Mr. Pa

[Barb Bouldrey]

Today I spoke at our St.Louis Grace Korean church to teach them about getting involved in global missions. This is Mr. Pa (pronounced Po). He was an orphan at age 10 when his parents died. He was born in Korea.

A Nazarene missionary offered him a scoop of non fat dried milk for his gourd bowl. From then on, Mr. Pa attended services under a thatched grass roof, out in the heat just to get more non fat dry milk to take home and add water and have milk to drink.

That is where Mr. Po found Christ. He now lives in St. Louis and owns a Chinese buffet voted "Best Chinese Buffet in St. Louis" several years in a row.

He is a kind, joyful, gracious man.

[Sara Sheppard]

From the looks of things, Mr Pa only works at his buffet and doesn't eat at it. LOL

I see the joy in his face. Isn't it interesting to learn all the different ways people are "introduced" to Jesus by Christians stepping out and making relationships. :)

Sara

[Anne and Dwayne Hood]

So interesting Barb. You would probably, be more like I am, in starting conversations with people and then working it around to mentioning Christ. i would love an opportunity, to extend things like a little dry milk, or whatever to open up an avenue to witness, and win people to Christ.
We attended a Korean church in Memphis once, when we had a Marine stationed in Millington, and married to a Korean lady.

[Jean Johnson]

Thanks, Barb, for sharing about Mr. Pa. I lived about 12 years in Korea--first, as a young woman in the 1960s and '70s. Much of my work was with Compassion International which was deeply involved in working with a variety of Christian orphanages. Many years later I returned to teach English at the Korea Nazarene University in Cheonan (2003-2005).

It is my understanding that when Don and Adeline Owens opened up the Nazarene work in Korea in about 1954 that a part of their ministry in the aftermath of the Korean War was that of simply meeting the physical needs of the people. What a wonderful testimony that Mr. Pa was positively influenced for Christ and the church in this way! It brought back memories for me, of course!

[Barb Bouldrey]

Jean,

Then you worked with friends of ours, missionaries Tim and Mary Mercer. We went to college together and have had them in our home twice on their home assignments.

I am sure you have wonderful memories of your years in Korea.

Barb

[Jean Johnson]

Indeed, I knew Tim and Mary although, unfortunately, we didn't work closely together. It seems that they were in something of a transition period during the time I was there, and, later, of course, they transferred back to the States. During the time that I was at KNU they had a large number of international teachers, and, of course, the veteran missionaries, Bill and Gail Patch, were deeply involved in the work of the university. I believe they are "officially" retiring this year. God has and is doing a marvelous work in Korea.