A rainy day in Seoul

Sometimes trips do not go as planned. We were ready for a nice warm day in Seoul to take an historic trip to a missionary cemetery and as you can see the rain came, and it came down very hard with lightening and thunder. We walked a few blocks from the subway station in a downpour and we were all very wet even with our umbrellas. It was still a good trip. We learned a little about the subway system in Seoul and took our first KTX ride. We travelled at a top speed of 300 kilometers per hour (186 mi./hr). We cruised into Seoul Station in about 35 minutes from Cheonon. The ride is very smooth and quiet. Since no one talks on the train you literally whisper in low voices to speak.

We also learned some history. This cemetery has very famous missionaries along with famous foreigners who helped to shape South Korea. David N. Clark writes in his 1998 book The Seoul Foreigners' Cemetery: A Informal History, "A walk along the cemetery paths is a tour back through the entire century of the Western impact on Korean life." I did not know the impact of westerners in Korea through the last 2 centuries. It seems that the west, and especially missionaries, have started some of the most prestigious schools in Korea. Much of South Korea has been built by western visionaries ("... Protestant mission families like the Underwoods, Moffetts, Adamses, Halls, Clarks, Mackenzies, Cranes, Lintons, and Kilbournes...."), who had a passion for Koreans and sought to improve their lives. They not only came to "save their souls" as we like to say, but they came to help improve their whole existence. You can contact Dr. Clark at: dclark@trinity.edu He mentioned to us that some of his material can be downloaded online. He also wrote Christianity in Modern Korea, 1986.

Not far from the cemetery is the church of the Martyrs. Pope John Paul II visited the place in 1984 and canonized 103 martyrs. As most countries, Korea has a very bloody history. The church has done much to stabilize the situation here. Many gave their lives for the cause of Christ and the gospel. On the rainy day we visited we saw other groups with umbrellas up visiting the historic place. It is quite moving when you see the children's graves and the names of those who gave so much for the Savior and for the people they loved. The rain makes the trip and the pictures more interesting, I think.

At a later time we will send you an e-mail invitation to view the Seoul picture album.