L'Abri Newsletter, December 2025

December 13, 2025

Dear praying family,

High atop the persimmon trees on the L’Abri grounds, a few ripe persimmons still hang like lanterns. We shared the lower fruit with our guests, while Deok-bae, our Jindo dog, claimed the ones that fell to the ground. The remaining persimmons will be for the birds to share throughout the winter. Since God feeds the birds in the air, I believe that even a single persimmon has a place in God’s plan for his creation and kingdom.

Even though I knew it intellectually, when my mother (KyungOk) was diagnosed with lung cancer, my first cry to God was, “Did it really have to be this way?” I hated and feared the diseases and separations of this fallen world so much that I lost count of how many times I thought, “Jesus, could you just return tomorrow?” This letter is a small testimony of how God has been present with us during this time of suffering and how he has revealed himself to us.

First, God cares for us personally through various people.

Once the surgery was set, the most daunting concern was the cost of treatment. However, when the news went out, our prayer family showed incredible love from the very first day. From long-time friends to people, we hadn’t been in touch with for decades; from those whom we had only met once to those who are not believers… everyone offered comfort, prayers, and support as if this were their own family’s situation. Our family was overwhelmed with gratitude, and we were wondering what God’s plan was in all of this. I humbly ask you to continue prayers for my mother and for wise use of the precious gifts.

Furthermore, we felt God's invisible and meticulous hand at work through the dedicated treatments and kind explanations of the medical staff. My mother was a model patient with a strong will to recover, diligently walking around the ward for rehabilitation, earning the nickname “squirrel” before being discharged. My father, InKyung, was a popular as the “Rev. coffee and chocolate delivery” for the staff, patients, and their families. We hope that the seeds of the gospel, sown through their lives and words, will grow among the people in the ward amidst their pain and loneliness.

My mother’s recovery is progressing smoothly, and, above all, I am grateful that God is firmly supporting her spirit. However, she is undergoing chemotherapy treatment due to endobronchial metastasis, and her strength is significantly weakened. Please pray that she will endure chemotherapy well, manage it without overexerting herself, and live each day with joy.

Second, God expands his kingdom through our weaknesses.

Besides my mother’s illness, there was another big challenge. November and December were the busiest times of the year at L’Abri with over 40 high school seniors from alternative schools visiting over a four-week period after finishing their college entrance exams. As my parents left for the hospital for surgery, they said to me, “Keeping our promises is a matter of Christian integrity. You’re in charge now, so handle it well,” and urged me to proceed as planned. I saw them off with a smile, replying, “Well, God is the One truly in charge of L’Abri!” Inwardly, though, my heart sank. The veteran workers were gone, leaving me, a complete novice, to handle the influx of guests. But it seemed that God had a plan to surround L’Abri with strong helpers and church members.

Our helpers, Sung-jun challenged our preconceived notions with his insightful lectures and Bible readings, and Mira delighted us with her fantastic Haegeum (Korean string instrument) performances and delicious cooking. Both of them welcomed and served our guests with warm love, lighthearted jokes, and sometimes with deep counseling. Another helper, Yu-jin, despite personal circumstances, rushed to be with us because she was concerned about my mother's health. She played a significant role in ensuring that the students felt loved, ate well, had meaningful work duties, and felt comfortable.

Dr. Do-hyung Kim, who led the fourth week’s lecture, traveled all the way from Chungju with his son. He shared with the teenagers, who are just entering society, criteria for making life choices and the hope of the gospel; he even provided counseling, opening their minds and hearts. We are deeply grateful for Sang-ki, the chaplain of Yangyang L’Abri chapel, who played an active role every week by joining the students for outdoor work duty and fellowship; Eun-hee, who hosted two wonderful Kimbap parties; Jae-won, who always came to fix the broken boiler; Kwang-sik and Nam-jeong, who provided a fantastic meal; my brothers (Ki-jin and Eui-jin), who came to help with the feast and various tasks despite their busy schedules; and all those who prayed for us with love from around the world. Each day was truly a heartwarming experience filled with gratitude, as I saw how God abundantly filled L’Abri’s challenging situation with many wonderful people.

Despite the boilers breaking down while accommodating a large number of guests, thankfully, not a single student complained about being cold. Instead, the vivid images of their smiling faces, even in this situation, saying they considered it a memorable experience, fill my heart with emotion. Students made comments such as, “I experienced heaven here,” and “I feel so loved.” Others said, “I didn't know reading the Bible could be so interesting,” and “I was able to deeply reflect on issues I usually put aside.” And when I saw students who had read Schaeffer’s dense book Escape from Reason come to L’Abri, their eyes shining with understanding as they realized how dualism had distorted their lives and faith, I felt a thrill. Although the circumstances were less than ideal, I earnestly pray that the seeds we clumsily sowed will bear fruit thirtyfold, sixtyfold, and a hundredfold through these precious souls.

Third, God is the one who provides honest answers to honest questions.

During the third and fourth weeks of the students’ visit, we asked the students to write down their questions and reflect on them for three days and two nights. Interestingly, their concerns were remarkably similar to the questions asked by the adults who visited L’Abri earlier this year. If you were to sit down with one of these students, what kind of conversation would you have with them?

• Community: Church is boring. Do I really have to attend?
• Relationships: Is forgiveness a must? What about waiting until marriage?
• Calling: What should I do in the future?
• Theology: Is suicide or boxing a sin? What is the relationship between God’s sovereignty and human free will?

Underlying each question was the intense struggle between the good desires given by God and the evil habits of individuals and groups. Romans 12:2 commands, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” The cultural atmosphere of this generation, which we must be wary of, is truly polluted.

The dualism that separates facts and values, and the expressive individualism that rejects external authority while absolutizing inner feelings, paradoxically craves external validation. When the cynical deconstructionism of postmodernism grows hollow, there’s a longing for the traditional idealism of modernism, only to return to cynicism again and thus resulting in a constant oscillation between the two. Ultimately, this leads to meta-modernism, which lacks solutions beyond short-sighted comfort. In this deeply rooted societal trend of trying to live without God and relying on other things, I pray that the L’Abri prayer family will also earnestly consider and live out biblical alternatives in their respective places.

Thankfully, the Bible offers vivid stories about how our hearts can be renewed amidst this confusion. This year, during our L’Abri Bible reading sessions, we primarily read the Gospel of John and the Book of Romans. For the four weeks that the high school students were present, we read the story of Nicodemus in John chapter 3 and the story of the Samaritan woman in John chapter 4. This was a time when the students experienced the greatest transformation. I'm sharing an adapted version of the discussion led by Sung-jun, edited for anonymity and readability. This discussion followed a time when I showed a few related paintings, and each person read a few lines aloud from different translations.

• Sung-jun: We just talked about paintings. If you were a painter, what scene would you depict from John chapters 3-4?
• Adam: I’d want to depict the scene in which Jesus is talking to the Samaritan woman! I always thought Jesus was strict, solemn, and serious, but he was actually very gentle. I'd express the woman looking at Jesus with adoration using pop art style, with eye-piercingly bright, vibrant colors!
• Bezalel: For me, it's the moment when the Samaritan woman tells the people of her village about Jesus. There are cynical people and people pointing fingers, but the woman doesn’t care and speaks with joy. It's a strange atmosphere in which people are wondering, “What’s up with this woman?” but still listening intently.
• Sung-jun: Ideas are pouring in! Everyone has a message they want to convey. The Bible is also a book that contains the author’s intentions. The Gospels, in particular, are an answer to the question, “Who exactly is this Jesus who died and came back to life?” What kind of person is Jesus in the text?
• Caesar: Well... I’ve heard that he’s someone who died for our sins.
• Sung-jun: That's true. But let’s try to find out for ourselves in the story, shall we?
• Caesar: Honestly... the fact that God, who is supposed to be this cosmic emperor, bothers to lower himself to the human level and explains things in detail to Nicodemus and the woman seems kinda humble and kind, like a “proper God.”
• Dinah: I think Jesus is someone who is “sincere in everything he does.” Even when he’s tired, he cherishes each and every weak and marginalized person, like the Samaritan woman, and engages in conversation with them.
• Sung-jun: If Jesus is so sincere, why does the conversation not flow smoothly and instead feel awkward? What is hindering Nicodemus and the woman from understanding who Jesus is? What is creating the tension?
• Esau: I mean, sure, Jesus speaks in riddles, right? (laughs) But Nicodemus? He’s frustrating. When Jesus said he needed to be born again, he asked, “Should I go back into my mother’s womb?” He was trapped by his own understanding and trying to force the words to fit his preconceived notions.
• Felix: Say that today and you’d get absolutely dragged. You’d hear, ‘Going back to the womb? Are you out of your mind? What is this, transhumanism?’ (laughs)
• Gomer: Nicodemus knew a lot and was “perfect,” but that actually became an obstacle for him. Conversely, the Samaritan woman was trapped by the problems and shame of her own life.
• Hannah: For me, it’s “familiarity.” Those of us who grew up in a religious environment tend to think, “Oh, I already know all this,” and dismiss it, but because of that preconceived notion, we miss the real message. Ultimately, I guess we try to become the masters of our own judgment.
• Isaiah: God simply wants “me,” just one soul, but we’re like people piling on heavy costumes, defining ourselves by what we have and what we lack, saying “This is me.” We need to strip off those wrappers to truly encounter Jesus.
• Sung-jun: These are excellent insights. We need to shed the clothes of pride and preconceived notions. When reading the Bible, I hope you first savor the joy of discovering who Jesus truly is, the “right answer.” It’s not too late to face the knotty theological questions after you’ve let the core message sink in.

The students were surprised that, unlike at school where they usually get bored after about 15 minutes of quiet time, at L’Abri they could spend two and a half hours engrossed in studying the Bible and discussing it without even realizing how much time had passed. I, too, sometimes find myself so preoccupied with pressing tasks or difficult theological questions that I neglect the rest and joy I am invited into. However, during these past few hectic weeks, God has repeatedly poured out renewed strength and love into me through his Word and through the people around me. Dear prayer family, are you perhaps pushing questions about faith and life into a corner of your heart? Are you postponing your moment-by-moment dates with Jesus, who is ‘the Answer Himself’?

Announcements

• Winter Term Opening: Open from January 12 to February 13, 2026. If you wish to visit, please make a reservation in advance via email (registration@labri.kr).
• Christian Worldview School Presentation Collection: In celebration of Christmas, we are sending the 2025 L’Abri Christian Worldview School Presentation Collection (edited by Jae-yong Shin, pharmacist) as a gift to our supporters. If you would like to read it, please contact us. The next Worldview School is scheduled for January-February 2027, so if you are interested in presenting, why not participate in the preliminary Zoom meetings in the latter half of 2026 and prepare together?
• Administrative Information: If you would like to receive prayer letters or year-end donation receipts via email, we would appreciate it if you could contact us via email (registration@labri.kr).

Prayer Requests

• Staff: Three workers (InKyung, KyungOk, and Hae-jin) and five helpers (Sung-jun & Mira, Tae-yoon & Hyun-ji, and Jin-kyung) are serving together. Please pray that God is glorified through each of our weaknesses, and that we may serve with humility and joy.
• Facility Safety: The boilers are old and frequently malfunctioning. Please pray for the provision of repair costs and for the safety of guests and staff during the harsh winter weather.
• Healing and Rest: Please pray that my mother (KyungOk) will be able to wisely balance her chemotherapy treatment, rest, and ministry at L'Abri.

I conclude this long year-end letter by sharing a portion of my mother's will, which she wrote before her surgery: “To my beloved family and friends... I hope you consider it the greatest honor to witness God at work and to join him in that work. Please do not waste time worrying unnecessarily. Let us pray that nothing will hinder our trust in God and that he will protect us from everything that tries to make us forget him or drift away from him.”

“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39)

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!

Yours,

Hae-jin

Translated by Ye-Jin Ahn