2010: Bericht (englisch)

Glory to God and Peace on Earth


Diakonia Sisterhood in Korea, 2010


Throughout the year 2010 we have heard news of conflicts and wars in Korean Peninsula and around the world. If we as Christians want to be the peacemaker spreading the Good News and Peace , Christians and Churches must, first of all, give glory to God instead of claiming glory for ourselves. Glory to God precedes Peace on Earth. Not the other way around. Peace was declared on earth when Glory was attributed to God first. Only when we give Glory to God, we can achieve Peace on Earth.- Rev. Kim Sung Jae, Advent sermon (Dec. 2010)

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Peace of the Lord be with you.



It was another eventful year for us in Korea. As usual, we started our year by preparing our vegetable gardens and by making traditional seasonings such as soy sauce and bean paste. This time vegetables and sauces came to be worth a lot more than what we thought they would be. In the summer, the children of a Multicultural Family Centre in Kyeonggi Province (near Seoul) and the youths from Seoul Sarang Church came to our centre and used these vegetables and sauces to make pickles. It was great fun bringing people of all ages and background together. Then in the autumn, when the pickles were mature, we sold them at our charity flea market in the autumn where they became an instant hit.


Mother House and

House of Spirituality and Peace
in

 

Cheon-An

 


On the 1st May, we held a service commemorating our 30th anniversary. Friends, families, and the members of Diakonia Family Community joined us at the service for a blessed and  joyful time.

Sr. Young-Sook Lee and Kyu-Sook Ahn attended an International Conference organised by Mission 21 in Basel, Switzerland from 13th to 20th May. Participants from different parts of the world shared stories of their works and discussed possibilities for forming an international sisterhood. We were especially moved by the stories shared by the sisters from Peru and Cameroon. After this conference, Sr. Ree and Ahn visited EMS (Evangelisches Missionswerk in Südwestdeutschland) in Germany which has supported us from the start. They also visited individuals, churches, and bodies of international Diakonia sisterhood such as Lazarus Mother Centre that have sponsored us so far. We give glory to God as we witness the good works of the servants of God in different parts of the world.

On 17th October, there was 14th annual service and lecture in memory of Dr. Byeong-Mu Ahn at Hyangrin Church. Dr. Ahn laid the foundation for Minjung theology and was instrumental in establishing our sisterhood in Korea. Fr. Yang-Mo Chung gave a lecture titled, In Memory of Dr. Byeong-Mu Ahn.
On 24th December, we came together to Dan-Bi church to celebrate Christmas Eve. Children of Dan-Bi church, young adults of Sarang Church (Seoul), and members of Family Community from Mok-Po joined together in a most festive party with performances, music, praises and lots of food. On Christmas Day, we again gathered at Dan-Bi Church for Christmas service and invited senior citizens of the village for a celebration meal and shared presents and the Joy of Christmas.

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Sr. Jong-Sook Ro took a sabbatical leave from March to December this year, regaining spiritual and physical health from rest and prayers, but Sr. Yu-Na Chung is on her sick leave for three years now.

We have been preparing and praying for the second recruitment of Diakonia sisters. One sister has joined us and we pray that God will guide her to become like the yeast that expands the Kingdom of God on earth.
In addition, every month on the third and fourth week, we held Spiritual Leadership Meetings for Diakonia Family Members and other individuals who wish to lead the life of Diakonia. Sharing our own experiences in God gives us much encouragement by opening our eyes to the works of the Holy Spirit through different individuals in different places.

We continue to participate in Sam Soh Hui - an interdenominational network Protestant, Catholic, Anglican, Buddhist, and Won Buddhists female monks. We have been raising funds for the UN initiatives helping women and children in Ethiopia and we held several public activities such as music concerts as a part of this.

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We also some visitors from outside Korea: in April, Mr. L, Drescher and in May, Secretary G. Koellner from EMS in Germany, Rev. P. Schneiss from Doam in Germany visited us sharing the joy of fellowship

.
Diakonia Family Community
was founded 7 years ago and we hold regular services every month in addition to special services on the Easter, Thanks Giving and Christmas days. We meet at Dan-Bi Church for these services. Dan-Bi means Sweet Rain which symbolizes the down pour of the Holy Spirit that regenerates us as rain sweetly falls to bring new life to barren earth. About 80% of the Dan-Bi Church buildings have been completed. In the meantime, we continue to provide home schooling for the village children and promote organic farming in the village.

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Rev. Ho-Il Song, who had served as general manger of Diakonia Elderly Nursing Home in Mok-Po has resigned in December to start a new work among the homeless in the city of Mok-Po

At the House of Spirituality and Peace, we continued to hold prayer sessions every month. Participants meditate and pray in silence to focus on the love of God. This in turn gives us the directions, courage and renewed enthusiasm to carry on our works on earth.


 

Social Welfare Corporation of Diakonia Sisterhood

Korea in

Mok-Po


In Diakonia Elderly Nursing Home in Mok-Po, we continue to help the elderly people to regain internal peace and physical health through various programmes.

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Cohabitation Family Program in Mok-Po is a facility for chronic patients including tuberculosis patients and elderly persons with no one to rely on. There are currently 8 persons living in the facility all of them suffer from chronic conditions. Our activities here focus very much on the health care though we also provide activities for their daily life, social relationship, leisure and cultural and spiritual needs.

On 4th September, we held the 9thCharity Flea Market. Many individuals, churches and other organisations donated goods to be sold and provided volunteers to make the event a success. This year, members of European Sinson Martial Art Club visited us as well. They participate in our Charity Flea Market every other year and donate all the funds they have raised to us. We greatly appreciate all of the support and friendship we receive. With their continuing support we are able to carry on our works among the disadvantaged neighbours.

We provided full tuition fees for 33 students (including 10 middle school and 23 high school students). Many of them have been stamped as problem kids from when they are very young and had to move to different schools several times, being excluded from normal friendship and care. But we see unlimited potential in them and when we reach out for them and wait patiently, we from time to time see them standing on their own feet.

Household Support Project aims at providing tailor made services for single parents, parentless households, senior citizens without support. Our role is to channel the goodwill of the community to those who need help. Naturally, we often face unexpected problems but each time, we were able to find necessary helps from within the community. This year, we were particularly concerned about the growing violence against children among poor families but found help from a local community organisation and together we have travelled the area with puppet performances to prevent sexual-violence against children.

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We thank you all for supporting us, through active interests, materials and prayers.All these enabled us to continue to work in the spirit of Diakonia and made us rich in sharing. At this point of the year, we reflect on the message of Glory to God and Peace on Earth. We hope and pray that our works and our life glorify the name of God rather than our own, so that we can continue to serve our neighbours and work as bringers of peace on earth.

Peace of the Lord be on Earth.

Wishing you Great joy in this blessed season and in the New Year

Your sisters and
Sr. Young-Sook Ree .Director of Diakonia Sisterhood in Korea

 

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