Recent pictures:

A view from my balcony. You can see the top of the Sears Tower on the left. 311 South Wacker is on the right. Legend has it that the crown of one large cylinder surrounded by four small ones represents the engagement ring given by the architect to his wife. Both buildings were lit for the Fourth of July.


The fourth floor at 4240 W. Irving Park, home of BYG.



Christina showing Young Jin how to play Freebird. It was strange to see them interacting so easily. Christina is a complicated girl - intellectual, awkward, artsy, funny, mature, heart-breaking. She comes to church sporadically, and even then, prefers the company of the teachers to that of the other kids. Young Jin is one of those kids that might have slipped through the BYG cracks a few years ago, but today there are enough kids willing to stand in the gap between twinkie and fob for him to feel at home.


Dai Hee is one of those kids. Bethel as a whole tends to be reticent, and BYG is no exception, but every few years, someone like Dai Hee comes along and his openness makes everyone else smile a little wider, as Christine can atest.


Arturo, Edmund, and Sharon are the new teachers BYG picked up since I left. I'd say that's an upgrade. The kids enjoy Arturo's churros, Edmund's stowees, and Sharon's Mufasa hair.



Anna doesn't like having her picture taken. So, of course, here she is.


John Choi said that he will stay on for another month or so, just to try to help with the transition. I said, sure, what's another month or ten?


And here is one picture that says all you need to know about BYG. Myung, Christine, and I went to the Taste of Chicago, but it was so crowded that Christine had to hold onto Myung's shirt so as to not get lost along the way. All she could see was the back of his shirt and he led her safely home.