Testimonies: Susie Eng Tow, Gary Richardson, Martin Heese, Daniel Trevino Cavazos, Danny Parrish, Thuy Nguyen
Special Testimonies (Please feel free to email us your testimony and picture, so we can include it on our website.): Michael McFarland, Karen Tidwell
I was born in South Korea and came to United States at the age of 10. As a young child I was not very familiar with Christianity but as a teenager I was baptized in a church. Even though I have been attending church services I havenever really tried to learn the ways or words of God. This mission trip to Mexico was my very first mission trip. I could honestly say that I had no idea what to expect. I figured that I would go and just help Grand Master Shin with Tae Kwon Do. Well how hard could this be? I was so wrong! This mission trip was a huge eye opener and a great experience for me. I learned how to reach out to God through prayer with my mission group.
During our trip our group became closer than ever. We developed a special bond among ourselves. I have gained a little sister, my roommate, Thuy. There I learned that she lost an older sister many years ago so it was the perfect time for both of us. I have gained Christian brothers and a sister. I know that God has answered my prayers because once in Mexico I was able to relax and not be so nervous. As the day of our departure to Mexico drew closer and closer I grew increasingly apprehensive about the mission trip. I was very unsure of myself and my role on this trip.
After having experienced this mission trip I have a better understanding of love and life. All of this is possible because of God. God has blessed me with many amazing gifts in my life.
Once in Mexico I felt so much excitement everyday. I could not wait to see what each day would bring. I looked forward to meeting with the church members and to meet the villagers. Working with the children and adults was a huge joy. It was a very gratifying experience. They were always smiling and happy. They welcomed our group everywhere we went. Everywhere we went we encountered warmth and friend-liness. Though the people in Mexico were less fortunate than I, it did not seem to bother them at all. This made me realize how much I take for granted in my life and how I am very blessed with my wonderful life, my family and friends. After having experienced this mission trip I have a better understanding of love and life. All of this is possible because of God. God has blessed me with many amazing gifts in my life.
This mission trip was a tremendous and a very humbling experience for me. To have served God in a such a fashion was very rewarding. It will be a life long life altering experience. From this special journey I believe that if you just believe and trust in the Lord, he will give you the most satisfying and most powerful gift of all salvation. Have faith in God and all of your prayers will be answered. May God bless you!
When Grandmaster Shin ask Martin and I to go to Mexico on a mission trip, I thought that this is what God wanted me to do and I was excited to go. It was a great experience. Meeting the Mexican people who had so little in the way of material wealth, but were open to the improvement of their spiritual lives helped to improve my spiritual life, as well. The smiles on their faces, especially the children, reminded me that our rewards are not of this earth, but are made in heaven. I met some great Christians from Tennessee and the Mexican people were an amazing group of people. Pastor Kim’s and Pastor Park’s stories were inspirational. Their work is truly amazing and it is the work of God.
What in my life brought me to this place? I was born into a Christian family and I was lucky enough to have a very loving mother and father. They made sure that I went to church every Sunday, except during wheat harvest. Dad said God would understand if we missed just once, because the wheat had to be cut. We never worked on Sunday except for the wheat harvest.
Then, in 1968 I went to Viet Nam and there were several times in ambushes that God was looking after me and saved my life. For example, the time when I was helping to build a wooden shelter (a hooch) for sleeping quarters, an explosion occurred right next to us. The building completely burned down. My shirt, which I had removed during the hard work, was lying inside the building. When we rummaged through the charred remains of the building, to my amazement, the pocket of that shirt containing my Bible was not burnt at all. The Bible was completely intact and I still have that Bible today. Interestingly, on the mission trip with Grand Master Shin, two Vietnamese-Americans were member of the mission team.
The only place I felt safe after that was in church with God. I want to be there all the time. If the doors were open I was there praying and asking what God wanted.
Later, in 1969, I married a wonderful woman, a preacher’s daughter. We have 3 children and 5 grandchildren which we try to teach to be good Christians by both our actions and our words. But, somewhere along the line, I began to wander away from God, staying home from church and sleeping late or doing other things on Sunday. I abruptly found out how God can get your attention, when in 2003 I had a stroke and was in bed for 6 months. The only place I felt safe after that was in church with God. I want to be there all the time. If the doors were open I was there praying and asking what God wanted. One day my preacher said, “Gary, you are just the one I am looking for. I want you to go on a mission trip with me.” So, I went to Boston on my first mission and it was an eye opening experience. On this mission, Martin and I used Tae Kwon Do as a tool to create interest in the Bible school for the developing church that we were establishing. This is what led me to understand the powerful impact that Tae Kwon Do can have on mission work and how the spirit can grow for both the ones doing the mission and those receiving the Word.
Now, I would encourage any of Grandmaster Shin’s students who get a chance to go on his next mission trip to go. It is a once in a life time experience to do the work of God.
My story is one of the ways that God can truly act in your life if you ask Him to. For many years of my life, I was lonely and empty, not really sure of what would fill up the void in my life. I drive the roads of Texas every day in my job, so I have a lot of time to reflect on my life. I was filling my life with activities, but still felt emptiness. I wanted to find someone that I would want to share my life with. I found myself on the Internet, looking for a woman that could meet the standards that might help me find fulfillment. That is how I met my fiancée Linda. She turned out to be exactly what God had in mind for me and has become my spiritual partner, the one who has helped my life achieve new direction. One day, I was driving and thinking. My focus was on telling God how thankful I felt for finding her and asking Him what it was that He wanted me to do next. I was amazed that evening when the answer came. I received a phone call from Grand Master Shin asking me if I would like to go on a mission trip to Mexico. It was a great opportunity to respond to God’s calling in my life. But, it was also on Linda’s birthday. Once again, God came through for me. When I told her of the mission trip she said, “Go.” As a woman of faith, Linda knew that God’s work must come before our own needs, and she totally understood what I needed to do. As a school teacher, Linda already knew of my love for children and she also knew that, by going on this mission, I would be able to share God’s love to many needy children. This mission would be good for our spiritual lives together, as well.
I thank God for all the blessings He bestows on us and feel compelled to pass this blessing on to others.
Many people questioned my decision to go to Mexico, with all the gang and drug wars, swine flu, and using my vacation days for the mission trip. They also put me down about going on my fiancée Linda’s birthday, not realizing that she understood. But, I knew what I had to do. I arrived in Mexico with Gary ahead of Master Shin, in a strange airport, and not knowing where we were staying for the next six days. I put my faith in God for guidance. Master Shin arrived and then Pastor Kim, the driver, arrived. On our way to the mission house we saw areas of poverty that I haven’t seen before. This was a sign to me that God had sent me for a very good reason. These people had needs far beyond my previous understanding.
Pastor Kim, his wife, and Pastor Park were vigilant about making our trip safe and keeping us healthy. Listening to the stories Pastor Kim and Pastor Park shared about their lives for Christ in the Yucatan was deeply moved me and helped me understand how God had worked in their lives.
Visiting the people in the small towns and seeing how happy they were, even though they were poor, made me realize the unimportance of material things. The kids were all smiles, having a good time without Game Boys, video games, cell phones, or text messaging. It made me think of my younger years and simpler times.
Now, with my wedding to Linda only a few weeks away on October 24, I can see how this mission trip changed the way I look at the world. Marrying late in my life, I guess I have more appreciation for the true blessings that God has given me. I thank God for all the blessings He bestows on us and feel compelled to pass this blessing on to others. This mission to Mexico has increased my faith and the faith of those around me, and I am sure that when you get a chance to do this type of mission work, your life will be enriched beyond expectations.
The first time that Grand Master Shin invited me on the “Mission Trip” to Leona Vicario (July 2006) I was really happy to be able to spend time with him, since I had spent years wanting to contact him, looking for his help with Tae Kwon Do. In reality, I didn’t know what this trip was about, neither did I know how Icould help on the trip. In fact, I didn’t know anything about what a “mission trip” was—I was just looking for advice on Tae Kwon Do. To my surprise, I found much more than just technical advice. One or two years before that trip, I wrote to Grand Master Shin asking for his advice on black belt exams. He told me that I shouldn’t rush to sell black belt exams; I should give them [the students] time to be how I hoped they would be and that I should remember that “THE BLACK BELT IS NOT JUST PART OF ONE’S PHYSICIAL APPEARANCE—IT’S MUCH MORE THAN THAT.” Thanks to this new experience, I understood what he really wanted to tell me. During that first mission trip, I was able to see the spiritual side of Tae Kwon Do through Grand Master Shin, Guy Ogburn, and all of Master Shin’s other students.
For many years I felt a huge emptiness inside of me. I wasn’t satisfied with my work as an instructor, or with my personal life. I tried a few things, looking for an escape or personal fulfillment, but the only thing I managed to do was lower my self-esteem and my self-confidence. This made me have serious problems in my personal relationships and problems in school and with my students. For a while, I lost my way—I didn’t know what I was doing or why I was doing it. Many things that were important to me stopped making sense, and this made me feel very confused. On more than one occasion, I cried inconsolably in the arms of my girlfriend because of all the confusion. I lost my way, and the only thing I could do afterwards was to stick to an idea, feeling like I was walking without a path, hoping to get on the right path.
The most important things that I have learned on the mission trips have not been forms or blocks or kicks that I could learn, but instead, being able to understand what Tae Kwon Do really is and how I can use it to help myself and others. I understood that I can help others be better students and better citizens by helping them, not to be good fighters, but teaching them to work hard for the people they love, to reach their own goals and develop self-confidence, and in the end, to be better people. After that first trip, things have really been changing for the better for me. Two months after the trip, I was able to marry my girlfriend, we bought a house, and we had a daughter. We’ve had some problems that we’ve known how to get over. I have changed the way I teach at my school, and the environment there is much better—students try harder than before, and they have gained a better understanding of the meaning of Tae Kwon Do. I am very grateful to Grand Master Shin for giving me the opportunity to participate in this mission that has been so important for me, and for showing me this side of Tae Kwon Do that I knew existed but that I had not been able to find until now.
Now that Grand Master Shin personally organizes these new missions, I feel a greater commitment to continue improving in my personal life and to be a better instructor at my school, since I believe that that would be the best way that I could help others. Now that I see how this mission has helped me grow as a person, I also want to help others so that they can improve their own lives.
I am very grateful, not only that you have allowed me to participate in this mission, but also that you brought it into my life.
(Original Spanish Version)
La primera vez que el Gran Maestro Shin me invitó al “Viaje de Misión” en Leona Vicario (julio 2006) yo estaba realmente feliz de poder estar con él, pues tenia algunos años queriendo contactarme con él buscando su ayuda en Tae Kwon Do. En realidad yo no sabía de qué se iba a tratar ese viaje, tampoco sabía de qué manera podría yo ayudar en ese viaje, de hecho no sabía nada acerca de qué es un “viaje de misión”, yo solo iba buscando asesoría en Tae Kwon Do. Para mi sorpresa, encontré mucho más que solo asesoría técnica. Uno o dos años antes de ese viaje yo le escribí al Gran Maestro Shin pidiéndole asesoría para examen de cintas negras, el me respondió que no me apresurara a vender un examen de cinta negra, que les diera tiempo para ser como yo esperaba y que recordara que “LA CINTA NEGRA NO ES SOLO EN EL ASPECTO FÍSICO, ES MUCHO MAS QUE SOLO ESO”, gracias a esta nueva experiencia comprendí lo que me quiso decir en verdad. Durante ese primer viaje de misión pude darme cuenta del lado espiritual del Tae Kwon Do a través del Gran Maestro Shin, de Guy Ogburn y de todos los demás estudiantes del maestro Shin.
Durante varios años sentí un gran vacío dentro de mi, no lograba estar satisfecho con mi trabajo como instructor, ni tampoco en mi vida personal, probé varias cosas buscando un escape o satisfacción personal, pero lo único que logré fue bajar mi autoestima y la seguridad en mi mismo, esto me hizo tener serios problemas en mis relaciones personales, problemas en mi escuela y con mis alumnos, por algún tiempo perdí el rumbo, no sabía lo que hacía, ni para qué lo hacía. Muchas de las cosas que para mí eran importantes dejaron de tener sentido y me hacía sentir muy confundido. En más de una ocasión lloré como niño desconsolado en los brazos de mi novia por tanta confusión. Perdí el camino y lo único que pude hacer después fue aferrarme a una idea sintiendo que caminaba sin rumbo esperando ir por el camino correcto.
Lo más importante que he aprendido en los viajes de misión no han sido las formas o defensas o patadas que pude aprender, sino más bien el haber podido entender qué es en realidad el Tae Kwon Do y de qué manera lo puedo usar para ayudarme a mi y a los demás; entendí que puedo ayudar a los demás a ser mejores estudiantes, mejores ciudadanos ayudándoles no a ser buenos peleadores, sino enseñándoles a esforzarse por lo que ellos quieren, a lograr sus propias metas desarrollando seguridad en si mismos, en fin, a ser mejores personas. A partir de ese 1er viaje mi vida ha estado cambiando significativamente para bien, dos meses después del viaje pude casarme con mi novia, compramos una casa, tuvimos una hija; hemos tenido ciertas dificultades que hemos sabido superar. He cambiado la forma de enseñar en mi escuela y la convivencia dentro es mucho mejor, los alumnos se esfuerzan más que antes y logran entender mejor el significado del Tae Kwon Do. Estoy realmente agradecido con el Gran Maestro Shin por darme la oportunidad de participar en esta misión que ha sido tan importante para mí y por mostrarme este lado del Tae Kwon Do que yo sabia que existía, pero que no había podido encontrar hasta ahora.
Ahora que el Gran Maestro Shin organiza directamente estas nuevas misiones me hace sentir con un mayor compromiso de seguir mejorando en mi vida personal y ser un mejor instructor en mi escuela pues creo que esa seria la mejor forma en como puedo ayudar a los demás. Ahora que veo cómo esta misión me ha ayudado a mí a crecer como persona, yo también quiero ayudar a los demás a que puedan mejorar sus propias vidas.
Estoy muy agradecido no solo por que me hayan permitido ser participe en esta misión, también por haberla traído a mi vida.
I am a 42 year old father of two who was drawn to the Lord through Tae Kwon Do. I had played and excelled in every major sport in the past and wandered into a dojang looking for self gratification one night. Through the training and spiritual side of Tae Kwon Do I discovered how angry and bitter I was at God over the loss of my mother to breast cancer at the age of 29.
Isaiah 40:31 ..... but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
I was eleven at the time, and my younger brother was four. We were survived by an alcoholic father who wanted no part of our raising because of his own anger. We were then turned over to my mothers parents and in my grandfathers grief, he could not stand the sight of us. He too was an alcoholic and shortly abandoned us. Another reason to add to my growing anger and the cause of my teenage years to be filled with drugs and alcohol, trying to fill the void. It wasn't until the age of 36 that I finally realized that the void could only be filled by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I have since then been on two Tae Kwon Do Mission Trips, which has allowed me to grow spiritually . I will continue on my walk with Him and grow through the love of Tae Kwon Do , and Christ.
My family’s journey to America, like every other refugee in the world, was full of death, desperation, and miracles. Even though the Vietnam War had ended, it continued to take many lives. Because my family refused to be oppressed by the new communist regime, they quickly prepared to flee the country. A chance to escape would mean leaving everything behind and facing heavily guarded torrential seas, starvation, and sea pirates. My father took the first treacherous trip with my three brothers, my sister, and my aunt. At the time my mom was pregnant with me, so she was forced to stay behind. Only a few weeks later, news had arrived that the makeshift fishing boat that carried my family capsized in a storm. That day the sea took 23 lives including my family who I have never seen or known. After losing my father, my sister, my three brothers, and my aunt, Vietnam was no longer home to my mom; she had lost her country, her family, and her everything. My mom held her four-pound, prematurely born baby girl in the palm of her hands and saw a miracle and a reason to persevere—thus, began another trying journey that spanned 4 years. We tried seven times to escape Vietnam; every opportunity led to a scam, a prison, or some dead end. Our seventh and final attempt brought us on day-long trail to a beach. After hours and hours of walking and hiding, we got to the secret location, but there was no boat to take us to the cargo ship. We had to swim. My mom is an excellent swimmer.
My life is a spiritual quest; and I find that listening and understanding the voices and hearts of people and having faith are the key to being closer to God. God has a way of changing tragedies into miracles. When I look at my mom’s gentle smile, I understand just a little bit about Christ’s ultimate act of love and sacrifice.
She placed me on her shoulders and swam as fast as she could to catch the cargo ship that was the size of a small commercial fishing boat. On that boat, miracles appeared one by one: a compassionate communist navy officer who fixed our boat engine when it broke down in the middle of the ocean; we were met by Thai pirates who threw bags of rice and fruit; when the boat engine died, a Thai coast guard boat found us and hauled our boat to the shores of Thailand where the largest Vietnamese refugee camp was.
My mother freely traded her suffering and sacrifices for my happiness and freedom – that was the ultimate service that anyone has ever given to me. When someone has given me so much in life without asking for anything in return, I can only hold that gift in my hand and share it with every human being that I encounter. My life is a spiritual quest; and I find that listening and understanding the voices and hearts of people and having faith are the key to being closer to God. God has a way of changing tragedies into miracles. When I look at my mom’s gentle smile, I understand just a little bit about Christ’s ultimate act of love and sacrifice. I hope to share my testimony, Tae Kwon Do, and God’s words to the world.
Special Testimonies:
Michael McFarland: My testimony is that of growing up in the rich suburbs of Central NJ. Mom divorced Dad 1977 because of his drinking. I was 13, the youngest of four. I was at an impressionable age to witness such a volitle divorce. Later, I found solace in drugs, alcohol and Rock music. 13 was the same age I left my church of origin, Episcopalean, with anger towards its rituals and status quo. I was born again at an Evangelical Church at the age of 17, only to return to a life, like a dog \"returns to its own vomit\". I joined the Army at 20, after giving up a 4 yr financial aid college scholarship. I needed to grow up. During my 20 and 30\'s I witnessed virtually every New Age and Existential philosophy known to man. I had bookshelves of material. I went back and forth with religion, from Mormonism to Pagan and Agnostic philosophies for years. Finally I returned to my Church of origin, at the age of 42, as something of an Existential experiment. I was curious to how I had developed so much anger towards it. Afterwards, I discovered I didn\'t have live with that anger. The basic ingredients of Christian worship that fueled my anger, were the same ingredients and organization that I had strived for. I had come full circle, perhaps. Tae Kwon Do adds an additional layer to my Christian perspective. It allows me to be more discerning among the Christian populace, whereas I am offset by many of the bizarre personalities. I pick my own battles, like in Tae Kwon Do. IMO, many Christians settle for status quo. TKD allows me to reach higher goals. I hope not to sound too judgemental.
Karen Tidwell
Grandmaster Shin,
I want to start by thanking you for all you give to me each time I come to class. I feel so fortunate to have you as my teacher. Thank you for giving of yourself, and for your willingness to listen and offer advice. There are so many senior belts who mean so much to me. Each has ministered to me in his or her own way at different times during my taekwondo journey. I know that I have much to give. I only hope that I can give to others as much love and guidance that has been given to me. Thank you for sharing your art, and more importantly, your love for Jesus Christ. I believe in your dream to use taekwondo to spread the gospel. I know it can make a huge impact in peoples lives. It has changed mine.
Taekwondo is now such a huge part of my life. I cannot imagine where I might be without it. I’ve learned that no matter what is going on in my life outside of the dojang, I can always come to class and taekwondo will be there. I truly believe that because of taekwondo, I have been working my way back to the true path of my life.
As my third dan testing approaches, I find myself reflecting on the changes I’ve seen in myself in the last year. The biggest change by far has been an improvement in my feelings of self worth. For many years, I have felt that I am not good enough. I have hated myself for as long as I can remember. I’ve always felt that I’m not smart enough, not pretty enough, not a good wife, not a good mother, not a good friend, not a good person. I cannot begin to describe the hatred I’ve carried for myself. There was nothing I could do to overcome these feelings. Early this year, I made the decision to lay these feelings at the foot of the cross and ask Jesus to heal me. I am happy to say that He has delivered me from this horrible self hatred. I am a stronger, more confident, happier person,.
A few days ago, you mentioned Exodus, that it is not just history, but that it applies to us today. I’ve thought a lot about what you said. I’ve realized that I am enslaved. Because of my self hatred, I have spent my entire adult life in bondage to food. It was my friend when I felt alone, and my comfort when I was hurt. In the year following my divorce, I gained 60 pounds. It was a very painful time of my life, made worse by extreme weight gain. Two years ago, I went through an extremely difficult period at my job. The stress was completely overwhelming. I used food to cope. Over the course of that year, I had another huge weight gain. God provided food for us to use as nourishment. I have used it to escape the pain and anxiety in my life. I’ve known for many years how I should eat, and what I should eat. I’ve known I should exercise. I have starved myself, gone on all kinds of crazy fad diets, taken medication. I started working with a trainer in addition to taekwondo. I couldn’t understand why I wasn’t losing much weight. Then I had two back to back injuries. At this point I realized that God was breaking my legs. Figuratively and literally. I believe He wanted me to see that I can’t do it myself. I need Him to deliver me. Each time I would over eat, I would feel guilty. Then I would eat again because I felt guilty. I have often heard that guilt is Satan’s seal of approval. He told me I was worthless, and I believed him. NO MORE. I know now that I am a beloved child of God. He sent he son to die for MY sins. Because of His gift, I can be free. If I can move a mountain with faith the size of a mustard seed, surely I can eat normally, and make healthy choices with His intercession. With this new understanding, I have asked Jesus to deliver me from my abuse of food. I am trusting Him to help me make the changes I need to make to get myself to a healthy weight.
I think God has used you in a mighty way to affect my life. Your teaching has led me to take a more in depth look at my problems and to seek answers from God. I have been a Christian for many years. I have trusted Jesus for my salvation, but I have never really gone to Him for the things in my life that are the most painful. I have always tried to fix my problems myself. I now realize that I must depend on Him. I know that I need to put the scale away, stop obsessing about my weight, and trust God to direct my eating. It will not be easy for me (although it should), but I know that I must do it if I am to be healthy.
I am so grateful that the Lord has led my life to cross paths with yours. You are a wonderful example and teacher. I look forward to the mission trip with great anticipation. I cannot wait to use the art I love to share my love for Jesus. I know that I will be an amazing experience, and that will help me to grow in my relationship with God. I am glad I will share it with you, and with my fellow students.
Thank you again for all you give of yourself.