In Seoul this summer, home of 13,000 North Korean defectors, the role of case manager has continued to be my main one, though I am teaching, with Pyong's fine translation, three days a week also. There's an English class, a course on Foxe's Book of Martyrs, a leadership training class, even a praise-in-English segment that my wife and I share.

But just like at school, it's case management that takes up most of my time. Setting up meetings with North Korean defectors. Going to their homes or inviting them to the office for those interview meetings. Listening, sometimes hours at a time, while they tell their story to my dear Korean wife, and while she then translates and I write what I hear on computer or legal pad.

Soon after that it's back to the office to tidy my work a bit, put it in order, then send it on to Seoul USA for corrections. When the response comes back, sometimes it means contacting the person again for clarifications. The finished product is then put in a file to await its turn for visibility on this website or www.baekjeong.com or both.

Sounds like fun. I'm standing on the outside of this right now and saying, yeah, now that's a great way to live! Yes, it is a wonderful thing to be doing. But one of many things I had not counted on was the sheer power of sad story after sad story. This, combined to some aging complications I also had not anticipated, created a situation inside of me where I began internalizing most everything I heard. Insomnia. Stress. It was only a small taste of suffering, mind you, but by the grace of God I did get that small taste. I can pray with even more meaning now!

I know you are interested in hearing the stories, and I will soon return to them, but I wanted you to know every once in awhile about the blogger and his experience here.

As for Seoul, nice place to visit, but... Well, it's not a dangerous place, but it is so huge. I remember moving from Cincinnati to Chicago 20 years back and being so aghast at the size of the place, and how far one had to travel to get from point A to point B. Well, Seoul makes Chicago look like Peoria. No offense, Chicago, but this place is crowded! And everything is straight up into the sky.

Did I say sky? Will someone write me and tell me the sky is still there? Was Chicken Little right? Did the sky fall while we were out of the country? Is there a moon? Haven't seen it for nearly 6 weeks!

The city never sleeps. Always something going on. Always people moving around. I know America has advanced along that road quite a ways too, but Seoul fulfils the Biblical prophecy about people running to and fro in the last days even more!

Enough. Had to let you know. There is a real work going on. Mission is being accomplished. But it will be good to get back. To drive again. To sleep without the noise outside all night. To hear the fine language called English. To walk down the street without hushing people's conversations, and creating such awe.