Submitted by: Patricia Kim
There are two days in every week that we should not worry about, two days that should be kept free from fear and apprehension.
One is yesterday, with its mistakes and cares, its faults and blunders, its aches and pains. Yesterday has passed, forever beyond our control.
All the money in the world cannot bring back yesterday. We cannot undo a single act we performed. Nor can we erase a single word we’ve said – yesterday is gone!
The other day we shouldn’t worry about is tomorrow, with its impossible adversaries, its burden, its hopeful promise and poor performance. Tomorrow is beyond our control.
Tomorrow’s sun will rise either in splendor or behind a mask of clouds – but it will rise. And until it does, we have no stake in tomorrow, for it is yet unborn.
This leaves only one day – today. Any person can fight the battles of just one day. It is only when we add the burdens of yesterday and tomorrow that we break down.
It is not the experience of today that drives people mad – it is the remorse of bitterness for something which happened yesterday, and the dread of what tomorrow may bring.
Let us, therefore, live one day at a time! (Author Unknown)
“The above story is true, BUT, Our Yesterday’s can bear on our Today’s. Our Tomorrows will not be WITHOUT our TODAY’S!!! We need to learn from the past in order to live better and more fruitful lives Today…for our Lord!”
The title to the story and its contents could go in several directions; but with prayerful consideration, C. Y. and I have decided to take you back to our beginning.
C.Y. and Patricia and two toddlers, Peter Yung and Phillip Yung. Went to the Mission field in 1970 when the boys were 1 month, and 15 months old.
YESTERDAY…We met at Johnson Bible College (Presently Johnson University) my husband has often said to me, “It seems like yesterday, honey” (that we were married), and my words, back to him were, “No, sweetheart, it seems like 46 years”!!! The manner in which my husband asked me to marry him those long years ago, were these: “Will you go with me to my country, (South Korea) and PREACH THE GOSEL OF JESUS CHRIST”? It was at that point, everything about me; my desires to serve GOD in a most remarkable way were…”Yes”!!! I was young and full of love for my Lord and I had secretly been praying every night in chapel “…send me to India”!!!
For you see, I had been praying very diligently that God would send me away, to share the ‘good news’ to those that never heard. My answer that day to Mr. Chan Yung Kim was: “Yes, I will go with you”. (There is so much more to this story, but for time sake this is all I will share!
Our Yesterday’s were all about training preachers, teachers, leaders, missionaries; as C.Y. served as the President of Han Sung Bible College. For 27 years we diligently gave our all; making every effort to prepare young men, and women in the field of ministry, being a small part of South Korea’s being a nation that sends out more missionary’s than any other country in the world. I saw the tears in my husband’s eyes every time a student, a missionary, a pastor and their family would visit us. They still come. Visitors from South Korea come to China to show their love and appreciation for those years of service we gave them. Most are pastors, teachers, missionaries that were under his leadership at the Seminary. They bring tears of joy, to see the fruits of his labors through God’s Divine Hand. But, C. Y.’s start did not happen on its own. It happened because one missionary husband and wife took him under their wing and nurtured him and taught him, and had faith enough to send him to America to be trained in Johnson Bible College.
Frontier Missionaries, John and Jane Hill (Who are now receiving their reward in Heaven for their faithful service to the King of Kings).
Picture at the Seminary with students.
C.Y.’s intention from the very beginning of his journey to the United States was to return to his country and “preach the gospel of Jesus Christ” after his studies; and I have to say, that desire has never diminished.
Patricia in the early years of ‘fitting in’ the culture and worshipping with Korean sisters
Finding this new born baby in my rose bush outside our mission house. Peter (Our 2 years old looks on).
My Personal Yesterday… BY HIS LOVE! Here I am writing a story about the past. My story of my individual missionary service was first and foremost to be the wife of CY Kim and nurture our four “homemade” children. After which we adopted five more children. My service was to CHILDREN to name a few. My first question to the Lord when I landed in South Korea was this: “Father I know, my first responsibility is to my family…but, I know, that I know…that YOU, Father God … have given me a ministry of my own!!! Show me Father, in Jesus Name”.
Soon after saying that prayer, God opened my eyes to the people around me that needed help! The time was 1970 and for the next 27 years I devoted myself to the cries of children. From that time on, I assisted 3 orphanages that needed funds in providing clothing, food, medicine, and school supplies. Babies were left at our door step, in our car…with notes … “I know you can help my child”! I began ‘helping’! Children needing surgeries were not far from my eyes!
Holding onto an orphan child at my first visit to Eden Orphanage
I worked as hard for “The Baby Home”… with that same care, love, and diligence. A measles epidemic took me to the Baby Home! I walked into scabies infested children; they were covered with measles from head to toe…the extreme sickness that took some of the babies on to heaven. I called for the U.S. Army’s Hospital Service to come and help me. I found myself on my knees many nights, asking for mercy and strength to do all in the power HE gave me, to help these babies. I am grateful to God to have been privileged to love, care, kiss, and send off a great number of these babies to adoptive parents to the United States.
My interests also took me into Medical Missions, and to Villages that were very poor. All of this work was never far from me sharing who Jesus was, and inviting others to accept Him.
Special School in Hunchun City, China
Today: By God’s Grace… After 27 years of labor, hardships and trails, in South Korea, “God said, go”…we asked, “where?” “Go to China, North Korea, and Vietnam”. This was in1998, as we ended our ministries in South Korea; to follow the Lord’s command to go: to all three Socialist countries!!! Living and working in communists’ countries has been a tremendous challenge to work, pray, and bear fruit! Freedoms were stripped from sharing the WORD outright. So with God’s help, we found ways to serve HIM and the people of North East Asia for the next 15 years, and still ongoing! We have residence in CHINA and NORTH KOREA! In China we built a School for Disabled Children, (120 children) a Ranch for Hippo Therapy, a Language School, a cow farm, and a Bread Factory. Presently, we are building a Home for Orphans/Ole Folks Home. We are touching people’s lives; loving them with Christ’s Love in hopes, that they will be led to the “love of God” through us and these projects! We are training evangelist to be leaders, training young people to be strong in their faith, and sharing the gospel with HIS wisdom; as to when and where to go.
The Home for Youth in Rajin City, North Korea
NORTH KOREA: A Miracle of GOD… Only God knew what HE was doing. Here He was taking two tried and tested — ready to start again servant couple, to a land that no one really wanted to go and work. Besides, how would it be possible? But, when Father GOD asks you…never fear…the way will be opened. Truly it was a miracle that we walked through; and over the bridge from China into North Korea, building from the ground up a ministry that is still on going. 3 medical clinics, orphanage (where they said, “There are no orphans”); a youth home, cow farm, bread factory and co-op with a soy milk factory. Two Kindergartens, Two Day Care Centers: “Wow, God Wow”, was said over and over by us, as we watched what happens when you have faith in HIS direction, and obey! “It isn’t us, folks…it is GOD”.
“The Lord is my helper; I will not fear What man can do to me”? Psalms: 118:6
Picture me, IF you will … going across that bridge into North Korea; the first American woman to be given a residence card in the city of Rajin. “You have now become a citizen of Rajin”!!! Tears streaming down my face, as I held that little booklet in my hand. I had been accepted!
I worked hard for three years to show these people that I loved them, with HIS love. When asked rudely why I was there, over and over I would confess:
“I am here to help you, I am here to love you”!
Because of the CALL to North Korea, we became the first Christian Church/Church of Christ Frontier Workers in that country. We still work and hope for the future for that land. Having residence, C. Y. and I can freely travel back and forth, and do the work that God started through us!
With this opportunity to serve, we are able to feed 400 people with three meals a day. We are providing their daily necessities with love.
Tomorrow: HOPE… One of our last attempts to reach out to others, are the lepers of Cambodia and Laos. We are in the process of building a colony for lepers; that would have a church, school, medical clinic, and a farm on thirty acres of land that has been given to us.
“THE DOOR TO CAMBODIA FOR THE GOSPEL IS PRESENTLY WIDE OPEN. PLEASE COME AND HELP US. LET US NOT WAIT TILL THOSE DOORS ARE CLOSED BY COMMUNISM”.
C.Y. with a leper
The work we have started is in the hands of younger adults whom we have trained, and are training. We are in a transitional mode at this present time. We have always intended for ANY work that we have started to leave a legacy for the younger generation to follow and build upon; even greater than what we have done.
“Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead; I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus”. Philippians 3:13-14 (NIV)
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