I like oatmeal cookies.

Why? Because they're nice to share with friends, especially when paired with hot chocolate.

Why else? Because my momma sent me an oatmeal cookie mix to enjoy.

Why else? Because since I can eat sugary oatmeal in mushy form, I think it's perfectly acceptable that I ate 8 oatmeal cookies and a slice of pepper jack cheese for dinner tonight. At least this way there's egg and dairy involved.

Judge all you want, but I bet my dinner made me happier than yours did.

Saturday Class: Letters to President Obama

I wish I had more of these, but a lot of students took them home to finish for homework.  There might have to be a second part, if I can get photos before we seal these up and send them off.  Sorry, some of these are a bit blurry, but they're totally worth muddling through!

Send me mail!

Clearly, I respond.  I'm not guaranteeing promptness, though.

Anne Nicole Royster 
SPECIAL DISTRICT OF INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 
Korea Nazarene University (Attn. Jenny Kim) 
#115 Faith Hall (Miteumgwan) 
456 Ssangyong-Dong Seobukgu Cheonan City Choongnam 
331 718 South Korea 

June goals, a head start

My friend Kelli (wife to JoshTaylor of Blimey Cow) has been doing this wonderful project of monthly resolutions.  I, being the non-committal person that I am, smiled, nodded, said "that's a good idea," and moved on.  BUT today, I was reality checked (think of how people check each other in hockey, and that's similar to how G-d checks me.  Don't think chess.  Don't even think wizard's chess.  Neither of those are violent enough).

Since my birthday, I've been indulging too much.  At first, I justified it with "It's birthday week.  I'll let myself do what I want."  Then, it was, "I freaking just got out of the hospital because I couldn't breath," (bronchitis.  It's gone now.  Don't worry.) "I'll let myself do what I want."  Until today, it wasn't even a conscious thought.  I was just doing what I wanted with no regard to anything else.

But, today it became clear that this needed to stop.  Sooooo I'm setting some boundaries and some goals to whip myself into shape.  I'm hoping to set goals in these categories each month.  I'll check in and grade myself for you, too.  So, whether you like it or not, you're holding me accountable.

1. Health: Aside from Project: 물 주세요, I am adding that I need to exercise every day.  I specifically need to slim down my thighs, as they're rubbing together when I walk and forming very painful blisters.  I'd show you a picture, but they're too high for me to feel comfortable putting that on my blog.
2. Self-improvement: This month, I'm going to try to live on $10 a day.  I want to be saving much more than I am.  I'll allow my $10 a day to roll-over, so on days when I don't spend anything (like today), I'll have more for the next day.  This does not include things like bills, transportation, and tithe, but it does include my food budget.  We'll see how this goes.
3. Focus on others: This month, I'd like to write a letter every day, mailing them once a week.  I think too much about myself.  Hopefully, this will make me think more about others.
4. Other: (I couldn't think of a good category title for this one.) Write a page a day on my story. I need to find a good time in my day to do this, because writing just before I go to sleep is proving disastrous to my character development.

So, yes.  Those are my biggies.  We'll see how they go.  Today, I'm acing them, having only one left to do (exercise, of course... although I did take the stairs).  I'll keep you posted.

Apparently, we have our answer.

***UPDATE: SIGN THE PETITION HERE.***

Recently, as the world knows, Kim Jong-Un succeeded his father as the leader of North Korea.  We all waited with baited breath to see how he intended to rule.  Ladies and gentlemen, we have our answer.

In December, I visited Korea's Demilitarized Zone, and got to peer across the border into North Korea itself.  What I saw broke my heart for the people who live there.  

We've all heard of the few who speak out and make their ways to other countries, gaining refugee status.  Unfortunately, North Korea and China are not honoring this status, "even though North Korea joined the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights and inserted additional ‘respects and protections of human rights’ article into the constitution", and the "Chinese government agreed to the UN’s Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, and the UN Resolution on the Situation of Human Rights in the DPRK stipulates ‘the principle of non-refoulement’ that the North Korean defectors seeking asylum should not be put back to dangerous situation." (Quoted from the article below.)

A single voice can be drowned out with plugged ears, but the voice of the many cannot be quelled.  Let me suggest a plan of action:

1. Read the article below, then post it to any and all social media sites to which you have access.
2. Join with the families of the arrested refugees, whether by mirroring their abstinence from food and drinks, abstaining from something else that these refugees are no longer allowed, setting aside a certain time for prayer for them each day, some combination of these things, or something entirely different.  These people are scared and feeling unheard right now.  Let them know they're not alone.
3. Correspond with your representatives and senators.   (A simple copy-paste of the plee below should do just fine.)  It's an election year in the U.S.; our voices travel further than they usually do.  As such, you could even go all the way to write to the president.  He's made a big show of his camaraderie with South Korea, demand that he stand by that now.  (The White House online correspondence asks for a limit of 2,500 characters, so I would recommend copying and pasting the first three paragraphs of the plee, and then pasting in "As refugees, these people are entitled to protection  under UN Resolution on the Situation of Human Rights.  This situation cannot be allowed to continue.  For more information, please visit http://tinyurl.com/SaveRefugees." Make sure you select "We the People - Petitions" in the subject line. I made sure I requested a response. That is up to you.)
4. Boycott all products from China. Look for the label. Nothing speaks louder than your money.

Let's not be the generation that stood aside and let massive slaughterings of people happen AGAIN.  It is a cycle that keeps repeating.  We ask our grandparents why it took so long for America to respond to Nazi death camps.  We ask our parents why it took so long for America to respond to the situation in Rwanda.  For what will we be known?

Every human life is intrinsically priceless.  Please read the article below, as copied from the blog Ask a Korean, and take action.

*                  *                  *

First, a little bit of background. As Kim Jong-Un attempts to consolidate his power in North Korea, one of the new regime's focus has been arresting as many North Koreans in China as possible. Right now, North Korea has sent into China a task force of covert agents numbering in the thousands -- a scale simply unprecedented -- who would pretend to be North Korean defectors, only to rat out true defectors to the Chinese police. The Chinese police arrests these defectors and repatriate them back to North Korea. Once back in North Korea, these defectors will face near certain deaths in gulags out of hard labor and starvation. Recently, there was an arrest of 28 North Korean defectors in China, who will be repatriated back to North Korea in just a few days. Right now, even as we speak, these defectors are essentially facing a death penalty if they are sent back to North Korea. Some of the defectors' families in South Korea (who defected before this group of defectors) are pleading that if these defectors are to be sent back to North Korea, they are better off killing themselves in the Chinese prison.

Mr. Joo Seong-Ha, whom regular readers of this blog would know well, decided to do something about this situation. Below is his plea regarding this issue, translated into English. Mr. Joo is hoping that the social services networks worldwide would be plastered with this message, so that the Chinese government would hopefully think twice before condemning North Korean defectors to certain death.

The Korean knows that a lot of AAK! readers came to this blog because of the peerless insight of Mr. Joo. If you learned anything new about North Korea thanks to one of his posts, you owe him -- and now is your chance to return the favor. It will not take much to put up this message on Facebook, Twitter, LinkdIn, or any other social network to which you belong. Please, please carry this message forward. You may end up saving lives. Thank you.

*                  *                  *

Our appeal to the Chinese government and the international community for help. Please stop the repatriation of North Korean defectors! Forced repatriation is ultimately a death sentence.


Please help save the lives of North Korean defectors who are about to be repatriated by The Public Security Bureau of China. The defectors including minors are crying out for help, saying they’d rather die in China than be repatriated. Please help us stop the inhumane repatriation by the Chinese government. Compulsory repatriation will only result in cruel torture, persecution, and public execution. We ask the Chinese government and the global community to help in our effort to protect the human rights and save the lives of the innocent. 

From February 8th to the 13th, 28 North Korean defectors were arrested by the Public Security Bureau agents in three cities near the Chinese border. The first group had 10 people (4 men and 6 women) arrested in Shenyang, the second group consisted of 9 people arrested in Yian-ji, and the third group had 12 people arrested in Changchun. Reportedly, the 10 people detained in Shenyang contacted with their family in South Korea by the phone. 

The refugees escaped from North Korea for many different reasons. They had to suffer extended period of financial crisis, wide-spread starvation, electric power shortage, ‘guilt-by-association’ political system, absence of freedom of speech, travel or relocation, and violence against women and children. Some refugees escaped from the prison camps, while others left their country to meet with their families who had settled in South Korea. Most of the refugees want to come to South Korea but a few of them want to start a new life in other countries like the United States, the U.K. and Canada. 

The arrested defectors will go through 7 to 10 days of investigation before their repatriation. Therefore, the 10 people arrested in Shenyang are now facing immediate deportation. For a decade, the Chinese Bureau of Public Security has postponed the repatriation until the international community diverts their attention to other issues, and has so far repatriated over 10,000 refugees. The Chinese government is now evading negotiation on this matter with ambiguous answers, saying they cannot confirm the arrest of 28 North Koreans.

Recently, the North Korean government ordered a harsher crackdown on escapees during the 100 days of mourning period for Kim Jong-Il. After repatriation, the defectors will be sent to political prisoner camps and their chances of public execution are imminent. In the prison camp, their human rights of will be cruelly abused as they are subject to forced labor, involuntary abortion, physical violence, sexual assault, public execution, torture, medical experiment and lack of hygienic care. Even though North Korea joined the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights and inserted additional ‘respects and protections of human rights’ article into the constitution, it has never followed or adhered to any of the rules. 

Most of the refugees want to come to South Korea, and many of them have families already residing in South Korea. For instance, one of the refugees under arrest is a teenager boy who does not have any family or relatives in North Korea but has a brother and a sister in South Korea. In this case, he is a full citizen of South Korea and the South Korean government has the right to ask the Chinese government to send him to South Korea. 

Kim Jong-un and his government must admit the sovereign default and the abuse of human rights of its citizens. As a leader, Kim should help promote the well-being of his citizens rather than promote the death of his people.

North Korean defectors left their country due to poverty, autocracy, and many other political reasons. So, their escape from North Korea and their desire to settle in South Korea prove that they qualify for the status of refugee or asylum seeker prescribed by the international law. The Chinese government agreed to the UN’s Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, and the UN Resolution on the Situation of Human Rights in the DPRK stipulates ‘the principle of non-refoulement’ that the North Korean defectors seeking asylum should not be put back to dangerous situation. Therefore, the Chinese government must stop the forced repatriation and allow the refugees to continue their lives in other countries.

In an effort to show their opposition to North Korea, the families of the arrested refugees are abstaining from food and drinks, and appealing to the Chinese government while also trying to reach out to the international community. In one extreme case, a father of an arrested female refugee stated that he would rather have his own daughter killed by poison than taken back to North Korea. Her repatriation will only lead to indefinite torture eventually ending with public execution. 

We urge the Chinese government to protect the basic human rights and the lives of all human beings. Also, we encourage the Chinese government to understand and realize the importance of freedom and democracy for all people. Repatriation will cause long and painful suffering to the family members of the refugees. Tens of thousands of people in North and South are already feeling guilty as they failed to save their family. Please help us stop this pain and injustice. 

We appeal to all the people of conscience around the world, including worldwide news media, governments, leaders, and organizations. Please raise public awareness of the North Korean refugee crisis and the devastating effect of the Chinese government’s unjust repatriation. Please help save the lives of North Korean defectors. Show your love for humanity! 

Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.

***UPDATE: SIGN THE PETITION HERE.***

Crazy Love: Dear Chris Brown

"I think sometimes we assume that if we are nice, people will know that we are Christians and want to know more about Jesus.  But it really doesn't work that way.  I know a lot of people who don't know Christ and are really nice people - nicer and more fun to be with, in fact, than a lot of Christians I know.

"There has to be more to our faith than friendliness, politeness, and even kindness.  Jesus teaches in Luke's gospel:

If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?  Even "sinners" love those who love them.  And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you?  Even "sinners" lend to "sinners," expecting to be repaid in full.  But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back.  Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.  Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

                                 -Luke 6:32-36 

"True faith is loving a person after he has hurt you.  True love makes you stand out."

                                                     -From Francis Chan's Crazy Love 

Chan continues on in the book to reference the horrible incident that happened just outside Lancaster, PA in October of 2006 and the amazing response of the Amish community, especially the families of the girls who had been murdered.  My family has spent a lot of time in Lancaster, most likely in contact with those very same families.  Perhaps that's why this event struck such a chord with me.

2007 in Lancaster, PA

I remember that day vividly for many reasons that have nothing to do with this blog post, but, for some reason, I always manage to forget the resolution I made to myself to strive after a forgiving faith like was shown by those families.  This week, I outdid myself in my forgetfulness.

You see, this week, Chris Brown reappeared at the Grammys.  The only opinion that I'm going to link you to about that is attached to the title of this post, because I think that his is the only balanced, G-d-like opinion that I've read so far.  But that didn't stop me from linking a VERY different opinion to my Facebook page (don't look for it; I've since taken it down).

I was hurt that this had happened, that no one seemed to care (still) what he had done, that no one felt it necessary to stand up for the rights of the abused, that no one felt it necessary to really see him PAY.  I'm not talking about a mamby-pamby little pay, here.  I mean, PAY.  I wanted tears and sweat and begging.

I wonder if G-d has ever wanted that from me...

After reading this small section entitled "Lovers" in Chapter Eight of Crazy Love, I knew what had to be done.  I had publicly flaunted my unforgiving heart, and I publicly needed to make amends.  The following is a letter that will be making its way to Mr. Brown's manager, who will probably hand it off to an intern, who will probably roll their eyes and throw it away (hate to burst your bubble), but I'm at least going to do my part in this process.

Do me a favor, friends, and try not to say anything you're going to feel a need to eat tomorrow.  Okay?

My address!

Hey! If you want to send me mail, this is my address:

Anne Nicole Royster
SPECIAL DISTRICT OF INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION
Korea Nazarene University (Attn. Jenny Kim)
#115 Faith Hall (Miteumgwan)
456 Ssangyong-Dong Seobukgu Cheonan City Choongnam
331 718 South Korea

Sorry it's so long, but that's how stuff works here. :)