"When I grew up as a boy in Indiana, we took baths every Saturday night right before church the next day. That was our only time of the week!" David Williams explained as we prepared to get on the tour bus this morning. Telling stories from his past is a common thing that occurs around Corporal David Williams, so let us share some of them.
First on the agenda today, was touring the Chosan Palace in the middle of Seoul. Pulling into the parking lot, we saw a huge asian looking building. Little did we know that it was only the front gate of this extravagant palace. Throughout the estate, we walked around dozens of historic Korean structures in the palace that the royal family lived in, and of course, posed by many Asian looking statues for photo opportunities. (Cant miss out on those!) From learning about the lifestyle and habits of the king, to the legendary history that goes back over 500 years, this experience was spectacular!
In addition to the palace, we were able to tour the secret garden located in the rear of the palace where the king and queen regulated limited viewing access. Walking through, it felt like we were in a mystical wonderland of greenery. With lush green landscapes surrounding the Korean stone paths leading to many pristine lagoons, it was breathtaking!
After our exploration, we once again loaded our bedazzled bus to travel to a local restaurant. Hearing that it was once again Korean cuisine, half the group looked for the nearest McDonalds, while the other half cheered. I (Ruth), however, began to frantically search for a fork. Chopsticks are still my enemy. Meanwhile, I (Tyler), headed straight for the food. While trying each of the new Korean side dishes, I decided it would be a great idea to add what I thought was mustard to my plate of rice. Let me tell you,... it was not mustard. I'm not quite sure how anyone manages to eat wasabi and not have their mouth on fire, because mine sure was! Our nurse Lori would be so proud however, because I was definitely hydrated after that! Four glasses of water was still not enough to take away the burn.
Our early afternoon consisted of free time! Many of us broke off into smaller groups and walked around to shop down the small streets of Seoul filled with hundreds of vendors.
Later on, we were able to attend an English speaking service at Omnuri Church. (Omnuri meaning "all nations"). Filing into the building, the familiar tune of "Nothing but the Blood of Jesus" sounded. To our surprise, hundreds of people stood praising the same God we serve. To our shock, the one and only Francis Chan (Author, Pastor, and Christian Theologian), was preaching for that service!
Mr. Chan straightforwardly spoke about King Asa in II Chronicles and about taking courage.
Afterwards, Mr. Williams exclaimed, "That pastor must have read all of our hearts... because he sure simplified it for us "old folks" yet made it so real to us!"
The best meal of the trip came that night for our farewell dinner. Guess what it was!?... Korean! Misty eyes began to show as Dr. Mullinax began the farewell speech and we awarded our incredible veterans with awards of recognition and appreciation signed by the Secretary of Defense. This night, everyone had a chance to sit back and realize how much this week has truly impacted us all. From getting to know what the veterans lives were like before the war, to how it changed their view on life today, this night brought all the memories to the surface.
One of our favorite memories with David Williams is a conversation with him about the importance of family. With an extraordinarily large family, you would think some would get left out or unloved, but Mr. Williams makes it a point to never let that happen. We (Tyler and Ruth) have both experienced this firsthand today, and this whole week with him. We hope someday you as well, will have the privilege of meeting this incredible, sarcastic, tough loving, sweet gentleman, drill instructor, and Corporal: Mr. David Williams.
Peace out Girl Scouts.
Tyler Allen & Ruth Osborn
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