I WILL NOT LEAVE YOU AS ORPHANS

Last year a Canadian friend asked me if I was stopped anywhere in Seoul by Korean immigration officers for visa spot check and I told her that I haven't experienced that yet. Jokingly, I told her that probably I looked too formal wearing coat and tie or decent clothes, or I'm handsome enough to be checked. Well, last week I experienced it not in Seoul but in Suwon station.

Wednesday, April 28 I attended the overnight seminar-workshop in the Korean Exchange Bank Seminar House in Yongin, Kyonggi-do sponsored by the Migrant Workers in Korea office under the Ministry of Labor. After the long inputs and discussion on various topics we were on our way home on Thursday afternoon April 29. The good pastor from Songnam Migrant Workers House patiently gave us a lift from the seminar venue to Suwon station which was around 20 minutes ride. In front of Suwon station we disembark and after saying goodbye to moksanim I hurried to ward the subway entrance. Before reaching the entrance three plainclothes men approached me showing their ID, which I didn't bother to see, introduced themselves as immigration officers. One of them asked for my passport, I said well, maybe you want to see my alien ID. He said, yes, so I got it from my wallet and showed it to them. He could not identify what a D6 visa is and he saked me. I told him it is a missionary visa. He may not have heard me right so he asked again and I said, missionary. Third time he asked and I said "missionary."

Wow, now I have that experience in Suwon. The question is what did the immigration officers saw in me that gave them an idea I am an undocumented worker in Korea? My best guess is my my looks. I was wearing a denim jacket, carries a back pack and unshaved for a day--which emphasized my non-korean profile. This experience is alarming for many undocumented workers.

In one occasion Jesus said tohis disciples, "I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you" (John 14:18). This is a fulfilled promise through the presence of the Holy Spirit. We are never alone because we have someone who listens to us. We have someone who is able to lift us out of our loneliness, anxiety and even in desperate situations. May we have the faith that transcends what human beings can do.