L'Abri Newsletter, April 2020

Dear Praying family,

As I watch flowers in blossom and hear singing birds, the news that spring already comes to our doorstep is quite obvious. However, it seems that we have to wait longer for the Coronavirus to settle down. Due to the pandemic around the world, all L’Abri branches have sent their guests back to homes and the international members meeting planned in this April was cancelled. I hope this pandemic would be over soon and pray wholeheartedly for God’s protection over our prayer family.

L’Abri workers have the same daily routine, as like the usual term, to work in the day and to study at night, in order to spend these uncertain times of lockdown for good. Although we have no guest, no tutoring, no cooking and bedding, the programs like a prayer meeting, Bible reading, and lecture keep running by our workers.

In particular, InKyung leads the study of Francis Schaeffer, founder of L’Abri, every Friday night. This study focuses on Schaeffer’s essential philosophies and L’Abri spirit, and it is the benefits of reshaping our mind and attitude as a worker (I will send the study essays if you contact me). Also, we fixed some old facilities and had a personal time for study, in order to prepare to host guests after this pandemic declines.

ChangHee works at Sokcho National Medical Centre as an Emergency Medicine Specialist. And he works and studies with us in every day-off time during the week. This allows him to learn more about the spirit and works of L'Abri. So, please pray for ChangHee and his family, wife and two children, to adjust properly new life in a new place.

Besides, please pray for InKyung’s mother. InKyung’s mother has stayed in one nursing home in Gyeongsan, where the virus is spreading out critically. She has received negative results from the past two infection tests. However, the difficulty is that InKyung’s family cannot bring her back to home at the moment, due to the nursing home lockdown status. InKyung and KyungOk broke their hearts to see this situation, so they merely can pray for God’s protection over her by faith. So, please pray for InKyung and his brother’s family who lives in near the hospital as well as the elderly lady.

Many of you may know that Euijin, InKyung’s youngest son, has helped L’Abri for many years. He recently got a new job for a company and moved to Anyang city. Please pray for him that he would adapt to new life and job with joy. Please pray also for InKyung and KyungOk who sent away all their children apart from them.

SamWon worked so diligently to renew garden and veggie patch. The dining table is painted and new friendship with an elderly farmer in neighbor is developed. Thanks to his skillful knowledge in framing. I would remind the old wisdom, ‘working in a day and studying at night,’ from her example. It seems that SamWon has a wonderful time in this quarantine time. Please encourage her achieving new challenges by your prayer support.

Like other colleagues, I would manage my time with works and studies. Sometimes I worry about non-blossomed flowers and not-grown veggies from my garden in this season. Someday I smile at growing plants from the heavy ground, and I look at my rabbits that play actively in their new house that I made for them. As like wildflowers are blossoming in many areas, I wish to see that our guests may visit us and share the joy with me after this pandemic ends.

Thank you for your continuous prayers for the purchase of the old gas station and the mountain behind of L’Abri house. The landlord extended the preparation period of purchasing the property until the end of November. He will promote the property in the market from December. By this decision, we have about 8 months of time from now on. I deeply appreciate his generosity. Donations have been occurred, but it is still to go far. Please pray for me to manage this house well until the last day of living in here.

Please pray also for international branches of L’Abri. It is the first-ever to cancel the annual members meeting and refusing to host guests over the last 65 years. Also, pray for our workers being patient and not wasting time while we are going through a seems-to-be unending and difficult season. Please pray especially for the financial provision in this time of closing branches. Korea L’Abri has prepared to open from the 20th of April, but we have to hear the clearance of banning group gathering from the government.

Lastly, please pray for us how we should think of this pandemic as a Christian. Ecclesiastes 7:14 says, “In the day of adversity, consider.” I pray that our prayer family would not be shaken by this surreal circumstance, but to acknowledge the Lordship, and to find God’s will which is unrevealed yet, and to ask God’s help.

Yours sincerely,

ChungSeong Lee

Translated by Jun Won Shon