Mark, Malia, Mika, & Coby Heil

December November October September August July June May April March February January

Faith Followers 2010

Coby Maxwell Kenji On February 11, we welcomed our son into our family! He was born in snowy Seoul, right before the much celebrated Lunar New Year. The nurse immediately commented that he looked like Mark, and over the months to come, Coby continued to receive this compliment from friends and relatives. We're so grateful for his safe arrival and the blessing he's been as a calm and content baby. Mika: Big Sister Family Comes to Help When visiting in the hospital, Mika wasn't very interested in Malia's mom Adela and brother Coby, but once we brought him home, she was extremely Chris traveled to Korea in March excited! She offers help with her baby brother, enjoys giving him to help us as we transitioned hugs, and often watches out for his safety too. She is a wonderful into a family of four. Their help older sister! was so valuable! Mark Honored as an Educator At the end of March, Mark attended the Apple Distinguished Educator conference in Singapore. Out of over 600 applicants for this honor, Mark was one of the 50 chosen and awarded with this collaborative meeting of some of the best computer and technology teachers from around the world. Back to Bangkok For our spring break, we brought our two children (both sitting on our laps on the flights) to Thailand. It was a spectacular week of reconnecting with friends, students, and our church there. Every day was exciting as we met people for meals, brought our kids to play with our friends' kids, visited ICS (our former school), and spent much time just hanging out with our students who will soon be graduating and going to college (most in other countries). In addition to seeing those with whom we expected to visit, we were surprised and thrilled to find Thai friends whom we had thought we'd never see again! The Lord timed our visits to Bangkok in the same week!
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-New Year's with the Rhoades on Maui -COBY'S BIRTH! -Malia's mom visits -Chris visits -Mark goes to Singapore for ADE -Visit to Bangkok -Packing the house -Oregon&Washington -PFO in Tennessee -Hawaii -Back to Seoul, Korea -Whitneys visit -Mika turns 2! -Coaching varsity volleyball -Fall break in Thailand -Mark's birthday party -Far East volleyball tournament in Japan -ACSI conference -Malia's dad visits -Christmas in Hawaii

Wrapping up Year #1 at YISS As the weather finally warmed in May, we began end-of-the-year festivities at the school, including concerts, project displays, and graduations. It was rewarding to hear the appreciation from students and parents for Mark's hard work. Amidst all this, we also packed our entire house into boxes for the movers to transport to an apartment during the summer.

Summer with Family in the States During the months of June and July, we visited family in America. In Oregon, we spent time with Mark's parents (who came up from Texas to meet us) and sister, brother, and sister-in-law. Because we stayed at the camp at which Mark's siblings work, Mika was able to play with animals every day! She enjoyed looking at the horses from a distance but would chase the dogs whenever she had a chance. We also took a day trip to the coast! In Washington, Malia's aunt, uncle, and cousin welcomed us for a weekend stay. We celebrated Father's Day with them and also took Mika to learn about science at the Seattle City Center. They had two cats in their house, and Mika would call one ("Ollie! Ollie!") while running around looking for him. (The cat was hiding from her.) In Hawaii, Malia's extended ohana welcomed us back and brought the kids to the zoo, the aquarium, and the beaches. Mika especially loved playing with her cousins in the inflatable pool we set up in the backyard. Coby enjoyed being held by all his family members, and he warmed up to Lila (his great-grandmother) immediately. 2010 Big Answered Prayers -Just days before his birth, Coby turned over from a breech position so he could be born naturally! -Against the odds, we were able to find an apartment that is much better suited for us! Pre-Field Orientation (PFO) For two weeks in June, we were in Tennessee for training by our missions organization, Network of International Christian Schools (NICS). The sessions focused on topics like cross-cultural missions, third-culture kids, and overseas safety. Even though we've lived abroad for four years, we found the conference both helpful and inspiring. While we attended lectures, our kids were in a daycare program provided by the host church. Mika and Coby's caretakers complimented them on their good behavior and happy dispositions. They were also able to make friends with children who are now our neighbors here in Seoul! Likewise, we were also privileged to meet other teachers bound for YISS. Settled in Seoul Upon returning to Korea, we set up our home in our "new" apartment, which sits on the tenth floor and has a beautiful view of the river and Namsan mountain. Mark jumped right into his classroom with a heavier teaching load than last year. He also makes time to play basketball, screen golf, and fantasy football with his friends. Malia began a schedule for her and the two kids, including daily walks to the Han River and visits to other moms and the school. She also began a book club with a number of the women in our community to read and discuss literature once a month, and she continues to attend a weekly women's Bible study. Along with our busy volleyball season, our work and hobbies have helped us settle in to the city and our lives abroad in Korea.
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Teaching and Learning Online Even with our traveling in the summer, Mark made time each night to go online and teach and/or learn. He managed an online Computer Application class with 35 students for the duration of the summer break. At the same time, he was working on his dissertation proposal for his doctoral program. Mark's work on his dissertation continues into the new year. His projected completion and graduation date is in the summer of 2012.

Mark's Classes/Clubs Our Coaching Mission -Computer Applications This fall, we had the unique privilege of -Digital Media coaching varsity volleyball together. The -Sports Website: yisspn.com experience strengthened us both as -Discipleship Group coaches and also in our (studying leadership in sports) marriage. Even before tryouts, we resolved to teach our team skills as well as morals, discipline, commitment, and compassion. We pray that we were able to model godly traits while we aimed to mold their talents and spirits alike toward excellence. Their hard work in practices truly paid off in early November when they placed 3rd in a large volleyball conference in Japan. This was the best our school has ever done at this tournament!

Two Fall Visits We were thrilled to host our friends David and Allie Whitney during their "visa run" in August! During their stay, they went shopping, visited Mark at school, helped with volleyball practice, and played much with our kids. In early December, Malia's dad, Dr. Rhoades, stopped in on a layover from Sri Lanka. Even though it was a quick visit, we four were thrilled to see "grandpa"! Our Two Little Ones: Mika and Coby We are both so thrilled with our children. They are quite different--it's amazing! Mika is our wild child. She has enough energy to run circles (literally) around Mark when he comes home from work. She is always eager to give a hug and a kiss and just as likely to test a boundary while looking over her shoulder at one of us. Her favorite television show is "Yo Gabba Gabba," and she likes to sing "Happy Birthday" and "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star." In November, we began potty training her, and she's making good progress! Coby is remarkably content. From his earliest days, he has amazed us with his quick smile and quiet focus on toys or images. Now, as he crawls everywhere and pulls himself up on furniture, we are seeing his energy come out as well. With Mika's encouragement, he can let out a wail as loud as his sister can! And his cry sounds like the call of a pterodactyl! So Malia sometimes says, "Calm down, dinosaur." His favorite foods are Cheerios and bananas (but not together), he and enjoys eating paper whenever he can get away with it.

Chusok Holiday in Thailand We returned to Bangkok during a week break celebrating Chusok. (This is a Korean holiday when everyone returns home to visit relatives.) Once again, friends welcomed and blessed us during our stay. We were even able to travel to Hua Hin to enjoy the beach for two days and rest. We're so grateful that we can fly to Thailand much easier now that we live in Seoul. (It's usually a direct flight!) We can keep our connections there and visit some of our closest friends. While attending PFO and learning about missions, Malia penned this sonnet on transition... Eyes Upward I'm on the brink of change in time and place, An airplane's flight away to foreign lands, An instant's switch in food, in words, in race, Before me beams a light on God's great plan-Still, fear can grip a well-intentioned heart And lead my feet to trip when following So that I flinch when it is time to start. (Anxiety burns and tempts some wallowing.) But God is there as much as He is here, And prayer works just as well abroad. As I pause, I hear His "do not fear," And bow my head to obediently nod. The mission field is ripe and ready, Lord. Send me now and keep my eyes upward.

Contact Information Overseas Snail Mail: Mark Heil c/o YISS San 10-213 Hannam 2 dong Yongsan ku, Seoul, 140-210 Korea E-mail: gomarkgo@gmail.com smheil@gmail.com Websites: faithfollowers.com modernmango.com maliawrites.com A New Year's Just Begun... We look forward to another year abroad and are open and eager to serve our God while here. Please pray with us as we decide how to best use our time and gifts while also prioritizing our marriage and children. It's exciting to trust our future to the Lord! We pray that your 2011 will also be filled with faith, hope, and love.

"The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, Because he trusts in You." Isaiah 26:3
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Out with Daddy in Seoul

Lahaina, Maui

Coby!

Chris

Our Bangkok students

ADE Mom
Conference

Thailand

Seattle Oregon with the Heils Tennessee

2010
Volleyball Team

Hawaii Faith Followers Newsletter 2010: Page 4

The Rhoades

Mark's Costume Bday Party

Hua Hin, Thailand