Sacred Journey 2002 - To Korea and Back Again!

Earlier this summer, 9 youths and 2 adult leaders journeyed from Connecticut to South Korea, comprising Sacred Journey 2002. This program, sponsored by the Connecticut Conference and coordinated through the Korean Partnership Committee, enabled youths from Connecticut UCC churches to visit their partner churches in the Kyung-Ki Province (adjacent to Seoul) in South Korea. From July 25-August 8, this group spent time getting to know members of their partner churches, and sharing their faith with new friends half a world away.

The group had a lot of fun making new friends, and visiting historic sites and scenic vistas. They even had a chance to get their feet - or more - wet in Korea's Eastern Sea, a.k.a. the Pacific Ocean. As always, the Korean hosts were extremely gracious and generous with their time and resources. As an opportunity to strengthen partnerships - friendships around the world, and as an opportunity to share the faith and see God working in other cultures, the trip was a wonderful success.

Reflections from the group:

I think that the trip was a great spiritual journey. We learned to get along in a place with nothing connecting us besides our faith. All that we had to rely on was our religion and our friendships that were formed through faith, so I learned how much belief can really do, and how far it can get you.
It made me realize how much God's work has spread throughout the world.
Even though we spoke different languages, we found common ground with our faith. Faith was what had brought us there in the first place, and it was really neat to see people in another country share their faith with us.
I think this trip had a huge impact on my faith journey, just through seeing the faith of the people there, and how similar we really are.
It was fun traveling with the group and making new friends.
My faith was strengthened through worship with brothers and sisters in Christ on the other side of the world, in churches founded for the most part by missionaries from the United States and Europe. As I sometimes felt far away from home, I reflected again on their courage.
The trip created new connections and friendships. In a sense, the group became a family.
If you ever need a female counselor-type person to go [2006?], give me a call!

Interested in visiting South Korea? Sacred Journey 2006, the next program for Connecticut youths to travel to South Korea, is only 4 years away. Interested in becoming a partner church? Contact Rev. Paige Besse-Rankin or Ray Holland at 203-878-3885.