:Dan :Park

Hello! My name is Dan Park and I love Jesus Christ. I moved to the USA back in 2001 from South Korea. I was raised in "Christian home" where our family went to church and thought that we were Christians from going to church every Sunday. In college, I did whatever I wanted to do and I thought I was happy. I realized that my life and decisions I have made came with consequences and bad results. Sin always has consequence and my life was in total mess. I was in a dark place and only ray of hope was Jesus Christ. One of the college group member Sean from Calvary invited me to Passion 2013. I decided to go and let myself go and give everything to Jesus Christ. In the midst of worship and praying, I cried out to God for help and I wanted to meet him and love him more. I experienced something that I never experienced and it was the overwhelming love of God. I never cried as much as I did that day or never more happier and alive. When God's love touched my heart, he gave me this desire to share his love with the rest of the world. I wanted to be a pastor so that I can share God's great love with people. I never thought about missions because I thought that USA need to turn back to God. In summer of 2013, there came an opportunity for mission trip to Bolivia. I went to Bolivia last year because I wanted to have a clearer picture of what God wanted my life to be shaped. I was clear that I want to become a pastor, but I was still debating which undergraduate major would help me out the most serving the Lord. (It was like knowing steps A and C, but not B) I prayed that God would give me a clear picture of what I should do for my undergrad and God did answer my prayer though Go Bolivia 2013. I had such a great fellowship time with fellow brothers/sisters in Christ of the Latin nations, and even when I didn't speak fluent Spanish, our hearts were already connected through the love of Jesus Christ. God gave great joy in my heart meeting God's children around the world! I wanted to serve our heavenly father by being a missionary pastor serving wherever God wanted me to go. When I came back from Go Bolivia 2013, I changed my major to Elementary Education, and minor in English for Second Language. I am currently attending UNC Charlotte as a junior in Elementary education/ESL. This summer I was praying that God will guide shape my summer and he gave me another opportunity for Go Bolivia 2014. Through this mission trip, I pray that the love of Christ illuminates in our team member. Love is a universal language that God gave us through his precious son Jesus Christ. We might speak the different language and have a different culture, but in Christ we are one.