Faith Followers

Volleyball Season

2011-11-04T14:47:00.001+09:00

August-October 2011

This is our second season coaching varsity girls' volleyball together. Mark leads as the head coach, Malia is assistant coach, and the kids are mascots. Tryouts were held in August, and the season stretched to the last week of October, culminating in a two-day tournament on the 28th and 29th.

Our team was smaller this year with just 10 girls: Jessi, Sarah W., Essie, JeeHyun, Joelle, Yuriko, Sarah K., Sally, Suyoung, and Hyerin. These girls were our primary focus this fall season as we invested time into preparation, practices, and games. We've loved leading them in this sport and challenging them to be excellent and disciplined in all areas of their lives.

We finished our season in second place, after having record-breaking wins against larger rival schools. At the end of our KAIAC tournament on the 29th, we came in third place. We are so proud of our team for how they've worked together, grown stronger and more strategic, and encouraged each other through victories and difficulties.

You are welcome to see our page on Mark's sport's website, YISSPN.
The team also has an introductory video, which Mark helped produce, that you can see here.

2 Hawaii Celebrations

2011-11-03T16:53:00.000+09:00

July & September 2011

We were blessed to take two trips to Oahu within a few months of each other. Each trip was to celebrate a different occasion, and we are thankful we were able to be there for Malia's grandmother's 90th birthday and her older brother's wedding.

For the birthday party, the two of us worked together to produce a slide show in her honor. If you'd like to view it, you're welcome to click on this link and see it: http://bit.ly/happy90. Malia's grandmother, Tereza Baniaga, has such a legacy of hard work and devotion. We are honored to carry on her heritage and to receive her wisdom as a spiritual inheritance.

Mark with Malia's 2 brothers: Chris and Jon

Malia's brother Chris got married on September 10. Our family was able to fly us back for the event, and we are forever grateful that we could participate in such a God-centered and covenant-focused ceremony. His new bride, Mel, has been a family friend for over a decade. We're thrilled to have her now as a sister.

Our Thailand Summer

2011-11-03T16:33:00.000+09:00

June 2011

During June, we spent time visiting friends in Bangkok. It was such a beautiful, restful month when we could bond together as a family. Our generous friends let us stay in their apartment, which is in the same complex where we used to live. Therefore, we were close to those we love and miss.

An added bonus was that many of our students from ICS were home for the summer and were able to visit us. Usually, we travel to Thailand during the school year (for a fall break or spring break), and many of our students who have graduated attend colleges in the UK, USA, Australia, Singapore, and Canada. What fun to reunite with these young men and women and hear how they're transitioning to independent adult life through their college scenes.

Of course, we visited our church, Newsong, and were blessed to see them continuing their bilingual services and outreaches to the slum community with whom we were once involved. We also attended church at Nonthaburi Baptist, which is where Mark served as a summer missionary in 2002. Our friends from college, Solomon and Angi, graciously hosted us for a day of reconnecting and rest.

Some fun new places we saw were Safari World and an excellent, kid-friendly beach in Hua Hin. Mika had her first horseback riding lesson on a horse named Nemo. We are so thankful for our friends in Bangkok for their welcome and encouragement. What a blessing to have a home there too.

Trips and Visitors

2011-04-29T14:13:00.002+09:00

March/April 2011 Update

These have been a full two months for our family. In March, we traveled back to Bangkok during spring break. Our church, Newsong, is active and excited. We noted many new faces, mostly of Thai men and women. It was refreshing to sit in on one of their services and hear how the Lord is moving in their community. We were also happy to see many of our friends from ICS, to catch up on how life has changed, and to wonder at His goodness to those that seek Him. A number of our friends had babies this spring, and two of them actually gave birth while we were in country. What a privilege for us to visit them in the hospital and see their newborns!

We also reconnected with some Thai families, specifically with one with whom we've gotten very close. Please pray that this family will recognize and yearn for the presence of God in their lives. They are so kind and giving, and we just pray they will soon choose the narrow path, which is a huge detour from their Buddhist background.

Upon returning to Seoul, Mark turned around and flew south to Australia where he attended and presented at a technology conference there. Aside from the valuable work and trade experience he gained in the sessions, he was also able to see some of the Melbourne sights and shoot awesome photography.

In mid-April, we welcomed Mark's parents, Ken and Dee, to our home in Korea. His dad was on his return from a 2-week mission trip to Palawan in the Philippines. His mom joined him in Seoul for this week-long visit to see us and their only grandchildren. Mika and Coby were thrilled to have their grandparents around, and we took many trips out to see the city and experience life at the school and with our church. Our favorite day was Saturday, when we journeyed to Seoul Zoo and spent the day admiring animals with our amazed children.

During Passion Week, Mark's school held a special outreach service for the high school students. Over the past month, there has been a more openness at the school, and our community is praying for students to be willing to make that climactic choice to follow Christ. In addition, there are discipleship groups (Mark leads one) that challenge students in their personal lives, apart from the rigors of academic work. Please pray with us that students will see the value and importance of evaluating their spiritual state, that they will recognize the joy and peace amongst their Christian classmates and teachers, and that they will ultimately choose Jesus Christ for themselves.

As we look forward into May, we see a number of events approaching. Mark will have surgery on his shoulder in mid-May. Both of us will be working hard on grad work. The school year will end on June 3, and we have many end-of-the-year ceremonies and responsibilities. We will be staying in Seoul for a week following as Mark leads technology training for staff at his school.

Praises!
~Our family's trip to Thailand
~Mark's trip to Australia
~Mark's parents' visit
~More openness amongst students at Mark's school

Prayer Requests
~The salvation of these students
~Mark's upcoming shoulder surgery

Heil Siblings Visit & Valentine's Banquet

2011-03-01T14:38:00.007+09:00

February 2011 Update

The highlight of this month was our visit from Mark's brother and sisters. Scott and Charlene came from Oregon, and Angela flew from Texas. During their week here, they toured museums and palaces, enjoyed a children's theme park with Mika, visited Mark's school, and shared everyday life with us and the kids. They even took a day tour to the border with North Korea. We thoroughly appreciated their help and company during their stay!

In mid-February, we were privileged to attend the Valentine's Banquet for high school students at Mark's school. It was refreshing and fun to get dressed up and enjoy an evening of entertainment and swing dancing!

We did have one medical emergency, though, when Mika suffered from a pulled (dislocated) elbow. However, she was set right by the end of the day and fully recovered within a week. Thank you to everyone who prayed for her healing.

Our children continue to grow and surprise us. Coby turned one! He is now drinking whole milk, eating all table foods, and walking! Mika continues to potty train and learn new words. She now sleeps in a toddler bed and is learning to dress herself.

Praises:
We loved having Angie, Scott, and Charlene with us in the beginning of February!
We praise the Lord for our children, Mika and Coby, and their joy.

Prayer Requests:
We look forward to our trip to Bangkok on March 19.
Mika continues to increase her vocabulary, but please pray with us for clearer communication between us and her.

Winterness (in Hawaii and Seoul)

2011-01-28T20:49:00.001+09:00

December 2010 and January 2011 Update

The four of us flew to Hawaii to spend our three-week break with Malia's family on Oahu. What a blessing to rest, to visit with so many loved ones, and to celebrate Christ's coming in the warm comfort of the islands.

On January 2, we gathered with a number of friends at Ali`i Beach Park to dedicate our son Coby to the Lord. Our prayers for him centered on our raising him to love and serve God. We continue to pray that we will be good examples and teachers for him and not pressure him to live up to our own expectations (certain career or level of education, etc.); instead, we desire to have him grow up knowing and loving God. If his heart is set on heaven, the Lord will guide him when the time comes for him to leave our home.

A week later, we flew from sunny Oahu to wintry Korea. The snow continued to fall for a month, and taking the kids out into the cold often took an hour in preparation! Mark returned to the classroom, and Malia reset her schedule for the day-to-day sole maintenance of our two young ones and our home.

Praises:
We're so thankful for our much-needed rest in Hawaii!
We're so excited that Mark's siblings will be visiting us in February!

Volleyball Season Summary 2010

2010-11-22T21:30:00.002+09:00

Our school's regular season for fall sports ended during the last week of October. By this time, we two coaches had already had countless talks about our team over dinners and during bus and taxi rides from practices. It was a bonding experience to coach together, and we hope we also showed a positive family image to our players--many of whom have absent parents (because of heavy work schedules).

Mika and Coby were able to travel with us to all of our games. They were very popular with the girls on our team and provided great entertainment! One of our players calls Coby "Kanji" (a close sound to his middle name "Kenji")--"Kanji" means "cool stuff" in Korean.

We entered the end-of-the-season tournament hoping to place in the top three but fell short of that goal. It was a disappointing weekend because we all knew our team could play better than it did. However, there was a highlight. Mark's birthday was on the first day of the tournament, and the girls and Malia planned a surprise for him--complete with cake, balloons, and a spray can of fake snow.

A week later, Mark took 9 of our players to a larger tournament in Japan. Against the odds, our team rose to the challenge, came together with a commitment to excellence, and won almost all of the 14 games they played. They came in third place--the highest our school had ever placed at this tournament. When they returned to Seoul, the whole school was buzzing with the news, and the team was beaming with pride.

We are both extremely proud of the girls, but Mark deserves most praise for their accomplishments this season. His dedication to their improvement was evident from the start. He emphasized commitment, prioritizing (with God, family, and school above volleyball), and a "go-go-go" spirit. He was head coach--and a good one. Malia came alongside him as the assistant and was continually impressed by his insight and excitement with the sport.

As we taught them skills and strategies, we also modeled passion, leadership, and teamwork. This was our ministry, and we pray we handled it with grace and goodness. We are so thankful for the opportunity to serve the Lord in this way from August through November and look forward to working further with these ladies in the off season and into next year.

Coaching Volleyball and Visiting Bangkok

2010-10-10T19:18:00.003+09:00

August and September 2010 Update

Soon after we arrived in Seoul, we both began coaching varsity girls volleyball at Mark's school. Our team has 12 girls from all four grades of high school--they are an excellent group! We had them over to our new apartment for a pre-season pizza party and got to know them a bit better. The season, which started in mid-August, continues until the beginning of November. We pray that our time with these ladies will positively impact them toward better decision-making and godly desires.

Mika and Coby have enjoyed playing with student babysitters while we coach every day. They have great attitudes (both our kids and the sitters), and we are blessed by the arrangement.

Besides coaching, Mark has been busy with first quarter teaching and technology integration at the school. Modern Mango websites also require much attention.

For our Chusok holiday in mid-September, we flew to Bangkok to reconnect with our friends and church there. It was an excellent time! We love the people there and enjoy any time we get to spend with them.

Praises and Prayer Requests
~We are so thankful for our new-to-us apartment! It's better suited for us all, especially the kids.
~Coaching volleyball is a great ministry for us both!
~We were so blessed to visit Thailand and reconnect with people there.
~The changing season is a wonderful relief from the heat, but it is causing many colds amongst our friends. Please pray that Malia's cold heals soon and that the rest of the family may be spared from the sickness.

Hawaiian Summer & Return to Korea

2010-08-12T08:10:00.003+09:00

July 2010 Update

After PFO, we took a ridiculous route back to Hawaii! We flew from Memphis to Detroit to Seoul to Honolulu. As you can imagine, we were quite exhausted when we finally reached the Aloha State--but beautiful weather, eager family members, and a few weeks of rest awaited us.

While staying on Oahu, Mark was able to video a wedding with Malia's brothers and concentrate more on his classes. We were also thrilled to spend many days in the sand and ocean water. (Mika loves playing at the beach!)

At the end of the month, we packed up and flew west back to Seoul. (This was Mika's last flight as a lap child.) Our new apartment awaited us there, and we are excited and grateful for how it better accommodates our young family! Hot weather also welcomed us back!

Mark's school year begins soon, and we are excited about this upcoming semester in Korea.

Praises & Prayer Requests:
~We are so thankful for our time in Hawaii!
~Our apartment in Seoul is so much better for us!
~We begin coaching varsity volleyball together in August. Please pray that we use our influence as coaches to motivate our team toward better decisions and ultimately toward a growing relationship with Christ.
~Please pray for Mark as he takes on twice as many students as last year in his computer classes.

Visiting Family & Attending PFO

2010-06-30T16:39:00.001+09:00

June 2010 Update

June marked the start of our two-month vacation, and we were ready for it! We started out in Hawaii with Malia's family and enjoyed barbecues and days at the beach and zoo. On the 8th, we flew to Oregon to visit Mark's family. Together, we drove to the coast, hiked to waterfalls, and shopped at outlet malls. After a week, we drove up to Seattle to visit Malia's aunt and her family. There, we enjoyed visiting a science center, seeing an Imax movie in 3D, and celebrating Father's Day by eating pho.

On June 21, we flew to Memphis to attend the Pre-Field Orientation for NICS. For two weeks, we were blessed to hear challenging and insightful seminars on culture shock/stress, TCKs, and educational strategies. While we learned, our kids were taken care of by volunteers at the church--and they had so much fun! Even though this conference was physically draining (stretching from 8 until 5 every day), we appreciate all the knowledge gleaned and the friendships made. Our hearts are renewed in our passions for overseas mission work, and we are excited to return to Seoul and do what God has for us there.

Praises and prayer requests:
~We are so thankful to be able to visit family this summer.
~Mark is teaching an online class for YISS and must find time to complete his planning and grading each day.
~Mark is also taking an online graduate class, which certainly demands time and work.
~At the end of this month, Mika and Coby are both fighting illnesses. Please pray that they heal quickly and return to their usual joyful selves.

Preparing for Summer

2010-05-30T13:02:00.000+09:00

May Update 2010

This last month of the school year of was full of preparation for summer. As Mark finished up his classes, Malia spent days organizing the house. Mika, thinking she could help, looked through boxes as well--but she did more unpacking than packing. By May 30, we had all our belongings in boxes (to be moved to our new apartment in our absence) and were ready for a long break.

Early in the month, though, we faced the frightening return of Mika's seizures. We realize now that she may suffer from these fever-induced convulsions for a few more years and hope that we can keep her temperatures down so as to prevent them. Even though we know the episodes do not cause brain damage, they are still terrifying for both her and us.

After our first year in Korea, we are thankful for what growth we can now identify in our lives. Through the challenges, our Lord has been faithful, and we have grown closer as a family. We look forward to our summer of traveling!

Praises and prayer requests:
~We will be visiting family in Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington during June!
~Our organization (NICS) hosts a missions conference in Tennessee, and we'll be attending it at the end of June. Please pray for open hearts to receive and serve.

Returning to Thailand

2010-04-30T10:44:00.000+09:00

April 2010 Update

For spring break, we packed our family of four into two airplane seats and flew to Bangkok, Thailand. Although Mark had been back to visit in 2009, this trip would be the first time for our whole family to return to this beloved country and reconnect with our friends there. In addition, we were bringing our two children to meet everyone as well. As we landed in Bangkok, Malia felt tears in her eyes. We love Thailand.

Our visit was filled with fun moments, good friends, and excellent food. For the first few days, we stayed with our students' (Joei and Joanne's) family in their house then moved to an apartment they have in Parkland, which is the same apartment complex where we lived in 2007 and 2008. Quickly, we reconnected with friends from International Community School, Newsong Bangkok (our church), and Parkland (our neighbors). Mika and Coby had so much fun enjoying the heat, the grass, and the constant attention. While there, Coby also gifted us with his first coo!

When we returned to Seoul, Mika unfortunately fought two serious sicknesses: croup and the stomach flu. Our friends tell us that she is at the age to build up immunities, but it is still difficult to see her so miserable! We pray that she will quickly toughen up to the sicknesses floating around in Seoul, which happens to be quite a polluted city.

At school, Mark continued guiding his students through impressive projects with computers, film, and design. At one art event, his students were able to display their self-designed T-shirts. A number of his students also entered a film festival with their class projects, claiming awards for their excellent work. One particular student won the top award for Korea and went on to win another international award as well!

At home, Malia is finding the rhythm to raising two kids. We are so grateful for how Malika loves her brother Coby. She wants to play with him when he's happy and comfort him when he's sad. It's amazing to watch her naturally slide into the role of older sister.

Praises and Prayer Requests:
~We pray that Mika will soon recover from her sicknesses and stay well.
~Coby is doing better at night and will hopefully be sleeping through soon.
~Mark and Malia are beginning to prepare for their summer traveling.

Family from Hawaii Visits

2010-03-30T08:23:00.001+09:00

March 2010 Update

Our March was filled with visits from our Hawaii ohana. On the 5th, Mark picked up Malia's mom, Adela Rhoades, from the Incheon airport, and she stayed two weeks with us. Her help with the kids and our home was priceless! We were able to rest as well as go out on a date. While she was here, Mark's school even had a snow day, so he, Mom, and Mika went sightseeing at a famous temple--to see it covered in fresh snow. We also brought her to our home church, out to shop for souvenirs, and to walk down by the Han River.

Malia's brother Chris arrived just as her mom was leaving. He spent hours playing with our energetic Malika, and she loved it all! Chris also visited Mark's school and served as a guest speaker, teaching about film and editing. He and Malia also went out to Myeongdong (the famous shopping district) and Seoul Tower, which overlooks the city. His help during Mark's absence was so valuable!

For eleven days at the end of the month, Mark was in Singapore at a conference. He was awarded as a distinguished educator by Apple, and the awardees came together for a week-long collaboration of ideas. This was an incredible honor and privilege!

We are so grateful for the help given us this month and the honor given to Mark as a computer teacher!

Coby Maxwell Kenji Heil is Here!

2010-02-27T00:01:00.000+09:00

February 2010 Update

February--a life-changing month! We entered it as a family of 3 and exited as 4. Coby Maxwell Kenji Heil was born on Thursday, the 11th, at 6:57pm at SoonchunHyang University Hospital in Hannamdong, Seoul, Korea. He was 2.8 kilograms and 52 cm long. We thank the Lord for his safe delivery and the incredible joy he brings us and everyone who meets him.

Just one week prior to his birth, we found out through a routine ultrasound that he was a breech baby. Initially, we began to fear for his safety and Malia's; however, this complication quickly transformed into a platform for prayer. We prayed constantly for Coby, for Malia, and for the doctor and nurses who were still planning for a normal delivery. People began lifting us up as well and encouraging us, for which we will always be grateful. Then, on February 9, Malia returned to the doctor for another checkup, and the doctor surprisingly discovered that Coby had turned over! He was so shocked that we knew this was an act of our merciful and caring Father. Malia was almost 39 weeks pregnant, and it had been highly unlikely that our baby boy would have room to turn. We thank God that Malia was able to give birth naturally and without complications or health risks. Now, three weeks later, both mom and baby are doing so well!

Since the birth of our son, we've spent much time bonding as a family. Coby was born during a four-day weekend celebrating the lunar new year, so we were able to spend extra time together at home. In addition, Mark's school graciously gives paternity leave to its employees, which has been especially helpful as we adjust to having a newborn in the house. Malika just loves her little brother and often hugs and kisses him. It's heartwarming to watch.

As we enter March, we look forward to having guests visit from Hawaii: Malia's mom and brother Chris! We're so thankful that they are willing to come to Korea and help with our two young children. Family is such a blessing! We just keep praising God for how He has blessed us with our kids, with our extended families back in America, and with our family here in Seoul who has surrounded us with love and support throughout this month.

Praises & Prayer Requests:

~We're so thankful that Coby and Malia are healthy!

~Praise God that Adela and Chris Rhoades are able to visit with us and help with the kids in March.

~Please pray for Mark as he attends a technology conference in Singapore during the third weekend of March.

~Please pray for Malia as she begins her new job with curriculum research and development.

Refreshing Reconnections

2010-01-27T05:16:00.001+09:00

We began our 2010 in Lahaina, Maui, where we were vacationing with the Rhoades family. While there, we were blessed to relax through surfing, seeing the sunset from Haleakala, visiting relatives, reading, and just reflecting on the Lord's goodness to us in 2009.

Upon returning to Oahu, we had a few days to see family and friends (and favorite restaurants) before flying to Korea for the second half of the school year. Mark preceded Malia in the traveling by a few days, and we prayed much for her flight with Mika and being eight months pregnant. The Lord answered our prayers for an extra seat on both flights, and Mika was able to sit in her carseat for much of the twelve hours of air time. (We also walked up and down the aisles numerous times.)

Snow welcomed us back to Seoul! We also enjoyed returning to our community of friends both at the school and at our church. Mark jumped back into teaching and discipling his students at YISS, and Malia began her new job: working from home on curriculum development. She is excited about conducting and managing research with her business partners around the world. We're so grateful for the work we have and the opportunities available to influence others through these connections.

Because this month brought with it the symptoms of late pregnancy for Malia, we have spent extra hours at home together. We value this family time as we eagerly await the arrival of our son in mid-February. Malika just grows and grows...and she's developed some new "tricks": 1) When the neighbor dog barks, she barks back, 2) she bows and prays after us, and 3) she leads us around by the hand when she wants us to accompany her somewhere. She is such entertainment, and we're very blessed with her cheerfulness.

Praises & Prayer Requests

~We're so grateful for our restful stay in Hawaii and the safe return to Korea.

~Praise God that Malia is able to work from home on something she enjoys!

~Mark was honored to counsel 5 students during his school's Spiritual Emphasis Week. Please pray that they continue to follow the Lord and remain accountable to Mark.

~Please pray with us for a safe delivery of our son in February.

Dec 2010 Update

2009-12-18T23:58:00.001+09:00

December 15, 2009
The month of Christmas brought with it the winter trademark we've missed for seven years: SNOW. Even though Mika didn't seem so impressed with it, we both were thrilled to witness its first fall, despite how little it stuck to the ground. However, the second half of our month will be in a tropical climate as we join our family in Hawaii to celebrate the coming of our Savior. We're excited to relax, reconnect, and enjoy others' reactions to all of Mika's new tricks.

Early in the month, we experienced a frightening emergency when Mika's fever caused febrile seizures--we rushed her to the ER. Prayer and support rose up around us in Seoul and around the world; we felt God's comfort just when we needed it most. After this terrifying episode, we now look at our daughter with a renewed sense of appreciation: She is such a gift. We love her so much and must cherish every moment we have with her. Thank you to everyone who joined us in prayer on that day. She is now completely back to her normal self without any permanent damage--praise the Lord.

This year, 2009, will soon close, and we look back upon it with amazement. God has done so much in our lives in the past 12 months: we have been challenged, tried, and stretched. Most importantly though, we have learned. We pray now that what we've gained will not only expand our vision but also enhance our witness...both here in Seoul and also around the world as we connect with others (like you) daily.

Praises and Prayer Requests:
-We're thrilled that Mika is completely recovered from her sickness.
-We're excited about vacationing with family in Hawaii over our winter break.
-Please pray for safe flights to and from Hawaii, especially for Malia as she travels alone with Mika.

Adjusting to Culture and Cold

2009-11-27T05:18:00.002+09:00

November 2009

The cold has set in here in Seoul, and even Mark’s Wisconsin-bred blood requires a coat for warmth! With temperatures hovering around freezing, we find ourselves indoors almost constantly, enjoying the floor heat in our villa and our family time together in the evenings. Our coaching is on hold as we now prepare for our second-born to come in just three months—February 20!

As the holidays approach, we’ve enjoyed some excellent fellowship with our friends. Malia’s dad dropped in again early in the month on his way to Taiwan for humanitarian work, and we enjoyed visiting with him for three fun-filled days. Our Bible study group continues to meet and challenge each other in the Word, and on one Tuesday, we went out to eat Vietnamese pho. On the 14^th, Mark joined with other teachers from YISS to play in the Turkey Bowl (a soccer match). For Thanksgiving weekend, our family joined three others for an excursion outside of Seoul and into the mountains. We rented a cabin for one night and enjoyed the fresh air, barbecued meat, and smores made over a campfire. Upon our return to the city, we joined up with our church family for a non-traditional Thanksgiving meal of steak, noodles, and salmon—it was delicious!

Mark made a weekend trip to Nagoya, Japan in mid-November to run workshops on technology for a fellow NICS school there. We’re thrilled and humbled that his expertise is recognized and utilized by our mission organization, and the trip afforded him the opportunity to indulge in tasty Japanese food too—a bonus!

We have much to be thankful for this year—our health, our coming baby, Mika’s development, our fun marriage, our placement in Korea, the prayer support from you, and God’s continuing guidance. As we still look for part-time jobs and/or financial support, we know that the Lord will be with us in this search too, for He has never let us down.

Praises and Prayer Requests:

~Malia’s pregnancy is going well! Third trimester now begins…

~Mika is walking so confidently and energetically.

~We look forward to spending Christmas with family in Hawaii. Please pray for safe travels in December.