Well, one thing is for sure...I hope Sue doesn't flip out on me about this picture!
This is Susan J. Paik, a PH.D scholar in early Childhood Education (this definitely doesn't do any justice to what she actually does or what Sue has accomplished in her life). Most of the world knows her as a prestigious scholar in the realm of academia, but for me...she's one of the closest people in my life! She's been a big sister/Aunt since I was a middle schooler...and she introduced me to Jesus Christ.
Let me share with you......
When I got to the 6th grade, I was invited to take a aptitude test by my school counselor (she really didn't believe in me as much as I thought at the time, but tested well in a couple of subjects and I think she was telling me to do this as a throw off thing...). Both my older sister and I were brought to the west side of Chicago to the University of Illinois-Chicago (go Flames!) to test in this program. We were given the same test, but I tested high enough to be entered into the program.
The program was called "Early Outreach." Nifty name huh? It was ran by Sue Paik! It was a Saturday program that reached out to kids in the inner city of Chicago, given them "extra" education skills and a college campus experience. Also, let me give you an idea of the size I was at this period of time.
You see how small I was, and this was Freshman year! Here I was 5' 4" and 100 lbs. I WAS SMALLER THAN THIS AT 6th GRADE! Sue Paik always reminds me that, "You were so small then, I could pick you up.....now YOU'RE BIG!" In some ways I laughed, but then I get the urge right afterwards to stop consuming food the expands me.
Susan saw me and other young men and women a part of this program and thought there must be more she can do the help us....enter God! God kept "bothering" for Sue to start a bible study with the youth. As she tells me, she says that "For one whole year he kept asking me to do it and I would say, 'No! It would jepordize my career!'" God was persistent and Sue eventually gave up to the Lord (score one more for Jesus!).
She started a group called Project I.C.E. You ask what is Project I.C.E.? Its the codename for the bible study! I.C.E. stood for "inner-city evangelism." Did I know this at the time? Of course not! I couldn't even tell you if I knew what was evangelism! Anyways, Sue decided to invite me, since I was around her all the time I could be when she showed up to the Early Outreach Program! I was EXCITED! Not only do I get the chance to read the bible, but I made a promise to myself a while ago when I was 6.
Wait a minute! A sixth grader remembering promises at 6 years old? Most of you may be saying, "Tony is one of the most forgetful people I know!" This is true, but when it comes to oaths I make, I try my hardest to keep them! When I was 6 years old, my family and I live with my grandmother. For me, I was happy! My grandmother and I were really close. She is the one who gave me my love to watching (and critiquing) movies. She was also a Jehovah's Witness. Seeing that my mother was a Baptist, and also didn't like my grandmother, we usually lived in a tense relating environment. One time I watched my grandmother and her friends have "bible study." I asked if I could participate, and they said "You can't. This is for us only." I was hurt....deeply! "Why could I learn about God? Why were they able to do so and not me?" I cried at the table by myself, and my grandmother came over and had a "bible study" with me. Just her and me! I loved it, but we could only do it once. I vowed to myself that the next time I get the chance to learn about God, I was going to take it, no matter who was in my way! This was that chance.
Whew! I'll have to finish this one up next time! I'll talk about another Krazy Korean who taught me to study the bible... and play better basketball!
