AAE -- Wishes Of The Heart

Chapter 40

by LoveCR2

edited by All-About-AAE

 

"To accomplish His will, sometimes God chooses the sinner, not the saint. I have faith in you, Director Yoon, because of my faith in God." -- Huh Young-Mi

 

 

MBS SEOUL, LATE AFTERNOON...

 

"Director Yoon, thank you for seeing me, on such short notice. I hope I'm not being a bother..."

 

"Not at all, Young-Mi," he assures her. "Please, come in, have a seat."

 

"Thank you."

 

"Have you changed you mind about coming back to MBS?" he asks, wondering at the reason for her unexpected visit.

 

Young-Mi takes a seat on the chair beside Hyung-Chul's desk. He observes how different she appears from before, dressed in a plain long skirt and sweater, her hair pulled back into a simple ponytail, and without makeup, conveying an innocence that belies her troubled background.

 

"Tomorrow I'll be leaving for the convent," she answers. "I'm beginning my postulancy, the first step toward taking vows."

 

"That's a big step, I admire you for acting on your convictions."

 

"Since God gave me a second chance at life, it's no sacrifice to follow his calling," Young-Mi explains. "When I think of the orphans, I realize that I have a lot of love -- God's love -- to give them... but..."

 

She looks down, as if embarrassed.

 

"What are you trying to say?" he prompts her.

 

"You've heard the saying, 'all you need is love'?"

 

"Yes, that's a song by the Beatles," he recalls.

 

"Sometimes love is not all you need... You saw the condition of the orphanage," she reminds him.

 

"Yes, some buildings are in disrepair," he agrees, remembering he'd noticed that many predated the War.

 

"Especially the hospital. The equipment is old and worn out; we can't care for children with long-term needs and have to send them away to strangers," she makes her case. "And the school... the textbooks are outdated, and there are no computers or modern communications technology, so the students are at a disadvantage on the college entrance exams."

 

"Would you like the MBS Charitable Foundation to make a donation?" Hyung-Chul offers. "I can cut a check today."

 

"That's very generous, Director, but I can't accept money," she declines, then elaborates: "The Sisters have a firm policy of not asking for donations. They believe that God will provide for all their needs in answer to specific prayers."

 

"They've operated the orphanage this way for all these decades? Their direct connection to God must be coming through for them," Hyung-Chul is impressed. "So what is your reason for seeing me?"

 

"I'm not completely certain myself," Young-Mi admits. "Last night, as I was praying, I felt the urge -- from the Spirit -- to come and see you, because you would know what to do."

 

"Well, God didn't speak to me, or inspire me with any ideas," he replies with a lighthearted chuckle. But when he sees the hopeful expression on Young-Mi's face, he realizes that she is serious...

 

"You are a baptized Catholic?" she asks.

 

"Yes," he answers, wondering how she knew. "My mother loved God and the Church, and raised me as a devout Catholic. But I'm afraid I'm not a very good one now. It's been years since I walked into a church, or prayed a rosary, or had Communion. And my list of unconfessed sins is too long to remember."

 

"If walking into a church, or praying a rosary made better Catholics, the Church would be filled with perfect saints, not struggling sinners," she reflects thoughtfully. "To accomplish His will, sometimes God chooses the sinner, not the saint. I have faith in you, Director Yoon, because of my faith in God."

 

A quiet tug in Hyung-Chul's heart urges him to try and help...

 

"Tell the Sisters to pray for a miracle, a bigger miracle than they've ever believed possible," he advises her. "I don't know where to start, or how it will work out myself, so we'll see how God provides..."