Thank you, Asia "North Korean Refugees" (95 days left)

 One of the more meaningful things I have done in my life was teach English to the North Korean Women Refugees at a non-disclosed location in South Korea.  This is something only a few people get to experience.  

From 2012-14 I was a church member at a Christian church in Seoul which paired native English speakers with Korean translators.  Our church was the only religious organization that the South Korean government would allow to partner with this center. 

Once every few weeks a group of 4 - 6 of us would pile into a van on a Tuesday night then drive more than an hour to the rural and secret location of the Refugee center for women.  There, for about an hour, we would teach simple English lessons like counting, animals, days of the week, or polite conversation, then drive back home, arriving about 9:30 pm.  

A reunion of teachers and graduates from the refugee center

We taught about 20 - 30 ladies each time. Together we did a lot of singing, some dancing, and some hugging or hand holding.  One day I was even asked to sign autographs.  We talked about God's love for them.  We sang about the freedom of the soul.  

The refugee women had lived through hell prior to their arrival as refugees.  And during their 6-week orientation to life in South Korea, they were relearning everything, including that Americans weren't the enemy.  I never expected their faces to be so joyful and bright.  I couldn't have expected them to be so thankful for everything we offered.  And I hadn't imagined I would appear so tall!

While I never got to know individual lady's stories, our group would often discuss the plight of the North Koreans while on our travels to and from the Refugee Center, often eating Korean street food (mandu, pork bbq buns, or kimbab) on the way.  We would also talk openly about our own cultures, be they American, Canadian or South Korean.  My fellow teachers and translators gifted me with an understanding of both North and South Korean culture that I would not otherwise have ever learned.  

After only two years of teaching there, our family decided to leave Seoul and move to Hong Kong.  Leaving this volunteer program left a big hole in my heart.  That hole has since become a great pool of gratitude for having had the opportunity to serve such amazing, courageous women.