Feedback/Reflections and Appreciations from GBT
This content summarizes the feedback shared during an in-person follow-up meeting with participants of the GBT-WBTC English Tutoring Program and Coordinators Daniel Yoon and Gyoojun Lee at the GBT head office in Korea.
Every time a season ends, the Canadian tutors (missionaries and volunteers) and the Korean students (GBT staff) share words of gratitude and reflection. Of course, even though all can communicate well in English, there is inevitably a language barrier for Korean students when expressing themselves in Korean—the language of their heart.
This time, when Daniel Yoon and Gyoojun Lee, Korean-Canadian coordinators for this program from Wycliffe Canada, visited GBT, the Korean students shared their reflections and words of gratitude in their heart language, Korean, which enabled them to express what was in their hearts freely. It was such a rich and moving time of sharing that it made us realize once again, “Ah… this is why we’re serving the Bible translation movement.”
Coincidentally, the Canadian Church Partnership Team and their leaders—who had come to prepare for the GBT and Wycliffe Canada internship exchange program set to begin next year—visited GBT around this time and exchanged gifts.
Following WBTC’s gift of a painting to GBT, GBT presented a mint-condition used laptop computer for one of the Canadian tutors. Once Daniel shared about a retired missionary couple of WBTC. They used to serve as tutors for this program. But after their retirement, they had only one computer at home, which made it difficult for them to tutor together. Then, GBT generously donated this laptop to them!
Phoebe Kim, who coordinates this English tutoring program on GBT’s side, opened the meeting by sharing how zealously and eagerly GBT members participate in this program, and how deeply they appreciate the Canadian tutors. She also began by sharing her brief feedback, saying, “All the missionaries and volunteer teachers who are participating and serving are truly wonderful people. I’m truly grateful that, in addition to our own parents, we can learn from and be inspired by the lives of these forerunners who are leading the way!” Following her feedback, all participating GBT staff members shared their reflections and expressions of gratitude.
Jongmin Park
I’ve participated in this program for the past four seasons. I participated once with Paul and Doug, and twice with Hilda. First of all, I appreciated that we could choose topics freely without any pressure to follow a fixed curriculum. Each time, we would decide on a topic with the tutors, spend a week finding and reading the necessary materials, and then share our thoughts. The rich discussions on the topics were great. Still, it was even more rewarding to experience firsthand how our cultural perspectives on the same subject could differ so much throughout the process.
Yangin (Joy) Choi
I’ve participated in all eight seasons, except one, right from the very beginning. With each passing season, I felt more at ease, and it was always fun to connect with different tutors. Just last season, I participated with Libby, and I’m truly grateful for the time we spent sharing prayers and Scripture, exchanging stories from our real lives and prayer requests, and encouraging one another. Even though I wasn’t speaking in my mother tongue but English, it was truly amazing and a source of deep gratitude to experience fellowship through our faith—a bond of sisterhood in Christ—that brought tears of gratitude and emotion. The time flew by so quickly (everyone here agrees~!!) … I hope these precious gatherings continue, and I’m already looking forward to the next one.
Juyeon Lee
First, I recall how helpful it was to share various challenges and concerns related to raising children with fellow foreign missionaries in the Philippines, my first mission field. In particular, I was so grateful to Jeannine, the principal of Faith Academy (who is also a daughter and successor of Paul Meisner, Canadian coordinator for this program)—she truly cherished our children (Julie and Joshua) and cared for them with love. After that, my English communication was mostly limited to work-related matters, so I didn’t make much progress in my spoken English. Now that I’ve resumed participating in this English tutoring program, I’m not only improving my English but also rediscovering the joy of fellowship I felt before. I really look forward to these sessions, and it’s a shame there isn’t enough time—it feels like a whole season has already flown by. I’m truly grateful to all the tutors!!
Yu Jin Kim
Last season, I worked with Barbara. A friend of hers was going through a situation that required special prayer. She shared her prayer requests with me, and as we prayed together, I felt as though I had become very close to that friend in the Lord. It was my privilege and blessing to share those things with her so comfortably and without any pressure, and to pray together. (Editor’s Note: This shows just how much our GBT staff members are a blessing to our Canadian tutors as well!)
EungKyung Jun participated in 2 seasons with Barbara and Libby
English has been a major barrier for me since I was very young, and I’ve always felt frustrated when faced with it. (Editor’s Note: It was summarized very briefly here, but all attendees fully resonated with her as English studying curriculum in Korea used to be grammar-oriented only and not helping students listen and speak in real-life settings at all, all through their school years from Gr. 7 even up to their college years and afterward in their workplaces.) I’ve been studying with Libby and Barbara, and seeing how they continue to run the race of faith to the very end, despite their senior age, has been a tremendous source of strength and inspiration to me. As I listen to their testimonies—how deeply they live by prayer and the Word and how thoroughly they’ve prepared—I’m gaining great courage and strength to overcome this barrier to English!!
Hyunsub Choi
Before joining this program, I had tried private tutoring—such as paying $20 for a one-hour phone conversation in English—and thought I was doing pretty well. However, I remember feeling flustered at the start of the first season, when, during the group sessions, Korean-Canadian members of Wycliffe Canada and other Canadian tutors were conversing freely with one another while I couldn’t really follow what they were saying. Nevertheless, when I met with the tutors one-on-one, each session was so fascinating that an hour felt far too short—I truly enjoyed every moment with them. I’m also grateful to have realized that, over the past eight seasons, I’ve become increasingly confident and comfortable participating. Of course, I’m thankful that my English-speaking skills have improved significantly. I want to express my sincere gratitude to the tutors, volunteers and WBTC missionaries, who serve us so selflessly!
I worked with three tutors: one who taught grammar with great interest and attention to detail; another who spoke passionately and in depth about Bible translation; and yet another who was pure passion and shared so many wonderful insights. I am truly grateful that they each served according to their unique gifts! Furthermore, it was wonderful and deeply appreciated that they always asked about my family’s well-being and prayed with me!
Daehee Lee
I started this program to revive the English skills that were fading in my mind, and I’m grateful that it has allowed me to use English more naturally and improve my proficiency. As one of the leaders of GBT, I not only get worn out by the ministry, but I also feel a heavy burden whenever I have to make important decisions, and I often find myself weighed down by it.
However, through these sessions, I’ve received wisdom and insights from senior missionaries, along with plenty of advice and encouragement, and I’ve found healing and strength in our time of prayer together. Before I know it, time flies by. Meeting with these tutors is a way of living our future right now, and I’m grateful that it’s also serving as training to “finishing well”—that is, to complete one’s race of life magnificently!
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Everyone’s hearts were truly filled with joy, gratitude, and anticipation, and the coordinators on both sides were likewise overflowing with gratitude. Upon hearing this news, John Chiu, WBT’s Senior Vice President, volunteered to serve as a tutor starting next season. (John is also the driving force behind the internship exchange program, launched to enable GBT and WBTC to collaborate more actively and contribute more to the Bible translation movement.) We are grateful that the English tutoring program—which was launched to facilitate more proactive and effective communication between GBT missionaries in the field and those at headquarters with other missionaries in multi-cultural team or meeting settings—is unfolding with such rich and wonderful content!! Please pray for and support both sides as we work with even greater enthusiasm to develop this program further!!
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The Purpose and History of The English Tutoring Program
• Fall 2021. Martha Hong, a member of Wycliffe Canada, was serving alongside her husband, Albert—the current president of Wycliffe Taiwan—and ministering particularly to several GBT missionaries as a field-projects manager in restricted areas. She realized that if English communication could be made more efficient, the GBT missionaries could make a much more valuable contribution to the multi-ethnic Bible translation teams. With this goal in mind, this English tutoring program was launched through a collaborative effort between GBT and WBTC, with their coordinators, Park Eun-young, GBT’s overseas ministry director; Daniel Yoon; Gyoojun Lee, the Diaspora Engagement team of WBTC; and Paul Meisner, Volunteer Coordinator of WBTC.
• The program began in March 2022. We had the first two seasons in one semester, and since then, one season has been held each spring and fall, for a total of nine seasons through the spring of 2026. To date, each session has involved approximately 10 to 15 students and about 10 tutors.
• At first, the sessions focused on common topics related to the ministries and lives of missionaries in the mission field, supplemented by some English study. However, as students gradually came to prefer sessions centered on topics of their own choice, along with practical Bible study and prayer training, we have now shifted to a format in which tutors and students, divided into basically one-on-one classes or one tutor to two students when needed, freely choose their own topics and conduct the sessions as they see fit each season.
• Building on this wonderful sharing and feedback, the Wycliffe Canada leadership team plans to work even harder to provide more active support and to partner with us (this program) in the future.
Korean version link below
https://wordlovers.ca/missionnews/?vid=167
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