First Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C499h8e0j_I&feature=youtu.be

November Newsletter

Dear Family and Friends,

As you may know, I have been working in South Korea with the Institute of Light Finders (ILF) for the past year. God has lead me to commit to another year working alongside ILF and we are excited about a number of new ministry opportunities as well as continuing our summer/winter camps and various other leadership training opportunities. 

There is simply not space or time in this letter to express all that has been happening with our work and the lives that have been touched. If you would like to know more, check out my blog at: sarahrupe-inkorea.blogspot.com. The ILF website is all in Korean, but looking it over will give a general idea about who we are and what we do. www.ilf.or.kr What is weighing on my heart now is fund raising. Up until a week ago I have been hesitant and unsure of how to proceed. Thankfully God has given me peace and his wisdom about this step in his plan. 

"For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline." II Timothy 1:7. 

This past year, my work and coworkers in Korea supported me. However, with a number of challenges we faced throughout the year, money became scarce. Despite insisting that I would be ok without money at times, ILF was consistent in making sure I had a regular paycheck. I later learned that co-workers and their families went without pay for months at a time. When God lead me to commit to another serving year in Korea, I told him and he told me that this next year would be a year of support raising, a year of giving to the mission of ILF and being a double contributor by giving not just of my time but also allowing God and others to help me along the way. I had another confirmation when the word "blessings" was highlighted in my prayers. 

 Already my coworkers have been moved and blessed simply by Gods plan to raise money. They are thankful and excited by the generosity of people they know and don't know on the other side of the world. As you give of your time, prayers and resources, God has blessings for you as well. I am blessed just thinking how God has been preparing people and money to support me. All those blessings don't even count the people ILF will have the opportunity to touch this year and for years to come thanks to your generosity. What seals the deal for me is the reality that "blessings" is more than a word it's a reality that has effect in the now and for eternity!! Wow!! Asking for money is simply opening the way for God to shower his blessings on us.

I have included a commitment card and if you can, please set the blessings free. Let me know what you would be able to donate. My goal is $15,000 for basic needs and flight costs. If 100 people commit to $10 a month that would cover $12,000 and all I would need after that would be money for emergencies, flights and extra program supplies for ILF.

I already have my ticket to go back to Korea January 2nd and some personal money in Korea. Trusting God to work everything out is my only option, and ultimately the best option in general^^. As always prayers are needed and welcome, also if you are unable to give money but still want to get updates, pray and stay connected that would also be great, simply send me an email or note with your name and email letting me know you would like to be on the support list.

Checks can be made out to New Beginnings with Korea Missions in the Memo line and sent to: 

 The Rupe’s 

 Attn: Korea Missions

 7585 West Lake Rd. 

 Fairview, PA 16415

 therupeisonfire@gmail.com  is my email for any questions, comments and or if you prefer to use Paypal when making a donation.

Love and Blessings,

      Sarah Adrienne Rupe

 

October Newsletter

I am back State side once more!! Here is some stories and info from my next newsletter:

These past two weeks have been especially eventful! I participated in a very unique family camp program that was for families with children who are diagnosed as ADD and/or ADHD. attended my final nature school and nature discovery programs as well as packing up and moving out of my current residence.

ILF has been partnered with IZone(a Korean social welfare center)  for this family camp the past four years. A good overall description for our time together would be "high energy". At the start my heart was not in it this camp. I was not excited about adjusting my plans to attend this camp especially because I was only asked/told about everything the day before. However, even with all the craziness and challenges it was more than a good experience, it was clearly a powerful time for the kids, their families and the IZone staff.

When the bus with the families was about to pull up I had one of those "what am I doing here" moments. I expressed my doubts to my companions and mentioned how the kids would most likely be nerves and scared around me anyway. A new volunteer and friend was quick to contradict my negative attitude and it gives me joy to say she was quite right to do so.

By Gods grace, when the bus did come I was a new person, energized and on point! Ultimately I have never had so many kids like me so much! Of course that's not the goal of camp but it makes more opportunities for creating memories and meaningful moments if the participants like and bond with the leaders. During our games outside I was in constant demand as a partner for bad mitten, football(both kinds), frisbee and later in he evening for the hiding games. 

In order to fully clarify the situation, most Korean children are intimidated and awed by foreigners, and even more so when a foreigner is not in School. The common Korean child may take days to months to get used to me being around.

By evening one boy of about 10 took my hand and declared us partners. What amazed me was how determined he was to be my partner even though neither of us understood the game or each other very much. When we were inside sitting down his sister came over and asked him if he liked me in a teasing but kind sort of way. He hesitated so I put in that maybe he liked me, but just a little but he was not ashamed and let his sister know that he did like me.(some details lost in translation :)

One other noteworthy point about this family camp was the variety of family types. In general Korean parents work a lot and taking time for camp is usually asking too much especially for the father. However, this family camp enjoyed the presence of three dads :) a few families the fathers could not make it, one family consisted of a boy and his grandmother. 

Right off the bus one boy had not only found but was holding a large, orange and beautifully designed moth. This was my moment, the first person in Korea who was not afraid to go near a moth! The same friend from earlier helped us communicate more effectively by casually translate some of what I said. Instead of giving him what he expected, correction, anger, yelling or running from his moth. We encouraged and a were excited, we spoke of how beautiful and delicate the moth was and how cool it was he wanted to hold it. As he held the moth and we spoke encouragingly his face and his spirit softened for even just a moment. I can't say his whole time at camp was good, we all soon found out he was the boy who came with his grandmother and that he was going to be a challenge but I was glad to have had that moment and that connection with him.

October Events/Programs:

Meari Nature School

Nature Discovery

Camp Programs

    Reunion Camp

    IZone camp

Church Outreach Party 

SIF Canoe Camp

Weekly Korean Lessons Thanksgiving in Doxso 

Pastors Wedding 

Flight Home

Making cookies for church party

I started the Bonzo block durring reunion camp :)

Meari Nature School sweet potato harvest

Nature Discovery 

Growing cabbage for kimchi 

SIF Canoe Adventures

11 Samil International Fellowship(SIF) members including myself had a very enjoyable time on the river for the Korean Holliday that celebrates the forming of the Korean Nation and Korean independence (Red Day). I have learned that the legend of how Koreans came to be is all about a bear that ate so much garlic it became human! It kinda makes since espeshally with Koreans fetish with garlic :)

Biking/Fall weather

A review of my time in Korea and what is next

Here, There and Here Again

It’s hard to put a date on when my journey in Korea began. I have always had the privilege to know and interacted with people from all over the world. Growing up at various YMCA camps, hosting internationals in our home and attending diverse churches, we have always been blessed to know and build relationships with a variety of people. During and after high school I was involved in a few short-term mission trips. In my college years I really went out of my comfort zone and out of the country for a longer period of time.

            By the end of my junior year I was doing all I could to make an internship in South Korea work. The obstacles to this internship came one after the other. First Edinboro University denied permission for the internship, and then I was hired for a job that seemed just right for my living and financial needs. My job was at an international high school dorm as a Resident Assistant (RA) and Cook and it was perfect. Through a process that only God could have orchestrated, my position at the dorm was terminated. Edinboro actually consented to my final internship request, making me the universities first international intern! I was devastated at being let go from work, until I realized that it would never have worked to do a summer internship if I was working at the dorm. Through these circumstances and more God helped me to keep my commitment to friends in Korea and blessed me with being able to get college credit for a great internship.

            My three-month internship was incredible, I was challenged in so many ways and forced to depend on God and trust him more. It was also a time of relationship building, learning about Korea and discovering what the Institute of Light Finders (청소년과 놀이문화 연구소) really was. The Institute of Light Finders feed me spirit, mind and body. I agreed and understood more of the vision and mission than I ever expected to. I loved how it was a place for people to be themselves, to work together and to build Gods Kingdom in a meaningful and unique way.

                        My study with the Institute of Light Finders (ILF) and its work has helped me better understand the Korean people and myself. Beyond the life lessons and challenging experiences I think the most important thing that happened during my internship was towards the end. I was taking the bus to the office and God spoke to my heart three specific things. 1) Your life is meant to combine missions and camping. It was so obvious but yet so brilliant and right! For years I had felt a strong pull and desire to serve as a missionary. At the same time God always brought me back to camp and has built a love and a passion for nature and all that camping has to offer. For years I had asked God where he wanted me to go, what he wanted me to do, I have hoped he would put a burden on my heart for a specific place or people group. The call to missions through the tool of camping has given me the beginnings of an answer but I still was left wondering where and how until God helped me see that I am to combine my life of camp with my calling to missions. In my thinking at the time, Korea was good for a season, maybe a place to come back to, but not for the long term. So I was still hoping God would point me to where he wanted me to be, and that is when God said... 2) You are called to many places. Looking back, this is also a no brainier, especially if you look at prophesies and words spoken over my life. Many people have mentioned how God planned on bringing me to peoples and nations (plural). My final question for God that morning was what now, what is the next step? 3) Make the most of the resources you have. God wanted me to get more camp experience, to work at various camps and gather as much material as possible for the years ahead. All this common since and revelation got my blood pumping and was so clearly right and Gods leading in my life that I doubt if I will ever forget those moments on the bus that morning.

            After my internship, I was blessed to to graduate at the end of the next semester. Everything lined up for me to take a position at Camp Fitch as an Outdoor Educator right after graduation and my season of working and collecting resources began. When summer came around I was off to Camp Tecumseh in Indiana for a summer of adventures and challenges. My summer at Tecumseh had me all over the East coast with adventure campers as well as in three different villages at the camp itself. Ending my time at Tecumseh, I headed up and over to Ely Minnesota and camp duNord for yet another few months of camp experience and a variety of positions and jobs. I cannot and don't want to take credit for all my experiences and growth during this incredible year of travel and camp. God so clearly was directing me and providing opportunities to see camp at work from many angles and many perspectives.  At all of these camps I was challenged to be a leader, to do more, to create, to love my campers and to serve. When I was getting ready to return home another confirmation and encouragement welcomed me.

            The whole summer was in a way following my parents steps, reaping the blessings for work they had done, for ground they had softened and prepared and that is when I felt the confirming call to return to Korea. I felt God was moving me to take a step beyond my father by welcoming the chance to live and serve in another country. It just so happened the door to Korea was yet wide open! A few key ILF workers where persistently encouraging me to come back. It took a while for me to confirm my decision because I did not want to go back on my word but in the end it was an easy choice. I was excited about this new challenge of calling Korea home and felt my time there would be full and good.

            I was attracted to Korea for a number of reasons; I knew many people there, when I spoke with the staff and people I would be working with I was energized and excited, ILFs vision was for all of East Asia and it seemed to me that South Korea would be a great launching point for ministries to other countries and places. Besides all that, I really did trust and believe in what ILF was doing and working towards. My personal life vision and mission has been clarified and refined thanks to the vision and mission of ILF. Ultimately I came to Korea, because I felt Gods leading and directing me there.

            What is once easy may not stay that way!! The choice remained easy and the process smooth, but myself and all of ILF will agree this past year has been unbelievably hard for everyone! Many times throughout this past year I have found myself muttering several times, "I cant do this", "its too hard", "its pointless" etc. However, with all the hard, uncomfortable, unpleasant, difficult moments, days and weeks, God has also given strength, grace, love and trust when It was needed. Only a few months into my time in Korea the Founder and Director of ILF Kuk, told me one year was not long enough. With those words and that hope for me to stay, my heart dropped, I had no desire to stay and would be happy to just survive through the year. From that point on I have not wanted to stay any longer and often found myself arguing and separating from God. Deep down I knew that I had given my life to Gods service and that if it was his desire, I would stay, but I didn't want to hear him say it and thus didn't give him many opportunities to speak. As I should have guessed this was not really a good plan and only made life harder! Ultimately, I simply had to give it up, run to my cleft in the rock and remember to do so again and again. During this time of struggle, I made a list of what I felt would need to happen for me to stay longer. My hope was not for this list to get checked off, rather in hopes of creating some barriers between myself and staying in Korea longer. This list included: 1) I will be satisfactorily comfortable with my ability to speak the Korean language 2) All of my co-workers, unbidden will seriously ask my to stay 3) My financial support will not come from ILF 4) My VISA would be extended 5) I would get an International Drivers License 6) I would need to learning to drive a Standard and 7) I will be home for the Holidays. To make a long story short, to my chagrin, all these items listed and more have been touched upon! Now that I think about it I almost added meeting my future husband, but decided not to after all that’s too important to rush.

                  Almost directly after making this list all my co-workers, for the first time or one of many times asked me to stay. One item checked off, they asked knowing it would be hard, hard for them, their families and myself. In regards to learning Korean a number of things happened that have pushed me to study and learn more. Such as texts books from a language university being given to me as well as a teacher from the same university offering to give me lessons once a week for free. After that two high school students volunteered to giving me lessons once or twice a week and their is a great on-line program that has and will continue to help me improve my Korean. I should also mention much of this was prayed and pushed into existence by Ki one of my co-workers.

            I currently do not have a clear means of financial support, but was amazed by the change in attitude and feeling among the staff here toward accepting my proposal to raise money and become even more of a tent maker and a co-worker for Gods Kingdom. They went from hesitant and feeling responsible for my living at the beginning of this year to joyous and excited about the coming year and our future work together. Being able to work and serve alongside ILF without being a financial burden weighs heavy on my heart. We are all learning how God can and sometimes chooses to provide for us in amazing ways. I do believe it’s the best way and if God wants me here he will help provide the money I need. My desire is not to go from burdening some to burdening others, but rather to trust God month by month and day by day to provide my needs. I don't want to be distracted from what God would have me do by being concerned and anxious about my living. My home church New Beginnings has agreed to be my in-between for money each month and my missionary sending agents. Hopefully my visit to the States will prove successful for raising the money I need.

            My stay at home covers over Halloween, my birthday, Thanksgiving, Christmas and the New Year and it is the most holidayish time I can think of! Recently, I discovered getting an International License is way easy and my hope is somebody in the states will offer to help me learn to drive standard. As an added bonus, my dream and plan was that if I stayed in Korea longer I would buy a nice bike for travel and recreation. While in Korea I made my purchase and have found the bike fun as well as indispensable! Ultimately I have eventually had to face the reality that God very probably has another year in Korea as part of his plan for me and I had to determine just what I was going to do about it. I delayed making any decision in the hope that something would change, that I would have another path to walk down or even that God would change my heart and help me miraculous want to stay. Eventually I spent an overnight on the mountain to fast, pray and get peace about making my staying in Korea official in my mind and in the minds of my co-workers. What gives me hope through all this is how my dislike of staying in Korea is fading and while I still have doubts at times I have trust and faith that My heart will be here and in the work that is here for me to do in the coming months. I do believe this next year holds great potential and God desires to use me. He wants to take my experiences, my gifts and my weaknesses and use them for his kingdom and his glory. Exactly what I do and will do is simple, yet complicated.

            Part of my job is to be a dreamer, an idea bank and all around resource for my coworkers and anyone else that is looking for ideas and information. For the coming months, I feel a strong desire/calling to build relationships and help people to understand why ILF does what it does. I hope to take all opportunities to bring Jesus into focus, to help people see him more clearly and know his love and his character at deeper levels. At times these "jobs" feel abstract and are hard to measure. I am glad to say the concrete side of my work also exists!

This past summer, I prepared and delivered two camp programs of my own and was a counselor for the annual “Sharing Camp”. Throughout the year I have been a co-director of our year-round nature school as well as getting a completely new after school Nature Discovery program up and running. Those are the major accomplishments outlined but really its the details that make things worth it, its the campers faces and the little meaningful moments that are life changing. Its these moments that help me know my time has been useful and well spent.

            More and more I can see how this situation is ideal for what God has planned for me and for Korea. As a missionary I have programs and opportunities already being laid out and ready for me to help with such as summer and winter camp, nature school and the nature discovery program. At ILF we already have a growing network and many opportunities to train, guide and love young people as well as those who work with young people. We are looking at two places specifically that ILF has the potential to reach out to, Malaysia and Israel. Our partners in Israel are looking to start an annual camp program that brings people together and bridges cultural barriers. They have invited us to come help them each year develop an Asian(Community/Family Focused) style camp program. In Malaysia their is a network of missionary pastors who are interested in camping and plan on hosting a seminar on Camping as a tool for effective ministry. Along with these great potential opportunities I feel that God has another big job for me this coming year.

            This is the year to really focus on making connections, building relationships and developing as well as strengthening partnerships. God wants me to take every opportunity to talk about him and his work here in Korea and through camping. To be an active bridge builder, to support people and camp programs in any way I can, to connect with other missionaries, to educate and inform people about this tool and to help them take action. Starting a camp program is not exactly easy. And it is practically impossible if nobody has had camp experience. It takes time and energy to develop a strong staff and support system, and then it takes some basic ability to create and give campers a fun and meaningful experience. Fun, Community and Nature are basic camp pillars but Camp is so much more and has the potential to do so much good if given the chance!

            The timing for my departure and for my return are too perfect for it to be coincidence and this helps me to trust Gods plan even more and his ability to work in and through all the details to bring me home and back to Korea for the work he has prepared for me here and around the world. Thank you for taking the time to read about this journey that God has me on. I will always be grateful for your prayer and would love to talk more about my work here in detail if you would like to hear.

Summer Camp

This Summer was full of challenges and impossibilities, but with each impossible situation God came through and put together a summer to remember! 

Week Off

 We saw some awesome trees and plants at a cafe outside of Daegu. Thanks go to Joo Young's Mom and dad for this trip. We walked around took pictures and had some ice cream on a beautiful porch overlooking a little pond while Joo Young played us some songs on her violin :)                                             

                                  

                                 

While in the City we enjoyed some of the best food I have ever had!!! Go Daegu!

                                 

This is called a Multi-Room and its basically a place where you rent out a room and have fun. Watch a movie, play games, wii, karaoke etc. Plus they have a snack buffet that comes with the room. I accidentally took a vitamin water that we were supposed to pay for, but the guy at the desk said not to worry about it and we didn't :)  

                                 

My first Korean Amusement Park E-World! It was so beautiful and we had some interesting times on the rides! The roller coaster picture is of me on the Boomerang, it was fun and scary. I suggest never riding anything called "The Tambourine".

        

        

                                 

                                 

After my trip to Daegu, I went on a solo mountain overnight camping trip. This was a place I found in between the two mountain peaks I climbed. I camped only 20 min from here so came back through on my way to my campsite and that is the second picture. The next day of camping was pouring rain from when my backpack was all packed up until I got to the subway station! But it was still great and I saw about 16 different wild flowers and enjoyed my time alone on the trail.

       

       

After all that fun/excitement I spent the week-end in Seoul sleeping over at Seng-Mai's House with Tania. Both are friends from Church and we enjoyed talking and hanging out around all our activities! Activities included: Baseball game, Church meetings, Basketball and Bike Shopping. Bike Pictures will come soon!!!!