Storytelling event for Korean unwed mothers

IF YOU'VE ever wondered how you can use your creative gifts to make change in the world, look no further than the foreign community in Korea.

Whether they're raising money for orphans, contributing to international aid and awareness, or just having a great adventure and helping out a good cause, the waygooks, along with many Korean friends, seem to be constantly in action and helping out.

Through the international charity organization, Change4Change, the equivalent of $147 was raised for unwed mothers in Korea. Though the suggested donation was roughly $5.00, the donation box suggests many were happy to up the ante.

Storytelling night took place last Saturday night at the local BBQ. The theme was "risks and rewards."

The first storytelling night, which happened about a month ago, was magic. At the beginning it seemed there were not enough storytellers, and by the end there were too many. Stories flew across the room about family experiences, taekwondo, love abroad, miraculous birth, strange times at mudfest, and many more delightful and heart-warming tales of adventure and intrigue. The spirit of storytelling was contagious, and the participants lively. 

The second storytelling night brought stories of childhood memories in the war-torn former Yugoslavia, a near-death experience, cultural misunderstandings from Korea to Ghana, being court-marshaled, and even the traumatic experience of being locked in a bathroom.

Finally, after the stories were told, a scruffy-looking fellow got up in front of the audience and announced that a small-community organization was looking for volunteers to help teach economically disadvantaged children in a spot frequented by foreigners.

These guys aren't taking a rest. This Saturday, as that scruffy guy is meeting with all interested volunteers at Aladdin's Lamb Restaurant in Jigokdong, Change4Change will be hosting an event to raise funds and begin a letter-writing campaign for the fair trial of Chet Bahadur Ghalan. Chet is a Tibetan monk now serving a fifty-year sentence in a Thai prison although evidence suggests he was innocent of wrongdoing.

At Saturday's event, two bloggers at GPTWT will be relinquishing their worldly possessions in exchange for donations. As well, Gramma Ashley will be cooking up her legendary adobo dish. 

Can creativity save the world? There was a time in my life when I would have chuckled and said no. But after the planning and enthusiasm that I've seen coming from this group in Korea, I've changed my mind. 

Now I know I'm not the only one who needed some change.