December Update...

I am absolutely amazed at how quickly time flies! It seems like only a few days ago that I wrote last month's update to you all; but, alas, it's been a whole month! God continues to bless our lives in a variety of ways, not the least of which is His constant and faithful presence in our day-to-day existence. I've been thinking more often lately of how peculiar it seems that God chooses to put so much stock in our relatively puny existence. Christian songwriter Michael Card put it this way in a favorite song of mine, "God shapes every second of our little lives, and minds every minute as the universe waits by." (The Poem of Your Life/1994 Birdwing Music). I realize that God doesn't view our existence as "puny", and that He does value us more than we could ever imagine. But isn't it marvelous that the Creator of the universe takes an interest in the most minute detail of our lives? I think it is, and if you would ponder it for a while I'm sure you would, too.

Concerning work, I am now getting between 25 and 30 hours a week at Durham School Services. With the Christmas vacation beginning next week, though, I will not be putting in any hours there for the next two weeks. I have been given a new student on my route, which is the reason for my hours going over 25. It also means that I have to wake up 30 minutes earlier now, but it's worth it. So, my schedule on Monday through Friday is roughly 5am to 5pm, with a few exceptions. I get up at 0500 to get to the bus yard by 0600 and start my route by 0630. I'm done with my morning route usually by 0900, and I park the bus at the church to start my day in the office there. Then, on most days my afternoon route starts at 1400 and ends around 1630. I'm usually back home no later than 1700. The exceptions are that my students get out an hour earlier on Mondays, and I'm not required to work at the church on Fridays (so, I don't)...:) So, that roughly has me putting in around 50 hours a week, altogether, give or take a couple hours from time to time, and doesn't include any extra events at church or my responsibilities during church services throughout the week.

Dulcy reports that while home-schooling is still challenging from time to time it has most definitely smoothed out. She says that she attributes most of the stress it caused early-on to how she was going about accomplishing the work. She has since changed her routine and theirs, and it's now coming together much better than before. It's neither easy nor convenient, mind you, but now it's manageable. Michael's favorite subjects are history and science. David's favorite subjects are math and history. Katherine's favorite subject is Bible and anything that involves singing. When not schooling, it's hard to get the kids away from their Nintendo DS's that we purchased before leaving Korea. They enjoy playing against each other. Dulcy and I frequently have to tell them to "power-down" and find something else to do, and when we're able we play board games with them or some other activity. We often have some kind of church-related activity or get-together of some kind with folks from the church, too. They miss their friends in Korea a lot, but they are happy to be living here in California, too. The kids have recently discovered the wonder of houses decorated for Christmas. Usually, it's very loud in the car when we drive anywhere because of the arguing going on in the back seat over one thing or another. Now, it's still loud, but the loudness is all the ooohs, aaahs, and wows over all the houses decorated with lights and various other decorations. It is a joy to listen to them as they marvel at all the decorations...most of the time...sometimes it gets a bit too loud.

This is most definitely one of the busiest times of the year for church ministry. There is a ladies' Christmas fellowship tonight, a youth Christmas fellowship this Saturday, a choral performance of a Christmas mini-musical this Sunday (with a final rehearsal on Saturday morning), and a church-wide Christmas potluck and fellowship this Sunday evening...oh, and regular mid-week services on Wednesday night, too. God is good, though. The family I mentioned that has begun attending our church is becoming more regular, now, even after a move that requires a bit longer of a commute to church. Their youngest child, Josiah, has really attached himself to Dulcy, who watches over him when they are here, as he doesn't quite fit into the other age groups just yet. Their other two kids are fitting in quite well in their respective groups, too. Please Pray that God will continue to allow us to minister to this new family, and that they will become members of the church soon. Please continue to pray for the Bible study that Dulcy will be beginning in January. We hit a snag with getting the books ordered, and must wait until after the first of the year to order them.

In the next few months, I will begin petitioning the Christian schools in the area regarding a teaching position for next year. I am content with how things are working now, but Dulcy and I both desire to have the kids in a Christian school next year, and this is one of the only ways we forsee being able to afford such an endeavor. Specifically, I desire to work at Berean Christian High School, as this would provide free tuition for my kids to Walnut Creek Christian Academy, and when the time came, to BCHS. I ask that you would pray towards that end. It should also go without being said that we, of course, desire God's will to be done in this matter, and only want what is best for our family and kid's education.

Well, that's about all we have for right now. We really do desire to hear from any of you on a more regular basis. We completely appreciate how much all of you have prayed for us over the last year, and are completely humbled when we think of how God has so graciously answered your prayers through His various provisions for our family.

We wish all of you a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!

In HIS Service in Northern California,
Sam, Dulcy, Michael, David, and Katherine Healey
Mark 10:45

November Update...

I fear that I may have spoiled some of you with 2+ posts per month earlier in the year...:)

Time absolutely flies when you're having fun, if I may turn a rather tired phrase. We are definitely having fun, and we are also incredibly busy. Last Saturday was the first day, weekday or no, that I recall being able to do absolutely nothing but rest in quite a very long time. It was needful rest, too. I've been fighting a head cold for a good while, and the rest I was able to take on Saturday has finally kicked it for good, methinks. Even though we are busy, we still have opportunity to see God's hand at work.

I have begun my first bus route with Durham School Services. This is the second week that I have had full responsibility over it. I have 6 special needs students on my route, one of which is in a wheelchair, but he has been in and out of the hospital so much that I have yet to actually transport him to or from school. I don't transport all of them at the same time, as some of them go to a different school than others. This is giving me between 20-25 hours per week at $12/hour. I wish it was a few more hours per week, and indeed it can/will be in the future, but God's providence is so good. I wake up between 0500-0530 each morning, start my route from the bus yard by 0640, and then my morning route is finished by 0930. Normally, I pick the kids up from school at 1445 in the afternoon, and my afternoon route is usually done by around 1600-1630. So, I have all that time in between to work on church stuff, sending these updates out, or help Dulcy at home with the home-schooling, whichever is more needful that day. It is only a Monday-Friday job, too, which was needful for my responsibilities at the church. So, while it isn't as many hours as I was hoping intially, you can see how God has provided a job that works well with my responsibilities with the church, which is exactly for what we were praying...PTL!

A new family has begun attending our church during the mid-week services because they have 3 children, the youngest of which is autistic, and the church they are attending now doesn't have any provision for the autistic boy. This left the parents in somewhat of a dilemma, as the boy wasn't cooperating during the adult service that the parents were attending, which left them not being able to pay attention and not getting anything from being at church. So, they began coming on Wednesday evenings, and Dulcy and Katherine have been taking the autistic boy into the nursery to play and have a short Bible story with a simple activity, while the parents went into the adult service and their other two children took part in their respective groups. They came last night to our evening service on Sunday for the first time, and they repeatedly remarked how warm, friendly, and receptive our church has been to them. PLEASE PRAY that our church and its members will continue to be a service to this new family, and that they will find a new home here.

Our pastor is away at a conference with his son, David, and David's fiance. He'll be gone for a little over a week, which has me with the preaching responsibility next Sunday morning. I'm looking forward to preparing the message in the next few days as God has been working with me and speaking to me about a lot of things lately. I am excited to see what He will lay on my heart for the message. I am resisting the urge to simply put together a nice, quaint Thanksgiving message, but if that's what God would have me speak, I am willing. I noticed something out of the blue a few days ago...I am currently reading no less than 5 books, all of which are academically theological in nature! Those of you who know me know that this is truly something remarkable. I'm not one to read, especially in an academic sense, but God has given me the opportunity to study these various volumes, and I am happy to do so. Pastor Rushing 'expects' (that is to say, 'enables') me to use part of my church responsibility time for uninterrupted study, and for that I am truly thankful. It is refreshing to be able to sit at the feet (so to speak) of men like John MacArthur, Samuel Ward, J. Oswald Sanders, Charle C. Ryrie, and C.H. Spurgeon, as they expound the Scriptures, and impart their wisdom from so many years in the ministry.

Dulcy will be beginning a ladies' Bible study with some Beth Moore materials around January 1st. She and some of the ladies are currently planning the specifics, so PLEASE PRAY that they will be able to work all of those things out. We will be ordering the materials soon, so that they will be here on time to begin after the holiday season. Dulcy has also had opportunity to spend some time with a lady with which we play board games frequently. The lady has expressed an interest in doing more with Dulcy including joining the ladies' Bible study she will be organizing. So, pray that Dulcy will be able to be an effective minister in Christine's life, as she continues to spend time with her. Dulcy is also tasked with taking care of Josiah, the autistic boy of which I spoke earlier when he is here. So, pray that she will contiune to have new ideas each week for things he can do during their time together.

There isn't much news with the kids. They're all plugging away quite dutifully at their schooling. Home-schooling continues to be a challenge for our family, but the task is being done. PLEASE PRAY that the kids and Dulcy wil remain energetic and focused for their school time. Also, PLEASE PRAY that God would guide us in what He would have us do next year for schooling. Neither of us wish to continue home-schooling the kids. So, PLEASE PRAY that God will provide either a teaching position for me that will take care of tuition at a Christian school in the area, or lead us into some similar situation with similar benefit.

Well, that's about it for now. I welcome and encourage any emails with questions or comments from anyone. So, please feel free to email me, even if it's simply to say that you read the update, and are praying for us. That alone would be an incredible encouragement.

In His Service in Northern California,
Sam, Dulcy, Michael, David, and Katherine Healey
Mark 10:45

1st October Update...

Sorry that it's been a couple weeks since a formal update was sent out, but we've been busier than a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs! Some days it seemed as if the day was over before it actually began. Have you ever felt that way? It's been that way for quite some time for us, but the fact that we are in God's will is satisfaction enough for us.

I guess I'll start with the kids and homeschooling. The boys are plugging along steadily as they both work on their 4th Grade work. Michael is doing well in most of his subjects, except math. He's having trouble grasping multiplication and division. Please PRAY that he will be able to forcus more diligently on this subject, and that Mom and Dad will have the patience to give him the time he needs to grasp the concepts. He seems to do very well with both social studies and science, though. So, praise the Lord! David is also doing well. He seems to excel at penmanship, and math. He struggles slightly with science, though. So please PRAY that he will focus more on this subject. Katherine is having a blast with her video classes. Her teacher incorporates a lot of singing into each subject, and she LOVES singing! It's always a blessing listening to her sing along with her class. She's getting better everyday in every subject. It's amazing how quickly 1st graders begin to excel in each subject once the school year gets started. She's learning how to write in cursive, and she loves it because it's so "pretty".

My job situation is progressing steadily. I am now a substitute teacher for Berean Christian High School. In the last 3 weeks I've been called in no less than 7 times to fill-in for various teachers and subjects. I've had to say no 3 times because of a commercial driver's license course for driving a school bus, but they have been understanding and have continued to call me. This is providing some extra income to help supplement waht I am recieving from the church. The CDL course I am taking has a job at the end of the rainbow, so to speak. It is a 40-hour course divided into two parts, classroom and behind the wheel. I have completed the classroom part, and passed the required special endorsement and first aid tests with the California Highway Patrol. I've begun the behind the wheel training part, at the end of which I'll be required to perform a pre-trip inspection and driving test with the CHP. Upon passing those last two tests, I'll have a bus-driving job with Durham School Services, which specializes in transporting special needs students to and from some of the public and private schools in the East Bay area.

Church is going well, too. We've begun a kid's program on Wednesday nights using a curriculum called "Shout Praises Kids!" by Integrity Music. We only have 5 kids coming right now (including our three children), but they are all having a great time, and learning valuable truths from God's Word each week. Youth group is also going well. We're beginning a new trend with the group, though, in order to try and meet their spiritual needs a bit better. We're kind of focusing on discipleship with the core group, and opening up twice a month for evangelistic get-togethers to which the youth can feel more comfortable inviting their friends. Please PRAY that we will continue to meet the youth where they are, and not leave any behind. The worship services have all gone smoothly, and despite my having a sore throat for the last couple weeks, the congregational singing has gone very well. I'm going to be picking out music for our Christmas choir this week, and practice will begin on Oct. 25th. Please PRAY for this process, as this is the first time I will have ever led a choir in any capacity, and I'm quite nervous about it. We've also been ab le to have a good bit of nice fellowship with a good number of the members of the church. Just last Friday, we were able to get together with 3 other families at one of the deacon's homes to break bread and play some games. Next Sunday is a potluck and business meeting in the evening, so that will be yet another great opportunity for fellowship.

All in all, not everything is peachy, but we're so joyful at being in the center of God's will, that all the less than spectacular stuff becomes water on a duck's back. thanks so much for all your prayers and moral support. You've really no idea how much it helps.

In His Service in Northern California,
Sam, Dulcy, Michael, David, and Katherine Healey.
Mark 10:45

Another Update...

Not a whole lot is going on here in Northern California, except that it wasn't too sunny here the last couple of days. Last weekend's weather finally brought us some rain! Although it wasn't nearly enough to help with the current water shortage problem, it was definitely a time of refreshment amidst the last few weeks of quite hot temperatures in our area, and it was nice not to have to water the lawn for a couple days as it saved a couple bucks on our water bill. God is good! He's always good!

My two interviews last week went well. Berean Christian High School has added me to their list of substitute teachers. This is an important step as it has allowed me to get my foot in the door, so to speak. Now, I just hope that they will call me on a somewhat regular basis, at least as regular as the need for a substitute can get.

Another interview I had last week was with a company that contracts out to the local school districts to pick up and take home special needs children. I have been accpeted into the program which begins on September 23rd, at the end of which I will have a Class B commercial driver's license. So, even if the job doesn't work out, I will have obtained a CDL through it all, and they will have paid for it.

I am also waiting to hear back from another job at Pizza Hut for a part-time delivery driver and team member. This one isn't as lucrative as I would've liked, but a second job is better than no second job, no matter how you slice it. Logistically, I don't know how it will work with what's already been put into motion. For example, if Berean calls for me to substitute on a day that I'm scheduled to work at Pizza Hut, I'm inclined to tell Pizza Hut that I can't work there on that day, if the two schedules conflict. My thinking here is that ultimately I consider Berean the priority as it would probably pay better, and in the future it could lead to a full-time position at the school. The same is also true of the school bus position. I may be concerned over nothing, though, as I have yet to hear back from Pizza Hut. But I intend to be completely above board with the restaurant manager about this dilemma, should he call me back.

Still yet another possibility is a operator helper trainee position at Eagle Oil Refinery here in town. This one is the most lucrative position for which I am in the running (over $23/hour), but it is also the one position which will take the most time away from my church-work. I put in my resume and application on a whim, as most of the time, the kinds of jobs are swing shift positions, and I stated that I wouldn't be able to work on Sundays and certain evenings. Needless to say, I didn't expect to hear back from them. But I recieved a letter from them asking me to take a written exam on September 28th to see if I will be eligible to continue with the candidacy.

Needless to say, we covet your prayers in many different ways. So, please pray that God's will be done, and that He will provide us with undeniable guidance in the following areas:

1. My seemingly unending pursuit of a second job to fill the financial gap in my family's life. Right now, we are just barely keeping our heads above the water, but with David's dental bills and the lack of a steady second job, that won't be the case for much longer if God doesn't move. He didn't call us here to be left by the wayside. So, we're confident that He will provide, and the church has been very helpful in all of this as various members have been randomly helping with dropping off groceries or taking us out for dinner or lunch, and the church gave me an extra $500 this month to help out. Just please PRAY for us to remain patient for God's timing on all of this.

2. We have begun home-schooling all three kids through ABeka Academy video school. This was mainly a financial decision, as I mentioned in an earlier post. But even $222/month is tough on a tight budget, which is what we have. Additionally, though, I'm sure most of you know that home-schooling is no walk in the park with one kid, but with three, it's a feels like a daily run through the gauntlet for Dulcy. I help out when I am able, but for the most part, this is something that Dulcy is doing on her own. So, please PRAY that Dulcy will continue to have the energy, consistency, and determination on a daily basis.

3. I have begun a new kid's program at church on Wednesday nights. It's called Shout Praises Kids! and is through Integrity Music. Right now, we only have 5 kids in attendance, including our three, but it is a fun program, and one that the kids enjoy. So, please PRAY that God will have His way in the lives of the kids that are coming, and that is He sees fit, that we will see growth both in spirituality and numbers (in that order).

Well, that's about all I have for the Healey family right now. Thank you all so much for all your prayers and thoughts.

In His Service,
Sam, Dulcy, Michael, David, and Katherine
Mark 10:45

September Update...

Well, things are clipping along at a rather fast pace here in the East Bay area of Northern California. Since our arrival from Korea, we have been able to reconnect with both pairs of grandparents now, which, in a sense, solidifies the end of our transition back to the States. We still feel like this is some kind of wierd vacation that will soon come to an end, but realize that it isn't, and that this is our home now. Our minds are consistently going back to "Korea Mode", thinking about all we would be doing there at this point with getting back into the flow of school and what-not. We certainly do miss all of our friends and the students at ICS-Uijongbu, but are daily reminded and assured that this is where God has called us to be at this point in our family's journey.

My Mom and Dad came to visit about a week and a half ago. And while it was cut short because of Space-A travelling restrictions, we had a great visit with them. This was the first time since we moved to Korea that the kids had been able to spend time with their grandparents on my side, and the first time that they and Katherine had met, since she was born in Korea. We went to the Jelly Belly Factory over in Fairfield, CA, which was a blast. And we took them to the Golden Gate Bridge, too. I figured it would be a travesty to travel clear across the country to the San Francisco Bay Area, and not go see the Golden Gate. All in all, we had a great time of reunion, and we can't wait to spend more time with them in the future.

Speaking of school, we have decided to go with ABeka Academy Video School for the kids, and are going to begin that next Tuesday. It was a difficult decision to make, as it will put more responsibility on Dulcy and I for the kids' education, but financially, it was the only feasible avenue for action. With pastoral discounts at different schools around the area, we would have been paying approximately $650 a month for all three kids, which is a really good price, actually. But $650, compared to the $220 that we are paying with ABeka, is still a lot of money. So, we are trusting and praying that God will help us meet the somehwhat daunting task of home-schooling all three kids, and we know that He will.

I just recieved a call from Berean Christian High School, in Walnut Creek, for an interview next Wednesday, Sept. 9th, for a substitute teaching position. According to the principal and director, this would be a good way for me to get my foot in the door, for them to get to know me, and vice-versa. So, this is a big praise and answer to prayer. I have placed a total of 20 applications and resumes this week alone, and I have more to do today. Please continue to PRAY that God will guide me to exactly the right job.

We took David to the dentist yesterday, and got some pretty bad news. He's in need of a lot of dental work, and we don't have the money for it, even with our dental insurance. I'm going to be calling the dentist back today to see if we can cut back on some of the less urgent things first. The first hurdle they presented was that he needs a root canal. I'm kind of fuzzy on whether or not this tooth is one of his permanents or not. And if it isn't, I don't completely understand why they want to do all that work on a tooth that's going to fall out in the next couple of years. But this is why I'm going to be calling them back today. So, please PRAY that God will provide guidance and funds in this financial area, too.

Concerning church, things are going well. We are going to be starting a new kid's mid-week program next Wednesday. I also had breakfast today with one of the men of the church to talk about re-starting a Men's Prayer Breakfast each month, and I'm excited and encouraged that this is the Lord's will for the men of our church right now. Please PRAY that this endeavor will be a source of encouragement and spiritual growth for our men. The youth group, for which I am now leading the Bible study, is going strong. We have our meetings on Thursday nights, and so far they've all been a blast. The more important thing, though, is that we always have good discussion times that are somewhat deeper than the normal superficiality that sometimes seems inherent in teenagers these days. Please PRAY that this trend will continue.

Well, that's about it. I've got to hit the pavement to put some more applications in today, and do some reading and studying. So, thank you again for all your prayers and support, just keep it coming...:)

In His Service,
Sam
Mark 10:45

In Wenatchee...

Well, Dulcy and I (and the kids) pulled out of the parking lot at church Sunday night at 8:30, and headed north to visit her family in Washington State.  It wasn't my first choice to drive through the night, but all things considered, it wasn't a bad idea.  We drove until about 3am, and then I had to stop and sleep a bit.  We got back on the road around 4:15, and kept going.  We pulled into the Carlson's driveway around 1pm.  It was a good trip, but boy, oh, boy is Oregon empty!  Highway 97, which runs north from I-5 in California all the way through Oregon and straight into Wenatchee, is one of the loneliest roads on the face of the earth.

My father-in-law and I took Michael and David fishing today for King Salmon on the Columbia River here in Wenatchee.  Michael caught a 22 lb. one, and David caught a 22 in. one.  They had a great time, and it was a joy to see them having such a  good time.  

While we were out on the river, I caught two phone calls I wasn't expecting.  I got a call from Pastor Rushing to tell me that the pension check from Korea came in today.  Praise the Lord!  The second was a call from Costco there in Concord, trying to schedule me for a job interview.  I knew this was going to happen...as soon as I left town, I'd get a call for a job interview.  Well, I explained to her that I was very interested in interviewing for them but that I was out of town, and wouldn't be back until Saturday morning.  She said that she would call back on Saturday.  Please PRAY that if this is where God wants me that they will call back.

Tonight we're going to be feasting on the fruits of the boy's fortunes on the river today...grilled King Salmon!  Can't wait, either, 'cause I'm hungry since we didn't really have lunch today since we were on the river and all.

Well, that's about it for now.  I just wanted to let y'all know that the pension check from Korea had arrived, since I had asked prayer for that.

In His Service,

Sam, Dulcy, Michael, David, and Katherine Healey.  

In California...FINALLY!...Part Two.

It's been about a week or so since the last update, not counting the emergency update about my sister. Speaking of which, in case you didn't recieve the update about her that I forwarded to some of you, here's the latest that I've recieved from my Dad:

"Brittany had an MRI and ultrasound yesterday and records, images & lab results were sent to U of Md oncologists for a second opinion.
Though not all materials have been received & reviewed, yesterday's tests indicate that the original diagnosis may be erroneous. There is no indication of any tumors or cysts and the endometrial (?) tissue appears normal. A physical exam and new tissue sample are scheduled for Aug 4th. (Delay required to allow her to heal from the latest tissue sample). We're thankful for this news, but are quite bewildered at the specificity of the original diagnosis that led them to conclude it was stage 3, regional lymph node affected, tumors are 4cm, possibly inoperable, etc. Please share this praise and continue to pray for Brittany and her doctors.
I'll provide further updates as results unfold. Thank you so much for responding to our need with love, prayers, and emails."
Jack, Barbara & Brittany Healey

So, please continue to pray for Brittany. This latest news is most definitely encouraging, but the ordeal is not yet over.

By way of update, our car is at the body shop as I type. Indeed, this was supposed to be the last day it was to be at the shop, but I fear the repairs may take longer. But praise the Lord, we aren't having to pay a dime to have it fixed, or for the rental car in which they put us. God is good!

As far as how other things are going here in California, I'm very happy and pleased with our new ministry at Bethany Baptist Church. The people have all been incredibly loving, receptive, and supportive. Pastor Rushing has been a tremendous help and encouragement. God is blessing in my preparations for and leading of the worship services in church. And the area is simply beautiful, with many things to do and in which to take part. Dulcy has remarked many times how much it already feels like home (after only a month). God is truly confirming His call to us for ministry here time and again, and we praise Him for that.

That's not to say that all things are peachy, so to speak. Our faith is still being tested by some things that we had hoped would be resolved by now, and those are our chief items for prayer requests. Probably the biggest one right now concerns the pension money from the Korean Government that I was supposed to recieve upon our final departure. It was to be mailed to us in check form, and was supposed to arrive by July 30th. Well, here we are on the 29th, and it hasn't yet arrived. I've contacted the school's business manager, to see if she could double-check everything on that end, but have yet to hear back from her. It's only been a day since I emailed her, so I expect to hear back from her soon. But this is a rather large prayer request for us, as we were planning on using some of that money for enrolling our kids in school ($1000 for all three kids), and the first month's tuition ($860 for all three kids). So, unfortunately, until that money comes in, we are at a stand still with our kids' educational needs. Please PRAY that the money will come in very soon. We are going to visit Dulcy's family next Monday through Friday in Washington State, so it would really be good if it arrived today or tomorrow.

Moving on, another thing that we hoped would have been resolved by now is supplemental employment for me. The last two schools that I had as possibilities haven't yet come through. One of them would cost us up to $360 a month in gasoline alone because of how far away it is from where we live. And the other is still deciding on whether or not they are going to hire a new teacher. I am going to be contacting the one further away today, simply so that no stone is left unturned. In the meantime, I have begun putting in applications at other places, too. So far, I've applied at Barnes & Noble, Target, Toys R Us, WalMart, and Borders, and I plan on applying at the Post Office, Sears, and hitting a bunch of places at the mall today. The only problem I forsee with these secular places of employment is that I don't believe they will provide enough income for sending our kids to a Christian school. So, please PRAY that God will guide us as He already has in finding supplemental employment as it has direct bearing on getting our kids' educational futures lined-up.

While these two requests loom rather large on our emotional radars, we are increasingly confident that this is where God has called us. Pastor and I have been going out door-to-door two days a week for the last three weeks now, and have made some really decent contacts. It is a joy to work with Pastor Rushing and the others here at Bethany Baptist. There is such a strong love for God here, and a desire to see His Kingdom grow in our area. Dulcy is enjoying having a house to call home. She just remarked yesterday of this, and stated how much she loves having a house. And for the first time in a long time, I have an accountable, mentoring relationship with another Godly man. This has been an incredible source of encouragement for me, as I can share things with Pastor, and ask questions, and now that any response he gives is in love and confidence with no other agendas attached. Not that any relationship I've had in the past wasn't so, but I know that to be the case now, beyond the shadow a doubt. Pastor has taken me under his wing, is teaching and discipling me, and encouraging me in the ministry. I could not have hoped for more.

Well, I should be getting to the list of things I have to do today. this was one of the items on that list, so I am making some progress...:) I only have eight more things to do...:( But it is a joy to be in the service of The King!

Until Next Time...
Sam, Dulcy, Michael, David, and Katherine Healey.
Mark 10:45

URGENT PRAYER REQUEST...

This isn't the update I was expecting to be writing today, but it's much more important than what I had planned, anyway.

I just recieved a message from my Dad in Maryland that I needed to call them immediately. This is the first time that has ever happened, so I knew it was important. So, even though it was 11:30pm here in CA, I called him.

My family just found out today that my little sister, Brittany, has been diagnosed with 2nd or 3rd stage cervical cancer. At least, that's what I think he said. He was pretty groggy as I woke him up in the middle of the night. I know the '2nd or 3rd stage' part is right, as he said that multiple times.

The doctors had been watching something for the past few weeks, and it wasn't until today that they were able to determine that it is cancer.

Both of my parents are taking this news very hard, as can be expected. My older sister, Carrie, is thinking about taking a leave of absence from her job to go live with my parents, and help take care of Brittany through all this. She's a specialized nurse who graduated from Johns Hopkins, so the thinking is that she would be a good person to have with Brittany through all of her appointments and such.

I will be staying put here in CA for the time being. If her condition worsens, I will more than likely be looking into going there. But for all our sakes, I'm praying that won't be the case.

Please PRAY that God will see fit to heal my little sister. PRAY that God will grant the specialists she will be seeing next week increased wisdom and clarity of thought as they examine her case. Please PRAY that God will send an extra measure of strength, faith, and courage to my Mom and Dad. Please PRAY that Brittany will face this new foe bravely. She has a 1-yr.-old son, Bryton, and I'm sure this is a scary time for her.

Thank you for petitioning the throne of grace on all our behalves,
Sam.

In California...finally...PART ONE.

Well, I apologize for taking so long in posting another message to my blog, but it has been somewhat of a whirlwind since we safely landed in San Francisco. Pastor Rushing has been completely flexible with allowing us to become acclimated with our new atmosphere here in Martinez. The first couple of weeks didn't really incorporate many hours at church working, except for leading music and one opportunity to preach during the worship services. But this last week we went out and pounded the pavement on a couple days going door-to-door. We had a few good leads from that, so please PRAY that those we have talked to, and even some of those with which we just left brochures, would come visit the church, and find us to be the friendly, serving church that we are.

The flights over here from Seoul ranged from interesting to rather comfortable. The kids were entirely well-behaved for the most part. Michael was especially helpful as he just kind of jumped in when he saw we needed help with something, whether it was carrying something or just doing something with Katherine to get her to settle down. The most interesting part was when we landed in Beijing. Health and safety officials boarded our plane, dressed in full hazmat gear, and conducted temperature tests on all the passengers. Apparently, they were still on high alert for the H1N1 Influenza virus. Anyway, it turned out that a couple about two rows in front of us were registering a high temperature. So, they made everyone sit on the plane for around 45 minutes while they processed this couple. It was an exercise in patience, to put it lightly. Some passengers were quite upset about having to stay seated. One gentleman actually tried to leave, but eventually agreed to go back to his seat.

So, after we were allowed to exit the plane we were able to get through all of the checkpoints, take a quick bathroom trip, get a drink at one of the stores in the airport, and make it to our departing gate just as they were beginning to board passengers. So, we sat down and rested as the line dwindled, and were among the last few passengers to board. This flight, while it wasn't as well equipped as the one from Seoul to Beijing was nice enough. Fortunately, the in-flight videos were shows that the kids enjoyed, and that helped keep them occupied for the most part. They, and Dulcy and I drifted off to sleep a few times, watched videos or played games while we were awake, and generally had a rather relaxing flight. Praise the Lord!

As we exited the baggage claim area in San Francisco, we were met by Pastor Rushing, most of the deacons and their wives, and a couple other member families of Bethany Baptist. They were all waving American flags, and saying, "Welcome home, Healey family!" It was quite the greeting, to be sure, and something none of us were expecting. We loaded our luggage into Pastor's truck, and we were driven home by the head deacon, Lavoy Byars, and his wife, Mildred. When we arrived at our new home, everyone from the airport was waiting for us. They showed us around our new home, and I was amazed. The church family had donated enough furniture so that we needed nothing...indeed, there was even some furniture in the garage that they couldn't fit inside the house. And on top of that, our refrigerator, freezer, and pantry were all chocked full of groceries. We just made our first trip to the grocery store (to actually buy some groceries) two nights ago, if that helps you comprehend just how much they had bought us (and there's still much left of what they originally supplied). But there were still more surprises to come. After we had seen most of the house, Pastor Rushing led Dulcy and I upstairs to where our bedroom was to be, where we found Dulcy's mom and dad hiding in wait to surprise us! Well, the tears began to flow, of course, and I was so happy to see Dulcy so happy.

The next day, Pastor took Dulcy and I to the DMV to get our driver's licenses. I barely passed the written test, and Dulcy wasn't as lucky as I. But she has sinced passed the test...and to be fair, we were still jet lagging, and Dulcy more than I. So, then Pastor dropped us off at home, and we practically jumped right back into our car, and we went to set-up our bank account. We didn't have all the information we needed to set up the account, and Dulcy wanted to go shopping with her mom and Katherine, so I dropped them off at...you guessed it...Wal-Mart, and I went back to the house to get the rest of the information I needed to set up my account at the bank. After setting up the account, as I was exiting the parking lot, another driver backed into the side of our car, leaving a significant dent in the front passenger-side door (WELCOME BACK!). The driver admitted fault, and was apologetic. We exchanged information, and she immediately reported the incident to her insurance company that afternoon. We are still waiting to get the car fixed, as we haven't been given the full go ahead by the insurance company. But it has been inspected and the damage appraised. So, please PRAY that the insurance company gives us the go ahead soon.

Well, I think this is long enough as it is, so I will close this, and write its sequel either tonight or tomorrow. Thank you all so much for all of your prayers throughout this transition. We are incredibly grateful for them all.

In His Service,
Sam, Dulcy, Michael, David, and Katherine Healey
Mark 10:45

2 days and counting...

Well, it's Sunday afternoon, and the family is all at home resting. This morning's services at church were good. Sunday school was the last installment of a Bible study in Acts, and I brought a message in the morning worship service on the importance of good communication within and without the church. This evening one of our trustees will be preaching, and his messages are usually interesting.

After church tonight, we're going to head home, and get the rest of our packing done so that we won't have to worry too much about it tomorrow. Tomorrow already has a lot in store what with closing off accounts and finalizing bills and all. In addition to that, the bus drivers at the school are going to be moving most of the rest of our furniture out tomorrow as our apartment has to be vacated by Wednesday. By tomorrow night, I'd imagine that all we'll have left in our apartment is our king-sized bed (which is currently in our living room so that we can sleep under the ceiling fan in there...it's been REAL hot lately), the fridge, the oven, and the washer. Still a lot to be done, and very little time in which to do it.

A huge praise for us is that we found someone to take our cocker spaniel, and the family that has agreed to take him are real dog lovers. So, we know that he's going into a good situation, and will be well cared for in the future. This is a tremendous weight off our shoulders. We were ready to take him to the shelter on Camp Red Cloud, but really didn't want to, as his future would have been rather bleak had we been forced to do that.

Pastor Rushing and company have already begun moving the furniture that was given to us by various members of the church into our home. We're both very excited to be moving into a house. It'll be the first we've lived in since being married 12 years ago. The closest we came to living in a house is a duplex in Pensacola, Florida.

Well, not much else to report at present. Just keep us in your prayers as we still have much to do...but we're sooo close!

In His Service,
Sam, Dulcy, Michael, David, and Katherine Healey.

T-minus 8 days and counting...

Well, we have entered our last week in Korea. It's hard to think that this is true...but we're excited to be moving on. Our 7.5 years in Korea have been such a wonderful adventure full of learning experiences. God has taught us so much, and we're excited for what's on the horizon.

We've been able to use Google Earth to look around our new neighborhood a bit more in detail and we're looking forward to all the little things that there are to do around our new home. There's a waterfront park with walking paths, picnic areas, etc. just a few blocks away. The old-fashioned down-town area is even closer than that. There's an Amtrak station nearby, too, with trains that run north and south along the coast, and a couple others that run east. I'm sure we'll be venturing further than our neighborhood, but it'll be neat to have some things to do around the area.

David stole my thunder on Father's Day, this year, as his birthday fell on the same day. We had a good time at church in the morning where I had the privilege of preaching in Pastor Vasel's absence. I brought a message from Colossians 3 targeted at the Dads in the congregation as kind of a charge to do the right thing in their households. After church, we took David to Toys 'R' Us for a couple presents and lunch out. Then after the evening service we were invited over to my director's house, The Freel's, for an enchilada (!!!) dinner, which was totally a cool thing, and a great time of fellowship, during which we cut-up a cake, and sang "Happy Birthday" to David. It was a great day altogether.

Summer school is coming to a rapid close...too rapid for some of the students. Two students have already finished all their required assignments, but three are still working away. PRAY that they will get as much work done as is possible and pass.

Tomorrow, I'll be sending an application to Tabernacle Christian School in Concord, CA. They're looking for a 6th Grade teacher. PRAY that God will guide and direct this process. I have also been contacted by another, much smaller school that is looking for a teacher, too. This school uses the ACE curriculum, and it would be a one-room schoolhouse situation in which I would be teaching my kids and seven others. Please PRAY that God will continue to guide and direct our path.

We are not going to be able to take our cocker spaniel, Rollie, back to the States. From what I read online on the airline's website with which we are travelling, I thought we were going to be able to take him. I called to double-check, though, and because we are flying through Beijing, they won't allow us to take the dog. We've looked into transporting him on a different flight, but that solution had about a $900 price tag on it...not possible at all. So, please PRAY that someone will take him off our hands. He's a tremendously well-behaved and mature dog. One couple has shown a slight bit of interest, but we've not heard if they've made a final decision, yet.

Finally, continue to pray for us as we begin final preparations for leaving Korea. We're going to call a used furniture salesman tomorrow to have him come look at some of our furniture in order to possibly purchase some of the items. We've sold or given away much of our stuff to teachers that are remaining, but there are some other things that we purchased brand new out of which we'd like to recoup some money. We could use a little extra cash here in the next couple of weeks. PRAY that he would be willing to buy a lot and give us a fair deal in the process.

I'll do my best to post at least once more before we depart. I'm hopeful that it won't take too terribly long to get our internet set-up once we arrive, but I know that could take some time. I'll post again as soon as I can.

In His Service,
Sam, Dulcy, Michael, David, and Kathrine Healey.
Mark 10:45

Housing Secured!

Well, as the title of the post denotes, Pastor Rushing and company have secured a house to rent for our family. This is a huge answer to prayer! It's in an older part of town, he says, but that's not a big deal for us at all. We're just happy that we have a place in which to move as soon as we arrive. The picture is of the house itself. The trees kind of obscure a lot from street level. In all, we're pleased.

In other news, Clara, Pastor Vasel's daughter, has made a full recovery! All the tests they ran showed that she is perfectly fine. The doctors said that she had suffered a severe febrile seizure, caused by an abrupt rise in body temperature. She and her parents were able to return home yesterday afternoon. Thank you on Pastor Vasel's behalf for all your prayers concerning Clara!

Summer school is in full swing, now. The first day went rather slow, with most of the attendees seemingly still in shock that they had to be there. Today, however, they buckled down and got to work, with all them taking at least one of their tests, and a couple taking two. Some of these students have a lot of work to do over the next couple of weeks. Please PRAY that they will do their best and better.

Not a whole lot else going on right now. We feel like we're kind of in a holding pattern right now. There are only a few things left that need to be done, and all of them are small in comparison to what has already been accomplished. But please do continue to keep us in your prayers as those final doo-dads come together.

In His Service,

Sam, Dulcy, Michael, David, and Katherine Healey.

Transition Update...

Well, here we are with only 3 days of school left, and quite frankly, time can't go fast enough.  Tomorrow is the last day of final exams for the students.  Thursday is reserved for a service project day where students and their teachers go out and do something to help the community in some way.  A couple classes are helping clean churches, others have gone tracting at the subway stop near our school in the past.  So, that gives you a general idea of what Thursday holds in store.  Friday, then, if our final chapel.  During this chapel, teachers hand-out academic awards of achievement throughout the year, and student awards for teachers are given, too.

Next Tuesday marks the beginning of summer school which I am manning this summer.  It will last until Friday, June 26, taking me practically all the way up until we leave.  Being able to do this, though, is a huge blessing in that it helped us pay for our plane tickets back to the States.  It is not very laborious, just time consuming, and time is something of which I will have a lot.  Next week during the afternoons (after summer school), I will be helping my floor waxing partner for the last time as he gets started with the daunting task of waxing all the floors in the school over the summer.  Praise the Lord, though, that we will have some former students helping us move classroom furniture (the hardest part of the job, really)!  That will make the work-load much less than what it was.

I spent about 30 minutes on the phone with our car insurance company this morning getting everything ironed out for our coverage to start on July 1st.  We also decided to get renter's insurance through USAA, too, as doing so gave us a small discount on our car insurance.  Both of them combined only came to about $83/month.  So, it continues to be a huge praise that my Dad kept that going for us while we were here in Korea.

I heard back from both Pastor Rushing and Lavoy Byars, our head deacon, about the housing situation this morning.  They are both working very hard to find a nice place for us.  Pastor Rushing sent a link to a rather nice place, is in the right price range, but doesn't allow pets.  I told them that we trust them to make the right decision, and that not being able to have a pet wasn't necessarily a deal-breaker.  In all, it seems like they have a good grasp on the market, and we trust that God will help them make the right decision for us.  Please PRAY that God will continue to guide them through this process, and that they will find His perfect place for us before we arrive.

We are going tomorrow to sign-over our car to our good friends The Lowell's.  He was my assistant coach during the soccer season.  Please PRAY that all goes smoothly during that process.  With the language barrier, it's easy to get confused when talking about these kinds of things.  So please PRAY that everything will be good to go, and the time we have to spend at the office won't be long.

Well, that's about it for now, I think.  A bit shorter than usual, but I guess you need a break every now and then...:)

In His Service,

Sam, Dulcy, Michael, David,and Katherine Healey

Transition Update...

Early yesterday afternoon my Pastor here in Uijongbu strode into my classroom waving a white envelope over his head.  The wire transfer from Bethany Baptist came through, and we now have the money to pay the movers tomorrow!  Praise the Lord!!

I must admit, however, that Tuesday was quite a bad day for me, and for the first time in about 3 years, I was quite close to tears as a result.  It started on Monday night, when Katherine accidentally left David's new Nintendo DS at the activity center on Camp Red Cloud.  We realized she forgot it before we left post, but the manager locked-up and left right behind us, and we couldn't get back in to retrieve the gadget.  We even tried going to the MPs desk at the front gate, but they couldn't help us.  So, we headed home, double-checked all the bags we had with us to no avail, and then prayed that it would still be there in the morning.  I had a soldier friend of ours call the activity center first thing in the morning, and they said it wasn't there.  Knowing that we left it there the night before, and we were the last ones to leave, our soldier friend and I decided to go look for it ourselves.  We figuratively tore the place apart, looking under couches, tables, and chairs, and even going so far as to look under all the cushions, too.  We also checked the bathrooms, and all the trash cans...nothing.  It was nagging at me that we *KNEW* that it was left in there, and the guy running the place was acting suspicious.  He couldn't recall how many people had been in there in the less than 2 hours they had been open, kept making unsolicited statements like, "oh, those are so popular and expensive", and generally just sent the vibe that he was hiding something.  So, I questioned him for quite some time, an event that neither him nor I enjoyed.  Finally, I left rather convinced that he at least knew who had taken the DS, if he had not taken it himself, but having no way to prove my theory, I chalked it up as a loss.

Then, a couple hours later, Pastor went to check the bank to see if the wire had come through, and it hadn't.  This one kind of hit me hard, especially since I was already in a foul mood as a result of the morning's proceedings.  I was expecting it to be there and ready to go, and it just wasn't.  ugh...

Then, as I was leaving school for the day at 4pm, I stopped by the office to see what my end-of-the-year paychecks were going to look like.  End-of-the-year paychecks include pay-outs of unused sick-days, unused personal days, and our paychecks covering the summer months.  I was expecting to be free and clear by about $4,000, but I found out that I was mistaken.  Tomorrow, I'll be getting my June paycheck of about $1500, and then, next week on the 2nd, I'll get my July paycheck of about $1500 and the pay-out of my sick days and so forth which will only be about $400.  I was mistaken about where the money for our plane tickets was coming from, and I was expecting much more than just $400.  You may be thinking that all those figures added together still come pretty close to $4000, but the thing is, that's the amount I was expecting to have in my pocket while boarding the plane on June 30th.  Instead, that's the amount I have a month before I'm boarding that plane, and before a month's worth of bills.  I just took the paper, and walked home.  This was the moment that I was on the verge of tears.  I felt like my chest had been ripped open by some monstrous beast who was now wringing my lungs in its massive hands.

I went home, opened the door, left my shoes there, walked directly to the bedroom, and laid down.  It's not that I didn't want to talk to anyone, I felt like I couldn't without losing it, and that just wouldn't have been fair for my family.  I laid there, hoping that I wouldn't start crying, and finally drifted off to sleep.  I woke-up about an hour and a half later feeling much better.  It's almost as if God put me to sleep (not fatally, of course), so that my mind would rest.  The foreboding pressure that I had felt all day was gone.  Thinking about the days events still brought feelings of uneasiness, but nothing like what I had experienced earlier in the day.

So, where did I go wrong on Tuesday?  Or was this "simply" a barrage of attacks by the evil one and his forces?  I've not come to a conclusion just yet, but I am leaning towards the latter, rather than the former.  But as I've been reflecting on Tuesday's events, some verses have been brought back to the forefront of my mind, and I'd like to share them with you.

Concerning the misplaced DS, Matthew 6:19-20 says, "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal."  Yeah, yeah...I know...such an elementary verse and concept for someone going to be an assistant pastor, right?  Well, I don't know about you, but I am constantly in need of spiritual reminders, and I am constantly focusing on my surroundings and situations, rather than He who began a good work in me (Phil. 1:6).  And as I thought about these verses, more popped up. 

Concerning the wire transfer not showing up when I (!!!) expected it, Matthew 8:25-26 says this, "The disciples went and woke him, saying, 'Lord, save us! We're going to drown!'  He replied, 'You of little faith, why are you so afraid?' Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm."  There I was in my little ship on the tumultuous seas, pacing back and forth, while Christ was calmly sleeping.  Here's something to think about: the disciples thought that they, for some reason, needed to let their omniscient Lord know what was going on.  See, Christ wasn't freaking out, so that should've told the disciples that they didn't need to be freaking out.  The funny thing about this, though, is that Christ NEVER freaks out.  He is always in control, and since He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5), we should follow suit.  And really, my feelings about the end-of-the-year paychecks falls in line here, too.  As I look back at all the things God has provided for our family already, how can I legitimately raise any plausible concerns for the future?  Will there be rough spots?...probably.  Will the road always be comfortable?...probably not.  Either way, though, my God will still be at the helm and in control of everything...or He may be in the back of the boat at peaceful rest.  My job as a Christian, in both circumstances, is to only keep my eyes on Him, and follow His guidance.  Easily said, but usually done in difficulty, if done at all.

In short, rest assured, God is continuing to provide in His timing.  Please PRAY for us as tonight is the last night before the movers come.  PRAY that we will have everything organized well and ready to go.  Continue also to PRAY for the housing situation in Martinez.  PRAY that God will lead Pastor Rushing and others to the perfect place for my family and I.

In His Service,

Sam.

CRUNCH TIME OR REFLECTION TIME...OR BOTH?

Well, here we are at the beginning of review week at ICS-Uijongbu.  For those of you who may be unfamiliar with the term, "review week" is the week before final exams where you spend the entire week reviewing for what will be on the final exam.  If you're a non-core subject teacher like myself, who doesn't give final exams, it is a week full of end of the year preparations, and helping students put the semi-final touches on their final projects.

For the final project in my high school computer class, the students are tasked with constructing a 15-20 slide PowerPoint presentation on a Bible character of their choice.  I have one student doing a presentation on Moses, another doing the Apostle Paul, another doing Noah, and finally another student is doing David.  On Wednesday, we will begin listening to their actual presentations and I'm looking forward to hearing what they've come up with during their research time.

For the final project in my Digital Imaging class, the students are tasked with building a promotional and informational website on a new summer blockbuster.  They are required to draw upon every aspect of website construction which they have learned throughout the year, using the Macromedia Dreamweaver, Flash, and Fireworks programs.  It will be fun to see how well they are able to put their ideas and capabilities together.

The movers are coming THIS FRIDAY!!  It's still hard to believe that we are leaving Korea.  We've been in country for 7.5 years now, and it still feels like we've only just begun.  But God has different plans for our family, now, and we are totally excited to see what is in store.

I can't help but reflect on our last seven years, though.  Numerous questions flood my mind.  Have we done a good job?  Were we effective servants in the ministries of which we took part?  Have we had a positive impact on others?  Will we be missed?... And all of these questions, while I suppose they do have some significance and/or relevance, are focused on the wrong thing...us, or rather more pointedly, me.  While it is within our nature to wonder if we have done a good job and to search for some kind of reassurance, the truth is that there will be times that knowing if we've done a good job or finding that reassurance from a human source will not be possible.  I think God does that on purpose so that we will be forced to look to Him to find our peace and reassurance (Hebrews 12:2).  The simple fact that He is still at work in your life should be enough reassurance, and the evidence of His handiwork should be an eternal source of peace.  But often, it seems as though it isn't.  If we were all painfully honest with ourselves, we would all have to come to the same conclusion that *sometimes* we want that reassurance from our peers and/or authorities, and their reassurances are the only ones that matter at that particular moment.  It is an unfortunate  and shameful thing that we so often shun the very love, compassion, trust, and mercy that empowered us to do the work in the first place, in leiu of the temporal gratification that comes from peer or authority approval.  

I am reminded of a conversation that I had with one of my soccer players at the conclusion of this year's season.  He came to me after the tournament's award ceremony had concluded, and asked, "Coach, why didn't I get any awards?"  Now, you might be thinking, "Well, he must've been a bencher who hardly ever played."  But the opposite is actually the case.  This is a player who had played in all of our games, and started most of them.  He was second in most goals scored for our team, and he had a good number of assists, too.  And here he was, asking me, "Coach, why didn't I get any awards?"  My heart sank with the weight of choosing the right words to say.  It would've been easy to simply say, "Suck it up, trooper!  There's always next year!"  But I knew that wouldn't help at all.  In light of how I've been feeling the past few months concerning this very issue, I knew that would've thrown him off the deep end.  So, I looked him in the eye, and told him, "You've been one of the most reliable players on this team, and we couldn't have done what we did without you.  We are going to recognize your contribution to the team at another time, but remember this, you should play the game because you love playing the game, not for awards."  I went on to tell him that I understood what he was feeling, and that I knew that awards were always a good thing to get, but if we always play for awards, what happens when we don't get them?  Well, it turns out that he was awarded the Most Improved Player award at our school's athletic banquet, and he also recieved a varsity letter as a freshman.

Now I say all of that to simply say this:  In all your serving, striving, and ministering, make sure that you are doing those things for the right reason.  It isn't necessarily wrong, per se, to desire peer and/or authority approval.  But what do you do when you feel like you've done the best you possibly could've done, and your peers and authorities are silent, and all you have is a loving Savior standing in front of you with open arms saying, "Well done!"  Will that be enough for you?  I pray that it will be, and that it is.  

Just like I told my soccer player, we shouldn't be running this race for the awards at the end, although that is a promise God has given us.  And what a joy it will be to recieve that crown only to lay it back down at Jesus' feet in recognition of His being the only one worthy of such an award!  We should rather run this race with the power and ability that comes from a love for God which was fostered by His love for us.  We should desire to seek His pleasure in all that we say and do, not our own.  And as I sit here and write these things, I know them to be so true, and I still find them to be so difficult to practice.  And then I am brought to a verse that follows some of the most quoted verses in Scripture, Hebrews 12:3, "For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds."  It's so tiring, when we feel unappreciated, isn't it?  We need to realize though, that the only reason we feel unappreciated is because we are looking in the wrong place for that appreciation.  

In Youth Sunday School we've been going through Psalm 119 verse by verse.  If you want a good litmus test for how you are doing spiritually, compare your own spiritual life to that of the psalmist in Psalm 119, who writes this in verses 41-48, "Let thy mercies come also unto me, O LORD, even thy salvation, according to thy word.  So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me: for I trust in thy word.  And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth; for I have hoped in thy judgments.  So shall I keep thy law continually for ever and ever.  And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts.  I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed.  And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved.  My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes."  You see, if we were truly trusting and hoping in God's Word, and seeking after it, and delighting ourselves in it, we wouldn't fall to the desire for peer and/or authority approval because we would be consumed with the desire for God's approval alone.  My prayer is that we will endeavor to reach the place in which we are closely aligned to the words found in Psalm 119:41-48.

By way of update, the treasurer of Bethany Baptist wired the money on Friday.  Unfortunately, with today being Memorial Day, the bank on post is closed, and we have no way of checking to make sure that the wire went through safely until tomorrow.  My pastor here said today that he will check first thing tomorrow.  We are trusting that all is well, and that the transaction has been completed with no problems.  It never hurts to PRAY towards that end, though. 

Also continue to PRAY that Dulcy and I will be able to get everything in line and ready for the movers visit this Friday.  Since I am at school all day, this is more of a request for Dulcy's sake than my own.  She has given me responsibilities, but for the most part she has been tasked with getting things ready to go.  The movers will be packing everything for us, but we are setting things apart that are not going to be shipped.  So, simply PRAY that everything will come together in due fashion.

That's about it for now, I think.  Thank you all again for all your prayers and support.

In His Service,

Sam, Dulcy, Michael, David, and Katherine Healey.

Mark 10:45

  

Another Update...Already...:)

I got a few emails from Pastor Rushing this morning, and they each included some news that I thought I should pass along to you all.  It's always better to have the most information possible in order to know how to pray.

1)  The treasurer of the church in Martinez thought it best to go ahead and stop payment on the check that has been sent.  So, we will be sending him the information for a bank wire transfer today in order to get that taken care of as quickly as possible.  PRAY that the transfer will go through smoothly and quickly as we only have 8 days before we have to pay the movers in-full.  Praise the Lord, though, that the check did not fall into the hands of the wrong people!

2)  The house for rent that the church had found has officially fell through.  So, they are beginning to look at other options for renting and/or purchasing, whichever avenue will be the better financial decision.  We will be giving the church's address to the moving company in order to have our belongings sent to the church since we don't have a definite housing arrangement, yet.  This is God's leading, and we are sure that He has something better in store for us.  Please PRAY that those looking will be lead to God's specific will for us.

Thank you again for your prayers!  More to come as news avails itself...stay tuned!

In His Service,

Sam.

Transition Update...

Greetings, once again!  Life is clipping along at a fairly quick pace for us right now as many things are beginning to come to bear.  I was able to preach in chapel this morning and brought a message entitled "The Road to Change: A Song of Remembrance" from Deuteronomy 31.  It seemed that many of the students in the audience were very attentive, despite some technical difficulties early on.  PRAY that God will bless the message conveyed, and that it will be an instrument of change in the hearts and minds of those that heard it.  

David is off on a field trip today at the Korean Folk Village.  It's a place that is comparable to a place like Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia, where people there are all dressed in traditionally tailored clothing and are tasked with showing visitors how things were done in the 'old days'.  The kids always have a great time.  Katherine went last week, and when she came back, Dulcy asked her where she went.  Katherine said, "...to the Korean Smoke Village...but I didn't smoke at all, Mommy!"  It brought a smile to our faces, to say the least.

A few points of interest from our last update:

1) Remember that our refrigerator was on the fritz and it cost us $190 to fix it?  Well, our headmaster, Rex Freel, was gone at his daughter's graduation from Liberty University when it happened.  Last night, Dulcy mentioned it in passing to Linda, Rex's wife, and both she and Rex said we shouldn't have had to pay for it to be fixed, since it belongs to the school.  So, we are going to be able to turn in the receipt to the school who will then reimburse the entire amount!  Praise the Lord!

2) In our last update, I believe I mentioned that we were looking into insurance for our two vehicles, and that Pastor Rushing was helping with his contacts with AAA.  My Dad, though, contacted me, and stated that we should also look into USAA, as he has been keeping our account with them open these past seven years.  So, I contacted USAA, and our insurance with them will be nearly half what is was going to be with AAA!  Praise the Lord!

3)  The $2500 check from Bethany Baptist has still not yet arrived.  We are currently looking into varying alternatives to rectify the situation.  Please PRAY that we will have wisdom in deciding what to do should the check not arrive soon, and that the check is safe, and has not fallen into the hands of the wrong people.

4)  I'm not aware of any decision that has or has not been  made concerning the house in Martinez and the situation there.  So, please just continue to PRAY that God's will be done, and that we will be patient in waiting for His will to come to fruition.

That's about it for now, I think.  Once again, thank you all so very much for all of your prayers and support.  The last couple of weeks have really been difficult on us, so please don't forget us in your prayers.  They TRULY make a difference.

In His Service,

Sam, Dulcy, Michael, David, and Katherine Healey.

Transition Update...

Another week has bit the dust, and we are ever so gingerly rocketing towards our June 30th departure date with great anticipation and excitement.  Things here at ICS-Uijongbu have hit kind of a lull, in that there aren't a lot of extra-curricular things going on in which I am involved.  However, Dulcy is working hard with both homeschooling Michael and helping coordinate the Kindergarten Graduation Reception.  Katherine has also been sick the last three days, and has missed school so far this week.  So, that has added a bit more stress to Dulcy's week.  Otherwise, it has been business as usual.

The movers will be at our apartment in no less than 16 days (WOW!).  This is cause for prayer for a number of reasons.  PRAY that Dulcy and I will be able to organize things in the apartment so that it's as easy a job for the movers as possible.  Additionally, Pastor Rushing has stated that the church sent the $2500 check to us here in Korea.  And a week ago, he said that it should be here soon, if it wasn't already.  So, it's due any day now, but it must get here before May 29th, as we need to come even with the movers on that day.  Please PRAY that God's hand of protection will be upon that check, and that it will arrive sooner rather than later.

To add a bit of 'excitement' to our lives, the compressor on our refrigerator's freezer decided to go on strike last Friday night.  It wasn't until Monday afternoon, for various reasons, that we were able to get someone to come look at it.  It cost us $190 to have it fixed, as the entire compressor was shot.  Additionally, it was too late for most of the food we had in there.  So, our fridge looks like a bachelor's, now, but at least it works properly.  A PRAISE the Lord is needful here, though, because were it not for a unknown $100 gift from the school that Dulcy and I received on Saturday at the annual NICS Banquet for our five years of service, we probably wouldn't have been able to afford the repairs.  So, it was a subtle, yet welcome reminder that God is in control.

No additional word from Martinez has been recieved concerning the fate of the house for rent.  To specify the situation a bit more, the landlord's family wants to sell the house, but since it's currently a buyer's market, they want to wait, and they can't come to an agreement on whether or not to rent it out in the meantime.  While this could be a bit nerve-racking, seeing as how we are so close to our arrival, Pastor Rushing made an entirely good point when he stated that God will simply use this event to either confirm that this is the house He has for us, or that there is another place He has for us.  So, while we are tempted to ask the proverbial "why?", we are taking rest in the fact that this didn't surprise God.  The car, however, is up and ready to go, thanks to the generosity of an anonymous member of Bethany Baptist.  Pastor said the only problem with the car now is the fact the we aren't driving it, yet...:)  Another PRAISE, though, is that we have been offered and have accepted a 1991 Mitsubishi Mighty Max from another anonymous church member.  I asked Pastor to check into AAA insurance for both the Cadillac and the pick-up together, and the price wasn't much more expensive than for just the Cadillac.  So, knowing that having two vehicles is very near a logistical necessity for a family of our size in the area, we are trusting in God's providence and thanking Him for it.  Please continue to PRAY for the housing situation, though.

Health insurance is shaping up to be our most significant concern.  The common carrier in our area is Kaiser Permenante, and the least expensive HMO plan that they have available is a $30 co-pay/$1500 deductible plan for $579/month, which doesn't include dental.  That's big chunk of change considering what our salary will be from the church.  They also have HSA plans that are cheaper, but we have been advised by multiple parties that HMOs would be the preferred kind of plan for our family's potential needs.  As we have been reminded again and again, though, God is in control.  And where He guides, He provides.  So, please lift this matter up to the Lord in PRAYER, and ask Him to continue to guide and direct us in the right way for our insurance.

I have only one interview with a school upon on our arrival in California for possible supplemental employment.  I say "only" simply because I was hoping to have a few lined-up.  One interview is definitely better than none, though, so don't get me wrong.  I'm delighted to have the one.  Our thought patterns on this front go something like this...supplemental employment as a teacher provides an affordable Christian education for our children, it could possibly solve the health insurance issue, and it's what I've been doing since college, too.  But those are simply our thoughts, and His thoughts are so much higher than ours.  Pastor Rushing has asked if I would be willing to work a secular (non-teaching) job, should the teacher route not come to fruition.  He has some possibilities that could be potential avenues, too.  And while I am willing to do whatever I can to help provide for my family, teaching in a Christian school is my first choice, by far.  So, I am going to be recontacting the schools from which I have recieved no further communication in the next few days in order to determine whether or not those doors are still open.  Please PRAY that I will hear back from them, at least.  You can also feel free to pray that what I hear back is positive...:).  Ultimately, though, PRAY that God will definitively guide us into His will.

That's about it for now, I think.  Thank you all so much for all your prayers and support throughout this transition.  As an aside, I fully intend to keep these updates coming even after our arrival in California.  The reason I mention this is simply a reminder that we always appreciate your prayers, and they will still play an integral part of our ministry in California, even after our arrival.  Prayer is and should always be an indispensible part of the Christian's life.

In His Service,

Sam, Dulcy, Michael, David, and Katherine Healey.

Transition Update...

Well, Children's Day was yesterday, and it was a welcome day-off in the middle of the week.  We took the family down to the Electronics Market in Seoul to pick up some birthday presents, take in a movie, and just have a family day out and about.  Children's Day is quite a big thing here in Korea.  Near the Electronics Market is a place called the I-Park Mall, which has a large courtyard-type area where many different kinds of events are held.  Yesterday was no exception.  A large carnival-ish event was going on, and the kids all had a great time milling about trying out some of the various activities.

By way of update, I recieved an email from Pastor Rushing this morning.  It had both good and 'potentially bad' news in it.  The good news is that he is getting the car tuned-up and ready to go.  He said that it drives very well, and that we will enjoy it for sure.  That went without saying as far as I'm concerned...:)  The 'potentially bad' news is that the heirs of the landlord from which we were going to be renting the house have voiced some disagreement with the decision to rent it out.  Pastor Rushing is going to be talking with those involved this week in order to try and smooth things out.  He said that no matter what happens, the church will still find us a nice place to live, and not to worry.  Please just PRAY that we (they) will be led to God's perfect place for us, whether it be this house or another.  Also, whatever the circumstance, please PRAY that everything works out before the movers come on May 29th, so that there is no confusion upon delivery.

My Dad, Jack Healey, is interviewing for an instructor's position at his place of work.  My Dad loves to teach, and this is a position for which he feels to be incredibly qualified, and one that he would take great personal and professional pleasure in fulfilling.  His initial interview went well, as the panel was pleased with his presentation, preparation, and forthrightness .  Please PRAY that God's will be done in this process.

We are 'down to the wire', so to speak here at ICS-Uijongbu.  We have two more regular weeks, then one review week during which no new material will be given, and then finals week.  Unfortunately, 'down to the wire' doesn't mean that our work is done.  We have a lot of things to bring together in a very short time.  AP tests begin this week, which determine whether or not the students will recieve college credit for the course.  These are the culmination of an entire year's worth of preparation for these students and teachers.  Please PRAY that the students will do the best they can, and that the teachers will not stress too much over the outcome.  PRAY also for all the other students who still have all those final exams coming in the next few weeks, that they will put the right amount of time into studying as needed. 

Our son, Michael, just had his 10th birthday on Sunday.  We had a small birthday party at the church with his friends, then took him to Toys 'R' Us in the afternoon for his presents.  I think he had a good time.  We bought him an ice cream cake from Baskin Robbins which he had been telling us he wanted.  All in all, he seemed to have a very good day.

Well, that's about it for now.  Please remember us in your prayers as we continue to barrel towards our move to California.

In His Service,

Sam.

Soccer team finished strong...

Well, the soccer season has finally come to an end. The tournament this past weekend was a wonderful experience overall. Our boys came out in a furious fashion on Friday, posting two shut-out performances against ICS-Pyeongtaek (3-0) and Gyeong-Gi Suwon International School (2-0), thereby earning themselves a place in the tournament championship game. Saturday, during the championship game, exhausted from their two games the previous day, they still came out and battled the first place team, Korea Kent Foreign School. The game started off with an uncharacteristic misjudgement by our goalie resulting in a goal against in the 2nd minute of the game. Our boys battled back, and scored an equalizer in the 25th minute, and we went to half-time tied at 1-1. The second half was a scoreless defensive battle on both sides of the field, sending the game into overtime. Two overtime periods later, the score was still 1-1, and we were forced to go into a shoot-out. At the end of the first round of shooters, we finally found ourselves on the short end of the stick, having two of our shots blocked, and none of theirs. We came into the tournament as the third seed and finished in second. Our goalie, Michael Freel, was voted by the coaches as the Best Goalie of the tournament, solidifying him a place on the All-Star team. Our defensive captain, Japheth DeVries (a freshman), was voted Best Defensive Player by the coaches. Our team was voted by the coaches and referees for the Best Sportsmanship Award. Additionally, 3 of our players recieved All-Conference honors, and 5 players received All-Tournament honors. And both Japheth DeVries, and our team captain, Min Lee (a senior), made the All-Star team.

Just a few more stats to try and exemplify just how far God has brought this team from the beginning of the season: Including the games we played in the tournament, we allowed just 5 goals in our last 10 games, including no less than 6 shut-out performances. Comparatively, in our first 7 games we allowed a whopping 35 goals (three games of which were against Division 1 teams). Offensively, in our last 10 games, we scored 28 goals, while in our first 7 games, we scored a mere 7 goals.

Once again, thank you all so much for your prayers on behalf of our team this season. As I hope you can see from today's post, God answered your prayers in incredibly good fashion. It has been a tremendous joy to have been the coach this year. Is was laborious and stressful at times, but ultimately, God blessed in a fabulous way.

More information concerning our transition to California will come in another post later this week. Until then, God bless.

In His Service,
Sam.

The soccer season is all but finished...

Finally, we have come to the end of another soccer season here at ICS-Uijongbu. Our last regular season game concluded last night in a 2-0 win over cross-town rivals, Indianhead International School. The win put us in 3rd place for the division, a tremendous accomplishment for a team that started the season with 3 losses and 1 tie. Our defense and goalie have not allowed a goal in the last 4 games. That's 320 minutes of play time! Additionally, our offense has outscored the competition 22-4 in our last 7 games! In short, God has answered your prayers and mine, in that the boys have come together and played as a single unit. Thank you so much for petitioning the throne of God on their behalf!

We now move on to the season ending tournament on Friday and Saturday. We are scheduled to play our first game on Friday at noon. If we win that game, we will play again at 3:30 in the afternoon. And if we win that second game, we will play in the tournament championship game on Saturday afternoon. Our boys still have a lot of playing time left, so please continue to lift them up in your prayers.

We signed a contract with the moving company on Monday evening, and they will be coming to pack-up our stuff on Friday, May 29th, which is also when the rest of the shipping cost ($2,180.49) is due. Bethany Baptist is sending $2500 to help off-set those moving costs, but we will also need a good amount of money when we arrive in California for various other start-up costs, not the least of which are car insurance, health insurance, groceries, gas for the car...and the list continues. We won't have a paycheck from the church until the end of July. So, while the moving costs have been provided for, there are still other things that require God's providence. Please PRAY that all these details will be worked out completely, and ask God how He would have you to help.

For those who may be interested, our address in California will be: 4515 Grothman Lane, Martinez, CA, 94553. It seems so surreal that we now have an address in the USA once again. It's been so long since that has been the case. Praise the Lord for His goodness and care for my family and I!

That's about all for now. More updates will come in the following weeks. One last prayer request, though. I am experiencing very strong "withdrawal" symptoms. What I mean by that is that as we draw closer to our departure, I am having a harder time focusing on the task at hand. I am mentally ready to begin the new ministry to which God has called me, but I know that I also need to finish well and strong here first. So, please PRAY that God will help me to complete this work in Uijongbu well, while still being receptive to the things He is teaching me for my new ministry in Martinez.

In His Service,
Sam, Dulcy, Michael, David, and Katherine Healey.

Back in the saddle...

We have nearly a full week under our belts, now, after Spring Break. It has been a really long week, but we are back in the saddle again. We teachers came back to school on Monday only to find that our network was down, and only a couple teachers had internet access on their computers…and it was hit and miss for them. This lack of internet accessibility at school, coupled with the internet connectivity woes that we experience from time to time on our worn-out laptop at home, is the reason I haven't been able to send out an update in two weeks. I meant to take a break last week during vacation, but I fully intended to send another message out earlier this week, and couldn't. So, I give my apologies to you all for that.

Concerning our transition to California, we plan to call the moving company back tomorrow in order to schedule a time to sign a contract. At that meeting, we will have to pay 10% of the cost as a down-payment. At current market conversion rates that's about $242.16, which will leave approximately $2,180.49 that will need to be paid on moving day. So, that's the number we need to PRAY for God to provide. As soon as I know the exact date that the movers will come to pack up our stuff, I will let you all know so that you can be praying all the more specifically. We do have some promises from fellow teachers to purchase some of the larger things we were not planning to take with us to California. So, God is providing avenues of revenue, but it’ll take more than what’s coming from the sale of these items.

The only news I have from Martinez is big news...at least for us. I just got an email from Pastor Rushing this morning stating that the house will already have a washer and a dryer. So, those are a couple of things that we won't have to purchase when we get there! Praise the Lord! I haven’t heard back from any other schools in the area with which I have had contact. God is in control, and we trust that whatever happens concerning supplemental employment will be His will for us and our kids.

The soccer season resumes for the team today with our Homecoming Game against sister school ICS-Pyeongtaek. We’ve been practicing all week, and the guys are ready for their game tonight. Tomorrow, we have another home game against Gyeong-Gi Suwon International School. And our last game of the season will be on Wednesday, a home game against cross-town rivals, Indianhead International School. Then, Friday and Saturday next week will be our conference tournament, after which the season will come to an end. We have the possibility of finishing in second place, if we win these last three games. PRAY that our boys will do the best they can to finish the season strong.

David and Katherine have been having a blast participating in Spirit Week here at school. Each day has a different theme to it, and the students are all encouraged to show their school spirit by dressing up to the theme of the day. They both were chosen as having the best outfit in their respective classes on Tuesday and Wednesday. Michael has been participating as much as possible, too, and having fun at it. Today is “Red, White, and Blue Day” (our school’s colors), and I’m sure Dulcy will be up to her ears in face-paint, and who knows what else by the time the kids make it to school in the morning.

We have purchased a new laptop since last I wrote. I decided to go with a Dell Inspiron 1545. It hasn’t arrived, yet, but it is on the way. This is the first laptop that we have purchased brand-new. A big thank you goes to all those who prayed that we would find a good deal. We were able to pay for it in cash, which is a blessing in itself.

My pastor, Tom Vasel, and I have been running board game events on a couple of the local US Army bases in the area for the past two years, and tomorrow afternoon we are having a Memoir ’44 tournament. Memoir ’44 is a simple 2-player strategy game that simulates many of the battles fought during World War II. I mention this because we haven’t yet received much feedback of interest. It would just be nice if we had a good group of participants. Please PRAY that we would have some soldiers come out for this tournament. On a related note, running these events provides us with base passes, and we recently had to renew them. Mine has not yet been approved, while the others have gone through. PRAY that my base pass would come through quickly.

We’ve had a lot of visitors lately at our church here in Uijongbu. It’s been a blessing to witness such an in-flux of people. PRAY that God will continue to bring visitors and new members into our church. There will be a lot of tithing members moving away this summer for good. PRAY that UBC will continue to be a blessing in this community.

Well, that’s about it for now, I think. I know I’ve probably missed something, and I’ll have to include it in the next update. Thanks so much for all of your prayers and support. Both are greatly and completely appreciated. If you have any questions about our lives here or what they will be in California…or if you just want to say ‘hi’, feel free to contact me at samuelhealey@gmail.com, or Dulcy at buttercuphealey@gmail.com.

In His Service,
Sam, Dulcy, Michael, David, and Katherine Healey