News > Africa

March 28, 2013

 

Hebrews 11:6, “And without faith, it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

I was born in a Christian family in 1982. I received a lot of love by my parents. I think I had a kind of good-girl complex. I never had a tantrum to my parents for anything I wanted and tried hard not to do anything people disliked. Due to the bankruptcy of my father our family moved to Seoul. But at the age of 7 I was too young to understand what I learned at the elementary school. I couldn’t even shout during the quarrel with my classmates, because I was afraid of my teacher calling my parents to school. Outside the school I was a leader of the kids and a block bully, but inside the school I became like a chicken. This caused me a lot of stress.

Because of my parents I had to go to church on Sundays. Even though I attended a conference when I was in the 6th grade, I couldn’t understand whyJesus had to be crucified. When I entered the middle school, I had many doubts about Christianity. But when my father had to receive an operation for his slipped disc, I realized the weakness of human being and meditated on Creator God. My conclusion was that the universe could have not existed accidentally but was created by God. Attending the Christian high school, I used to pray to God kneeling down at the school prayer room or at my room.

 

Failure to enter a college made me despair. I felt like I became a failure in life. When I cried to God in prayer, God sent me a Bible teacher. The first Word that I heard from the Bible study with Shs. Jin-hee was Peter’s confession: “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” When I stood in front of God, I was so afraid. God knew my sinfulness. But through Romans 5:8 I deeply accepted God’s love for me. When I accepted God’s love for me, the void and emptiness of my heart was filled. Outwardly I wasted my life for 2 years preparing to enter a college. But through this failure I came to meet my God. I was so grateful for God’s guidance and providence.

 

During my college days, God helped me to receive a scholarship many times. I had a wish to pioneer a country rather than to work in a good environment. But I never expected my wish to be accomplished this soon. In 10 years of having a dream of pioneering a country, God called me as a missionary to Tanzania. I am so much worried. “Could I master a foreign language?” “Wouldn’t I be depressed?” But at the same time I have an expectation as to what God is going to do.

 

Working as a fulltime, God sent me many sheep. Through serving them I could see how God works for each person. When I prayed for my marriage problem, God prepared Sh. Soon-cheon for my best coworker. One month before the marriage, my little brother came to me all of sudden and made a question to see if it was OK that I marry a person who is younger than my little brother. Actually, Sh. Soon-cheon is one year younger than my little brother!

 

Now I pray to go to Tanzania as a missionary holding on to Hebrews 11:6, “And without faith, it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” I pray that I may live as a missionary by faith in this living God and live a life that pleases Him.

 

Pauline Jung