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Kenya UBF

July 1, 2013

Genesis 18:1-19:38 18:18 “Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him.”

I was born in 1962 in Jun Book, South Korea, as the first daughter among 3 sons and 2 daughters. My grandfather died early and my father had to take care of the big family as a farmer in the countryside. However, in order to have a better job and home, all our family members including my uncles and aunts' family, came up to Seoul when I was in 5^th grade. We had to face the cold reality of living in the city without any money. My father worked in the construction field and my mother had to sell things on the street. We lived on the mountainside where there was no water and electricity. All of us faced hunger and the cold. I only lived to find the way to escape this poverty and suffering someday. In order to lessen my parents' agony, I worked during the day time and studied at night. After graduation from high school, I got a job at the bank. My heart was heavy and dark and I felt like my life was going nowhere. I aimed to enter college and finally after 5 years, I was able to attend college with a major in English. Although I hoped that college life would give me a new life, financial problems brought me down again and again. I became suicidal without hope and walked to the college library while shedding many tears.

One day on Sunday, there was no one on campus, but God sent one shepherd for me who was wandering around. She brought me to the Sunday worship service and we studied the Bible there. It was God's one sided grace. God had mercy on one me who could only despair with fatalism and sorrow and live meaninglessly. God delivered me with his mighty hands. Through Genesis Bible study, I learned about the Creator God and His almighty power. I learned also about man's life purpose and meaning. In 1987, at the Summer Bible conference, I accepted Jesus as my Savior on the cross. Jesus gave me true rest, and true satisfaction. Jesus gave me a clear mission and direction to feed God's flock of sheep with the word of God. God fed me with the word of God and used me to raise missionaries throughout the world– Maria Lee in Canada, Pauline Byun in Kazakhstan, Rebekah Shin in Zimbabwe, and Jeremiah Lee in USA. God also taught me to have absolute faith and the power of prayer.

Then, my younger brother ran away from home. When I prayed for him for one month, God brought him back safely. I needed to find a place to live within a week. When I prayed earnestly, God provided me with a better house. I was meditating the grace of God at home and I prayed that if God wanted to use me for world mission, I would go whenever and wherever. God heard my prayer and called me to be a missionary to Africa in 1989 December. I was the first missionary to Africa in UBF.

When I first arrived in Kenya, God gave me a verse from Romans 1:5, “Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for his name's sake.” If Kenya came to obedience by faith in Jesus, God gave me a conviction that Kenya will surely become a great and powerful nation, where all nations will be blessed through her. I was called to preach the Gospel and to teach the word of God so that they could learn to obey Him. Kenya was full of violence because of political turmoil and corruption. Without God's words, there was no justice and righteousness in the land of Kenya. It seemed like I could do nothing. But by faith, I went to the campus to pray for the nation and college students' salvation for 6 months. God gave me a word from Mark 9:23, “‘if you can'?” said Jesus, “Everything is possible for one who believes.” God established a house church with Missionary Mark Yoon who is full of passion and faith. God used our prayer and obedience to his mission and saved Juma, Maboreo, Manibe, Oireh, and Josephine and raised them as disciples of Jesus.

However, we also faced some difficulties. Shepherd Okos who was a growing leader left. Because of his influence, other leaders started to leave one by one. Through the world mission report in 2002, God restored me both physically and spiritually and gave me a new spirit to serve Kenya. God gave me a word from Matthew 29:18-20. God has given all authority in heaven and on earth and promised to be with me to the very end of the age when I go and make disciples of Jesus in Kenya. I decided to die in the mission field, Kenya, and to devote myself to the word of God and prayer through early Morning Prayer, daily bread and testimony writing. But, my physical body was really weak. While I was in Korea, I diagnosed with a breast tumor and got operation. Since I couldn't get more than a 1 week vacation, I had to come back to Kenya. I had to serve all the sisters by myself, because the other women missionaries were still in Korea, as they were about to deliver babies. I had severe viral infection and was hospitalized for 1 week. After I was discharged from the hospital, I suffered with insomnia. I deeply realized that my body is weak and without God's help, I cannot do anything. I started to pray. God gave me a word from 1Thessalonians 5:16-18, “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.” God taught me that I had been serving him without joy under the pressure. I realized it is God's will for me to rejoice always, pray continually and give thank in all circumstances. When I accepted it, God healed my insomnia and helped me to serve him with a joyful and thankful heart. God sent me many female Bible students.

During their college years, the bible students enjoyed the word of God and fellowship, repented and grew as disciples of Jesus. But after graduation, they usually went back home and left. Because of this, I started to pray earnestly that they may be remnants by faith and live as shepherds by faith. Lina was smart and had leadership. But she was rebellious, disobedient and proud. When I pointed her problem, she was hurt and stopped having Bible study for 6 months. I prayed for her three times a day for 6 months that God may open her spiritual eyes. During that time, she became humble and grew as a woman of obedience and humility. After graduation, she kept her faith and came to our worship service faithfully, even though she got a job far away from our church. God then granted her a very stable job near our church. Because of her influence, other sisters made decision to live a life of obedience and faith.

There was another problem in our growing ministry. Brothers and sisters started to like each other and they were secretly dating. They couldn't grow spiritually and became idolaters. I warned them that this kind of passion can divide our hearts for God. I started to talk with them one by one. I prayed with fasting for 6 months that God may establish one exemplary house church among them. God established one house church between Janeth and Juma. They kept their purity, served God and loved each other. Because of their influence, other students repented and began to struggle to be pure and grow spiritually. God has blessed our discipleship ministry. God has been helping me to rejoice always, pray continually and give thanks in all circumstances.

Last year, I met more than 30 students and fed them with the word of God each week.10 of them attended the Easter Bible conference. 5 of them are growing as disciples of Jesus through one to one Bible study and worship service. When I began to seek his kingdom and his righteousness, God raised my children as well. When I was pregnant, I was told that I had an 8 cm sized tumor. When I came to God in prayer, God healed me completely and granted me a safe delivery. My heart was heavy whenever I had to bring my children to irresponsible babysitters. But, I prayed to have faith in God who would protect them and raise them with his love and care. Although the situation was difficult, God has raised them as independent men of God. Our first son, Mark, and our second son, Yohan entered Seoul National University. As a mother, I didn't do anything. I only taught Korean and prayed for them by faith. It is by God's grace alone. I believe that God will lead and guide their lives to the end.

For the last 25 years, I only have offered my sins and weakness. Despite my sin and weakness, God has been making me and Kenya a great and powerful nation. We have 60 worship service attendants and 60-70 one to one Bible studies each week. All our missionaries are lay missionaries. Even the native shepherds are self-supporting and giving. I thank God for using our house church as a blessing and great and powerful nation. I pray that I may continue to teach the Bible and to pray for Kenya with God's compassion. While I stay in Korea, I pray for my parents to accept the Gospel.

One word: Praise God who is making Kenya as a great and powerful nation.