A letter from Sook Hee Bae, home from in Korea
September 26, 2012
Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
WMA staff visited Sook Hee at the nursing home.
We are sorry that we didn’t share sooner what we have gone through since we wrote about our mission work in Korea last year. In May 10, 2011, we hosted Union Seminary students for dinner and on the way out from the restaurant I had an accident and broke my femur completely. I was rushed to the hospital and had a five-and-a-half-hour surgery. I had to stay in bed almost six months and then started to move around in a wheelchair. Even during this hard time I contacted WMA (Women Ministers Association) staff through email and phone calls and worked for women's ministry in Korea. A lot of women ministers and colleagues prayed for a quick recovery and encouraged me. While I stayed in bed with this physical hardship I was looking for what God’s way is for my future mission work. I met many people who had mental and spiritual problems and counseled them. While I stayed in bed for a long period of time I experienced unexplainable physical pain, and through this pain I even gave thanks to God because I could have deeper understanding of others who have very painful problems. The doctor told me that I needed further physical therapy to recover from the operation. I prayed to God and KJ and I decided to retire and return to the U.S.A. The Louisville staff understood my situation and we returned to the U.S.A. in March of this year and settled down in Skillman, N.J.
WMA continuing ed program at NYTS with Dr. Irvin, 2011
Even though I couldn’t attend WMA Leadership Seminars and other activities, WMA contacted me and I shared in the leadership role of clergywomen in the Korean church community. One of their projects was “Continuing Education” for clergywomen, visiting a seminary in the States. I arranged with New York Theological Seminary (NYTS), where I graduated, for the opportunity for WMA’s continuing ed. The president of NYTS, Dr. Dale Irvin, welcomed the Korean clergywomen. I couldn’t travel with them; therefore KJ traveled with 13 WMA members to NTYS, N.Y., last year in August for two weeks.
In December 2011 WMA had a Winter Retreat at Chunsuman, Chungchung Province. At the retreat WMA provided a “Farewell Service” for us. We were so grateful to God to serve Him. It was an emotional service for us and WMA and the staff prayed for us and for our future. I am so grateful to God for the opportunity to serve in empowering and encouraging women ministers of the Presbyterian Church of Korea (PCK). When I came to Korea in the year 2000, the number of ordained women ministers in the PCK was a little more than 100, but when I left Korea this year PCK had ordained more than 1,400 women—and they are actively serving in many different areas in Korean churches. Praise the Lord!
Farewell Service for Sook Hee and KJ at Winter Retreat
After we returned to New Jersey, the first few months we were quite busy settling down. KJ was the office manager and treasurer of IPMO Korea. His function was to communicate with our partner churches and work together with them for mission projects and also help mission co-workers in Korea financially with IPMO budgets. IPMO Korea has helped WMA’s leadership program and WMA appreciates the PC(USA)'s financial support. My retirement as a mission co-worker will be the end of this year, and until the end of year I will visit our supporting churches on Interpretation Assignment and share with them about our ministry in Korea. Actually, KJ retired as of July 31, 2012, but he and I are planning our IA to complete our mission work.
I am so grateful to God that He used me as a missionary and I thank the PC(USA) for giving us an opportunity to serve God and His Kingdom the last 12 years. Before I retire December 31, 2012, I will write my last newsletter to share my ministry.
Until then, may God bless you richly.
Sook Hee and KJ Bae
The 2012 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 196
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