THE KUKMIN DAILY

Elder Jeon Deok-su (58·Seoul Pildong Church) was an F-5E fighter pilot. He served at bases in Suwon and Wonju, and was a commander at Gyeryongdae, the Korean Air Force headquarters. He retired in January 2010 after a career of 35 years.

After spending the first half of his life as a fighter pilot, Elder Jeon dreams a new dream these days: to become a missionary spreading the Gospel all over the world. When he talked by phone with Kukmin Daily on July 14, he said, “I came to have this dream of becoming a missionary thanks to a fellow church member in his 70s. He’s passionate about overseas mission. I will become a missionary in three years and go to Vietnam. I want to share the Lord’s will with local children there.”

Elder Jeon is one of the participants in “The Korean Methodist Church (KMC) Headquarters’ Intensive Training Camp for Missionary Applicants” (photo), held from July 6 to 10 at Ilyeong Training Center in Yangju, Gyeonggi-do. Attendance at this camp is a prerequisite for eligibility to apply for the KMC missionary exam. In addition, one must receive a year of education at one of the KMC missionary training centers and successfully conclude two weeks of field training at an overseas mission site.

Elder Jeon, smiling, said, “I was the oldest among all the male participants.” He added, “It was a very special opportunity to be among the other participants, who are around the age of my children, and to pray together and share our vision… We were filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Including Elder Jeon, a total of 86 Methodists participated in this five-day, four-night training camp. The lectures included: crisis situations for missionaries and how to cope with them, how to learn language and culture, KMC mission policy, and missionary administration education. In between lectures, the camp was filled with spiritual discipline, group discussions, spiritual hours, and prayer meetings.

Evangelist Kim Yong-guk (42·Daejeon Sanseong Church) participated in the training camp with his Japanese wife Hirata Yuko (38). They were married in 2001, and are ready for mission in Japan as soon as they pass the missionary exam. Kim experienced ministry as the assistant pastor of a church in Iki Island, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan, from 2004 to 2006.

He said, “Iki Island has some 600 temples, but only one church… I think I’m called to bring Christ’s love to the Japanese people. During this training camp, I often felt solemn moments. I also felt a little regret, thinking it would’ve been better if I had realized God’s calling when I was younger. But now that I’m ready, I will prepare as much as possible to spread God’s grace in Japan.”

At the camp, besides Elder Jeon and Evangelist Kim, there were many pre-missionaries with diverse backgrounds. In addition to Kim and Hirata, there were many other couples. There was even a “Granny Elder” who will soon be in her 80s.

A staff member at the KMC Mission Division said, “Through the camp, we were able to see their passion for mission.” He requested, “Please pray for and support the pre-missionaries for their future life spreading the Gospel around the world.”

Reporter Park Ji Hun (lucidfall@kmib.co.kr), with Yeara Ahn-Park (yap@kmib.co.kr)
Photo courtesy of KMC


Click here for the original article in Korean