Grand Master Taekwondo instructor Dr. Chong Kim and his wife Choon Kim shared their experience doing mission work in Tanzania with Marshall UKirk Tuesday at 7 p.m.

Dr. Chong Kim adjusted from teaching business management at Marshall to teaching taekwondo in Tanzania, where he and his wife served from September of 2015 through January of 2016.

“We decided, OK, let’s take an adventure,” Chong Kim said.

Chong Kim presented a slideshow of pictures and information, which he said his son made. The slideshow included geographical and statistical information about the mid-east African country as well as photographs from the mission trip.

Chong Kim said the mission staff had a devotional Monday mornings and he taught taekwondo to two groups every week.

“I had Tuesday and Thursday 3 to 5 o’clock which is the hottest time of day,” Chong Kim said.

Chong and Choon Kim said heat was a perpetual challenge.

Chong Kim shared an email he received from a student thanking him for everything he learned.

“I was all by myself but you gave me hope,” the student wrote.

“It really increased my faith to help them out,” Chong Kim said.

Choon Kim said her faith also grew during the trip as she watched the other missionaries serve.

“(Missionaries) are very, very special people,” Choon Kim said. “My faith is growing to see them and learn from them.”

Choon Kim said her favorite thing about Tanzania was the simplicity.

“I liked the simple life,” Choon Kim said. “I didn’t miss TV. You don’t have newspaper, you don’t have a magazine.”

Choon Kim said Tanzania is very different but the people were kind.

“They are poor, but they are very nice, very kind,” Choon Kim said.

Chong Kim said people can be three things: a necessity, a commoner or a parasite. Chong Kim said the success of his trip to Tanzania was that it gave him the opportunity to be a necessity.

“I’m asking at any time, even now, ‘am I necessary?’” Chong Kim said.

Chong Kim said the people he worked with all asked him to come back.

“I still remember and cherish how much they appreciate,” Chong Kim said. “That was really moving to my heart.”

Choon Kim said that there were language issues that made it difficult to adjust in Tanzania, but that God was working with them.

“You have to believe that God is in there,” Choon Kim said.

“There is a hope for Tanzania.” Choon Kim said. “It just takes time.”

Chong Kim is on the committee for UKirk and he and Choon Kim are members of First Presbyterian Church in Huntington.

Lydia Waybright can be contacted at [email protected].