The second letter (October)

Gracias

 

These days, I am getting used to the new surroundings. Tucson is one of the best place in my life. It is surrounded by mountains and has so beautiful sky.  

I climbed Tumamoc on the morning.

(There are many cactus.)

 

 

Volunteer work

Every morning, I had a high color after biking for an hour. Nowdays I covered the distance in 40 minutes!!!!

I am working for CHRPA(Community Home Repair Project of Arizona). I appreciate Allie also work in the same place. We talk a lot during biking and spend a lot of time. Sometimes, She explain Alabama and America history for me.(She is from Alabama)

 

with Allie in the Living room

I fix the cooler, toilet, electricity, roof, steps and water pipe in the Trailer park. (May poor live in there) The bulk of them live alone and don't have enough money to repair their homes. I feel like they need someone to talk with. While staying in USA, I have realized that it is not important to speak the same language. The most important thing is an eye contact, smile and salute by nodding. After working, the Client was so grateful that she was thanking me with every breath. My heart was filled with pride at that time.

<Fix the roof>

 

 

   I serve at CHRPA with a staff and volunteers who are retired military, lawyers, business men and women and others. As we drive to our work sites, I can hear their life stories. I am impressed because their spare time and money is used to help others.

<With Hugh Ward>

New family

Allie, Emily, Grace, James, and April(She joins from other volunteer program, but lives together with us.) they are my new family. I thought it was more important to study English on the table instead of hanging out with them. But I found, while I am hanging out with them and learning their culture, I learn so much more. And also I knew I can not understand every thing and have a different culture. I am getting to feel comfortable and know their culture.

I also speak my culture about South Korea's history, North Korea, relationship with China and Japan, Korean War and so on. I appreciate they acknowledge about my different opinion and life story. If I don't understand, they use Google translation even though it is not always correct. This warms my heart.

 

<April made this schedule>

Let me introduce the story about the CHRPA(Community Home Repair Project of Arizona) is my working place.

 

On my first day, I worked with Dustin and we were working on the cooler on the roof. I did not know much about roofs because I didn't have a lot of experience. I tripped and fell through the roof. I was so embarrassed and the client was so Angry. I could not understand what she was yelling at me, because she had a heavy accent and I was new to the English language. The damaged roof was really hard to fix, so we never fixed it. So everytime I go on a roof, I am reminded of my mistake. Which makes me uncomfortable on roofs.
                                                                             9/3/2014

 

It is pretty good story to me. I love the CHRPA.

<8.17~9.5>

Buenos días! (Good morning)

 

It means Good morning in spanish. After orientation for a week in New York, I came to Tucson.

It was a really good week in Stony Point for orientation, because I had rich experiences learning about my friends-who have different cultures than I do-opinion. The first time, I had to be careful of my behavior, because I have a different culture. But my new friends were also concerned about this place and people. When I was with a small group, I was afraid of speaking my thoughts. But step by step, I could speak with confidence.

A small group

 

Seong Eun Choi, Jihye Chung, Soohwi Jo and I wore a Hanbok, Korean traditional clothes, and sang a song in korean.

 

 

Arrived Tucson, we did orientation and spent time to get to know each other for a week. How they lived, relationship with parents, and how they are doing and what are expectations in Tucson. I want to know about who are they, and speak about me, however it is difficult to speak the English language. During meeting, I prayed to God I can not do everything without God but I can do anything with God. Sometime I don't want to speak anything and listen, nevertheless, Grace, Emily, Allie, James, April and Brandon are always complimenting me, would allow me to finish my sentence. What they says is extremely heartening. I am happy with them.

Tucson volunteers

 

For the first time, I went to CHRPA(Community Home Repair Projects of Arizona) by bike. (Tucson volunteers always have to ride by bike. Pray for our safety.) We visited houses with problems, and fixed cooler, electricity, water pipe, and so on.

I visited Leo's house. He made and gave me a hat.

 

I learned how to sweat water pipes.

Prayer of Thanks

 Dear Father in heaven, we thank You for the food we eat. We thank You for the friends we meet. We thank You for Your loving care. We thank You for Your faithful providence which we have enjoyed and for Your gracious provision of fellowship with one another and with You. Teach us to receive Your gifts with thanksgiving, that with grateful hearts we may enjoy the gifts that have come from You.

 사랑의 하나님 아버지, 일용할 양식을 주시고, 만날 수 있는 친구를 주시고, 사랑으로 보살펴 주시니 감사합니다. 우리가 누리는 당신의 신실하신 섭리에 감사드립니다. 우리가 서로서로 그리고 당신과 함께 은혜로운 교제를 하게 하셔서 감사합니다. 당신이 주신 선물을 감사함으로 받도록 가르쳐 주셔서 그 선물들을 감사함으로 즐길 수 있게 하소서.

From, English Prayer Handbook