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VOL. 15, NO. 13

NEWS

Conference youth prepare for trip to Korea

By Linda Worthington
UMCONNECTION STAFF

The flag of South Korea.

A dozen youth from the Baltimore-Washington Conference, their leaders and advisors are flying to Seoul, Korea, July 21 for a 10-day visit. The trip is the second half of a youth exchange that began last summer when 15 Korean teenagers spent two weeks in the Washington area. The Korean youth were taken to West River for a week of sailing camp, where they became acquainted with American teens, food, culture and language.

The exchange between the Southern Conference in Korea and the Baltimore-Washington Conference began when the Rev. Edwin DeLong, associate council director, and the Rev. Kee Woo Lee from the Southern Conference, met each other in 2001.

Lee accompanied the Korean teenagers last year. He is the chief organizer of the exchange for the Southern Conference and will greet the Americans when they arrive at Incheon International Airport.

Youth Trip to Korea Counselors and advisors Rev. Chi Bon Jang Rev. HiRho Y. Park Rev. Jong Woo Park Tom Price Rebecca Walter-Price Tim Warner Paula Warner Youth Dania DePas, 17 Emmelyn Patterson, 18 Angela Geer, 16 Jordan Warner, 15 Benjamin Warner, 13 Joia Daniels, 15 Joseph Daniels III, 13 Tegan Williams, 17 Kaila Williams, 13 John Young Park, 17 Julie Park, 17 Felicia Y. Park, 14

'All (the teens) going are involved with ROCK and CCYM,' said Price, including the Conference Council on Youth Ministries president, Dania DePas.

The trip promises to be a once-in-a-lifetime event for the youth who were selected from more than 50 applicants. The 12 young people are an ethnically diverse group with Korean-American, African-American and Hispanic teens among them, Price said.

Senior pastor, the Rev. Chi Bon Jang of the Eden Korean congregation in Baltimore, was instrumental in making the arrangements, Price said. On July 4, he will welcome the group to his church for worship as part of their orientation. After worship the group will have an opportunity to become acquainted with Korean food.

The Rev. J.W. Park, pastor of Fairhaven UMC in Gaithersburg, and one of the advisors for the group, helped to orient the youth on various aspects of Korean culture and history. He taught the teens a few words of Korean, such as the proper way to greet people and to say 'thank you.'

Park, his wife the Rev. HiRho Park, and their 14-year-old daughter Felicia will leave a few days early and stay longer as they return to their homeland. They will meet their families for a few days, then be on hand to introduce the conference group to their host families.

Activities in Korea include a trip to the demilitarized zone, a tour of Seoul, and a day of learning history and culture at a 'Williamsburg-style' reconstructed Korean town, Park said. They expect to spend at least half of their time in the Southern Conference area.

Conference Holy Boldness director Timothy Warner, his wife Paula, their 15-year-old daughter, Jordan, and 13-year-old son Benjamin, are also part of the group.

Trip expenses are covered in part by the conference youth program, and in part by parents and churches. The Korean Methodist Church hosting them will cover their daily living expenses while they are guests.

The youth will share some of their experiences in the UMConnection upon their return.