If you know me, I'm sure you know that I got back from a mission trip to South Korea a couple weeks ago. I've shared pictures and videos of little kids that have absolutely stolen my heart. Before leaving for that trip, I knew it would be an unbelievable experience and that I would learn so much. And well, I have. Here are some lessons I learned from South Korea (I must still be in teacher mode).
1. People are people.
One of the biggest fears I had before going on this trip was that we wouldn't understand each other. Cultural differences can be a big deal sometimes, and I worried that I would offend someone or do something horribly wrong without realizing it. But the thing I learned very quickly once we arrived was that everyone was working towards the same goal -- we wanted to love these kids and show them Jesus. A language barrier isn't that big of a deal when you can communicate through smiles and kindness. It's absolutely amazing to experience the way that Jesus Christ can immediately connect people and provide us with a global family, even though we don't speak the same language.
2. Love tears down boundaries.
This one goes along with the first one, but I have a more specific story for this lesson. Our second week in South Korea we were at a church in Peyongtaek, and there was a little girl named Alice in the Kindergarten class. I never heard Alice make a sound all week long, but that little girl was so full of love that it poured out of her. The very first day during theatre hour, the kids were coloring a picture that went along with the story they were learning, and when Alice was finished she sat down next to me and wrapped her arms around me in a hug. This was the first time I'd seen her, and we were complete strangers, but that didn't seem to be a problem for her. Most of the other kids were pretty shy the first day, but not Alice. She didn't understand me, and I didn't understand her, but it didn't matter. Who needs boundaries when we've got love?
(That's Alice on the right.)
3. If it's red, it's spicy.
Seriously, don't question me on this one. If you can't do spicy foods and you stumble upon a Korean restaurant...avoid the red.
4. Kids are kids, no matter where you go.
I really didn't know what to expect from the kids in Korea. I know that there's all kinds of stereotypes, but I tried to avoid assumptions. Here's what I learned: kids are kids. Kids are crazy, energetic, silly, loud and smart. That didn't change when we crossed borders. There were days when I thought, "Oh my goodness, these kids are not going to learn anything because they will not be quiet" and then there were days when I thought, "Wow, these kids are actually listening to us, we better take advantage before they get crazy again." You can't stamp an assumption onto a kid, or anyone for that matter. Kids are kids, and their energetic spirits are what make them so great.
(The one in front is Sam. He's one of those kids who's a troublemaker, but also really smart, so he gets done with his work really fast and then goes back to being a troublemaker. Gotta love him.)
5. An open heart can change your life.
This one is my favorite lesson learned. There could have been some really stressful times if our team got caught up in the "well that didn't go as planned" moments. I figured out that you can only plan so much, and then you just have to be open to whatever happens. When you can barely understand each other using words, you have to open up your heart and communicate that way. Is that cheesy? Maybe, but it's true. I learned quickly that giving a kid a hug, a high-five, or even just taking a picture with them said more than words ever could. Being closed off was not a thing that worked in this kind of scenario. And besides, kids don't let you be closed off anyway. (They have a special way of getting right through to your heart. It's like a superpower.)
(This is Colin. Seriously, this kid has my heart.)
