We're Gonna Be Famous!

You may have heard or read that we were approached by our doctor at Samsung Hospital to take part in a Korean documentary on EBS (Educational Broadcast System), a Korean television network. We asked some questions to the doctor during our last appointment and decided we'd help them out by showcasing our lovely faces on their network. We're sure it will increase their viewership :)

Here are some questions we asked, and the answers we got:

Q: Are we the only couple doing this?

A: We are the only foreign couple participating. There is one Korean couple who is also in on the gig.

Q: How much of Jess's body are they going to show?

A: They will only show her stomach and her face. The delivery will be filmed from behind, and no private area of her body will be shown.

Q: Will this make the cost of our hospital bills go down?

A: Yes, the filmmakers are going to pay us for participating. We also heard the doctor mention the word "discount" as we were walking out of his office. We likey :)

So there you have it. Our little baby Micaiah is going to be famous the second she comes out of the womb. On a side note I, Russell, have been letting my beard grow as a vow that I wouldn't shave until Micaiah is born. Now I'm gonna be on TV. Should I shave? What do you think about the TV stuff? Comment!

School Certificate

Great news! For all of you who heard us speak last summer about the major dilemma our school faced this year, and for all of you who prayed alongside us, God has answered. After many months of going back and forth with the Korean government, having our hopes raised again and again just to be dashed again and again, we have finally been OKed with the Korean government. On Friday, they delivered the good news that we will get our certificate and International Christian School Pyongtaek will be able to hire new teachers (and they will actually get their visas) and the school will remain open.

God owns the school, God is in control, God wants kids' lives to continue to be touched, molded, and formed. Praise God!

Elizabeth, Sumin, and Jamie

Three students that Jess and I have both had the honor of teaching are Elizabeth, Sumin, and Jamie. After learning about evangelism in both chapel and Bible class, Jess asked her class if they had anyone they would like her to pray for because they didn't yet know Christ. Here was the response:

(Above) "Dear Mrs. Phillips,

Hello~ My grandfather was a Christian but know he doesn't trully believe in God. I'm going to help him and I need too. Can you pray for my grandfather? If you can, can you pray for my grandfather trully believing in God.

THANK-YOU :)

from your student, Elizabeth Ha

P.S. My family is praying for our grandfather and helping our grandfather believe in God too!"

(Above) My grandfather doesn't believe in God. I tried many times but he still doesn't believe in God.

-Jamie-"

"My dad doesn't believe in God and my aunt believe everything.

-Sumin-"

"Please Pray for them."

Our kids really care for their families. They really care for the unbelieving world. Please pray along with us and them for their parents, grandparents, and communities that are living in darkness.

Baby update

Yesterday we had another doctor's appointment at Samsung Hospital in Seoul. This was our second one. The hooked Jess up to a monitor with little suction cup thingies attached to her chest and belly- they were to monitor her heartrate and the baby's for a test called a Non-Stress Test (NST). Every time Jess felt the baby move, she was to push a button so they could see how the baby's heart rate changed when she was moving and measure how much stress she is under.

Apparently, the test measures contractions too. About halfway through, the nurse asked Jess, "Did you feel that big contraction?" Jess hadn't felt a thing. Afterward, the doctor looked over the test results with us and showed us that Jess had had 2 really big contractions, and a few slightly less significant ones. He said that it makes him worried about preterm labor (full term is 37 weeks, Jess is 33 as of tomorrow-Sunday). There are different kinds of contractions- false labor, and true labor. Doc said that Jess was borderline between the two. He checked her cervix for dilation, and asked her to come in next week instead of every 2 weeks. This of course makes Jess all super nervous, so make sure you pray for peace for her. We don't mind having the baby early, but we'd like to hold out until April 24th, at least. Jess's last day of teaching is the 23rd, and she will be full term earlier that week. Pray that Micaiah can hold on!

On a funnier/weird note, the doctor told us that he would like to use us in an educational television broadcast on the Korean TV network, EBS (Educational Broadcast System). We're not sure why he picked us, but they want to film our doctor's appointments, the labor, and the delivery. Not sure exactly what they're going to use it all for, but we told them we will give them our answer next Friday. What should we do? We're going to ask for a discount on our hospital bill, and what exactly they will film/show on the show. We'll keep you updated!

Pray for Lucy

This is Russ. I just want to let you in on a little of what goes on in some of our students' lives.

On Friday Lucy, one of my students, came up to me after Bible class clearly shaken. I asked her what was wrong and she told me that she wants to believe in Jesus, but her mother wants her to believe in what they believe in- which is a form of ancestor worship, close to Buddhism. I was quick to give Lucy the standard "no one can make you believe in anything" answer. I made sure she knew that just as I couldn't force her to believe in Jesus, her parents can't force her to believe in what they believe in. We also talked about how the Bible says to honor your father and mother, but that God is who you should honor first.

That was all well and good with her, but she was still upset. She said, "I know that, and I'm going to believe in Jesus. But, I'm afraid for my mom and dad because they don't believe in Jesus and I don't want them to go to hell."

I was floored. This is an issue that adults and more mature people deal with, not kids. Right? Wrong.

Sometimes I second guess my purpose for being here. Some days I try to teach them about loving Christ and how to live their lives and honor him, but seem to get nowhere. I still have students who give the standard Bible answer, but go on acting like little demons who don't care. But then Lucy shows me such maturity and such love, that it reaffirms my decision to come here, to be with these kids. Lucy and I talked more about her situation and decided that just like no one can force us to believe anything, we can't force her parents to believe in anything. But the good news is that there is a loving, faithful God who could soften the heart of a murderer on a whim. Lucy (in tears) and I decided that all we could do is tell them about Jesus and pray for them every day, and that maybe one day-possibly very far off- God will change their hearts and they will be delivered from the fate Lucy fears for them.

Man, I love my students. And I love my God. He has a purpose for Jess and I to be here in Korea, and He has a purpose for us in the future.

32 weeks and counting!

This picture was taken at 31 weeks

So, here we are at week 32 and we are getting very anxious to meet our little girl. I have been a lot more uncomfortable lately and the size of my belly continues to grow! We had our first doctor's appointment at Samsung Medical Center in Seoul on Friday. That is the hospital where we plan to deliver, and it was actually kind of exciting to go there and get familiar. We met our doctor, Dr. Kim, and are very thankful that he speaks English. We were told by some experienced friends to make some demands known upfront, such as: request that Russell can be in the room during delivery (otherwise they won't- Korean men aren't usually in the room, although it's getting more popular), a private room (Korean women give birth in a room with up to 3 or 4 other women beside them, also giving birth), and last to nurse the baby (otherwise they will whisk the baby away and start her on formula because Korean women tend not to produce breastmilk as readily for some reason, maybe it's their diet).

We have a couple other requests to make, and our next appointment is Friday, March 19, so we'll be making them then. Some cool news is that the baby is healthy, according to Dr. Kim, and weighs 4lbs! That'sa one big baby! She's in the normal range, but bigger than average. We're thinkin 8lbs at birth, any other guesses? Also, since we're doing a guessing game- when do you think she'll be born? Our due date is May 9th, but she's big- and my mom and sister both had babies at least a week early (moms were all 2 and more weeks early!). Whaddaya think? Leave a comment to guess!