As I (Rachel) sit here, in a wonderful, airconditioned hotel room, I am so overwhelmed. The past two days have given me some of the most absolutely incredible experiences of my life!

Firstly, about our hotel! I'm paired with Kelsey in a blue and red room! Our rooms are about 15' x 20' -- kitchen, 2 twin beds, bathroom (shower, toilet, & sink all in a 3'x4' area), and the best part are the phones!!! SO fun to make room-to-room calls! hehe

We were up by 5am and off to go INTO the DMZ yesterday! Both North and South Korea have 2 km of land dedicated to the DMZ, and we were able to go to the observation area that is closest to North Korea. I was so in awe. My favorite part of that trip was when we had a group prayer time for North Korea. Several people led out in prayer in English, but then Mrs. Foley prayed in Korean. There were South Korean guards watching us, and I think that they were very touched by what she prayed. After we prayed, one of the guards offered to show some of us something across the border. He put a coin into a pay-telescope and trained the sights. Then he told me to look. Across the river, I could see a rice patty with about 30 "units" (as the guard called the North Korean soldiers) working to grow food. That was incredible! And to think that what we had just done in praying together would be illegal just 1.2 km away!

My homestay was truly a blessing. As I was greeting the defectors before I knew who was my host, I met one woman who really stood out to me. When we clasped hands and our eyes met, we made an instant connection. I was so thrilled to find out that she was my host! She has endured so many unimaginable trials -- it was very special for me to be with her. She escaped from NK with her daughter into China, but her daughter was captured and repatriated into NK where she was beaten to death. Her daughter would have been a few years older than me, so she began to call me her "daughter" and constantly clasped my hands and poured out love through her servant's heart. Sitting on her wooden floor, spending hours talking through our interpreter, I was so touched. We talked until 3:30am, when I practically passed out! My last memory before sleep was my host tucking a pillow under my head and pulling covers over me... :-)

I'll have to post more later! It's about 10:30 pm here, and we get to go to church for prayer at 4:30 am tomorrow morning!!! There are SO many stories to tell -- and all of them are AMAZING. But for now, bed!

Thank you for all your prayers for us!
Rachel <><