Life Abroad @ Valor: The Old Man and the Mountain

On more than one occasion I have recently been told that I'm living in paradise.  There is no question that the mountains and valleys surrounding Valor are absolutely gorgeous!  From the stuning sunrises to the brilliance of the autumn colors through to the dazzling star-filled, moon-bright nights, God's creative masterpiece is consistently on display!

This morning, I had the opportunity of hiking once again up Bibongsan, the mountain on whose side Valor is located.  It's a steep, rigorous trek, but my young fellow teacher and Valor Bruderhof housemate, Indy, was eager to join me for this morning's exploration.

We ascended the mountain trail passing through the grounds of a family camping retreat that I like to call "The Shire" due to the resemblance of many of the cabins to the houses of J.R.R. Tolkien's Hobbit shire in the Lord of the Rings.

As we continued up the mountain along the path that took us by the deerpark where a graceful herd of about 30 Japanese deer are kept, we discovered a trail head marker beckoning us to venture along the way it was pointing as it promised to lead us, in only 2.6 kilometers, to another one of the many temples that make sacred the mountainsides of Korea.  So we struck-out on that foot-worn path in the spirit of adventure that had first prompted this day's saunter. 

The trail, though, was a bit more demanding than we had initially anticipated.  While at the beginning, we enjoyed a pleasant stroll along a nearly level path through the woods, we soon encountered a challenging steep climb as we ascended to even greater heights along the way. 

At the mid-point of the journey, we realized that our 2.6 km trek was going to require a great deal more energy than either of us had planned for the morning.  Thinking that we were merely going a short hike up and then back down our mountain, we had failed to bring along both water and energy bars to sustain.

We were greatly relieved to meet an older woman briskly hiking in the opposite direction who assured us that our hoped-for destination was within our weary but determined reach.  For at the summit of the next leg of our journey, we sighted in the distance an inviting pavilion where we could soon find rest for our souls.

As we approached the pavilion, we noticed that just beyond its shelter resided two gigantic bolders protruding out of the top of the mountain.  As we sat and rested under the pavilion's shade, my new friend and colleague, Indy, recounted an ancient Korean folktale that tells how these gigantic bolders came to be located on the tops of many mountains here.

For me, the bolders had but one purpose -- a seat for contemplation.  I took up my role as the old man on the mountain and pondered anew the persistent questions of life as we gazed around at the gloriously beauty of an autumn morning in the mountains of Korea.

These verses came to mind:  "I lift up my eyes to the hills.  From where does my help come?  My help comes from the LORD,  who made heaven and earth.... The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade on your right hand.  The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. (Psalm 121:1-2, 5-6)

Since my arrival again here in Korea, I have been challenged to look up to the hills, to the mountains, all the more as I realize how very much I am in daily need of God's help to motivate and fortify me for the new ministry role He has called me to engage.

This is indeed a wondrous land -- The Land of the Morning Calm -- where God is at work in the hearts and lives of many young people.  By His daily sustaining grace, I will seek to fix my eyes on Jesus, to ponder the path of my feet, and to encourage and strengthen those that God has called me here to serve.

Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again. (Philippians 1:25–26)