Easter

Ever wonder about Easter in Korea?  Well, as it turns out, Korean Christians celebrate it on the same day as Americans; it's just hard to tell.  The hoopla and recognizable traditions we expect, like jelly beans, plastic eggs and chocolate bunnies, are difficult, if not impossible, to find.  

Traditional Easter music is also missing.

http://www.vercalendario.info/en/when/easter-week-south_korea-2013.html

So, I'm going to ask some family members to buy up plastic eggs and jelly beans for at least 300 people, when they go on clearance tomorrow, to use next year and make sure some favorite hymns are lined up for Easter Sunday!  This week, I ended up with several classes who were changing books, so the lesson plan was up to me, and decided to address the holiday of Easter.  I explained that while they're all aware of Christmas, they know very little about Easter,
which is as important, in many countries, as Christmas.  

Lacking jelly beans and plastic eggs (and 200+ eggs are too many to boil),  I resorted to what I know best: coloring.  Just colored in a previous drawing, laminated and then handed out photocopied  B&W "cards" w/ Easter dialoguing on back.  We discussed the symbols of Easter and read the dialogue together.  Then, in pairs, they practiced and took turns reciting it.  With successful completion of the speaking part, they could color their cards, eat bbeong tui gi, and play hang man with Easter related terms.  These are mostly middle schoolers, so coloring was only a desirable activity to some of them; Here's a most original and detailed interpretation by "John:"

If you look closely, you'll see quite an imaginative story.  There's rain coming down from a blue cloud (I had cut it to show the bottom), an Asiatic red sun, egg sack on the bunny, and freshly hatched chicks are after worms!  LOVE it!

The most unexpected interpretation is "Kevin's" rocker bunny w/multiple piercings.  If you saw this bright, articulate, polite guy w/glasses, you'd be surprised too!  But I'd told them they could color it however they wanted.  When I looked amused and pleased, he added the electric guitar.  Kevin expressed concern early in the lesson over not being Christian, so I explained this was basically a cultural/history lesson.  Since all my students know about Christmas, and we study so many country's traditions, it didn't make sense to ignore a holiday that's so important to such a large part of the world.  I also explained that not only was I not trying to convert him, I had no right to tell him what to think or believe--no one does.  After that he really perked up and joined in, asking the most insightful questions, like why is Easter celebrated when it is, and so forth.  I am seriously impressed with this young man!  

"Lala's" bunny and egg look like her name, don't you think?  Several girls and some of the boys, did some really pretty and fun coloring, but I pressed them into taking the Easter cards home, and only kept those from students who refused, but offered them to me instead. :-)  Naturally, several 30 second coloring jobs were left behind, and subsequently filed in the ever handy recycling file.

But, today's the big day.  Since it's so low key, after church we had our first "Relief Society enrichment activity. " All 5 of the women in our little congregation decorated brown eggs with markers, Q-tips and white paint.  Above, just below my orange bouncy chick (purchased in Gwangyang yesterday--I'll blog about that next time), you'll see Cambodian writing.  Angkheng has to work below her potential at a fish factory to help support her family.  She speaks English and Korean as well as Cambodian, and we've all just discovered she's quite an artist! 

Take a good look at the cherry blossom tree she painted.   

Our tiny congregation is led by artist and teacher, Branch President Lee Jin Man.  He and his wife run an art school in Namhae.   Here's Eum Sung Hwa, as she creates a little piece art.

Check out her cherry blossom rendering, and the sunflower above it--Angkheng's!  

Most noteworthy is the fact that none of them had done this before--painting and drawing on eggs. 

Sherry from Texas, who sings, cooks (everyone misses her cooking when she's in the states) and is a terrific friend, was as creative as everyone else, despite all her efforts

to disclaim any such aptitude.  

 This turned out to be one of the most delightfully simple and satisfying 

events I've ever organized and participated in.  It allowed all of us to communicate 

and laugh in our internationally clumsy, but effective way!  

The youngest, 18 yr. old Lee He Bom, bishop's daughter, can not only sing and play multiple instruments, including piano for our meetings,  she can paint 

the cutest pigs, characters, and stripes on eggs! 

Happy Easter everyone, from the Relief Society sisters of Sacheon!