Vacation Bible School (VBS) was a time for the children to learn Bible stories and hear the gospel.
Korean Community Presbyterian Church of Atlanta paid a visit to Hope Mission Center located in Nicaragua's capital, Managua, from Feb. 2 to 7 for the 5th annual native pastors' training program, and the church's 9th annual short-term mission trip to the country.
This mission trip was made in partnership with Global Mission Alliance, Georgia Christian University, Carolina Korean Church, and a mission organization from South Korea, creating a team of 40 people: 31 from the U.S., and 9 from South Korea.
The pastors' training took place from the 3rd to the 5th with the theme, "Spirituality and Leadership (Acts 10:38): Creative Leadership by the Holy Spirit." The program also consisted of "women's healing ministry," and altogether, involved 10 seminars on 6 different topics. Of note, a "pastor's revival night" took place every night during the program, during which 500 native pastors and pastor couples gathered.
Reverends Insoo Jung and Chang-Hwan Kim led the pastors' training program. Jung discussed the various characteristics of the Holy Spirit: that he is a personal being, a counselor who rebukes and allows us to realize sin, and the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Kim focused on the Spirit as a helper, and how he reveals the secrets of God, sanctifies us, and empowers us to share the gospel.
The "women's healing ministry" portion was led by missionary In-Soon Jung and Sung-Hee Yoo, who shared their insight with women who had been relatively marginalized in society.
In-Soon Jung focused on the idea of reconciliation, and discussed "the foundation, the one in control (God the Father), the sacrifice (Jesus Christ), and the agent (the Holy Spirit)," and said that reconciliation happens on "a personal level, congregational level, national level, and ecological level." Jung also emphasized the healing that comes from the cross.
Sung-Hee Yoo used Proverbs 31:10 to focus on the theme, "A Virtuous Woman More Valuable than Rubies." Yoo said that women are on equal footing with men, and that women have been created and called to be man's helper spouse. Hence, a virtuous woman "treats her husband with goodness, trusts him wholeheartedly, lives vigorously, helps those in need, tends to herself to make herself beautiful, shares wisdom and the Lord's instruction with others, and is praised by others and the Lord."
"Just one virtuous woman who carries out God's will can save and transform her family, church, society, and even the nation," Yoo said.
Wednesday night's worship gathering was a little more special. The 4,000 natives who gathered were able to worship together with famous native singers, and see a special dance performed by the mission team. Sermons were preached by Insoo Jung and In-Soon Jung.
"Repent of your sins, receive Jesus Christ, and receive salvation and a blessed life," preached Reverend Jung. Many of those who listened to Reverend Jung were struggling with addiction to alcohol, and they experienced the presence of the Holy Spirit and his transforming power during the time of prayer.
Some 500 youth decided to receive Christ at one of the worship gatherings during the program at Hope Mission Center in Nicaragua.
In-Soon Jung targeted his sermon towards the teenagers and youth, and after his message, he asked those who wanted to receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord to come to the front. Some 500 youth came to the front, and repented of their sins with tears flowing from their eyes. Reverend Jung and In-Soon Jung prayed over them as they came to the front.
Meanwhile, this collaborative mission team also did ministry on the 3rd and 5th at Yunhap Christian Mission Academy, at which they prayed with students, taught students violin and dance, and had VBS (Vacation Bible School) with them. The mission team also served the 500 native pastors with medical, optical, barbering, photography, and relief services.
The mission team of 33 also provided more practical services including barbering services for the native pastors.
On the 2nd, 4th, and 6th, the team went to Jesus Hope Church in Tierra Prometida, another countryside church in Los Trejos, and another church plant in Rivos, at which they also had VBS, prayed, shared the gospel, and provided medical, optical, barbering, photography, and relief services. The team also shared the gospel with 3,000 employees at a textile manufacturing factory in the area.
As this was the 5th pastors' training program and the team's 9th mission trip to Nicaragua, they were also able to see the fruits being made in the native pastors and residents over the years. This year, too, they were able to see pastors being filled with and led by the Holy Spirit, leaders being established, and the vision of God's kingdom being fulfilled.
