Spreading Ewha’s Christian Spirit around the World: Summer Mission Volunteer by the Upper Room Evangelistic Association
- Date2023.09.04
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The Upper Room Evangelistic Association under the Office of the Chaplain (Chaplain: Sunhee Ahn) did missionary work in the spring semester of 2023. Since its foundation in 1960, the Upper Room Evangelistic Association has done missionary activities at home and abroad for 63 years. Such activities are still done with more distinguished and various missionary volunteer programs, even after it became an affiliated organization of the Office of the Chaplain in August 2008, led by university student clubs that are based on Ewha’s Christian spirit.
In the spring semester of 2023, Mission Scholarship recipients, University Church Scholarship recipients, and ESSEL, a volunteer group, did various volunteer work.
Team of Mission Scholarship recipients (Supervisor: Chaplain Yoon Kyung Lee and Professor Dong Keun Kim) with nine Ewha students from various majors dedicated themselves to spreading the love of God at Namjeon Church, which is located in Seocheon, South Chungcheong Province. At the church, the team carried out many activities, including summer bible school, a farming volunteer program, cooking meals for older people, conversations with young farmers, and worship anthem performances.
(Top) Worship anthem performance in English: “Joyful Joyful” | Summer bible school: Learning how to dance at “Heaven Is Just Like” | Farming volunteer program: Removing weeds from sesame field
(Bottom) Conversations with young farmers | Cooking Samgye-tang (ginseng chicken soup) for older people | Worship anthem performance on Wednesday
“We prepared beadwork, T-shirt decoration, and dance-learning sessions for the summer bible school. It was a precious time for me to appreciate the innocence of children and practice the love of Jesus,” said Yeoeun Yoon (Nursing), who participated in this mission work. “I determined myself to pray more so that these children can grow better in the love of the Lord.”
“We planned to do worship anthem performances on the first and second days of the mission work program, so we chose what anthem to perform and began practicing it three weeks before the departure. But we were a bit worried if we would do it well, because things kept changing even two days before the departure,” said Seunghui Jang (Education Technology). “But thankfully, contrary to all those concerns, it was a time of grace for everyone. Thinking back on it, I think it was a time of grace and happiness – practicing anthems and worshiping God with fellow recipients.”
The Mission Scholarship recipients engaged in activities for praising God and delivering God’s love all across the country, hoping to deliver their sincerity with joy to the people. The mission work was completed, with all participants – including children and older people there – appreciating God’s grace.
Team of University Church Scholarship recipients (Supervisor: Chaplain Yoon-Jae Chang and Professor Dong Keun Kim) with eight undergraduates and graduate students, including international students, has been spreading the Christian spirit to international students on Ewha campus. The team’s mission activities began with a welcoming ceremony on August 23rd, which will be followed by more every week, such as campus tours, movie-watching sessions, cultural exchange sessions, chapel sessions for international students, and a Thanksgiving party.
At the welcoming ceremony, the team gave out snacks to international students, introduced EwhaInME program, and had an icebreaking time.
(Top Left) EwhaInMe meeting | Welcoming week | (Bottom Right) Gifts for international students prepared by University Church
“This was the first program for international students, so I was really nervous, but Professor Dong Keun Kim prayed for us and kindly reminded us that this is the service for God. It really helped,” said Daulet Adelya (Communication and Media), who participated in this mission work. “Now I can see why God called me to serve international students. I hope this program can be a safe community for international students in Korea.”
“It was a time for me to network with new friends and explore Ewha like I was a first-year student,” said Hayeong Bang (English). “I haven’t met this many international students at Ewha before. It was a time for me to get to know Ewha better, and through EwhaInMe program, I realized that I can dream bigger.”
The service by University Church Scholarship recipients will continue for four weeks. It is expected that University Church Scholarship recipients will be able to experience the love of God with international students at Ewha.
ESSEL (Supervisor: Chaplain Hye-Ryung Kim) is a mission volunteer group that continues the tradition of the Upper Room Evangelistic Association through medical mission trips at home and abroad. The team comprises twenty-eight nursing students from Ewha Womans University and sixteen dental students from Yonsei University.
This year, they made medical mission trips to the Center for Central Asian Students at Seongbuk-gu, Seoul (15 members) and Vũng Tàu, Vietnam (25 members).
<ESSEL> doing medical mission work | Group photo of <ESSEL> after mission volunteer work
ESSEL, on June 24th (Sat), visited the Center for Central Asian Students at Seongbuk-gu, Seoul. Ewha’s Nursing students did history taking, blood glucose monitoring, blood pressure measuring, and education for preventing diabetes. Pamphlets made by ESSEL members were used as the education material. Currently practicing dentists who were members of ESSEL joined the trip and lent their hands as well.
The space was not wide enough and a bit uncomfortable, but every member happily provided medical service in one heart. Students said in unison that the mission trip was very rewarding, joyful, and insightful. “Through this mission trip, I learned that nursing is not only about knowledge about human health but also about interpersonal communication and interaction,” said Juyeon Jang (Nursing). “It was such a precious time to learn and practice the value of love and grace with patients and fellow students.
ESSEL also visited Vũng Tàu, Vietnam from July 9th to July 16th for mission volunteer work.
Every day before beginning medical volunteer work, ESSEL members read aloud the medical charter together at the hospital after completing their early-morning worship and prayers.
<ESSEL> doing medical mission work
Nursing students from Ewha asked questions to patients to gather basic information and took their medical history in cooperation with Vietnamese interpreters. The students did blood pressure measuring and blood glucose monitoring as well. They also offered education for preventing high blood pressure and diabetes using translated material, along with education for preventing drug addiction, STDs, and hygiene for patients waiting for their turns.
There were a lot of challenges for students, including scorching weather and language barrier, but students tackled those challenges and made improvements by running retrospective sessions every day.
“It feels so rewarding to help those who need medical help. All the joyful moments with other members will also be unforgettable,” said Soyeon Jeon (Nursing). “I hope what I learned from the mission trip this time can be used for more patients abroad next time so that they can experience the love of God.”
The summer of students at the Upper Room Evangelistic Association was a time to pride themselves as members of Ewha, as well as a time to spread Ewha’s Christian spirit all around the world.