I'm Going to Tanzania! August 9th, 2010!~

Hello Friends,

I hope everyone is experience God’s grace on a daily basis and working Hard for His Kingdom. It’s been a roller coaster ride for me the last seven, eight months back… It was awkward at first, hard to adjust to the daily comings and goings. It was especially hard trying to figure out what God wanted me to do next in the first couple of months. Found myself isolated and idle, not what I had expected life would be like and not what I was accustomed to. But things have been moving along and God has been gracious to me. I am currently serving at a church called Global Vision Church as there youth pastor. I am grateful, joyful, and learning a lot from the ministry, especially being pushed to pray harder.

Aside from sharing a bit on where I am now, the reason why I am writing is to ask you for your support once again. When I was interviewing to go to Tampa, I thought I would not have the opportunity to return to Tanzania at least not for a couple of years. But I am grateful because Global Vision Church will be beginning a partnership with PGM in Tanzania. More specifically, our church envisions a partnership with PGM and a specific local church; and through that local church, a partnership with that particular village. GVC has been praying for Maskati for the last Eight months and in August, we will have our first opportunity to make our initial visit.

Ten of us will be leaving on the 9^th of August from JFK. We will arrive in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday. We are preparing for VBS, Seminars, Evangelism, Hair cutting ministry, etc. As to what we’ll be actually doing when we get there… T.I.A (Our adopted theme from the movie ‘Blood Diamond’, “This Is Africa”) Which all means we’ll leave it up to God and the missionaries. Our part is to be humble and ready.

Individually, we need about $2300 for the airfare and other expenses. I ask that you would pray and see if God burdens you to give. Please give out of a calling and not out of anything else. In addition, I pray that you will invest in a vision for PGM and Africa, and not in me. I say this with anxiety and the risk of sound pretentious, so please forgive me if I’ve offended you. But I feel it’s important to point and shift your attention to what’s going on in Africa.

I’m going to Tanzania because I believe that the work God is doing through PGM in Tanzania is precious. In essence, they are training native missionaries to go into rural villages, areas that are close to impossible to establish ongoing ministry in for foreign missionaries. And I believe Africa is a neglected continent but a continent that has been immersed in a fierce spiritual war; against poverty, disease, immorality and corruption, Islam, etc. So I ask that you would pray and seek. Perhaps God is calling you to partner in this ministry. If not financially, then battle with us spiritually.

And if you would support our church in our mission trip, I thank you and ask that you would send your support to: 1664 Route 27 Edison, NJ 08817. Please make your check out to GVC and make note that it is for Tanzania. Please send your support so that it would arrive before the 7^th of August. For those who are committed to prayer, please email me at seonchoi@gmail.com, so I can email you prayer requests and updates as we are preparing.

God bless everyone and thank you for your time!

First week

Wow,
it's already approaching the end of the first week.

I landed on tuesday...even though the arrival time was 3:30pm... getting home took the entire day. After a couple of stops, the drive home, and dinner it was already eleven at night and time to sleep.

The next day, we went straight to work. We filled the seminary tank with water and had to transport it, but on the way...the truck broke down. There was a lot of back and forth...waiting... there was even a time when I was left to guard the truck while missionary Choi and missionary yang went off to buy parts... It didn't seem like we did much, but another day passed.

Thursday, I spent the entire day at the school. we're getting the school ready for the graduation...so i spent the entire day painting. It wasn't much, but because of the heat and the sun...i felt completely drained.

Friday, missionary Choi and I went to Dar es Salaam...the capital. He had to take care of some things at court and also buy parts for the truck. There were soooo many people... all kinda staring at us as we walked by. a short time was spent at the court house and the majority of the day was spent going from place to place...getting random things done.

Today was Sunday worship. It was good to spend the day with the seminarians... it doesn't seem like i saw them at all this week. I did say hello and was able to spend thursday with a couple of them... but it doesn't seem like much.

Tomorrow, i'll be picking up grace chung. Going back to Dar es Salaam again.

I know nothing signaficant was said,,, can't really sit and digest much. for now and until the graduation... i'll be running around like a chicken with my head cut off... whatever missioanry choi tells me... I gotta do. that's pretty much it.

My apologies for such a short summary... but even now, i have to run out soon. God bless everyone.

one thing i can say is please pray for missionary choi and missionary Yang. They need their prayers. They are tired. hopefully they will have some time to rest in Korea. They also need healing.

Please pray for me.

Thank you everyone!

dan

Dubai~

I'm at Dubai!
this place is ridiculously huge and confusing. it's only gotten bigger from last time. they made a whole bunch of additions....

it's more like a giant mall than an airport....

uuugh... i am coming down with a cold. i was freezing on the plane. thought to myself....don't need a jacket. i'm going to africa... well, they were blasting the air conditioner on the plane... now i have a headache and chills...

anywho~
one more hour and i'm on my way.

Did a lot of thinking on the plane. travelin' alone stinks. especially when you're not feelin well. so i'm going in and out of consciousness, random thoughts poppin' up. it's the same stuff. excitement. nervousness.

honestly i am getting tired of it all. I'm just gonna go do it. enough of this whining. Hana-nim must be very dapdaphae (God must be frustrated).

however, if you can please pray for my parents. Out of everything, i am worried about them the most. They were on the plane, saying stuff like "even they didn't do anything for me and my brother...God's provided for us". I almost lost it. T-T

Whew~

anywho! i'm off everyone! people are glaring at me because they want me to get off

Two weeks.

I get really scared and anxious. It comes in waves. I try to pray... but it's overwhelming. I'm leaving in less than two weeks. That's crazy!

Prayer

I feel like I'm building a cage around myself. I want to be free and go as you lead, but as I get older there are more and more things that I should think and worry about. Am I being irresponsible or does this thought come because I am still unable to lay it all down?

God, because you are not in a box... I don't want to be in a box. Obviously, I'm just a human being and you are God. I am limited and you are infinite. But if you are calling me... I'm going to step out of those boundaries because Your will be done. This is a statement of submission, obedience, and surrender... but most importantly "Your will be done" is a stating of the truth. So infinite God, give me the faith and courage to embrace this truth and know that you God, will make the impossible things happen while I will bear witness and participate.

I will also bear witness to your provisions, Provider God. You know how to give good gifts to me and those I love, those I am worried about. Continue to prove Yourself to me. Though it says in The Sciptures not to test You, God... you were kind, mericiful, and generous to Gideon. You bolstered his courage through acts of miracle and dreams. God, have mercy on your servant. My faith is weak and I need your stregthening.

God, I pray that Tanzania will be one of many opportunities to serve you. I don't want to miss out on even one because I was afraid or because I did not trust. I don't want to get distracted by the noise of 'the things I should be doing or worried about', and not hear you calling. My only responsibility is to believe and obey. Give me the wisdom and intimacy to learn your voice and to move ONLY when YOU call.

"Hanjin Shipping...Dan Speaking, Can I help you?"

I've been working at Hanjin Shipping for the last couple of months. I've been working to save up for Tanzania. Well...this friday is my last day! Bwana Asi Fiwe Sana Sana Sana!!! (Praise the Lord very very much)

It was a difficult job at times but when I reflect on how God provided me with this opportunity, I am truly amazed. I interviewed on the Thursday of the week that I got back from my 2month trip and started the following Monday. God's provided me with an opportunity to work since the week after I returned. Now, I would have liked it so much better if money just fell out of the sky or some mysteriously millionaire knocked at my door...but reflecting back, I can testify that God has been paving the way for me and Africa.

God challenged me in tanzania with the passage from Matthew, "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (Matthew 6:33) I believe he was challenging me to have faith and to seek after His will first. Then he will provide and make the way. God's demonstrated His faithfulness through this job, through GCC, through my parents and family, and through so many of my generous friends. Things might not be all together in terms of finances or planning, but truly God is being gracious to His unbelieving servant.

It's still a daily, moment to moment wrestling match, against my anxiety, fear, temptation, etc. But I'm praying through these things and am set to go. I will bear witness to what God will do and I don't want to miss out on a single thing... not because of fear, not because of the flesh and comfort, not because of temptations to hold on to this illusion of control over my life.

Amen!

14 Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.
(Psalms 27:14 NIV)

AMEN!