Ji Eun (rising 4th grader)
Going from Myeong Jin Home to Youngnak Church was difficult since took a long time and it was cold but the camp was 10 times more fun than I expected. I was anticipating a lot on the first day due to group/table assignment. I was part of Emmanuel Table. I was paired up with Miss Jae Ah. I really liked her because she is totally nice and it was really easy for me to get close to her. During the camp, Miss Jee was the director and it was really fun. However, it was sad to think of having to say “goodbye” on the last day…I almost had tears rolling down on my cheeks, so I quickly went to restroom to cry in silence. It made me sad even thinking of being parted from my partner Miss Jae Ah and Miss Seung Kyung whom wasn’t even my own teacher. But fortunately, I am happy that I will be able to see Miss Jee who is a full time volunteer at my home. I like her more since she has the same name as I do. :) I hope that I will be paired up with Miss Jae Ah again next year!

우리 명진에서 영락교회까지 가는 건 시간도 꽤걸리고 춥고 힘들었지만 내가 생각했던것보다 열배나 재미있었다. 나는 첫날을 많이 기대했다. 왜냐하면 어떤 팀이될까 말이다. 근데 임마누엘이라는 팀이 됐다. 내 짝꿍은 재아 쌤인데 완전 착하고 금방 친해지고 엄청 맘에 들었다.:) 공예 캠프에서 지쌤이 진행자였는데 엄청 재미있었다. 하지만 마지막날엔 해어져야 한다는 생각을 했는때 울랑말랑~뚝뚝~난 화장실에 들어가 소리없이 울었다. 내 짝꿍 재아 쌤과 내짝꿍은 아니지만 나랑 같은 팀 승경언니랑 헤어져야한다는 생각만 계속하게 된다. 그래도 다행인건 지쌤, 나랑은 똑같은 이름을 가져서 더 좋지만 지쌤까지는 볼수있어서 정말 기분 짱 좋다! J 다음에도 재아언니가 내 짱꿍이었음..정~말 좋겠다. –김지은-

Ye Rim (rising 4th grader)
It was very hard to commute from my home to Youngnak Church but it was fun and it was sad at the end of the camp. On the first day, we made sock bunnies and blew a balloon and wrap it around with newspaper strips to make a piggy bank. On the second day, we baked cookies, made poinsettias and angels. Also on the third day, we completed piggy bank and made hair accessories and made the final product of scrapbooks. Although it was challenging to make many crafts, but I had fun playing “Follow the Leader”. I hope to come back again.

명진에서 영락교회까지 가는 거는 힘들었지만 마지막날에 정말 힘들기도하고 재미있기도하고 마지막이어서 슬펐다. 그런데 첫날에는 토끼인형을 수면양말로 만들고 돼지를 풍선을 불어서 신문지로 감쌌다. 그리고 두번째는 쿠키를 만들고 폰티세티아도 맏들고 천사도 만들었다 또 셋째는 돼지를 완성하고 머리띠, 머리끈 또 브러치하고 핀도 만들고 마지막의 추억 사진앨범을 만들었는데 정말 힘든 시간이 많았고 따라쟁이 게임손 게임하는 거 만들는게 정말 즐거웠다. 또 오고 싶다. –홍예림-

Ga Eul (rising 4th grader)
I had so much fun today. Please give us more time like this! Also, let me be paired up with Miss Nara again next year. The most fun time that we had over the past three days was baking cookies. Also, I wish I was able to get close to Miss Mandy…but since she was a foreigner, I felt like I was unable to talk to her. However, it was good that she was able to understand at least very little Korean. I’m glad that Miss Jee is with us everyday. And I’m happy that she is active with us. Also, making hairpins, broche, hair bands, hair ties was an awesome idea since it is practical: everyone could wear them. Thank you for giving us such a fun time. We are going to have more fun next year..right? I will wait with a great anticipation! Also, thank you so much for paying for our lunch! Please give us time like this again next year!

오늘 참 즐거웠어요. 다음번에도 이런시간을 주세요. 그래고 내년에는 쌤이 나라쌤팀으로 가게 해주세요. 근데 3일동안 진짜 재미있었던 점은 쿠키를 만드는 것이 제일 재미있었어요. 그리고 멘디 쌤하고 친하고 싶은데…외국인이라서 이야기를 잘 못한것 같아요. 그래도 한국말은 조금 완전 조금 알아들어서 좋아요. 지쌤은 매일 매일 있어서 다행이에요. 지쌤도 함께 활동하니깐 기뻐요. 그리고, 머리삔, 옷으로 다는 거, 머리띠, 머리 끈을 만들어서 찰수 있고, 모든 사람들이 다 찰수 있기 땜에 참좋은 생각을 하셨네요. 지쌤, 오늘도 진짜로 좋은 하루를 주셔서 정말 고마웠어요. 내년에는 아주 재미있는것 하죠? 기대 많이 할께요. 그리고 점심값을 내주셔서 진짜로 감사했어요. 제발 내년에도 이런 시간을 주시기를 바랍니다. –가을-

Da Bin (rising 6th grader)
We made different crafts at a camp every year that we are invited by foreigners. Therefore, we went to Youngnak Church with Miss Jee and we played games, made crafts and we had fun. On the first day, we made sock bunnies but my bunny’s neck was not sewn well so Miss Jen fixed it for me. I was very thankful. On the second day, we baked cookies. I was going to use a star cookie cutter so I went over to my friend, Ji Hye, if I could borrow it but my partner teacher used the last dough so I got a little upset. On the third day, we colored the piggy bank that we made on Monday. Then, we had lunch, and made headbands, hair clips, and hair ties and wrote letters then came home. It was sad to have this camp over.

1년마다 우리를 후원해주시는 외국분들의 초대를 받아 만들기를 한다. 그래서 지은선생님과 함께 영락교회에 가서 게임도하고 만들기도 하며 재미있게 놀았다. 첫째날에는 토끼인형을 만들었는데 젠선생님께서 토끼 목이 흔들린다고 하셔서 고쳐 주셨다. 정말 감사했다. 둘째날에는 쿠키를 만들었다. 내가 별쓰려고 지혜한떠 물 빌려서 왔는데 이런일이 내 짝선생님이 중요한 별을 써버린것이다. 좀 속상했다. 셋쨋날에는 월요일날 만든 돼지를 색칠하기로 해서 돼지를 색칠하고 점심을 먹고 머리띠, 머리핀, 머리끈을 만들고 편지 쓰고 집에 왔다. 아쉬웠다. –고다빈-

Jin Ju (rising 7th grader)
It was good that we were able to do this camp with kids from other children homes. The teachers were really nice and fun as well. Also, cookies that we baked were delicious and “Follow the Leader (ice break game) was fun, too. Today was sad since it was the last day. It was sad to say goodbye to my new friend Hye Yun and my partner teacher, Miss Ji Yeon. Also, I really like the hair tie that we made today. I wish I can go again next year but since I’m going to be in middle school, I won’t be able to. I wish I could go next time as well.

우리명진이랑 다른 보육원이랑 같이해서 좋았고. 선생님들도 착하고 재미있었다. 그리고 쿠키 만든 과자도 맛있었고 게임 따라하기가 진짜 재미있었다. 오늘 마지막날이여서 많이 섭섭했다. 왜녀하면 드디어 알게된 친구 혜연이랑 새로 만난 지연선생님 알게 되었는데 오늘 헤어져서 정말 섭섭했다. 그리고 오늘 만든 머리끈을 만들어서 좋았다. 내년데도 가고 싶다. 그런데 중1이되어서 못갈석같다. 다음에도 가고싶다. –이진주-

Jiyeon Yoo
This was my 2nd time at arts & craft camp and it was amazing! All the kids from last year, I remembered them and they also remembered me! I felt like it's only been a few days since we last saw one aother!
I was very blessed to see the changes, fruits on their hearts over the year.. they were much more secure and freely loving and receiving! For example, one of the girls that I met last year, she was reserved and quiet but now, she comes up to me and just jump on my lap or hug me from the back/side, give me presents! Kids are very generous, so loving and open.
At this camp, I always plan to be the one loving on them, but I end up receiving so much from them.
You plant one seed, and you see that seed yielding multifolds of fruits! and just being with them~ their purity just softened my heart! These kids are very beautiful and Precious!
I'm soo looking forward to the next camp!!!!!!

Helen Jeon
God really loved on the girls and the volunteers throughout the entire camp. This was evident in the beautiful relationships between the girls and volunteers. Hae Ran, a very pretty and loving 5th grade girl from Geon Children's Home, was such a blessing to me. I went to the camp thinking that I'd love on my girl, but I ended up receiving so much love and attention from Hae Ran. This camp was marked with God's love. And my prayer is that all the girls and volunteers experience God's love daily in powerful and moving ways. Praise God!

Teresa Woolridge
I remember one girl who sat at my table seemed unhappy to be there on the first day. They did not understand why they had to be there. You told us the situation with one of the girls home was shut down and those girls were separated into new homes. I remember you asked her if she wanted to go and her initial answer was no. You convinced her that all the other girls she was living with now were going but would be alone if she did not. I remember seeing how upset she was. I noticed how Nara, continued to show love by encouraging and praising her whenever she did something worthy of recognition. I learned how showing love and kindness can break a person’s unwillingness to participate. I want to applaud Nara because she was so kind and helpful. I could see that God has given her a special ability to work with Ga Eul with such a positive attitude. Being a sensitive person, that would have really been difficult to handle but I really saw Christ's love through her.

This experience showed that some of things that I took for granted and that I needed to be more thankful. It motivated me to become a better teacher because before when a child was being disruptive in class, I use to be very judgmental and defensive that the child may not like me or he may want attention. I know now that it is important not just to teach but to build relationships and understand the student's situation.

Throughout the camp the word “grace” was repeating in my mind. I didn’t understand until the third day of camp. I learned in life I never quite understood what God was doing or where He was taking me but I had to believe He knows what is best for me.

Although there was an obvious language barrier, I could show more that I care for them and not be just a teacher doing a job, but a service. Thank you so much for this experience. I was wondering if you could please let me know more opportunities to serve and if you could give me information on if I want to meet with Kim Su-A and the other girls again.

Janine Phillips
I am so glad to have been a part of this years Jerusalem Ministries Arts and Crafts camp. I not only had a ton of fun with the girls and volunteers but I was also reminded of how much spending a little time and love with others can make a big difference. I was sitting at Noel table (the best table at JMAC) and my girl was a quiet and shy 6th grader who was very independent. I have no Korean language skills and she had very little English language skills but that just made for our unique way of communication, me trying what little Korean I knew to impress her and her having no idea what I'm trying to say, good times, but in the end we got to know each other a little bit and I was able to get a few smiles out of her aswell. The reason why I say that Noel table was the best is because all of us volunteeres were able to get to know and form some kind of bond with each of the girls at our table. I had so much laughs and giggles with my table that I'm sure we spent more time fooling around then on our crafts (kidding). In a way these girls were a blessing to me as they allowed me into their hearts and trusted me with their time. I thank God for organizing my schedule so that I could be apart of this I wouldn't trade a single day for anything. Noel table imma miss you peeps!!

Jae Ah Suh
I had the most fun at this year's camp compared to any others I've been to previously! It was that good. I'm not sure what made the difference. We had the same icebreakers, the same snacks. Although the new crafts were fun to make, I don't think it was what made me happy to be there. It was bittersweet to see how much the girls I'd met at the first camp had grown; some of them are moving on to middle school now and watching them take care of the younger ones was odd. I realized then that the most beautiful crafts were the twenty-one scattered over the room.

Joanna Oh
Art and Craft camp was a blast! At first, I was excited to do artsy stuff but what really made it awesome was doing it with the girls. Before coming to the camp, I felt uncomfortable to work with such young kids cus I never really worked with that age aroup before. I didn't really know how to relate to them or care for them but I decided to just "do it afraid"! When I first meet Ji-yeon, Hee-yeon and Hae-hyun, they were quite shy but once we started making art, we were talking, laughing and doing it together. I really felt God's grace apon me the whole time I was with them. I felt comfortable and joyful. The girls got comfortable with us too and joked around and there were lots of laughing! Even tho it was only 3 days, I felt like we wern't strangers but we were like family in relationship with eachother. I really enjoyed the interations with the girls in my team and all of them got to know eachother pretty well (lots of chasing and joking around). Some of the girls were saying that they wanted the camp to last for whole week not just 3 days. It shows how much they love it. At the end, I was tired but it was SO worth it! I can't wait for another camp next year and I wanna thank Jerusalem ministry for organising such an great camp for these girls and giving us the volunteers the opportunity to be part of it.

Emily Tregelles
Working at the Arts and Crafts Camp was such fantastic experience! The girls were so adorable and receptive to love; it was really encouraging. God blessed this camp! I loved watching the creativity of my girl Hyeyeon let loose and watching her interact with the other girls and teachers. Sometimes I wished my Korean were better so that I could engage her more and give her more support, but my slipups often brought laughter and joy – so it’s all good!

If I could, I would be a volunteer for this on a weekly basis! This camp is such a warm, wonderful, and memorable experience for them that I’m glad I could help make it happen. The best part of my day would be walking them to camp, seeing their excitement about the beautiful day ahead, or walking them home from camp and listening to how much fun they had. They want to come on a weekly basis too! It was a blessing to have that extra time to pour God’s love into them. I’m so sad that I won’t be here next year to participate, but when I come back in 2 years, you can bet that the Jerusalem Ministry’s Arts and Crafts Camp will be marked on my calendar!^^

Nara Shin
Unforgettable Memories with the children...

Although it was short three days with beautiful children, it will be hard to forget.

It was honor to receive so much love from the children. I regret the fact that I was unable to give more love to the children as they were opening up their hearts to me little by little. Also, it was so lovely to see the children expressing their love by sharing candies and chocolates that they have received. I'll never forget the girls who have tightly held onto my hands, have given me kisses on my cheeks, and have hugged me. Love you guys!! See you next year!!

잊지 못 할 아이들과의 추억…

2011년 1월 24일부터 26일 동안 너무나 예쁜 아이들과 함께했던 봉사활동…. 짧았던 나의 3일간의 봉사활동은 오래도록 잊지 못 할 것 같습니다. 아이들에게 받았던 많은 사랑은 저에게는 큰 영광 이였습니다. 조금씩 저에게 마음을 열어가는 아이들을 보며 더 많은 사랑을 주지 못한거 같아 아쉬웠습니다. 그리고 자기들이 받은 사탕과 초콜릿을 저에게 나눠주며 마음으로 표현하는 아이들이 사랑스러웠습니다. 저의 손을 꼭 잡아준 친구들, 내 볼에 뽀뽀해준 친구들, 날 꼭 안아준 친구들을 못 잊을 것 같습니다. 사랑해 친구들아!! 내년에 또 만나자!!