June, 2024
Greetings in the Name of the Lord,
I appreciate your prayer for my mother and me. She is continuing with her rehabilitation therapy in the hospital. Her recovery is so slow that I hardly notice any progress as I observe her on a daily basis. However, when I recall the first day when she was admitted, her condition is much improved. So, I am thankful to the Lord for the progress. She will need to continue for more months in therapy. The treatments are arranged from morning until late afternoon, and from this place to that place. This routine reminds me of school schedule and life as it is in a dormitory. As different people stay together, even in the hospital, rules and regulations come with gentle warnings. This is like an extension of life back at BCEA.
Since my time back in Korea, I have taken over the things that my mum used to do, such as taking care of the house, paying bills and taxes, running to the bank, the market, and government offices, participating in the matters in the village, and so on. The city of Busan has been running a project in my village and all residents are expected to leave by the end of this year. It has been hectic and stressful to run all of these responsibilities by myself. At times, I find myself afraid to handle new and important matters for my family. I call upon the Lord, “Lord! Please help me!”
In the hospital, I do see many different cases of patients. I have observed a young man with car accident, an old lady with a cerebral infarction, and even a man that had fallen from his office building. There are many more serious and distressing cases than my mum’s case. No patient ever expected such sickness or accident in his or her life. And they have changed. Some cannot move, some can’t speak, some can’t even recognize their dear ones. It was not their choice at all. And I tell myself that I should not take my health for granted, but take it as an opportunity given me to serve Him more and better.
Now, I made friends with the caregivers here. They share a common goal, that is, helping their dear ones to be healed or at least to be improved. In such struggle, they understand how other caregivers feels for their patients. We willingly help each other and share experiences and advice. There is a saying in Korea which goes, “Neighbors nearby are better than siblings far.” I am humbled by their patience and generosity to care for people in need. I ask myself, “Am I different or better, being a Christian?” Not at all! Yet I go to this verse as the Lord healed a man brought by friends. “Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)” Mark 2:9-10. I am different, not because of who I am but whom I look upon as my Lord. People here want healing. But, the Lord whom I follow handles not only with physical healing but also with forgiving sins. Though my focus is limited on the current issue of sickness of my mum, my God leads us beyond, which I don’t see yet, but for His glory.
In His service,
Bai, Eun Young