Last night, we visited a Mongolian BBQ. If you have never experienced this type of cooking before, google it and GO! You choose a type of meat; chicken, pork, beef or seafood. Then, you get a bowl with your uncooked meat in it. You choose from a salad bar style set-up all of the vegetables that you want. I chose chicken with carrots, broccoli, peppers, cabbage, spinach and zucchini. Next, I piled my overflowing bowl with noodles. Last, I added a spicy mustard sauce, some hearty wine sauce and another I'm-not-sure-how-to-describe-it sauce. To finish, I gave my bowl to the head chef who then threw it on the flat grill. It came to the table on the largest plate I have ever seen. The total cost was 11,000W ($9.40) with all of the proceeds going to North Korean defectors.
So, here's the awesome story. A South Korean-American moved back to South Korea about 3 years ago. He started attending a church in Ansan and became a Christian. He and his pastor have a heart for North Korea and all their defectors. They began fundraising in America and recently used the money to open this Mongolian restaurant in Ansan (where we live). They employ North Korean defectors, (people who have escaped NK in order to obtain a better life for their family's). One of the first employees escaped famine and poverty 3 years ago. A year later his wife and son joined him. Only recently could his little girl also escape to reunite their family again.
All NK defectors are given a unique opportunity in SK. The government sponsors a business learning and skills program where defectors are taught skills to help them acclimate to SK. They also have programs with churches that sponsor defectors in home-stays. Regardless, the average income for defectors in SK is still way below the national average. The pastor and chef at this restaurant are praying that by employing NK defectors in the restaurant, they will learn valuable skill sets that if and when there is reunification, the defectors could then return to NK with business skills that would be useful. Planning the menu was key to this endeavor. What food could NK defectors take back to NK and be successful with. Mongolian BBQ is just right. All the same ingredients in NK food with similar cooking methods.
The best part is that all proceeds are benefiting NK defectors, their families and their futures. Also, it aides the fight to reunify the pensuila and to bring the name of Christ to NK.
The world's most persecuted Christians live in NK...
PS...the food was GREAT!
I (Anlee) lead a girls prayer group at school that consists of about 10 girls. Every Monday these girls come to my classroom to pray over NK. Their hearts yearn to stand with their brothers and sisters and to see the injustices cease! Derek, the amazing husband that he is, is going to take this group of prayer warriors to dinner at the restaurant as soon as they finish their midterms. The girls are excited that they have others to stand with them in prayer for NK.
My sweet friend and bridesmaid, Mary Hooke, also has a heart for NK. So, in the fellowship of the body of Christ, would you guys pray over this ministry!
We hope to be regular attendants at the Mongolian BBQ here in Ansan!
Oh, and it's SPRING!
I know I'm long-winded, but we want to keep you updated on our lives here.
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