The Words of the Orman Family

Korean Hometown

Betsy Orman
December 2, 2000

Still recovering from Chung Pyung chest cough so decided it might be interesting to let you all know what's happening here rather than run around any longer.

Left CP and took a bus several hours to my Korean hometown. Bus system excellent here, nice coach buses all over, amazingly easy, cheap, everyone travels by bus. This is the only way women travel as most dot drive, and usually only one car per family if that in the countryside.

Staying with my CF 2nd generation blessed couple and their three wild but lovable 3rd generation kids. Their house is attached to a small A Frame church. They are wonderful and had been praying how to take care of Philippine members blessed to Koreans. I was their answer, I think. Having worked in Hong Kong with the Philippine sisters their and having done this before I felt happy and comfortable to do this.

Rented a bike cheap and travel all over this small town about 35,000 people, by bike. Its cold but warm in comparison to North Dakota. For some reason my English is getting me by okay. But I would like to suggest strongly, that sisters get on the stick immediately and start learning Korean. Would make things much easier. Also when you come here get a Korean English dictionary which sounds out the Korean in English, and not a travel book, but a good portable Korean English dictionary.

I am a novelty in this town, the only American and the first some have seen. The kids follow me down the street sometimes shouting English phrases such as Hi hello, how are you. Everyone recognizes me.

Today when I went to the library I couldn't find my sister Edy's hometown (she asked me to visit it as she cant leave Tom right now) on a map so they called the vice principal over from the Jr. High to bring a map. This is the kind of place it is and the response I am getting from everyone. They walk you to the place you are asking for. This is the countryside though and everyone is very friendly and beautiful mountains everywhere. Met three wonderful single young men who I'm teaching and they all speak English and are college graduates. Also gave Service on Sunday to Philippine members.

SW working very much to help me in many ways. Wonderful Pastor and wife and we are united and he is happy to have help. When we visited members together miracles happened. Everyone gave us food, and not just a plate of Kimchee. 100 pound bags of rice, cases of persimmons, a case of cabbage, all farms out here. I feel like I am food-raising, just visiting and loving all the people. Today my contact gave me a case of Carrot Juice, he is in the food business. How wonderful. If your at someone's home at lunch or dinner time be prepared to eat. 5 million kinds of Kim Chee, some things I don't ask what it is, one bowl of soup had teeth in it, don't know what kind but got it down excluding the teeth.

Bought things for the center like a mop, a toilet seat, and gave money for heating oil. Very expensive to heat houses here and these people are poor, compared to Americans. Doing a lot of manual labor, housewives in America have it easy, really. Korean women spend their entire day doing simple chores that we do with machines in America.

Coming home soon but wanted to stay for a few weeks as I was already here and had gotten a visa before leaving and a baby-sitter.

I feel now connecting very strongly to TPs heart through this experience. I don't think I could fully understand how much TFs heart is really rural and how much he has raised up leaders in America. Although CP leaders are very high standard, very strict.

Our regional center is about 40 minutes from here and met with the regional leaders who are very wonderful as well. Feel really blessed. Am learning Korean very slowly, one word at a time.

Hope all can join in my hour is up at PC World, one dollar to use the Internet. All gods love, home soon, two weeks.

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