Caleb Kim| Immanuel Seoul Church, Korea
**For pictures that Caleb took while on his journey, click here.**
It’s from my personal journal entry for when I went to Yangzi, China. On a side note, the father of my friend went to jail and was harassed by the police but after refusing to pay the fine (by not having the means) and enjoying time in prison (like Paul in the Bible, turning the prison time into an evangelism camp) they eventually realized he wasn’t worth their time to constantly arrest and threaten.
September 23, Sunday
After an unsuccessful attempt to get Kobaks to come to Church with me, I head out in the morning with Paul to Church. We start walking from home to Bukdae which is about a 3 mile walk. The nameless building with a sign that has nothing to do with what’s going on inside greets us. The small staircase that shows the thinness of the floor separating the basement and the first floor welcomes us to the place of grace. During the message the sound of the ping pong ball echoes loudly as if it were the weight of a billiard ball bouncing above.
This is the place of the persecuted church. Amen and hallelujah.
Paul takes me out to lunch for lamb kebabs and we head over to his house to change clothes and rest. I introduce myself and my testimony to his mother and we share in the fellowship of Christ together.
Paul and I head out towards Yanbian University but along the way stop by Yanggil Church, most likely the biggest Church in China. It’s government sanctioned and been around for more than 50 years. A big deal to be found in Communist lands but only beautiful on the outside.
During the service Paul was yet again awkward. More great Team Ministry occurred and were were able to talk about the difference in our fellow Christians who simply attend church and how we should love, not criticize them.
We walk to Yondae and walk the campus before going to eat spicy soup. Its the Schezuan taste that gives “mabi” to your lips and tongue so it palpitates in pain and delight at the same time. We walk back through the city and part ways back to each other’s home.
I hope to share the message I received that day with Kobaks, but he comes home drunk with a business associate and Song. I play host, send them off after a few more drinks, and put the Kobaks to sleep.
