Frank Kim

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Westland, Michigan

I was born and raised in . . . Suwon, South Korea, until I was 14. My entire family is Presbyterian, and I was also a Presbyterian until I met Pastor Young Ha Kim. After I met Pastor Kim, I became a Lutheran (ELS) and came to Great Plains Lutheran High School.

I had never heard of MLC . . . until my junior year at GPLHS. I was always interested in becoming a teacher. However, I never expected to become a teacher at a Lutheran school in the United States. When I heard about MLC, I thought it would be a great school for me. I could be trained under God’s words with my friends in Christ. When I was at MLC, I struggled sometimes because of the size of New Ulm. However, I think MLC trained me very well. I was well prepared when I became a teacher.

I am currently teaching . . . at Huron Valley Lutheran High School. HVL is in Westland, Michigan. It is a very small high school with 90 students and eight faculty members. I teach math, from Algebra 1 to Calculus. God has blessed me with great people at HVL. Students and faculty members are very pleased with me, and I am also very pleased with them and how they always support me.

Right now, I coach the junior varsity basketball team. I also coached baseball and soccer the last two years. I really enjoy coaching high school students. It is always fun to interact with students outside of my classroom. We all need a break from teaching sometimes.

God has a plan for everybody. . . . When I was in South Korea, I never expected to be teaching at HVL. I was a young boy who did not know anything. However, God has guided me with his words and people. There are so many different fields out there. I could be working somewhere else. However, God held my hands and trained me as a teacher—a teacher who teaches math but also God’s words. God had planned everything. I really appreciate how he is using me to train future ministers.

Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plan I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Cecilia Díaz

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San Diego, California

I was born and raised in … Bogota. Colombia and my family belonged to the Lutheran church there. I came to the US as a freshman at MLC in the fall of 2007. It was my first time being on my own or away from home. It was scary at first but a decision I have never regretted.

I chose MLC … after a group of Spanish students visited Colombia to get to know our church and school when I was finishing high school. I met some MLC professors as well and they told me about the option to attend, I decided to take a leap of faith and do it a few months later. I graduated in the spring of 2012.

I’m currently teaching at … Reformation Lutheran School in San Diego, California. I love it here! The city is beautiful and by the grace of God, our school is growing a lot and giving us a lot of new opportunities for ministry. It’s been a great experience and I even got to go back to school to get my Masters degree.

God has guided me … in so many amazing ways, more than I could have ever imagined or plan for myself. I met my best friends at MLC and learned so much in all aspects, academically my education was exceptional, and I also had opportunities to meet great people and live unforgettable experiences. I even had the chance to come visit and volunteer at my current school. MLC gave me the knowledge and the confidence I needed to do my job well. It also fueled my relationship with Jesus and my faith to be able to share it with my students and my community.

I think God is using me … to reach who can relate to my experiences in a very diverse city and immigrant community of Southern California. I love to be able to bring Jesus into the lives of people from all over the world. I believe God is using not only my education but also my background as an international student to reach more people for his kingdom. I’m humbled and thankful when I look back at what God has put in my life. I feel extremely blessed every day.