Annyeong haseyo! (hello!)

Jarrod and I arrived safely in Seoul, Praise the Lord! We had a sweet send off at the airport with Jarrod's parents and my sister, Denise, with her two boys. It was a sad goodbye. Since arriving to Seoul, we have been staying in a hotel with lots of other YISS teachers, and are in the process of moving to our new home. It will be a little bit until we have internet access in our home, so please be patient as our updates are limited.
Praises
-Uneventful (but very nice!) flight and safe arrival to Seoul
-Seeing familiar faces from PFO in the airport and at our hotel helped to feel like we are exactly where we are supposed to be.
-Receiving a "welcome packet" from the school, complete with Subway/Buss passes, Korean won (the currency here), a calling card, yearbook to see what was going on in the school last year, and a variety of other helpful items!
-Exploring our home and neighborhood yesterday - we have a 3 bedroom apartment, and are looking forward to hosting whomever wants to come visit! We feel incredibly blessed with all that we have been provided with!
-Jarrod was able to reunite with his former Boss, Mr. Lee, and his family - who has already poured out love and generosity to us!

Prayer requests:
-Setting up our house to make it feel like a home. (wading through lots of korean products and finding what we need)
-Getting Internet in our apartment without much hassle.
-Adjusting to a new time zone
-Stephanie's visa would be switched over from an accompanying spouse to a work visa without difficulty.
-Patience with each other in this transition time.
-Patience in a language in which we have very little understanding
-that we would work to learn the language quickly.
Thank-you for your prayers. We hope to hear updates from home as you are able - we miss and love you all very much!

All our bags are packed, we're ready to go...

From accepting our positions back in May to wading through paperwork to training in Mississippi to saying our farewells to squeezing the last shirt in a 69.9 lb suitcase- the past few months have been quite... full to say the least.

BUT- the time has finally come where our bags our packed and we await our departure for Korea at 1:25pm on Wednesday. Denise, Stephanie's sister, has graciously opened her house to us on our last night in the USA, and fed us an excellent 'goodbye dinner' (amazing corn casserole)!

As I look back on all we've done to get to this point, I believe we have been blessed by God's guiding hand. There were multiple times where we thought we had finished our part in getting our Korean Visas, but then found out we still had more to do. And as we began again, it was great to see things fall into place- the people who helped us in the process and the timing of it all. By the way, we just got our passports back with our visas in them, today! (Yes, the day before we fly out!)

It has also been a blessing to experience the outpouring of support from those around us. Many people have committed to pray for us. This past Sunday, Stephanie and I shared about our trip with Shenandoah Community Fellowship (our sending church in Woodstock, VA); there, we were prayed over and received encouraging words, even from those we met for the first time.

The support has come from friends and family as well. People have have made us food, taken us out, given us money, shared there time with us, making continued memories with them- leaving us with the feeling that we are not alone in this endeavor. We have the support of so many.

We thank God for how He has brought these influential people into our lives. We know He blesses us through them.

"Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers." Galatians 6:10

Thank you for checking in on us- We look forward to sharing more of our experiences with you as we go to Korea. We'd love to hear updates from you as well!

Saying Goodbye

Our final days in the States have been dedicated to spending time with family and friends, sharing what we are going to be doing in Korea, and PACKING.  It is a bitter-sweet time as Jarrod and I are looking forward to all that is to come, but so sad to leave our loved ones.  I also said goodbye to my car, the "cherry car", as my youngest sister nick-named it 5 years ago.  I am glad it is going to great new owners! :)  We spent some time cleaning it up before selling the car... and 19 months after our wedding, I was STILL finding left over decorations from those nameless groomsmen that took liberties on the car.  I don't know what that says about my previous attempts at cleaning the car out or just the creativeness of those who desired to.. bless us... in this way.  It was definitely the gift that kept... giving? :) Hopefully Mom and Dad Puff won't have any surprises.

Here are some pictures of more "RAFT building" events:

Fun times with friends - complete with a mystic camp fire... look at that pretty blue flame!
Puffenbarger family get-together at Massanutten, celebrating Brooke's birthday and one last family event to goodbye.  We finally got in our "girls night" that was planned since last March! What fun!

 Cole family fun: early birthday party, visiting with grandparents and my sister's family, and spending time together outside around the house!

 These are sweet memories that we will take with us and hold dear to our heart as we look ahead.  It is hard to say goodbye.  Jarrod and I fly out tomorrow - I can hardly believe the time has come, but we walk forward with the knowledge and trust that the Lord goes before us and with us and will give us the grace we need for whatever we face.  Please pray for us in this transition, as we deal with grief and excitement, nervousness and anticipation all at the same time!  Pray especially that we will turn to each other and most importantly to the Lord in this time.   You have helped us by your prayers. 2 Corinthians 1:11

Visa update

We just found out that we got Korean visa numbers - what a relief! Jarrod and I will drive to Washington DC to the Korean embassy to get the visas stamped in our passport, and then we will be ready to fly out next Wednesday! Praise the Lord!

Building our RAFT

One of the most important ideas I have taken away from our time at PFO is that how you leave a place greatly impacts how you enter a new place. As I think about leaving Virginia, my family, my friends... I would be lying to say that it is without sadness. This is a bitter-sweet adventure, one in which Jarrod and I can look ahead and get excited about all the possibilities - but also that means leaving very important people behind. At PFO we were instructed that as we think about leaving well, to build our RAFT: Reconciliation, Affirmation, Farewell, Think& Talk. We were exhorted to reconcile any differences with others prior to leaving, take the time to say thanks and words of love that have gone unsaid, be intentional about saying goodbye and not leaving it until the last minute, and then to share expectations and what it will be like where we are going with others. Taking these steps empower us to leave without fear, anxiety, regret, or turmoil with relationships undone while walking ahead into an unknown future.

Since we've been at PFO, I have been much more intentional to "say what needs to be said" to loved ones, letting them know they are special to me, specific things I appreciate about them, etc -- and afterwards, I can't help but wonder what took me so long! Hebrews 10:24 says, "Let us continue to consider how to spur one another on in love and good deeds. " We are exhorted to spur one another on to love one another and do what is right... and how special it is to share with another what you see them already doing and how you appreciate their efforts, so as to encourage them all the more! As I have been taking the time to "build my raft", I have seen relationships grow sweeter and more intentional as a result.

Pictures of various "RAFT building" get togethers from the past week :)
4th of July Cole/Mayer Family Beach Vacation, Topsail North Carolina

The best advice I can give is to take time now to build your RAFT... don't wait until you are leaving those you love. Be intentional... what an incredible blessing you will find that you have both given and received!

Our newest family member!

Jarrod and I are proud to welcome Aaron Samuel Garcia to our family! We praise the Lord for our nephew and are so thankful that both mother and baby are healthy and happy!

Psalm 127

A song of ascents. Of Solomon.

Unless the LORD builds the house,
its builders labor in vain.
Unless the LORD watches over the city,
the watchmen stand guard in vain.

In vain you rise early
and stay up late,
toiling for food to eat—
for he grants sleep to those he loves.

Sons are a heritage from the LORD,
children a reward from him.

Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are sons born in one's youth.

Blessed is the man
whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame
when they contend with their enemies in the gate.

PFO completed!

It's hard to believe that the two weeks of our intense pre-field orientation is over!Honestly, when I first heard about PFO - that it was a required part of going to work at YISS - I was not thrilled. For me, going to PFO meant quitting a job I loved earlier than I wanted to, packing up and moving out of our house sooner than I would like, and taking time away from family and friends when we will be leaving them for two years - at least! I, rather arrogantly, thought that I had been overseas before - living and adjusting to Honduras well, and visiting and enjoying Seoul, S. Korea with Jarrod previously - and did not need training. Fortunately, PFO was required, so Jarrod and I made our plans to go... but in my mind it was solely to check it off of our "to do" list - and get us one step closer to our next job and adventure in Korea.
I was in for a surprise. PFO has proven to be an intense time of learning about the culture and school I will be entering, how to make the transition well - and ultimately learning about myself as you can see in previous posts.

Another unexpected blessing has been to get to know others that we will be serving with in Seoul. We come from a variety of backgrounds, but have a common bond through Christ and the call He has placed on our hearts to serve Him through international Christian education. It will be fun to see them in the context of Asia after getting to know them in Mississippi! We are looking forward to many shared adventures, mishaps, and memories that will come with living in a foreign culture.
While attending sessions in Mississippi, families from the Southaven christian community graciously opened their homes to host the NICS missionaries. We were abundantly blessed by our host family, the Hoods, who not only made us feel incredibly welcome in their beautiful home, but took time to share their lives with us, pray with and for us, and encourage us with God's Word.
Now as we leave PFO, I take with me many life lessons. As I continue to learn and grow both personally and as I relate to others in groups and in foreign cultures, I hope and pray that I will ultimately be molded more and more into Christ's likeness. I am looking forward to our life in Korea, excited about the relationships that have begun during our time at PFO, and am so blessed to be a part of this larger organization called NICS.

This picture is taken in the NICS found and president's office (Joe Hale) that displays where there are NICS schools around the world!

Jarrod and I are now back in Virginia and looking forward to seeing family and friends and making the most of the precious time we have left! We hope to see you!

Trials and Blessings

"Commit your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it to pass.

Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him;
Do not fret because of him who prospes in his way,
Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.
Cease from anger, and forsake wrath;
Do not fret - it only causes harm.

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord,
And He delights in his way.
Through he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down,
For the Lord upholds him with His hand."

Psalm 37 : 5, 7-8, 23-24

This past weekend we found out that we did not have all the paperwork in that we needed for our work visas, so after discussions with the organizers of PFO and our NICS home office placement coordinator.. and lots of prayer... we decided to leave PFO on Sunday morning to be in Virginia first thing on Monday morning to get our paperwork together. This was no small task. We had to get a rental car in Memphis.... make our way across Tennessee and up Virginia for a total of 12 hours driving straight through. We made to my parents house to make sandwiches for the following day and sleep for the night - and 7 hours later, we were up and headed to the County sherriffs office to get our background checks and fingerprints taken and noterized. It took 20 minutes and we were on the road again to our capital. In Richmond, we went to the Secretary of the Commonwealth's office to get an apostille for all of our paperwork. Again, we were in and out of the office in 15 mintues and back on the road towards Memphis and PFO. We drove a total of 26 hours (~ 1800 miles) in two days, and PRAISE the LORD for His watchcare over us in this quick trip. When we set out on this trip, we were unsure of how it would go and how long everything would take.... but it couldn't have been a smoother experience. Jarrod and I were able to discuss so much of what we had been learning and share with each other as we drove to make the trip seem to pass by quickly.


I am so thankful we were able to return to PFO as it has been some of the most valuable preparation I have ever received. It is life training for a specific purpose: to travel and live abroad in foreign cultures and interact with a specific people group, third culture kids (TCKs). I had never heard of TCKs prior to PFO, and during the presentation that introduced us to TCKs, I continually elbowed my husband and said, “see, this is why I am like this!” While I would not classify myself as a TCK, I realize that I was raised similarly as a child of the military, having moved all around the USA and attended different schools every year from 4^th grade-10^th grade, and thus am able to understand myself a little better. :)

We have also spent a lot of time discussing the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) tests - which both Jarrod and I were skeptical of. The tests were often referred to in our sessions which was unexpected and enlightening. At first, I thought it was a little silly to hold on and refer to these labels, until I started to see it as well. One of the more meaningful experiences was a simulation of a war experience where we needed to be in a "safe house" or risk being "killed" by rebels. It was really a lesson on coping skills in stressful situations - and we were placed in groups of 15-20 people and taken to a dark bathroom to sit for hours... with minimal contact and updates of what was going on outside, needing to make decisions on how we were to organize our group and interact with other group that was hiding out. During this simulation I found myself connecting and applying principles from the MBTT. I did not know anyone in my group, and I found myself quietly observing the dynamics of this knew group I was relying upon for safety in an uncertain situation. As we sat in the dark, I was overwhelmed by the sound of people talking, loudly. I heard comments like “we have to talk to keep our spirits up” and watched as some of the group members spoke to each with a volume that communicated they were going to do what they wanted to regardless of the fake “threat” or how many times they were “shhhh”ed. Whenever someone would enter the dark room – before he could speak – our group would begin to bombard the person with questions, demanding information, as if it was our right to know what is going on. I thought of one of our speaker’s statement that “Americans enter a foreign culture with their mouths first, TCKs enter with their eyes first”. Oh, that our group would wait, observe, and then judge what our actions should be in response to our environment. I found it very difficult to be a part of this group that behaved so differently than I would conduct myself. As I felt this rub against my own nature, I also realized that I am in no way better than those in my group just because I deal with the situation differently. I am not an extrovert and was fine to sit quietly in the dark, but that is my personality shaped from my own past experiences. I was able to step back and become more tolerant of those who were different from me. This experience helped me to realize how important it is to understand those I work together with, to know that our differences does not mean someone is doing things the wrong way, but that we deal with different situations in different manners based upon personality differences and past experiences. I hope and pray that I will be able to apply these lessons in my life and work together with all parts of the body of Christ for our common Purpose.

"There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good...
The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body...
The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!"...
But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it." ~1 Corinthians 12

Walkin' in Memphis!

Our time at PFO has not been all work and no play... so while the majority of our time is spent in meaningful sessions about cultures, teaching, and ministry abroad - we have had the opportunity to get out and have some fun as well! We explored downtown Memphis, attended a Redbirds baseball game (the farm team for the Cardinals), and went to see a production of the musical South Pacific. It has been a great time to get to know other NICS missionaries that are getting sent out around the world - especially those who are going to Korea with us. It will be interesting to transition with them into a completely different culture, especially after meeting them here in Memphis, but we are looking forward to it!

Our time at PFO is drawing to a close, and we will walk away with many lessons to think about and apply to our lives. We are so thankful for this time and training and look forward to sharing its impact on us as we continue to make preparations to leave later this month. Only three weeks to go!