Inhwa Lee, ISI Volunteer Intern  
 

 Dear American supporters, volunteers, prayer supporters, ISI students and scholars,

Hello, everyone. This is Inhwa Lee from South Korea who currently lives in Santa Cruz with a wonderful husband and a lovely daughter. I would like to share my experience in ISI for the last 5 years and the reason why I have a strong interest in volunteering for ISI.

My first experience in ISI was the English Conversation group held in FSH affiliates building with ISI volunteer members. They gave me the opportunity to practice English, make friends and learn American culture. Over the course of time, my English has  improved and I could move forward for my academic goal of going to school this fall thanks to ISI volunteer members. I will be studying TESOL to get a certificate at UCSC Extension in Santa Clara because one of my dreams is to speak good English fluently.

With my friendship partner named Julie Baird, and her family, in ISI, I have enjoyed my time with them. They invited me to their family occasions like Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, her children’s birthday parties, concerts and so on. They also threw a baby shower for me and brought food to me after my baby was born. Julie really gave me a friendly welcome and it was fun to get to know each other.

I also really enjoyed going to Lady’s Tea time weekly and talking to ISI members over the tea. This program dealt with many topics we were interested in. Sometimes, we we learned how to dance and cook food, and also sometimes met outside to go to museums together. 

Above all, my favorite experience was that I shared Christianity’s love with other people by attending Bible study. Living in the foreign country is sometimes very hard for international students because it might be a first time for them to live on their own without spiritual supporters like their parents. I think that’s why ISI Bible study team exists -- to help international students to easily access the meaning of Christianity and go through a spiritual life during the academic years.

ISI offers much more than I mentioned above. They offer the opportunity to have new experiences and to learn many kinds of things. I think all of these are reasons why I applied for ISI volunteer work. I will be in charge of helping ISI members to organize an English conversation group, attending Ladies tea time weekly and Bible study biweekly and the like. What I hope to accomplish here in ISI is to get a TESOL certificate and further to get a job in the nursing field that I majored in, to get to know each other, and to share spiritual life with others by attending ISI activities.

I would like to thank you all ISI members for your service, dedication and sacrifice for International students.   

--Mrs. Inhwa Lee

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 Welcome to my new ISI volunteer intern Mrs. Inhwa Lee!  

I first remember meeting Inhwa in our ISI English conversation group.   

 She had recently arrived to UCSC, newly married, and was very shy to speak aloud in English, but she insistently asked my help correcting her essay.

I looked at the densely written 2 pages she handed me. It was extremely exact and precisely written, almost perfect English. I  had a hard time finding anything to correct!

Inhwa and her husband Jungsuk were already church leaders back home in Korea where Jungsuk taught Sunday school and Inhwa helped with church activities.

For the past five years since coming to UCSC, Inwha has been highly involved in ISI Santa Cruz Bible study and activities while she raised their baby daughter HaeUn "Grace." and Jungsuk earned his PhD in Electrical Engineering.

So now that Jungsuk has just landed a  postdoc position at UCSC for two more years, Inhwa felt ready for a new step in ministry leadership. She has volunteered to be an intern for ISI Santa Cruz ministry

Her confidence has blossomed.   She is now directing the  ISI English conversation group at UCSC, so far 13 international students/scholars coming. She is also helping with the ISI Ladies Tea time. It's growing membership is mostly due to Inhwa's inviting her friends. We have started the ISI Bible study again and she also wants to help with food shopping trips and other activities.

Thanks for praying for her as she grows in Christian leadership

--Peggy, ISI Campus Staff