After retiring as a secondary school educator, Chang Seung-jin has been volunteering as a Korean language instructor for over 10 years, teaching foreign students and native English teachers living in Korea. He holds a Level 2 Korean Language Teacher Certification and is a poet who debuted in 1991, publishing five poetry collections. He also served as the president of the Chuncheon Writers' Association. - Ed.

  Chuncheon Central Church (led by Pastor Shim Seong-su) operates a Korean language class that teaches the Korean language and culture to international students, native English teachers, and multicultural families living in the Chuncheon area. This ministry began 15 years ago and has continued, except during the COVID-19 pandemic, to support early settlement and stability for foreign students through counseling and scholarships, in addition to teaching.

  Over the years, more than 500 young people from over 40 countries have attended the Korean language class. Beyond language lessons, the program includes music classes such as singing hymns, playing Nanta (traditional Korean percussion), and singing folk and children's songs, as well as cultural experiences like making kimchi, canoeing on Lake Uiam, and cultural excursions to places like the DMZ, Nami Island, Andong Hahoe Village, Namsan Tower, the National Museum of Korea, and the Garden of Morning Calm. These activities not only help students appreciate the beauty of Korea and its culture but also allow them to feel God's infinite love.

  This spring, as part of the Korean cultural experience, the 11th group of Korean language class students went on a tour of the Blue House and Gyeongbokgung Palace. About 30 international students and native English teachers from 11 countries participated in the trip, which began early Saturday morning with a church bus ride. Most of the participants were master's and doctoral students from Kangwon National University and Hallym University, including a descendant of an Ethiopian war veteran and a married couple.

  Mr. Kwame from Ghana joined the tour with his wife and two young children, making it a precious family outing. Among the native English teachers were those from the United States and South Africa, working not only in Chuncheon but also in Yanggu and Wonju. Ms. Geunwol, originally from China, who joined the tour with her busy doctoral researcher husband, was amazed by the vast and beautiful gardens of the Blue House, which she had only seen on TV before. In the afternoon, the group visited Gyeongbokgung Palace. Although the rain made walking around difficult, everyone appreciated the opportunity to deeply understand the traditions and beauty of Korea.

  Several students who studied Korean language and culture at the Korean language class have returned to their home countries and are now working as professors. Dr. Vivek from Nepal gained popularity by posting fun and informative Korean language lectures on YouTube while attending the class. He was later selected as an online instructor for the Sejong Institute and continued to teach Korean online even after returning home, where he now works as a professor at Kathmandu University. Recently, he surprised us all by publishing a book titled Comprehensive Korean Grammar.

  Although these students come from different races and religions, they have  overcome the loneliness and difficulties of living in a foreign country through the Korean language class, experiencing the warmth of Korean teachers and the love of God. Seeing their tears of gratitude brings a deep sense of fulfillment as a teacher. Many couples who met through the Korean language class have married and returned to their home countries with children. A few years ago, I felt immense pride when I visited Hanoi, Vietnam, and saw one of my former students working hard as an interpreter at a Korean company there. I'm glad to have found a fulfilling path by contributing to foreign students and multicultural children within Korea, without having to go abroad.