The Sheep of My Pasture

This week was a week of endings. We finished up our summer language camp. I also completed a 7-week student Bible study on the Good Shepherd. From Psalm 23, we learned that Jesus feeds us. He gives us rest. He heals us. He guides us. He blesses us, gives us shelter, and defends us. We are His sheep, and we are loved.

As I had a chance to reflect on summer camp today, I realized how much I learned about shepherding. Working with children does share some commonality with tending sheep. The children would often get dirty or become smelly. They would bring back pocketfuls of sand and offer dead bugs as gifts. At the water park, I lined up all the muddy little boys and sprayed them down with a water hose.

They would be needy, tired, and hungry. They would claim to struggle with a lesson, just so I would come beside them and give them individual attention. They would get “ouchies” that required bandages and hugs. They would skip eating lunch to play with their friends, only to demand a snack as soon as we returned to class.

They would wander off into trouble, and I truly could not avert my eyes. We joked that the children understood “break time” to mean “go and find something to break.” They would be curious (forget alone time) and noisy (forget quiet time). Some days, they would be whiny, stubborn, and obstinate. In fact, they reminded me a lot of myself! They are, after all, little grown-ups. Or, maybe, we are still big kids.

The camp took every ounce of creativity that I have. I feel that, by the grace of God, we accomplished more with sticks and rocks than many schools do with laptops and blu-ray. We weren’t content to numb their minds and keep them busy. We were attempting to engage their hearts and make them come alive. Don’t get me wrong. We did manage to piece together a much-appreciated movie day (for the teachers anyway). But, more than anything, the children wanted me to get down and play with them.

All in all, I realized again how much energy and love it takes to care for the sheep of your pasture. I was reminded how important it is to be a constant and engaged presence. I had to overcome my pride and work through my selfishness. It was so important for me to show up and be there. I had to coach myself through the struggles and remind myself daily of the goal.

I have gained a whole new appreciation for teachers. I am not teaching in a traditional school setting here. I am a teacher at a hakwon, an after-school academy that is still a vital part of the Korean education system. The students attend hakwons to further their studies in various subjects. Yet, I get a daily taste of the joys and challenges that teachers face. We should truly value the role of teachers in our societies.

I also gained a whole new respect for what parents do each day. It really is a humbling calling, a daunting task, and a sanctifying experience to shepherd a child well. Really, I think it impossible to do without Christ, who strengthens us! Moreover, I am thankful for parents who were always there—we love me and support me still.

Finally, I gained a whole new admiration for women. Here, women carry most of the burden in the home, at the schools, and in the church. As tired as I was each day, the women around me performed their jobs well and still returned home to tend to their families. I marvel at the ability of women to lead children with such energy, efficiency, and effectiveness. On top of that, they do it with compassion and creativity. Something in my spirit became horrified that women throughout the centuries have been objectified, belittled, demeaned, and abused, when they should be praised and cherished.

As teachers, we also learned a lot of things about running a camp like this. We will do some things differently next time. Yet, at the end of the day, for me and our church—we hope these students come to know that they are His sheep, and they are loved.

Below are the sheep of my pasture. The top picture is the beginner level class. The bottom picture is the advanced level class. You can see that the majority of advanced English speakers are girls. Another lesson: never underestimate the power of little girls to learn to chatter non-stop in any language! And how appropriate that the head of a little stray sheep shows up at the bottom corner of one of the pictures…