Sunday, October 6, 2013

Fulfilling the Dream

North Korean mountains

Last weekend I had the honor of hosting my good friend Phil in my current country of residence. This being his first time in Korea and me only having been here for 5 weeks we had a very interesting time together. It was great he could be here. I only wish I had more to offer in terms of expertise. Thanks to my sweet Korean friends, Sunyoung and Woojeong, from Wonju, who were able to join us on our tour of the DMZ, we had a great time visiting Seoul.

And yes, by DMZ, I meant the famous (or infamous?) Demilitarized Zone that divides the North from the South.

What a unique experience it was. During the tour I was oft distracted by Phil, Sunyoung, and Woojeong as these are friends I rarely get to see. Phil lives in Japan and we saw each other about two months prior to this time, but only for a few weeks. Prior to that time, I hadnt seen him in over a year. As for the ladies, I had not seen them for three years. It was a great reunion. These are very special people to me. Phil is dear brother in Christ and a former roommate. Sunyoung is my former Korean tutor. Woojeong is a dear friend of Jacinta and mine. Both of these gals I had the privilege of driving to the airport for their flights back to Korea.

All this to tell you that while I was on the tour, I didn't fully realize where I was because I was in the midst of friends I was trying to catch up with. It wasnt until afterwards did I realize how close I was to North Korea and how for many years it was a dream of mine to visit the DMZ. Now that dream is realized.

Phil came back with me to Ulsan after our DMZ adventure. We had many late night conversations and one of the recurring themes was how blessed we are to do what we do and be where we are. I don't often think about this. It's good to take time to reflect. I thank God for where I am and what I am doing. I thank Him for the opportunity to visit the DMZ, but perhaps more importantly, spend time with friends from the other side of the world. I am a man truly blessed.

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