The Center

Although I don't have any pictures yet, I wanted to post about the ministry I have been so blessed to be a part of. For the past month or so I've been accompanying Arianna to the Good Samaritan Rehabilitation Center (or, "the center") here in Changwon and giving free English lessons to the handicapped and orphans. We meet on Tuesdays in the Pulip-ma-el Kindergarten and teach them very basic English words and songs. We also try to incorporate a story from the bible and do a memory verse. Many of the children who attend school here live at home, but the majority are orphans and live at the center. The center is a large facility with a hospital, therapy rooms, classrooms, recreation rooms, and living quarters. On Thursdays, we have mostly adults in our group, and teach them almost the same curriculum.

The most prominent disability I can identify is Cerebral Palsy, but some, like Meedim, who is of sound mind but is underdeveloped physically, also reside here. Arianna told me that many of the residents have been abandoned as infants and don't know their parents, while others do have families they see regularly, but are unable to live at home because it's too expensive for their family to care for them.

There are also many orphanages in Korea. I visited one with Arianna and another volunteer, Tad, last week. The kids were a little rowdy, but I think it's because they act like brother and sister to one another and are easily annoyed! I'm hoping for the chance to help with the infants soon.

I feel very blessed to be able to freely share God's word here, and volunteer my time for the Lord. At the end of May, our church will be going to another orphanage on an island near Pusan, to have service and prayer with them. Aaron and I are excited for the chance to minister together.