4 Months Since We Returned Home (July 18)

It has been a while since I stayed at one place for four months, whether home or elsewhere. It could have been boring or have made me restless. But, I have rather enjoyed it. While being home, I have been busy doing a lot of things.

Update on COVID-19
The COVID-19 persists around the world. The US is surely leading the numbers in all categories: i.e. daily new cases exceeding 70,000 and the total cases and total deaths. The US has clearly failed in responding to the pandemic.

Closely behind the U.S. are Brazil, another failed nation, and India. I keep praying for God's forgiveness and mercy so that this pandemic will soon come under control.

As the Americans are saying, the death rate has been slowing, a comforting sign in the midst. But, the death rate is not declining worldwide.

In the meantime, China is undergoing a series of natural and relational disasters, one after another. Continued rain causing floods, earthquakes, tornados, hails, and swine flu. The Chinese Community Party or CCP top leaders have disappeared from the public scene for the past month or so, and remain silent. Where are they? The world is standing up against the CCP for its cover-up of the COVID-19, its growing concerns for human rights issues, transnational security concerns through private companies like Huawei and TikTok, oppression in Hong Kong, a trade war with the U.S., rising tension with India and in the South China Sea, etc. The list goes on and on.

United Christian Hospital
Because of a missional businessman in this nation, I have been involved in supporting the restoration of a Christian hospital established by American missionaries long time ago. After they were expelled from this country in the middle of 1980's, its once prominent and prestigeious status started declining up until now. Recently, the almumnis, students, faculty members and other supports formed an informal group, called UCH Lovers, stood up to prevent the hospital from falling into the hands of a Muslim investor and further to restore and revitalize the hospital. Recently, they held the groundbreaking ceremony to start the renovation work at the Emergency Room Department.

I pray that they will walk with God for His mercy and guidance in this formidable journey. Along with Chuck and Mike from LCC, I am helping them out with advice and financial support.

Glen Farm, Arusha, Tanzania

Glen Farm opened its second store and has been adding new products. Glen still works at a university as Farm Manager so his wife Ivy is carrying a lot of loads. I pray that the business will become stabilized and profitable enough for Glen to be able to work full time.

Chiang Mai, Thailand
I got to know Freedom Film Production, a Christian ministry started by American missionaries. I visited and met with Nitt, Thai Marketing Director, and Angela, an American volunteer who was actually born and has grown up in Chiang Mai, except for the time to study at a university in the U.S. We are going to work together in producing and editing lecture videos for the SfK Business Management Training to be conducted on-line.

 Kristin and I had a get-together with Missionary Tae Hyong Kim and his family. It was a joyous gathering at The Duke's with delicious foods. Yerin, the little one, was so cute. They are still struggling with their visa situation due to the pandemic and Thailand's strict restrictions on the visa. We may work together in the area of Korea video-making and editing. We will see.

We continue to walk at Central Festival Shopping Mall 2-3 times a week. My right leg still causes numbness and pain while walking so I ended up reducing the number of steps in walking to 7-8,000 from 10,000. Oh well...

Family
We had video calls with both Amanda and Joyce. They and their loved ones seem to be doing well, thanks to God's grace. Amanda and her first baby in her womb are well. Joyce seems to be somewhat concerned about her relationship with Kyle, asking for prayer. I continue to send weekly notes to them, with a sincere prayer for God's powerful intervention to give Joyce a contrite heart and to help Amanda and Ray for spiritual growth to maturity.

Friends
Jaesup Choi seems to be going through difficult times with his fight against his cancer. He has not been responding to my messages. I wish him well, but if his life on earth is coming to end, I pray that he will meet God genuinely before he leaves this world.

Thinking of him, I made a video clip for our trip to UK and Ireland in 2016.

Here is the link to watch the video.

SfK Network
I keep holding conference calls with many people. Sometimes 5 calls a day.

I sent out the monthly board update to SfK Life board members, held the monthly board meeting with Joybells America; issues SfK Newsletter, uploaded it to SfK Blog and posted it on Facebook groups. Also, I sent out the trailer for SfK BMT to prospective participants and lecturers. I held the Korean webinar for an introduction and have been recruiting lectures. So far 7 people have confirmed. Praise the Lord!

After a long thought, I ended up canceling my planned trip to Korea due primarily to the lingering uncertainty on re-entry to Thailand. The Thai requirements are pretty heavy and burdensome. Hopefully, I will be able to travel to Korea on the way to the U.S. in November.

I am grateful for God's continued guidance in SfK ministries in several aspects. To Him all the glory! - Jeffrey

Update on COVID-19 (June 27, 2020)

The worldwide confirmed cases of COVID-19 exceeded 10 million people on June 27, with the U.S. and Brazil still actively adding the number with 40,000 daily. At the same time, the number of deaths from the coronavirus exceeded 500,000. They are big numbers.

There are over 4 million active cases with 58 thousand people in serious condition. 

Out of the 10 million confirmed cases, more than a quarter was in the U.S. with 13% in Brazil. Yet, in the U.S. people are taking the micro creature lightly and casually. Protests and demonstrations related to "Black Lives Matter" movement continue, resulting in serious social unrest throughout the nation.

I am deeply concerned about the U.S., Brazil and India where the coronavirus is still actively spreading helplessly.

In the midst, Joyce still works from home, Amanda is pregnant and working, and Ray opened his Taekwondo studio. Lord, I put them in your hands. Be merciful to them and to humanity, forgiving their sins. Please give us the discernment to make right decision on everything we do. In Your Son's name, I pray. - Jeffrey

My mother's 90th birthday (June 21, 2020)

My mother was born on May 1, 1931 on a lunar calendar. In 2020, the lunar calendar May 1 fell on June 21, 2020. She turned 90 years old in 2020 because in Korea the life in the mother's womb is also counted and people become one year old the minute they are born. For an interesting example, if one was born on December 31 in the lunar calendar, one becomes one year old and the next day, the New Year's Day, one becomes two years old. In other words, a two-day-old baby becomes two years old. But, people celebrate their birthdays on the day they were born.

Because of the COVID-19, we could not travel to Korea, but my sisters and their children were able to have a small gathering to celebrate my mother's special birthday.

I made a short video clip to convey my and my wife's greetings to her. Also I combined their photos and video clips into one video that is linked below.

Click here to watch the video

Happy birthday, mom! May God keep you safe and healthy all the time! - Jeffrey

3 Months Since We Returned Home (June 18, 2020)

Updates on COVID-19
Worldwide, the COVID-19 is still spreading strongly. Brazil, India and Russia are showing significant increases in new cases. The USA seems to have flattened the curve, but in conjunction with the premature reopening of the economy, the number of cases has surged again. But, the rate of death has slowed quite a bit. Here are some of the statistics as of June 17th.

In Thailand, the COVID-19 cases have been pretty quiet and businesses reopened. But the foreigners are still banned from entering the country through June 30. We still do not know what will happen in July.

SfK Ministries
The ministry must go on despite the COVID-19. I have held a lot of conference calls. We published the monthly newsletter in English and Korean.

We are preparing to launch the On-line Business Management Training. We have sent out an invitation to a selective group of people to introduce the program and to collect their feedback. We will hold two virtual meetings, one for Korean and the other for English.

I have started to hold virtual meetings with SBS group members, starting with SBS Seoul. Their zeal was so strong that we had another call a week later. We have had the calls with SBS Chiang Mai and Los Angeles, and plan to hold SBS Heart to Heart and SBS Rwanda.

One of SfK Kingdom Fellows got married in Korea. I made a video with congratulatory blessings.

One of SfK MB Community members has been leading a movement to save a Christian hospital in Lahore, Pakistan. It used to be a prominent teaching hospital with 216 beds, but has been deteriorating over the past two decades. I have been getting some help from the U.S. to help him out with this endeavor.

Newly installed sign board

Chiang Mai Life
When we returned home on March 18, the air quality was pretty bad with the pollution index over 300 some days. After the rainy season started, the air quality has improved significantly. This morning, it was only 16. Superb!

Kristin has continued cooking delicious and healthy home meals. It has been a great blessing to stay home for the past three months. These are a few samples.

Once in a while, we ordered some Korean foods to be delivered. In general, our experiences have been so so. 

We know a couple from South Africa, Ken and Myrna, who are attending the same church and living close by. We were invited to Ken's birthday party held at a pretty cool restaurant called Chic 39. The place was quite nice and it was a joyful event.

For the first time, I made a video for Ken and Click here for a short video for Ken's birthday party.

As the Central Festival Shopping Mall reopened, we resumed our walking at this mall. Three rounds of walking on five floors equal to 10,000 steps. We have walked twice to three times a week.

I also made a short video clip of the environment. 

Click here to see a short video of our walking environment.

Learning
My learning has continued. I have completed eight courses of learning various topics. Also, I have learned and practices adding texts to the photos and making video clips. Also, I have improved my skills with Quick Book, Excel, Power Point. I am pretty happy with and grateful for the progress that I have been able to make in learning various topics. These are some of the products I have made.

We still do not know when things will become predictable and allow for planning, but surely it is time to be patient and wait on the Lord. - Jeffrey