While relatives and loved ones back in America were tucked in their comfortable beds with full bellies and happy hearts after celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday, we were just getting started with our celebration of this special day. For our team, it had been a long few days of travel from Japan, and then to Thailand, and back to South Korea, … Read More
2019 Lunar Year Celebrations
Story written by Sydney Kahle Americans have large New Year’s Eve celebrations on the 31st of December, however here in Korea they have three days to celebrate this holiday. For these celebrations many Koreans will return to their hometowns to spend time with their relatives and honor their elders. However, because we did not have any family to go and … Read More
2019 Visit to Busan
Adventure is a path. Real adventure – self-determined, self-motivated, often risky – forces you to have firsthand encounters with the world. The world the way it is, not the way you imagine it. Your body will collide with the earth and you will bear witness. In this way you will be compelled to grapple with the limitless kindness and bottomless … Read More
North Korean Refugee Children
Yesterday I was clever, so I changed the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself. Story by Sydney Kahle We have had several different avenues of outreach while in South Korea, a meaningful one has been with North Korean refugee’ children. We have worked diligently to build relationships with them and to help them gain more independence … Read More
Dreaming of The Kingdom of God: Reflections From Our Trip to Gyeongju
As you read this beautifully written story by our Korean friend Hui Eun Gwak (Rachel) about our day in the old city of Gyeongju, you will understand the passion Koreans have for their history. Rachel’s family brought us to Gyeongju-si to see the beautiful sites, and to learn about their ancestors’ history. They treated us to an authentic Korean meal, … Read More
Wonders of The World: The Philippines
How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in your life you will have been all of these. Story by Minje Yoon I am content to give thanks to God on land or sea, it really does … Read More
Painting Murals in South Korea
God knew from the beginning that painting murals would be a popular thing this year, and so he sent us Colleague Taylor Haff -a creative with a beautiful talent for drawing and painting. Taylor was given the task to lead our mural projects for two local churches, and she rose to the occasion leading a group composed of church members, … Read More
Seoul: Gangnam Style
Story by Taylor Haff. The Abante team has been in South Korea for three months with their main focus in Pohang City. Although the heart of our mission has been primarily in this small and beautiful city, we did venture out to a place with far more internationals, taller buildings, and busier streets. The team, along with our temporary new … Read More
Teaching English in South Korea
Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. Every year that Abante International teams go out on mission, the colleagues serve in several areas, according to the needs expressed by the locals and those hosting the teams. Undoubtedly, in South Korea, the focus has been to teach English to young learners as well as … Read More
Finding Joy At The Joyful Church
I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy. “How did you get connected with the Joyful Church?” We are often ask this question by people in Pohang City. We smile, because our story is rather unique…On March of 2018, founding director Brian Schlottmann (my husband) … Read More