How Far Will Love Go?
Apr 30
The highlight of 1987 for our family was the adoption of an almost six-year-old boy from South Korea named Chul Min Lee, now Lee Chul Min Carter. We all totally agreed to this decision of having a more hands-on experience with a needy child. On the other side of the world, Chul Min was wanting to live in a “fambily,” whatever that meant to him. After our home study was approved by a local children’s aid worker and after our move from St. Thomas, Ontario to St. Catharines, Ontario, we were asked if we wanted to continue with this process. Our answer was a nervous “yes.” In July of that year, we found ourselves anticipating the arrival of our son and brother to arrive at the JFK airport in New York City. Finally, a little Asian kid appeared in the waiting area holding his new father’s hand and a little Hot Wheels toy car. His siblings quickly jumped forward to give him a “high five.” Our love had gone from Canada to South Korea and back again.
When Lee was about 16, through the love from a money gift for a plane ticket from a church member, he was given the opportunity to revisit his orphanage in South Korea. His older sister, Sara and her husband Chris, had been teaching English in Japan. One vacation they travelled to the town where the orphanage was located. Not being able to speak Korean, with God’s hand of guidance upon them, they were able to find it and later returned with Lee. That trip meant a lot to him. He travelled back to the orphanage a few years ago with his wife, Melissa and their two children, Aiden & Sophia. They plan to take another trip next year. Lee’s best friend from his life there is now running the orphanage. And so, the love has continued to go back and forth.
God instilled a love for needy children in Myanmar several years ago in the lives of Thomas and his wife, Maven. This love caused them to develop pig and flower farms for regular income needs. Our charity, Kainos International Ministries, raised money for them to purchase land to build an orphanage. We are still raising funds for its completion and in this past week a happy dedication service took place for this new building. We eagerly await to hear how love has affected these orphans’ hearts now and in future years to come. (https://MyanmarOrphans.ca)
God has also instilled a love in the hearts of Gary and mine, along with Scott Lockhart, for the fast-growing community of Milton by attempting to establish a new church plant. We have encountered too many obstacles but somehow this love keeps growing each week particularly as we meet and interact with the servers at Swiss Chalet. They have lots of questions and when answers are given their response is very positive. They know nothing about the love God has for each one of them.
A favourite old hymn of mine is called The Love of God. It was written by Frederick Lehman in 1917 who had lost his business.
The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell.
It goes beyond the highest star
And reaches to the lowest hell.
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled,
And pardoned from his sin.
Chorus: O love of God, how rich and pure! How measureless and strong! It shall forevermore endure – the saints’ and angels’ song.
Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made;
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade;
To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.
Whether our love has caused an adoption from South Korea, the building of an orphanage in Myanmar or starting a church plant in Milton, we have no idea how much further that love will go. I am glad God is in charge.
Take care,
Wendy