Help! Be a Mission Partner! (English) (Updated on 20191026)

[뉴맨]

Help! Be a Mission Partner!

by Rev. (James) Young Lee

Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I am Rev. (James) Young Lee, a Korean missionary in Tuba City, Navajo Reservation, located in Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, and Colorado.

To give you a minimum of my credential, humbly telling you that I am a graduate of Nyak College (belated graduation on my age of 33 in the year of 1988), Alliance Theological Seminary (NY, 1992), SBC Ordained Minister (NY/NJ, 1991), Pacific College of Oriental Medicine (NY, 2005), Certified Oriental Medicine Practitioner & Licensed Acupuncturist since 2005.

It has been six and half years in this mission field, serving those Native Americans in His guidance and provision.

This is to tell you what I am doing here and to ask your mission support, in prayer and finance for a very significant mission project- Martial Arts Based After-School Tutorial Program which we named the "First People Youth Academy."

The Navajo People, and all other Native Americans alike, are suffering from many social and personal illnesses in their lives due to the dark history, even "colonial theology", and many more current problems which typically demonstrated by those broken and malfunctioning families, in which those younger getting most victimized.

It is such a challenge to share the Life in Christ with them in such a problematic situation.

My challenge in here is that, I have to DO something holistic rather than just TALKING about it.

When I have moved in the Reservation in July 2013, a voice pounded my eardrums; "Don't talk anymore. The Reservation is not a land of talk but of ACTION.

The DO should not to be just monthly or weekly but daily effort to give those young people tangible chances to get helped, and to reverse the vicious cycle of the current happenings among these people.

Many young people in their precious times to get prepared for their expected long lives are falling into puddles or traps such as alcohol, drugs, early sexual activities, etc. which are bad enough to ruin their whole lives. (I call it Missing Link.)

They are so, due to lack of self-esteem which might be caused by lack of love, caring, and affirmation from their family members and other significants of their early lives.

How can we help them out while many agencies and efforts have been tried so long without noticeable results but a lot of frustrations up to the point of giving up any further efforts and tries?

With my various backgrounds and experiences such as local church ministries, children/youth ministries, social work agency administration, martial arts, hospital chaplain, and even oriental medicine, one thing pops up in my mind- Martial Arts Based After-School Tutorial Ministries.

This will be at least six days a week, holistic enough to give them motivation and discipline, to Protect those who can be easily victimized, to Prepare them for higher educations physically, mentally, spiritually, academically, and socially, Produce leaders, and Propel them into their own world.

We want to do so because we know God loves the whole people and want them to be liberated from man-made bondage as He wanted the Israelites to be liberated from the bondage of Egypt and later of Babylon.

The liberation has to be accomplished not only to those oppressed but also for those oppressors to realize the righteousness and justice of God among His own people.

Therefore, my prayer is, "Please Lord! Please, hold your Second Coming until we make our share of reconciliation between those causing and caused before seeing you."

I have applied a piece of land, because there is no available existing space here in Tuba City for the desired ministries, to erect a building on so that we may conduct the daily ministries of Marital Arts Based After-School Tutorial Ministries.

When those Chapter Officers and people of Tuba City came to know my plan, they enthusiastically and expectantly voted for my proposal and resolution by 48 to 3.

(The 3 are those who could not secure their homesite in spite of hard effort for such a long time. Tuba City as the largest community in the Reservation, is a hard place to find even homesite so that as not being a native, or doctors/teachers our residence here is a very rare case if that is not a miracle.)

You may read as I have the link and the entire recommendation letter for my project which is written by one of the well-known and honored persons among those locals in italic printing as following.

http://cafe.daum.net/k331/P0hm/171

January 15, 2014

Regional Business Development Office

Western Navajo Agency

Tuba City, Arizona 86045

I’ve read the Business Plan submitted by Mr. Young Ho Lee to build a First People Workout Center in the community of Tuba City to benefit students from kindergarten through high school and adults alike. The Navajo Nation is plagued high unemployment, substance abuse; suicide, teen pregnancy, gang violence, school dropout, and domestic violence just to name a few. If these negative and devastating issues affecting our youth and adults aren’t addressed and appropriate resources aren’t made available, I can’t ignore, but to see what lies ahead for our future generation.

It is rare that individuals come to the Navajo Nation to offer assistant by investing into worthwhile businesses/projects that can bring about positive change and encouragement to our Navajo communities. After reading Mr. Lee’s business plan I was encouraged and realized that there is hope for our youth and adults who are afflicted with social ills, and that by participating in positive activities they can find their basic human values, and by utilizing those values they can overcome any negative obstacle(s) in their lives and become a productive and contributing members of their communities.

Many of our Navajo students fail to obtain and/or maintain adequate grades while attending schools. In most cases they have lost interest and the motivation to attend school; they become vulnerable and are easily coerced through peer pressure to act out and/or display negative/bad behavior, but with support and resources such as one described in Mr. Lee’s business plan our students can exceed academically to achieve and accomplish many things in life.

I fully support Mr. Young Lee in his proposal to build a First People Workout Center in the community of Tuba City. His business plan is simple, easy to read and understand. A vision as such cannot be ignored because these types of opportunities come our way once in a great while. I respectfully request that the First People Workout Center proposal and business plan be given full consideration. If this proposal is a success, it could very well be considered for other Navajo Nation communities.

Your willingness to work with Mr. Lee will be appreciated. If there are questions, concerns, or if I can be of further reference, do not hesitate to contact me.

Respectfully,

Dr. Kelsey A. Begaye, Counselor/Advisor

Former Speaker of the Navajo Nation Council

Former President of the Navajo Nation

What a privilege for me to have such a thorough, heart-felt, and moving recommendation!

"Everything takes forever!" that's what, however, everybody's saying here in the Reservation.

Since February 2014 the time that I have secured the land from the Tuba City Local Government, those agencies of Navajo Nation has been working on the lease contract, finishing Land Survey, Archeological Survey, & Environmental Eval‎uation, and finally being signed by me and the President of Navajo Nation, it took last three and half years.

Meanwhile, I couldn't just wait doing nothing.

I devoted myself to advocate the importance of children/youth ministries, which are so much neglected, or forgotten out of repeating frustrations, among local leaders, by supplying materials for home based faith education (TTP-The Timothy Project), supporting local churches' Sunday School ministries by supplying equipment, booklets, and multi-media materials.

Also I am trying to support local church leaders by issuing Newsletters- a Voice in the Wilderness (you may see them in my mission cafe at http://cafe.daum.net/k331) and with class/personal meetings to support their ministries.

Doing those above Christian Ministries, but not to be disturbed or deterred later with the attention-demanding First People Youth Academy- Martial Arts Based After-School Tutorial Ministries, we incorporated a Non-Profit Mission Organization, Christian Life Ministry, in the State of Arizona, and secured the NPO status- 501(c)3 from IRS in November 19 2014 and continue the Christian ministries in homes and churches.

Since we have secured the above-mentioned After School Program Site Lease Contract, for 25 initial and two more 25 years renewal, as of August 15 2017, we incorporated First People Youth Academy as a Non Profit Organization with the State of Arizona and IRS.

This organization will be responsible for construction and afterward activities.

As of Jan 2019, there is a unexpected huddle surfaced as part of the Tribal Government regarding the land, so, we are trying to switch the land for better.

Now, we have to develop the site with ground, utilities, buildings, and facilities in three years (and half of them is already consumed in those processes) to do the actual ministries such as martial arts classes (or disciplinary physical education), homework assistance, abacus, reading/writing, language studies, etc.

The challenge that we are facing is more daunting than those that we have been through; Raising building fund, planning whole procedure, acquiring right personnels and materials, and put everything together, which never been done in my life personally or communally so far.

It is so fearful and burdensome, but, in spite, I have to go on with my trust in God who maintains whole of His own creation, and governs everything of our lives.

Here are the more specifics of the building.

Land: one acre, located in the middle of the community with utilities such as electricity, running water, sewage, & city gas on premise.

Building: making the beginning of actual activities as soon as possible the first priority, 40X170' modular structures, total 10,000sf with the future expansion in mind.

Usage: gym, classrooms, kitchen, restroom with shower, office, etc.

Expenses: more the better but initially 500,000 dollars.

We try to make sure the building integrity and functionality but no luxury will be pursued for the sake of saving money.

Building code is certainly different in simpler way here in the Reservation than outside.

We need your help.

Please become a mission partner.

Please pray for this project, give your tax deductible contribution, and help us to bring needed coworkers.

The beginning is so much challenging but the current necessities and future possibilities are endless.

It is such a precious opportunity for us to be utilized by God but will be your golden opportunity as a mission partner, to make some changes on the life of those wounded and damaged people in the Reservation.

Yes. There are many usages and needs of our wealth.

There are many missionaries throughout the whole world.

Many require our attention and finance.

But please consider that, in anyhow, you came to know about what's happening here in the Reservation with this humble effort.

None of what has been happening so far, none of what should be done in coming days is within our capacity, and neither existed even in our dream.

We just moved one step at a time, not knowing the next, as God shows what's going on and why, and asking us, "What are you going to do for me and for my people?"

Of course, there are not only many locals but also those people who have been here and saw & heard of what's going on are so much moved, prayed, and encouraged us to go on.

We want to tell you more of those testimonies of local people who are badly waiting to see things might be done and ongoing ministries that we are trying.

Please, however, you may feel yourself with this presentation even part of it and moved by the Holy Spirit for this cause.

You will be more than welcomed if you come and see all these yourself.

I am willing to go your place to share what I am about with this matter anytime anywhere for your own consideration.

I hope, and just pray, some of you might be called by God for this cause.

Please let me know your support, your encouragement, and your sacrificial commitment to become coworkers, mission partners in this forgotten land.

God bless you.

Rev. (James) Young Lee,

a Missionary in the Navajo Reservation,

with the support of Board Members of Christian Life Ministry and First People Youth Academy