Update Tuesday - A Great Story

When Yuri was learning about Jesus, she realized that it was going to be a costly decision.  Yuri had a Grandmother that was Christian, but her immediate family was not.  In fact, she shared with us that her dad was an atheist and rather hostile towards the church.  To make a decision to follow Jesus would bring a divide into her family.  The words of Jesus in Matthew 10:34-37, including the notion that "the person who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me...", were very real words.  When Yuri eventually asked to be baptized my wife specifically asked about her family.  Yuri stated that she had come to believe the truth about Jesus and that there was already a separation in her heart.   Yuri was baptized and continued to be a part of our fellowship and to learn about Jesus until, for visa purposes, she needed to return to Korea for a few months.

A few weeks ago Yuri returned to Canada in order to continue learning English.  She is actually staying with us for the first part of her time in Canada.  One of the questions that my wife had for Yuri was what happened with her family when she to home.  Kim finally had a quiet moment alone with Yuri when she could ask.  What Yuri recounted was pretty amazing.  Yuri recounted that rather than being upset or hostile, there was evidence of a softening in his heart.   She has the opportunity to talk with him a few times about Jesus.  Most amazing of all was that she was actually able to attend church on two occasions at which both her father and mother joined her.  Something has begun in their hearts.

Perhaps the most touching aspect of her story was regarding her grandmother.  As I mentioned earlier, her grandmother has been Christian for a number of years and, as it turns out, she has been praying for her family for years.  Upon hearing that Yuri has come to faith, she got down on her knees and began to praise and thank the Lord for his answer to prayer.

Now that Yuri is back in Canada and living with us, we realize the opportunity that we have to not only continue to disciple Yuri, but to teach her how she might pass on what she has learned and become a disciple maker herself.