacked.

I'll finish blogging my Korean adventure after Mike departs.

Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Amusing Street Sign

In the past 6 - 9 months our city has added a few street names and signs. Our commander was asked for things the city could to to make Misawa more "Troop Friendly" and having street signs is huge...... Can you read the name? "Say Hello Street". I love it....it's a good reminder to communicate with your neighbors.
Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Faith Lift or Faithlift

I've been asked, and have a few moments, so will explain what I'm doing in Korea this week.

No, I am NOT getting a facelift. I AM getting a faith lift. Faithlift is a local conference hosted by Yongsan Chapel/PWOC. It is interdenominational.  There are over 200 women in attendance...that's my guess and I'll look for an official number today. ::grin:: I know over 200 were registered.

From the name you may have guessed that our focus is to help women prosper in their faith.

What am I personally doing here?

Wednesday I spoke to the Yongsan PWOC...helped decorate South Post chapel for Faithlift, and went out to dinner with Adriane's family. Adriane is this year's Faithlift Director. I also met our new regional financial liaison. Sese is an amazing answer to prayer! I met with a Korean/American missionary who lives in China and has a heart and ministry in North Korea...but I'll not share more of that here.

Thursday I attended Yongsan's Leadership Brunch. I helped to answer questions about how our new region functions to support local groups. Lauren and I went sightseeing and had a blast. I spent time encouraging a few leaders.

Friday we went to the MARKET in the a.m. Loved being back in an Asia marked...loved the haggling...love my new "coach" purse. ::snort:: I connected, IN PERSON, with two of our regional team....Rachelle and Lauren. We met with the Yongsan Garrison Chaplain. He offered some great suggetions for us as we brainstorm our on-going training and mentoring of this region's PWOC leaders. We then met with Ch. Arthur Pace and  conducted our first-ever Asia Region board meeting. Sese, Rachelle, Lauren, Ch. Pace and I began....and Tracy  - what a sport - zipped in from the airport and joined us in process. We joined prayer warriors in progress.  We  had dinner, kicked off faithlift....and it is good.

Saturday- we have yet to see all that God has planned for this day. I know that I'll be facilitating/speaking at two workshops.  I know we'll hear from annointed ladies of God in our main sessions, Kwanda Dixon and Brenda Marlin. I sense the transforming work that God plans to accomplish today in our personal lives, in our marriages, families, during deployments and stress......God has good things to share with His daughters today. I have been excited and awake for quite some time.....
Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Fun Visits

I'm learning a few things about Korea. I am falling in love with Asia all over again. Korea is divided into various "areas" for Army purposes. Thursday, I visited the area 2 miles from the DMZ. Until very recently much of Korea was an unaccompanied tour, but recently families have been allowed to come to Korea with their military members.  Our newest PWOC group is from this installation.

Vikki graciously invited me to go look and see. Lauren thought it would be fun as well. I pictured the Camp we were going to see as a tent city. Check this out....

From 2010-03-24_korea

The city surrounding the Camp has got to be three times the size of Misawa. The installation itself does not have all the perks of a big installation....but it is NOT a tent city. ::snort::

From 2010-03-24_korea

We took about an hour ride on the subway. The one thing that does disappoint me about Misawa is we have no public transportation. I LOVE riding on the subways and trains. Women from up at this camp often take the hour subway ride for doctor's appointments, commissary trips (their commissary IS much smaller than Misawa's), PWOC (before one began up here) etc. The trains were much the same as in Japan....though Japan's commuters are not pushy....just efficient.

From 2010-03-24_korea

I love the scenery around here. GREAT mountains, however, it's common to see high rise apartments built right up the sides of the mountains.

From 2010-03-24_korea

From 2010-03-24_korea

Six months ago, I thought that red circle with steam rising meant TEA....now I know it means ONSEN. Korea also has public baths....I don't know the Korean name because Vikki and Lauren were surprised that Americans do onsens in Japan.

From 2010-03-24_korea

Zipping along on the subway, it was hard to get good photos with the point and click. I've been amazed at all the churches in Korea. Korea is 30% Christian. I love the nightsky with all the red crosses lit up. The above church had a massive photo of Jesus on the side of it. My favorite was a church that had it's name on the side of it in English. I wanted a photo for my amusing sight feature.....The name...."Church that Jesus Wants". ::grin::

I have to talk to the ladies in photos, before I post any more to see if they are o.k. being made infamous on the blog. ::snort::

Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Korea!

I'm here. The drive along the Han river at night was beautiful.

There are lit up red crosses on all the churches. I was told this is because they are "sanctuaries" in any bombing raids. (That'll preach!) It was inspiring to see so many lit up red crosses along the drive.

My room is nice. I'm excited to be here. I slept most the day - off and on. I discovered that there is a snobby lounge at the Tokyo airport....but there is also a public lounge with CNN...recliners and such. I slept.

It was surreal to hear safety messages in Korean and read Japanese subtitles......but I think I have the message memorized so I wasn't too worried.

First meeting is tomorrow at 9:15 a.m. Hard to believe I'm here....Korea! Wow. I'm humbled and honored and looking forward to exploring a bit.....not sure of the logistics of that....guess I better see about getting into the "system" so that I can get back on base once I get off base. ::snort::
Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

This is me.....

It steadies my nerves to blog - so I will write a bit this a.m. LOL This is me. Today I fly to Korea. Yes, I've got meds, though God has been gracious and I've not thrown up ONCE this month. LOL I have a six hour layover in Tokyo - I plan to be STILL and know that He is God....yep, I plan to walk intimately with Him in the solitude of Tokyo International Airport. I'm looking forward to it...have my notes, my Bible, my journal, and my laptop.

I would appreciate prayers for God's presence to flow through all that is done this week at Faithlift (and all the surrounding events). I sense He's going to show up BIG....He's been invited, many have been praying and fasting for this week...now we have the excitement of walking it out! I would also appreciate prayers for this middle-aged vessel and all other tired vessels who are participating this week. Enough said. It's all about HIM and not us.

Mike is home. Poor man is TIRED...but dragged himself out on a date with me while Jared was at Human Video practice. We unpacked his bag to repack it for me. ::snort::

As a matter of fact, I MAY blog from Korea. I plan to personally pay for Internet in my room if possible....so that myself and all my peeps can skype their chicklets at home (as desired and/or needed). LOL
Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

This is Mike....

Barely home and Mike was teaching....I LOVE this man.  We had saved a coconut to open when he was home....mostly because I hadn't a clue how to open the thing without a machete. ::snort::

The kids were suitably impressed with my stories of coconuts and hikes in the Philippines, stories of coconuts falling on Tod Hall's head....and Mike's stories of WW2 medics hooking iv tubes up between coconuts and wounded troops. 

Unfortunately, the coconut had sat too long and we had fermented coconut milk....coconut vinegar? Coconut wine?  We'll try again with a fresh coconut next week. LOL
Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...