On Sunday morning, 14 of us (plus a little half-person) went to the Crown Bay Convalescent Home to spend time with the men and women living there. Richard and Lauren's Praxis homegroup goes each week to Crown Bay convalescent home to spend time with the residents and lead a worship service. Our college homegroup had the privilege of joining them and leading a worship service. We sang a song we had prepared, "How Great Thou Art," listened to Allen give a brief message through 1 John 4 on God's love, gave a potpourri gift to each person, and spent time talking and being with each of the men and women who live at that home. Here's some sharing from the people that went:

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  I was thankful that the people enjoyed the service. I was touched when they sang along with us. I didn't expect to have such an memorable experience.
• I was touched that many old people show a tremendous thankfulness and passion about life through their smile when seeing Abigail moving around with Jenny. I was also touched when they tried to remember the joys and happiness in their early lives and the peaceful way they present these stories to me. And these stories teach me how rich life can be, and how well a person can enjoy from his journey of life.
• I was thankful God helped me get past my mind block. Going into the convalescent home I felt intimidated to start a conversation with the elderly. Graciously God lessened the age gap and gave me questions and things to talk about. Eventually, one grandma, Joy, was able to brighten up for me and I was glad she was so open to listening and responding to me. I hope to visit her again.
• I was thankful for meeting a woman who served God through years of missionary work in China. Her testimony displayed the timelessness and power of the gospel throughout generations.

After the message during the time of handing out our potpourri gifts, I noticed how loud the conversation was and how much warmer the atmosphere felt. I was proud of our students who without prodding were sidling up next to people, taking their hands and talking, even laughing with them. As I took Abigail around to the different grandmas and grandpas, some of them were laughing so hard watching her eat a banana. Afterwards Lauren was so surprised at some of their reactions, noting that she's never seen them so bright or laughing like that. She also said there was one grandpa who has been very hostile and refused to come to the services, but this Sunday he actually came in and was being cordial.

For me personally, it was a particulary meaningful time because that week before I went to LA to visit my own grandma who is paralyzed from stroke, unable to communicate and we think in the last stages of her life. I tried to read to her Psalm 23 and Romans 8 out of the Korean Bible in my stumbling Korean, staring hard into her blank eyes. Every time I see her, it's a bit jarring to realize this is the same fiery grandma who single-handedly took care of a family of four during the Korean War, escaping from the north, selling scraps of fabric and cigarettes and eventually starting her own business. She was the same grandma who flew in to help take care of us when my parents divorced, cooking some of the best Korean food I've ever eaten, bearing with us while my sisters and I took turns going through our rebellious phases. As we were talking with the grandmas and grandpas at Crown Bay, I thought about how each of these people had a story and is someone's grandma and grandpa, someone's mom or dad, and ultimately, they are the child of our Heavenly Father. I was thankful to just be there, that in a small way, we could share with them in plain English that a great God loved them, and I was reminded of the power of just being with people.

Just wanted to share what's been going on in ImpACT for this past month. Enjoy our newsletter!

Excited about the idea about being a part of Impact, I applied to be a Team Lead right away. I was so set on being one that under the application I even marked that position for both my first and second choice, just so whoever reviewed them would just see how much I wanted it. However, when I received the email explaining my position as a helper, I felt it was a title
for the people they didn't have room for and I just thought to myself, how could I ever hope to change these kids behind a sign directing traffic? However, God still used me in more ways I could have imagined.

In the beginning of Impact, we started with a day of games. As a helper it was our job to set up the boundaries of cones, get supplies ready for the upcoming games and participate if needed to. Todays games happened to involve a lot of water like water balloon tosses and relay races with cups of water. Unfortunately, since one of the boys were sick, he couldn't get wet and had to sit out for all the games. I decided to talk to him and just keep him company. Somethings I found out about him surprised me. As I talked to him the subject of where he lived and the kind of people he played with had come up. He told me that all the kids in his apartment always said bad words and he didn't like it. And I was amazed. Here was this third grader who found it so wrong for other kids his age and older to be using foul language. His response reminded me that children were so pure, innocent and soft-hearted and that as they grow up in this world, their hearts were going to be subjected to hardening by what they saw around them. But in this moment I couldn't help but think that though these children are small, God is working in them and it is up to us to guide them in the right path. We continued to talk and it surprised me how he just wouldn't stop sharing more about himself to someone he just met. Later, the conversation ended with us just talking about our favorite Pokemon.

The next week I sat at the registration table while the kids lined up to be checked in. Next in line was the boy I kept company last week. He approached the table with the biggest smile ever, yelling “Hey Mr. Hugo!” While I was checking him in I noticed he looked from side to side as he reached into his pocket. Out he pulled out what seemed to be something flat. Covering it was scraps of line paper held loosely by pieces of bright lime green painters tape he probably found at home. It was probably the worst wrapping I've ever seen, but then he handed it to me. I asked him what it was and when I opened it I saw that there were two Pokemon cards. He remembered our conversation last week and so he got me those two cards as a present. I was so touched. I saw how these kids desired love and affection so easily and so much. And just in that one conversation I had in which I showed interest in him and his life, he did feel love and he felt like he could trust me. And just by looking at how this kid wanted love, I was reminded that this is the case for all of us adults as well we hide it. From his immediate response of kindness towards me, I knew that this kid along with the others in Impact were so easily molded and that was scary. However, when they came there on Sundays, it was our calling to love them and shape their hearts.

I realized that God never said that only people with certain important titles can make a difference in these kids' lives, but that we are called to love no matter what titles we hold. And in the weeks I have been a helper, I've actually seen these kids open up more and more and I've seen the opportunities that God has placed in front of me to love them. And when I notice all these opportunities, I know that these kids are just yearning for love. Though I came in with a bad attitude because I didn't get what I wanted, God said I still choose you to love these.

When we have our monthly convalescent home visit, it is not always easy. Sometimes the residents are down and discouraged, seem to be doing worse mentally or physically, and even the best we can do--hold their hands and sing songs and tell them about God's love--seems to be
so little. Many of our residents have some degree of dementia or mental difficulties, making even simple conversation at times a challenge.

But one time, while we were singing and presenting the message in the large group room, I noticed a few relatives in the doorway. Usually visiting relatives just come and talk or take residents to their rooms when we are there, but these relatives just sat in the hallway
observing.

After the program, I approached them and asked if they were visiting or looking for a resident. One woman smiled and said yes, my mother, gesturing to an elderly Chinese grandma in the center of the room who was talking with one of us. I urged her to go in, it's okay, you can just come in, but she shook her head and said it's okay, she's having a good time talking with that sister.

She looked at me gratefully and said, thank you. Beginning to tear up, she related, I was so worried about leaving my mother alone today, but we had Sunday worship service and there was a baptism today too…but God knew and He provided, you were here so she was not alone. I found myself beginning to tear up too, as I was so overwhelmed that God would use us, so helpless and limited and moreover, broken, to be an answer to someone else's prayer. Truly He is a God who calls things that are not as though they were.

This summer, I went to Thailand for a two-week mission trip, teaching elementary students about the gospel for the first week (while enjoying the beautiful Thai beaches), and reaching out to the rural villagers and helping the second week. The mission trip broadened my perspective on the gospel and God - because it really is true and necessary for all people, everywhere.

I didn't want to forget this lesson, especially with the fall semester and a new year's worth of Bible studies at USF to look forward to. Going on a short-term mission trip can be a thrilling, eye-opening experience, but sometimes it can be a letdown to go back to my normal life. Luckily for me, the devotional text after Thailand was Psalm 32. Verses 1-2 are "Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit." I experienced these verses to be true in Thailand as I reflected on how the people I met needed the blessing of God's forgiveness. Regardless of who they were, be they rich university students or privileged elementary school children, or the poor villagers, the ones who did not know the joy of being forgiven of their sins were not blessed because they did not know the risen Lord Jesus Christ, who loved them and died for their sins.

The simple gospel of God's love hit me afresh, especially when I met the Christians who suffered from leprosy. They lived in a hospital that was founded by a Christian missionary 100 years ago, and they were some of the most joyful people I had met! They were so happy to be with us, clapping along with the songs we were singing, even though many lost their fingers to leprosy. And I was convinced again that true happiness doesn't come from a store, but from knowing Jesus personally and growing in that relationship.