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Sandra's Story

"Recently, I got into a car accident and I broke my leg. After I broke my leg I rested for about three to four months and then God brought me to study in a bible school. During this time when I went to church, I got a scripture card and in the scripture God says he will use his righteous hand to support me and help me so I don’t need to be afraid. At first I didn’t really think anything of it. I thought it was just a scripture. 

But then later, the other person who got into the car accident with me wanted to settle with me. When I talked with my family they thought that I was too hasty if we settled right away and that we should wait a bit longer. But when I prayed, God showed me that this was the purpose for why He gave me this scripture in the beginning. So, He will use His righteous hand to help me, even though my family thinks it is too hasty or too rushed if we decided to settle now. 

So, I told the plaintiff that we don’t want to settle this soon and we wanted to wait for a while longer. Then a while later they sued me and brought me to court on account of ‘accidental injury.’ So I had to appear in court to take care of this case. 

I see that since the beginning God has told me that He will protect me through this time, so it is okay to settle. But I didn’t have the courage to tell my family that God says it’s okay to settle. Even though we are now at the point of trial, I know God will still help me, even when I didn’t listen to Him initially.

This case is still going on, but God is using His righteous hand to help me, even though during this time I feel hurt, anxious, and hopeless because this process may take a while.

But in psalm 91:15 it says, 'He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation.”

So I think God will rescue me and He is with me, so I don’t need to be afraid.'"

Steven's Story

Photo by: Kyle Leach

Tommy's Story

Yusuke

Psalms 33

 Sing to him a new song

play skillfully on the strings

with loud shouts

 For our heart is glad in him

because we trust in his holy name

Music by Rebecca Boudreau

Vocals by Rebecca Boudreau and Chauncey Giancola

Cinemagraph by Kyle Leach

jon's story

I was born in South Korea on April 27, 1986, in a small farming town in the south of the Peninsula called Bosong. This town is known for its lush green tea fields that adorn the hills, made famous by the K-Drama “Winter Sonata”. I don’t remember much about it, however, because when I was one, my family immigrated to Buenos Aires, Argentina.

I’m the youngest of three, with two sisters above me. In Korean, my name means “Happy”, because a son was born into the family. Back then in the Korean culture, it was favored to have a son, and up to that point, only girls had been born into my dad’s side of the family - And it didn’t help that my dad was the eldest son. Needless to say, there was a lot of pressure for my mom to bear a son. So my birth was a joyous occasion, and it finally brought some redemption for my mom. However, it would not alleviate the hardships she would face.

My mom was a Christian believer, but she married into a Buddhist family. Because of the fact that my mom was Christian, my grandparents (from dad’s side) made life difficult for her. They would make her do all the chores around the house and cook for the whole family (including my dad’s three younger brothers and sister).  The worst part was that they forbid her to go to church, and took away her bibles. During this time, my dad was mostly absent at home, traveling due to work.  Throughout these trials, my mom would still worship God and pray for the family to come to know Him. When she could, she would secretly have bible studies with a Pastor who lived near the house.

Looking back, our family’s move to South America was really a blessing - and the grace of God. It was especially good for my mom, as it removed her from a tough situation living with her in-laws. Once again she had the freedom to go to church and practice her faith. Her prayers were being heard.

My dad was never very religious. Having grown up after the Korean War, a time of high poverty, his life focus was to succeed in the business world. Because he was a mechanical engineer by trade, specializing in ship engines, he would spend the majority of the year working on ships in the open seas. Life out at sea involved much drinking and smoking, mostly to alleviate the loneliness from being away from home. During one of his trips, he decided to read the bible from cover to cover, and for the first time, he met Jesus and believed. From that day on, he stopped drinking and smoking cold turkey, and committed his life to knowing and following God. It wasn’t perfect, but the purpose of his life had changed.

I grew up in Argentina speaking Spanish at school, and speaking Korean at home. My life revolved around school, church, and soccer. Argentina is crazy about their soccer teams, and growing up in this culture, I myself wanted to grow up to be a soccer player. I would kick the ball around the house, breaking many lamps, and driving my mom crazy! I remember one time, when I was 7 or 8, my mom told me not to kick the ball inside the house, but of course, I didn’t listen. I ended up breaking the ceiling light fixture, and foreseeing the punishment to come, I spent the whole afternoon crying.  To my surprise, when my parents came home and found me crying hysterically, they showed me grace, thinking I had suffered enough on my own.

From early on, my parents realized that my oldest sister Amy had received the gift of music, and she was showing serious talent as a pianist. In fact, when my mother had her in the womb, she dreamt of a piano! So when I turned 10 years old (’97), my parents decided it was time to give her some proper training in music, and my family decided to relocate one again, this time to New York City. This was a huge risk for my parents, as my dad’s business was flourishing in Buenos Aires. However, they decided to lay it down for the sake of their children’s education and future. Not understanding any of this, however, in my childlike heart, all I could think about was that I finally got to experience snow!

Fast forward to high school, I was living in Indiana at this time. The summer I was turning sixteen, I got a job at a fast food restaurant in order to buy a car. That was my one ticket to freedom from having to get rides from my parents. However, two weeks into it, my dad forced me to go on missions, so I had to quit (and delay the car purchase). Little did I know that this trip to Mexico would open my eyes to the world, and plant the seed for long-term missions. I remember being at this poor Mexican church of about ten people, with a piano that was out of tune, and a blind kid playing it. These people were living day by day and were sacrificing a day’s wage to attend Sunday service. They asked our team to do a special offering song, and while I was singing, tears just started flowing, and I didn’t even understand why. I think in the Spirit I could sense God’s heart being so pleased with this humble church. Their worship was a fragrant offering to him, more than some mega churches could ever offer. That experience had marked me.

My years in college were filled with highs and lows with my walk with God. I was going back and forth with pursuing God, and the pleasures of the world. I was serving at church in worship team, leading small group, while in the weekends I would party and drink. I was also pursuing girls for the wrong reasons that often led to unhealthy and compromising relationships. Throughout these years, the one thing that brought me joy was going on short-term mission trips every summer with my college fellowship group.

My last semester of college, I had broken up from a bad relationship, and trying to repair my relationship with God. I had decided to attend a revival meeting on campus, and during the last night of prayer, the pastor said that he felt there was someone here God was calling to long term missions. When he spoke those words, I felt like God was speaking straight to my heart, and I started shaking. The pastor asked if there was anybody to step forward, and without even realizing what I was doing, I had made the step. He finally prayed over me, and said that the decision I had made today will be the most fulfilling, but until I obey, I will be miserable. I didn’t know if he had blessed or cursed me, but those words would ring true for my next three years.

After college, I had moved to New York City for my job. I was in my dream city, working at a prestigious company, and what seemed like the American dream. But something was always missing. I didn’t know why I was always feeling restless, and nothing seemed to satisfy me.

It wouldn’t be long till God shook things up in my life. During my first year of work, I got a call from my sister that would change my life forever. My dad had died from a deadly car accident. I remember leaving the office in shock, not being able to speak a word. I was in the lobby of my building sobbing, waiting for the taxi to take me home. In the midst of the tears and confusion, I remember a gentle whisper from the Lord. He was asking me “will you still follow me?” At that moment, there was a moment of clarity, and boldness came out of nowhere. I said, “Yes Lord, I will follow you still.” That day, I recommitted my life to him. After three years, God had given me the green light for missions, and I left New York to go to Kona and do my Discipleship Training School with an organization called YWAM. Since then, I haven’t looked back on this journey of following Jesus. It’s the best decision I’ve ever made in my life, and I finally have the peace I was searching for.