On a pair of underwear: "Pelvis Panties"
Also, a classic (it disappeared for a while but is back now): "Bodygay"
A chicken restaurant: "Donkey Chicken"
From a friend of mine: "If you are a pastor, then I am in your behind." (i.e. If you are a pastor, then I will follow you.)
Shouted at me by a stranger from across the street: "Hello, nice to meet you! You resemble Harry Potter." (Add that to the list of people I apparently look like.)
The children's book "Who Pooped On My Head?" about a gopher who gets his head pooped on and asks all the other animals if they pooped on his head. They deny it, he doesn't believe it, they prove it by giving an example. Finally, he finds the dog and, in retaliation, poops on the dogs head. Unfortunately, gopher poop is a lot less substantial on a dog's head than the other way around.
I'm sure there's more, but I just can't think of them right now. Maybe more later!
Friday, August 10, 2007
If anyone's still out there...
So we're not the best bloggers. You probably realized that by now.
Long story short, I'm getting ready to come home to Canada (I leave tomorrow) and Emily has already arrived safely. We'll be there for just about three weeks, at which point we'll head over to Hawaii (Maui, to be specific) and then back to Korea.
To sum up the past while, my schools are going well and Emily is doing well (though really busy) in school. She preached a couple of times in Mokpo, a city about an hour away from Gwangju and last week she preached in our own church, DongMyung Presbyterian. Our pastor was in China for a missions trip and asked her if she would preach, and she did a bang-up job. She spoke about treasure in Heaven and everyone said that her sermon was really well done - an excellent balance of practical, teaching and preaching.
I've been leading a Bible study for our pastor while he's been away (just two weeks). There's about six old men (mostly retired and about 70+) and one older lady. They're all precious, and they are in the group in order to maintain their English so they always have lots of questions. They also fight with each other in a really funny way, especially when it comes to Emily. (They love her - every week, they sit down and tell her how beautiful she is, and how lucky I am. Also, they ask for tips on "how to catch beautiful women.")
Last week was especially interesting. A new foreigner from America came to our church and sat in on the Bible study. One of the old men, Mr. Oh, had a pronunciation question. Censoring aside, this is somewhat how it went.
Mr. Oh: "Matt, how do you say this phrase - "Full of SH**"?"
Matt: "Actually, that's what some people would think a vulgar phrase."
Mr. Oh: "I know, but how do you pronounce "Full of SH**"?
Matt: "I'll tell you after church. I don't feel comfortable saying it here."
Mr. Oh: "No, it's just a pronunciation question. Sometimes, when I say "Full of SH**, foreigners don't understand me. Do you understand me? F-U-L-L O-F S-H-*-*. I say it "Fulla SH**, but foreigners usually say it like "Full of SH**."
The conversation continued like this for some time, thereby delaying the beginning of the Bible study. I tried to help Matt a couple of times with "Mr. Oh, many foreigners do not feel comfortable saying that in church" but to no avail. It was a pronunciation question, and that trumps comfort level, apparently. I did my best to cover my laughter as the whole thing was extremely entertaining.
This was just one example, but these old men rag on each other every week. It's hilarious, but it's also amazing how much wisdom they have. One old fellow especially is a charter member of the church (about 10 years now?) but still isn't a Christian. However, the Bible study was on treasure in Heaven (same week as Emily's sermon - coincidence? I think not) and Mr. Pae said something equivalent to "When I think about God's character and all he has done for me, it's easy to give. When I was younger, I would only think about money but now God is opening my heart to the poor."
Here is a man who is a self professed non-Christian, and yet the secrets of the Kingdom seem to be laid bare to him. It struck me of the verse that says that God uses the simple things of the world to shame the wise. Spiritually speaking, "From the mouths of children you have ordained praise."
Speaking of such things, and because I'm on such a roll typing, I taught at a teacher's camp these past three weeks. It was really good, with only about one day that wasn't very much fun. The teachers were really interesting to talk to and had a lot of really good ideas. At the end, one of the ladies came up to me and asked me "How do you have so much peace?"
I said God. She said she was a Catholic, but she still didn't have this peace. I said it came from trust and faith in God. She was really intrigued and that we would have to continue the conversation. It was the last day of the camp, though, and we didn't see each other again. However, it just goes to show you how God uses you wherever you are. Emily and I are here as English teachers, but we're used as missionaries. It's not so much about where you are, but about the God you serve.
Anyway, I'm coming home tomorrow! We may post more regularly in the future, or it may be more of the same. Regardless, I'm sure if you check at least once or twice a year there will be something new. Keep in touch!
Long story short, I'm getting ready to come home to Canada (I leave tomorrow) and Emily has already arrived safely. We'll be there for just about three weeks, at which point we'll head over to Hawaii (Maui, to be specific) and then back to Korea.
To sum up the past while, my schools are going well and Emily is doing well (though really busy) in school. She preached a couple of times in Mokpo, a city about an hour away from Gwangju and last week she preached in our own church, DongMyung Presbyterian. Our pastor was in China for a missions trip and asked her if she would preach, and she did a bang-up job. She spoke about treasure in Heaven and everyone said that her sermon was really well done - an excellent balance of practical, teaching and preaching.
I've been leading a Bible study for our pastor while he's been away (just two weeks). There's about six old men (mostly retired and about 70+) and one older lady. They're all precious, and they are in the group in order to maintain their English so they always have lots of questions. They also fight with each other in a really funny way, especially when it comes to Emily. (They love her - every week, they sit down and tell her how beautiful she is, and how lucky I am. Also, they ask for tips on "how to catch beautiful women.")
Last week was especially interesting. A new foreigner from America came to our church and sat in on the Bible study. One of the old men, Mr. Oh, had a pronunciation question. Censoring aside, this is somewhat how it went.
Mr. Oh: "Matt, how do you say this phrase - "Full of SH**"?"
Matt: "Actually, that's what some people would think a vulgar phrase."
Mr. Oh: "I know, but how do you pronounce "Full of SH**"?
Matt: "I'll tell you after church. I don't feel comfortable saying it here."
Mr. Oh: "No, it's just a pronunciation question. Sometimes, when I say "Full of SH**, foreigners don't understand me. Do you understand me? F-U-L-L O-F S-H-*-*. I say it "Fulla SH**, but foreigners usually say it like "Full of SH**."
The conversation continued like this for some time, thereby delaying the beginning of the Bible study. I tried to help Matt a couple of times with "Mr. Oh, many foreigners do not feel comfortable saying that in church" but to no avail. It was a pronunciation question, and that trumps comfort level, apparently. I did my best to cover my laughter as the whole thing was extremely entertaining.
This was just one example, but these old men rag on each other every week. It's hilarious, but it's also amazing how much wisdom they have. One old fellow especially is a charter member of the church (about 10 years now?) but still isn't a Christian. However, the Bible study was on treasure in Heaven (same week as Emily's sermon - coincidence? I think not) and Mr. Pae said something equivalent to "When I think about God's character and all he has done for me, it's easy to give. When I was younger, I would only think about money but now God is opening my heart to the poor."
Here is a man who is a self professed non-Christian, and yet the secrets of the Kingdom seem to be laid bare to him. It struck me of the verse that says that God uses the simple things of the world to shame the wise. Spiritually speaking, "From the mouths of children you have ordained praise."
Speaking of such things, and because I'm on such a roll typing, I taught at a teacher's camp these past three weeks. It was really good, with only about one day that wasn't very much fun. The teachers were really interesting to talk to and had a lot of really good ideas. At the end, one of the ladies came up to me and asked me "How do you have so much peace?"
I said God. She said she was a Catholic, but she still didn't have this peace. I said it came from trust and faith in God. She was really intrigued and that we would have to continue the conversation. It was the last day of the camp, though, and we didn't see each other again. However, it just goes to show you how God uses you wherever you are. Emily and I are here as English teachers, but we're used as missionaries. It's not so much about where you are, but about the God you serve.
Anyway, I'm coming home tomorrow! We may post more regularly in the future, or it may be more of the same. Regardless, I'm sure if you check at least once or twice a year there will be something new. Keep in touch!
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