God Opened a Door for My Family

Before coming to the Mission, I was a “normal Christian” with an English teaching job in Korea for seven years. God then opened the door for me to work with a missionary organization in the USA. However, that didn’t work out well, so I came to Kansas City to check out a worship music school, and I met my American husband. At the time, he was physically healthy, but after we married, he went back to an addiction problem I didn’t know he had. My parents had to help us financially for three years. My husband had started to get in lots of trouble, even jail, and I decided I had to protect my boys and myself.

So, my husband and I came to City Union Mission, as a family, with our 2 year old and 1 year old sons, to get help for my husband’s addiction. We stayed one month and then as my husband’s mother was very ill, we planned to visit her, but that didn’t work out. We had to stay in a motel for a week, with no plan, no place to go, and our money running out. So, I called a counselor who worked at the Mission and told her my situation. Through her, God opened the door for me and the boys to restart the program. Finally, my husband decided to go to the Mission Men’s Program. So now, I am working on my stuff with my two boys and my husband is working on his own recovery. God is working on us separately through City Union Mission, and we are thankful. We are looking forward to being together as a whole family.

I have been learning about communication and boundaries, which are really important for relationships in life. I knew that I needed to be changed, but honestly, I didn’t know how to do that because I grew up in a dysfunctional family in Korea. I didn’t even know what my problem was—for example, my passive-aggressive communication. I have been able to learn about myself and then try to choose the healthy way instead of running away from the problem. For example, I hate to ask and I used to stuff my feelings all the time because my parents told me to do that. But now, even though it’s not easy, I have tried to make changes using what I’ve learned through classes and counseling, His Word, and prayer.

I feel I’m so blessed to be here for this opportunity. I believe that God opened this door for my family.

(Chris B. is a participant in our New Life Program at City Union Mission)