Riding on the wave of the popularity of the Korean culture in many countries of the Middle East, students from Sahmyook University in South Korea visited the Gulf Field from February 8-22, 2024, for a short service trip.

A group of 10 students and one faculty supervisor spent the two weeks of their trip in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to connect with students studying in various universities in the country and to visit and showcase aspects of Korean culture to the Adventist churches in the UAE.

In recent years, there has been a rising interest in Korean culture globally and in the Middle East specifically. Driven primarily by K-pop and K-dramas, this wave of popularity has led young and old people alike to explore many aspects of Korean culture, including food, language, dress, dance, and the Korean people.

The team visited three universities while in the UAE where they spent full days in each university doing various activities such as Kimbab preparation, cultural show, Korean calligraphy, crafts, and much more. During these visits, the students were able to engage with more than 500 students studying in these universities who attended the various events prepared by the visiting Korean students.

The team also visited an Islamic Center in the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah to learn more about the Arabic and Islamic culture.

During the two Sabbaths they were in the UAE, the visiting students had opportunities to worship and lead worship services in two local Seventh-day Adventist Churches in Ras Al Khaimah and Sharjah. This provided the team opportunities to also connect with Adventists in the region to learn and share their experiences with each other.

The students also collaborated with the Gulf Field Women’s Ministries to prepare Kimchi, a very popular South Korean dish, and shared with the local people they interacted with.

“We were privileged to have ten Sahmyook University students in the Gulf Field, who visited our Field to share Korean culture but also to learn Arabic and Islamic culture,” said Pr. Jon Kyorin Park, Gulf Field executive secretary, who is also from South Korea. “The students were a mix of males and females, pursuing different majors such as theology and integrated biotechnology and were from different school years from Sophomores to Seniors,” he added

According to Pr. Park, the students made a good connection with some universities in the UAE and their visit has opened opportunities for more engagement with universities and local churches in the Gulf Field.

“Their visit had a good and positive impact and at least one of the universities they visited wants the team to return next year. So, we look forward, God willing, to making visits like this from Sahmyook students a yearly event,” said Pr. Park.

The Gulf Field, which is under the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Union, includes the countries of United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, and four other Gulf countries that are at the heart of the so-called “10/40 Window,” an area located between 10 and 40 degrees north of the equator where people often lack the opportunity to learn more about Jesus, which makes this kind of collaboration essential.

This article was provided by the Middle East and North Africa Union Mission.