ALUMNI COLUMN :: Brian & Sara Kim
By Brian & Sara Kim
Hi Emmanuel Church! Brian and I are currently living in the Lower East section (East Village) of Manhattan. Brian is in his fifth year of residency in Otolaryngology (Ear, Nose and Throat) at New York Eye and Ear. After graduating from Penn's Grad School of Education in 2000, I have been working in the Human Resources division of a financial firm.
Marriage is much more difficult than we both had imagined. Before we tied the knot, we prepared ourselves by attending seminars, seeking advice from godly couples and by going through premarital counseling at Redeemer Church in NYC. We benefited so much from each of these resources, learning the importance of submitting all aspects of our marriage to the Lord. That meant our needs, our desires, our weaknesses, our future plans, our finances and our families. We learned the hard way that it's not humanly possible to build a godly marriage unless we are willing to yield ourselves completely to the Lord.
As is the case with countless other people, the attacks on the World Trade Center shook us enormously. Just as we were both settling into our new marriage and our new home, the attacks occurred in downtown NYC. It was devastating!
On Sept. 11, Brian waited at the hospital for any survivors from the attacks (his institutions is one of the few hospitals in lower Manhattan). While he was playing the waiting game in Manhattan, I watched the towers collapse through my office window across the Hudson River. My company is located in Jersey City, NJ, almost directly across the river from where the towers once stood.
The first few days after the attacks, it was so quiet in the city. Stores and restaurants that are normally open 24 hours a day were closed for the first time because people could not enter or leave the area. The terrible odor, which smells like a really bad electrical fire, is also a constant reminder. Every time the smell is in the air, as is often the case, I am reminded of all the lives that were lost. That has been the most difficult reality to accept in all of this.
In the ensuing weeks, fear gripped us and would not let go. We were constantly watching the news. During the day, it was hard for me to travel because of the bomb threats and anthrax scares in the subway. At night, Brian and I were unable to sleep. Only recently have we been able to move about the city with some comfort.
At Redeemer, the service we attend is packed! They have added an additional morning service to meet the needs of the growing number of attendees and seekers. More than anything, meeting with members from our small group members has really helped us during this time.
After Sept. 11, our small group, which normally meets a few short blocks from where the WTC towers once stood, had to be relocated. Three of our members who live in the Battery Park area could not go back to their homes until the area was reopened. Our small group not only reached out to the three members of our group whose apartments were effected but really unified and cared for every member through fellowship and prayer.
Through these events, Brian and I (as I am sure many others) have been forced to reexamine our priorities in life. Brian has been reminding me that we are blessed because of our faith is in Christ. We can place our fears and our insecurities in His hands and trust that He will take care of us. The challenges in our marriage have taught us to live faithfully for the Lord and for one other each day. Every day we strive to trust the Lord with our marriage and our lives while living in NYC.
