%PDF-1.7 1 0 obj << /Type /Catalog /Outlines 2 0 R /Pages 3 0 R >> endobj 2 0 obj << /Type /Outlines /Count 0 >> endobj 3 0 obj << /Type /Pages /Kids [6 0 R 20 0 R 22 0 R ] /Count 3 /Resources << /ProcSet 4 0 R /Font << /F1 8 0 R /F2 9 0 R /F3 10 0 R /F4 11 0 R /F5 12 0 R /F6 14 0 R >> /ExtGState << /GS1 15 0 R /GS2 16 0 R /GS3 17 0 R /GS4 18 0 R >> >> /MediaBox [0.000 0.000 612.000 792.000] >> endobj 4 0 obj [/PDF /Text ] endobj 5 0 obj << /Producer (dompdf 3.1.0 + CPDF) /CreationDate (D:20251126044327+00'00') /ModDate (D:20251126044327+00'00') >> endobj 6 0 obj << /Type /Page /MediaBox [0.000 0.000 612.000 792.000] /Parent 3 0 R /Contents 7 0 R >> endobj 7 0 obj << /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 1284 >> stream xWێ6}Wc (\QwO-fۤk(<m1+Iu>cw eOŮE&g朙g1.f=ni_di^2axʸfca)=H F^a ~\> c%43򋽉_YQPČOa5rv3{~%9) f%@7'Foj\ Nf 1K朕01,oaP*Mt0Xt0VnY=ZZ!aҖ!x7Vlם&ktAGGE7F/{9ӑNaL`鶒Fchۄ8O@HF~*CxB;Sr'Zl$B\ AT;h8%R.sC MuntbZ+MqV!vEUA/i9M.%* 79Kpot)1pRлQS`NbE `"ިivIaV^T6p?P|з-E %/SV! kIHئ{KՅ,AL3DPS uyd=S,:E`rhb2>kz9E2HFKzRx}wn0pa2V!zM\g!W$E🔃yW}˭._^4hbR:2' ZБ8eiRJ`cKZOKrcw,_Ns{D\FajhHˋq~sux; f}yYYOq=+FHx/h> endobj 9 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F2 /BaseFont /Times-Bold /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 10 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F3 /BaseFont /Times-Roman /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 11 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F4 /BaseFont /Helvetica-Bold /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 12 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F5 /BaseFont /Helvetica-Oblique /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 13 0 obj [6 0 R /Fit] endobj 14 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F6 /BaseFont /Times-Roman /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 15 0 obj << /Type /ExtGState /BM /Normal /CA 1 >> endobj 16 0 obj << /Type /ExtGState /BM /Normal /ca 1 >> endobj 17 0 obj << /Type /ExtGState /BM /Normal /CA 0.3 >> endobj 18 0 obj << /Type /ExtGState /BM /Normal /ca 0.3 >> endobj 19 0 obj [6 0 R /Fit] endobj 20 0 obj << /Type /Page /MediaBox [0.000 0.000 612.000 792.000] /Parent 3 0 R /Contents 21 0 R >> endobj 21 0 obj << /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 1816 >> stream x}XM4ϯhUA8N ֲ|N8-ƶ$'*.%g& xKݯ_rsmNg&,뿶*|LwtbIy!2sڪVO~}M%V*˯ΨQ[IL$5m'`|'=xՉ$V]>Kl>*ALhL:3E :z;3"l%4w 8a? v u y&5<2>deQ$~;)݂=UNţOƺN"Fr#Vuš I$QCM8ȩ`A [eM{R'=ҩSVpN) 0[5 bΰ9 .@OuwFLX'a+z`6zpZ4OUjlly8;ڥ"[KQ)訝*'FoLsPI_;̦A狍Fdzq!fM'v1r4Uz<r y~R-2Oqil0V2wȻF<>JY,jQW) K^:ЂꝲvjyoP4V{D UcǼmQqP"C sGBҳ  A =}Ȇ:r"Vf-U:kcnVuV$.j`j咘ZU_N³jbFқ\<#5dAP讳"43#g1hY*;u SQ3;Ȫ̱pRJ)6\3 +vIn>o^i2!w_0S`\7BE8XyN"6S(SQ*yCҞrRKQ-SMY:"ԙN!,W='bd%GFЬSXoRdu[F[cC\"@;p#N\(S'9&gG:ڞAb.q &ߠr=SxEAB4 #'ױONzh0'CPހ CϽ N+]exlU1O | 4'؛O[U1ojTpE-=!`O,6.L!LyЍ101k!eoKy;VΡ%D |:kr0X1a\Oi1&'9U6zq\&!|Ѡ-ϋaN瓾FڡV HHd)} 2U.ėoL{w.N\#S aWO]2Rɹ}/SߟmLYA_ADMo`[kTBl _E\⃫DQEUiz#odZ5ئj vVe}ZgM3fOzCf6tsH~ A(_/?a\VfU]ZG?׏n# endstream endobj 22 0 obj << /Type /Page /MediaBox [0.000 0.000 612.000 792.000] /Parent 3 0 R /Contents 23 0 R >> endobj 23 0 obj << /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 250 >> stream xmN0{?ŔP %(NCVrXDBqBJAofov$27jhΨ9WΣw#zGƣ 0~z-N! n~:s3@fJST+Xz0qk~?l6SJW|?M]Q+g04D)_$e7)q9'5F,UNn;]*9$¿t$J%-YY嘲9KTi endstream endobj xref 0 24 0000000000 65535 f 0000000009 00000 n 0000000074 00000 n 0000000120 00000 n 0000000408 00000 n 0000000437 00000 n 0000000586 00000 n 0000000689 00000 n 0000002046 00000 n 0000002153 00000 n 0000002261 00000 n 0000002371 00000 n 0000002484 00000 n 0000002600 00000 n 0000002629 00000 n 0000002739 00000 n 0000002796 00000 n 0000002853 00000 n 0000002912 00000 n 0000002971 00000 n 0000003000 00000 n 0000003105 00000 n 0000004995 00000 n 0000005100 00000 n trailer << /Size 24 /Root 1 0 R /Info 5 0 R /ID[] >> startxref 5423 %%EOF Virtual corps becomes reality | Caring Magazine
Read Caring Magazine Volume 29

Vol. #29

Hope in Action

Read Issue

Latest Impact StoriesView All

Popular Topics

PopularView All

Virtual corps becomes reality

April 24, 2009
3 minute read
Total
0
Shares
0
0
0
Listen to this article

Hard work and miracles generate growth at Phoenix Korean Corps.

by Aeran Oh, Lieutenant –

Participants in Phoenix Korean Corps’ “senior college.” [Photo courtesy of Phoenix Korean Corps]

At training college, the name of my virtual corps was the “Nothing Corps”; it was located in Arizona, and I found its name ominous.

Then, when the officer’s marching orders were announced last May, a friend predicted that we would be appointed to Phoenix, Ariz. at commissioning. This made me sad for two reasons. The first was that my daughter, Michelle, had had a skin problem for 14 years that became worse in hot weather, requiring that she wear long sleeves. The second was that our son David would be a senior in high school, and we would have to decide whether to take him with us or leave him behind.

So, I prayed that this move would not be ours.

However, at the Service of Appointments, Commissioner Philip Swyers joked with us and said we’d be going to a place that had nothing there. “Your appointment is the Phoenix Korean Corps in Arizona,” he announced. It was very hard to smile at that moment. I felt like God hadn’t listened to my prayer.

After that, I prayed, “God, this is not my will but yours. I believe you have better plans for me and my family.” And, I trusted him.

A beginning
In Phoenix, we found a corps building that was not new and was not attractive. It would be our home, though, and our place for serving God and the community. On the first Sunday about 10 people, including guests, attended the worship service.

From the first week, we began to clean the corps and serve our members. I can’t explain where my strength and joy came from, but Kihyun (my husband) and I knew that God was helping and encouraging us to do this.

We visited our corps members’ homes and opened the senior center. It didn’t attract many members, so we tried something new: we changed the name to “senior college,” and invited them as college students…and about 40 seniors joined!

We started classes in exercise, computer, Chinese writing, and a golf class. We served our best, and encouraged community people to donate food and serve with us. All of the events became big news in the Korean community papers.

Kettle problems and success
During our first four months at the corps, our continuing burden was the Christmas kettle season. We had little experience, and asked God to help us.

We started with just eight kettle stands, and after the first day ended up with six—two had been stolen. So we prayed harder, and declared to ourselves that we can do everything through God.

Since we didn’t have money to buy new kettle stands, we emailed other Southwest officers, asking for any used or broken stands and kettles they might have.

The Glendale, Sun City, Phoenix Central and Maryvale corps gave us stands and kettles, which added up to 21 kettle stands. We received permission from other corps to use their locations in the morning when they weren’t using them.

A miracle occurred. For eight years, the average kettle income had been $10-18,000; last year, it was an amazing $27,000. But this year, it was $76,000.

More miracles
I’ll finish by sharing what God did for our family. As I said at first, there were two reasons I was sad about the appointment. Michelle wore long sleeves because of her skin problems. For the first two months, her skin got worse and we cried out to God. Now, her skin is healed and she can wear shorts and blouses. It is another miracle.

The other reason was our son David, who is a high school senior. A friend took him into his home for the rest of the school year and he will join us this June, after graduation.

Our virtual corps name was the “Nothing Corps” and God has sent us to the “Everything Corps.” God faithfully blessed us in an incredible way. I believe that though we do not have power to do miracles, in his hands we can do anything for his ministry and glory.

Download this page as a PDF

You May Also Like