Home

L'Abri Newsletter, May 2025

May 11, 2025

Dear praying family,

There is a saying that goes: “Passion Week is long, but Easter is only one day.” To that end, some people say we should extend Easter for a few days. However, that wouldn’t change the fact that we celebrate and need the power and hope of the resurrection, not just for a few extra days but every day.

In early April, Gwang-sik and his wife Nam-jeong built a wheelchair ramp with lightweight steel and wood. We always felt sorry that there was no ramp at our L’Abri that the disabled and elderly could easily access, so we are incredibly happy to have one now. At that time, L’Abri’s financial situation was not good, so we initially had no money to pay for the construction costs; we simply prayed. Then, Gwang-sik and Nam-jeong reached out and said, “We will donate everything.” Using the ramp, brothers and sisters from the nearby Jeongdaun Village were able to visit in their wheelchairs and enjoy tea time with us.

I am glad that the number of people moving to Yangyang has been steadily increasing. A few weeks ago, I met a young couple who moved to Eoseongjeon, which is about 20 minutes from L’Abri. I also met a couple who returned to Korea after serving in the United States; they are planning to establish a house church in Yangyang. Most of the residents of Yangyang follow Buddhism (Naksan or Shinheung temple), and I wonder how they will evangelize to those who are leaving the church. Also, a lawyer’s family has been farming in Yangyang for several years, and after hearing that they finally bought a house, KyungOk and I went to visit them. They had a vegetable garden in their backyard and front yard, so I am excited that they will be able to grow good produce. We are happy to be neighbors and to be able to see them more often.

One night at the end of April, while having dinner, we received a text message telling us to evacuate due to a wildfire that had broken out earlier in the day. The fire was approaching Seomyeon, our village, and was predicted to reach L’Abri overnight. Seven people, including guests and workers, were evacuated to the town. We were reminded of the Naksansa wildfire in 2005, the L’Abri stove overheating incident in 2016, and the Songcheon fire in 2019. Thankfully, God calmed the winds, and the firefighters worked hard; the wildfire was extinguished without crossing over to Yangyang. Our guests enjoyed the rest of their stay and safely returned home. I thank everyone who expressed concern and prayed for us.

About 40 students and teachers from the International Dream School that has a founding philosophy of ‘raising next-generation leaders,’ came at an afternoon tea time to enjoy cakes and tea and listen to a lecture “Cultivating Spiritual Discernment.” The International Dream School is a Christian alternative boarding school that uses facilities in the Haemily Complex in Hoengseong. Unlike regular schools, alternative schools operate with a variety of curricula such as experience-centered education, character development education, and career education. This year, students from Vision Classic Christian School, Seed of Good Will School, and Byulmuri Christian School will visit. Please pray that the students who come will have their eyes opened to the truth of the cross and resurrection.

Last weekend, during the holiday, the L’Abri house was filled with guests again. They came from as far as Jeju, Gwangju, and Busan, as well as from Seoul and Daegu. Among them, there was a Chinese couple celebrating their second wedding anniversary, so there were many different programs and stories. Minah, an obstetrician and gynecologist, came and helped with meals. (She was a great help because one of the guests was pregnant.) The Lord called people from all over the country who needed rest, and we had a very fruitful holiday. In particular, I experienced the power of Christ’s resurrection again as I saw people confessing and apologizing for the minor sins, not just the heavy sins or unreasonable claims, that weighed on their hearts.

A few days ago, a guest in a wheelchair visited from Cheon Ahn. While going down from the main building of L’Abri, he fell and suffered serious injuries to his face and body. His glasses were shattered beyond recognition, and he had to get about 100 stitches on his face. He still has plastic surgery and dental work to do, but thankfully, he is recovering quickly enough to be able to eat and drive. I would like to thank the injured person and the guests who came with him for being so calm and sensible. After the accident, when I inspected L’Abri’s facilities, I realized there was no safe entrance for the disabled, there were many steps in the dorms and bathrooms, and in particular, the stairs to the hall on the second floor seemed too high. I am very sorry and heartbroken that I have not been considerate of the disabled and the elderly up until now.

Please pray for the guests who are scheduled to come in May-July and the helpers who will help them:

When the country is complex and the world is chaotic, both prayer and spiritual discernment are urgently needed. In the Old Testament, the words “knowledge” and “intelligence” often refer to discernment, and discernment is the “practical wisdom” that God gives. It does not stop at simple intellectual ability or philosophical thinking; it means realizing God’s will in specific situations of life, making good judgments, and thinking strategically.

byn (בין)

sekel (שֶׂ֫כֶל)

shama (שְׁמֹ֙עַ֙)

hokma (חָכְמָה)

hakam (חָכָם)

taam (טַעַם)

In particular, the last word, “discernment,” in Psalm 119:66 is the Hebrew word “taam (טַעַם),” which means “wisdom,” “prudence,” and “taste.” Many Bibles translate it as “judgment” or “discernment.”

Originally, the word “taam (טַעַם)” meant “taste” or “gustatory.” When tasting food or wine, it is said that it refers not only to seeing with the eyes, but also to smelling with the nose, tasting with the tongue, and feeling the temperature and texture with the whole mouth and throat. It means judging wisely and objectively, like tasting food or wine.

Sinclair Ferguson explained this word as follows: “The word ‘taam’ signifies the ability to make discerning judgments, to distinguish between situations and actions, and to recognize their moral implications. It also includes the ability to evaluate and judge the spiritual and moral condition of individuals, groups, and even (gospel) movements.”

Moreover, the Hebrew word for “knowledge” in the same verse, “daat (דַ֣עַת),” also means “knowledge,” “talent,” “wisdom,” and “discernment.” It is said to mean “clear and certain knowledge with a moral aspect,” that is, discernment. In this light, it seems that the psalmist prayed to God to give him good discernment and judgment according to God’s word, and to have clear and certain knowledge. The apostle Paul also prayed with the same heart in his letter to the church in Philippi.

“And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ” (Philippians 1:9-10 NIV)

I am reminded of Edith Schaeffer, in Common Sense Christian Living, highlights this well: “We must not drift into a thoughtless life, but rather make choices with wisdom and discernment, seeking God’s direction in even the small details.”

And Karl Reinhold Niebuhr's prayer for wisdom to discern between what can be changed and what cannot be changed.

“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.”

In today’s socially and politically complex and chaotic times, I earnestly pray that your families, your churches, and L’Abri prayer family will be filled with love and spiritual discernment, so that you can discern between good and evil and live a life of integrity until the day you meet the Lord. I am always grateful for your prayers and love.

Yours,

InKyung

Translated by Ye-Jin Ahn

한글 | Donations | Desktop Version