by
Jul 26. 2024
Inevitable meeting on a bus
Do you have a dream?
"Do you have a dream?
On the express bus from Seoul to Busan, a young man sitting next to me started talking to me.
I smiled and thought to myself. 'I have a dream, but it's not a story I can share just yet.'
He slowly told the story of his miraculous cure for tuberculosis and said that Jesus was the one who gave him his second life. He said that he wanted to have a beautiful family, so he also believed in Jesus, and he was talking without hesitation.
At that time, I was working at a university hospital, harboring a deep-seated dream of becoming a missionary dedicated to serving people.
Will I be eligible?
Can I do something like that?
Although I have a lot of inner fear, it was the word 'mission' was always in my heart.
A close friend of mine informed me that there was a program for American missionaries to come and teach English.
It was a busy schedule but I took a day off work and went up to Seoul.
After English seminar, on my way back to Busan by the bus, I was suddenly evangelized by the man who sitting next of me, so I had no choice but to speak with him.
"I believe in Jesus! And I have a dream."
Our conversation flowed effortlessly, and for the first time in my life, I found myself talking with someone for five continuous hours on an express bus.
We talked without getting bored throughout the long journey, until we arrived at the Busan terminal late at night.
The next day, I was working hard at the hospital and among the waiting patients, a familiar face was smiling and staring.
I thought he was a guardian so I ignored him while working, but he stayed there until almost the end of my shift.
'Oh my! he is the person who sat next to me on the express bus yesterday.'
Maybe because I talked to him from the side, I couldn't remember his face exactly.
"Do you remember me? I was the one who sat next to you on the express bus yesterday.
I bought you a lot of delicious things yesterday, so I think you have to buy me a cup of coffee today!"
After leaving work, he went first and ran to the coffee shop in Nampo-dong, where he was waiting.
It was uncomfortable and nerve-wracking to drink coffee alone with a strange man for the first time.
That day, I bought a nice cup of coffee and had a good conversation.
One day, a colleague of mine came with a flowery envelope.
"Wow! I can't believe someone would send a love letter to you in such a large hospital with so many employees! Should I give it to you or not? I should give it to you if you get me a coffee."
"Who is the brave one to send you a flowery envelope? How bold!" my colleagues teased, but I didn't understand why.
I asked, "Why? What did I do?"
My colleague handed me the envelope, then took it back and said, "Get me a coffee first." I agreed and received the envelope.
It was a name I've never seen before, But suddenly my heart started beating.
"Aha... It's him."
Our long-distance relationship, which began like that, grew longer and deeper.
In the meantime, we started to think that it was because of the boredom of long-distance time, but as he joined the army, he became more out of touch, and the two of us seemed different.
One day he told me he wanted to break up because he was overwhelmed by the army situation and couldn't date anymore.
it was a huge shock to me. I felt like I was going to break up, but I wasn't ready, so I was heartbroken for months with the sudden cut.
Through that time, I learned that human love has an expiration date.
I decided that I should speed up my path, which had been shaken and stopped by this man.
So, I put all the letters and pictures I exchanged with him in the big container and burned them.
My father, who was watching, say that
"Do you have to burn it like that? Oh, your temper so strong, why don't you have take time to release it slowly? Are you okey?”
He asked and talked with me about my feelings and mind.
I quit my job at the hospital that winter. For a month, I organized all my things and said goodbye to my parents and family. Then I went up to Seoul for missionary training by express bus.
I was receiving full-fledged training for the missionary camp in Buam-dong, Seoul, and at that time, he was working in Yeosu as a lieutenant.
One day, at a meeting of a missionary group in the city where he stayed, a female staff member from the same mission organization shared my story during her testimony.
She mentioned that I was going to leave for Pakistan soon.
He asked the lady staff about my name and found out that I was the one he met on the bus, and we communicated again through her intermediary role.
One day, he called me and ask to meet him at Gimpo airport. saying that he had something to say. I went to the airport to meet him, feeling little uncomfortable and with sudden palpitations. Suddenly, we werefacing each other again, a year later.
He began to speak carefully with a shyness.
" I'm so sorry. My military life was so difficult that I got confused a lot and broke up with you. Can we meet again?"
Maybe, because it was the first time I had met and dated in my life, I couldn't forget about him all year long.
However, I knew that it was impossible to date even if my heart was pounding because our had changed considerably.
I had to leave for the mission field immediately a few months later.
And I was well aware that human love has a shelf life, so I spoke to him a little boldly.
" Then will you be able to follow me?"
"........."
"I can't go out with someone who can't go down this road with me."
" Ah!..."
" Where are you going?"
" Oh, you didn't know? I'm leaving for Pakistan soon."
" Why are you going?"
" I'm going to do a mission."
" How long are you going to go?"
" I'll live like that for the rest of my life."
" I'll go back and pray and get back to you."
He flew back into the army camp, and three days later he called me.
"I'd love to go with you along the path you're supposed to go."
"will you marry me?"
In Korean culture, it is uncommon for women to become missionaries and for husbands to follow their wives' lead, especially when the husband is a military officer. As a result, many people around us opposed our decision.
I was giving up everything because of such regret, but the pastor, the representative of the missionary group, called us both to have a quick meal in the morning.
Perhaps he also wanted to know our news and what it was like.
The pastor asked him at the during breakfast.
"How did you meet each other?"
"Yes, we met for the first time on the express bus."
"Oh, my God! You meet a missionary just like that?
You should meet her in church or at a Christian seminar because she is missionary, But Meeting on an express bus!
Hmm!!!!
Wow! amazing how God lead you guys that way?
How did you decide to get married?
And do you know where she needs to go?"
