2014-01-26 Mulmangcho "Year of the Horse" day at Grace Stables

Do you remember as a kid when you had to be forcibly removed from your bed because it was a school day? In contrast, how you would spring from your bed because you would be headed to an amusement park or some other fun field trip that day? I know it wasn't just me...

Yesterday the kids at the Mulmangcho School (for adolescent North Korean refugees) were scheduled to arrive at 10:30 a.m. in Anyang to go horseback riding. The crew arrived at 9:15 a.m. I imagine that the kids were up at the crack of dawn, reminding the staff that they had to be on time.

The kids absolutely loved horseback riding. They were all so well-behaved, there was very little crying, except by one of the youngest ones who didn't want to wear the helmet--on her fifth ride. Apparently she already thought she was an accomplished rider by that point.

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And none of the volunteers cried, even though they had to wait for the kids to get tired of riding. The kids may lose their focus when they are studying, but yesterday, they had the attention spans of lions watching a deer prance around.

As usual, we had more volunteers than kids, and even had some volunteers on the waiting list. Planning this took several emails and calls, and there were changes in the schedule, so the volunteers probably felt like they were on a roller coaster at an amusement park.
It is always amazing how such events come together. Sunnie Kim called me up about 10 days ago, asking me if the Mulmangcho kids would be interested in going horseback riding. Sunnie and I first met in late 2012 when we were sending hot air balloons with materials and messages to North Koreans in North Korea. Sunnie has never been to the Mulmangcho school, but apparently it is in heart! It was a reminder for me, and hopefully a lesson for others, that they can have an impact by using their brains or connections.

I confirmed interest by the school--and by confirming interest, I mean the equivalent of confirming with the captain of a submarine that it is okay to change directions right now. We are careful with arranging field trips for the kids, so a lot of thought and planning must go into them. But this time? Let's get it done!

SJ Schnecher made it all easy. She is the new manager of Grace Stables Stables. She was okay with every change and request. Apparently this was her first big project like this at Grace Stables, and it was wonderful. Based on all of the peace signs, smiles, and thumbs-up from the kids,

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I would say that SJ, the late Sung Hee Ko pictured right above with me, and the rest of their team passed with flying colors. The issue isn't if I would like to organize other trips like this--but how often she will let me do so! I would imagine that the three kids who will be returning to school after the New Year holiday will be demanding return trips.

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One little girl who had ridden on the horses several times then went on several "Human Shoulder Rides." Yes, she clearly enjoyed the horseback riding more, but it seems the Human Shoulder Rides were also quite popular. It was the Year of the Horse yesterday, and I was drafted by her to become one of the horses.

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The volunteers were all delighted to see me finally hop up on a horse. Were they all ready with their cameras, for the opportunity to see me go flying? I took my trip on a horse, unscathed, much to the disappointment of the ones pulling for the horse to stumble and have a panic attack.

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Prof. Park was so happy with the trip that she said I am now an Ambassador to the school. Later, the kids wrote and drew about the experience.

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And our volunteers, as always, were ready, even though I tried to downplay expectations, let them know they probably wouldn't have a chance to ride, and that I'd probably be grouchy no matter what happened. Thanks to Sayaka Morita, Lina Loidolt, Lovy Kim, Cortney Grace, Sareena Tanlines, Cielo Yoon and Robin Högberg for making the trip even better.

Special thanks to Cielo and Eunsim for also helping with the organizing and to Robin for taking so many high-quality photos with his camera.

Prof. Park was so happy with the trip that she said I am now an Ambassador to the school

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