Love in Korea

Before week 10, during our last meeting, I asked my small group to complete a "Christmas mission" over break. The mission was to love on a stranger or someone who you've lost contact with over the years by performing a kind act for that person(s). The point of this is to break us out of our comfort zones and challenge us to love in radical ways. But ever since I've been in Korea, I'm ashamed to admit that I struggled a lot with this the first few days. The whole idea of trying to connect with people who don't even speak the same language as me, who I've heard so many "horror stories" about, who were raised in a completely different culture and mindset as me, was intimidating, to say the least. But I feel like God began to soften my heart for the people of Korea through two random encounters on one day this past week.

The morning of this day, I did devos at Angel in-us Coffee with Jamie and I prayed for God to open up wide doors for me to serve others somehow in Korea.
It's funny how God responds to prayers sometimes...

That day, I went on the bus by myself to Gangnam to meet up with Monica.

(Jamie dropping me off at the bus stop!)

However, I ended up on the wrong bus but I had no idea until the bus driver turned around, called me up to the front of the bus, and wrote down the directions for me to transfer to the correct bus. He kept trying to explain to me in Korean but I couldn't understand a word he was saying... I just kept nodding and smiling, too confused to react.

So I ended up getting off at some random bus stop in the middle of the freeway and walking across the street to transfer. But I was still very confused and lost, so I called Monica and she told me to hand the phone to someone at the bus stop. I went to the first lady I saw... and she ended up going on the bus with me to Gangnam, saving me the only empty seat on the bus while she stood next to me for the entire ride, getting off with me at the correct stop, and walking with me for about 15 minutes just to find Monica at one of the subway entrances.

Because of the language barrier, it was difficult for us to communicate with each other and the only things I learned about her is that she is a journalist and she is 30 years old.

But I was seriously so touched by her openness with me and willingness to help me out, a complete stranger lost in Seoul. I really wished I could do something for her in return, but all she left with me was this business card.

After that day, I don't think I can ever view Koreans through the same eyes as before. Despite all the stories I've heard about how unhelpful, pushy, and cold Koreans are, I feel like God was speaking to me through my encounters with the bus driver and the reporter. How can I come to Korea trying to love on the people here if deep down, I am stereotyping and judging them in my heart? I came here expecting to serve in some way, but instead, I was loved on in the most unexpected way.