Hehn greets me at the Incheon airport on April 1st at around 6pm. We take a bus that departs around 7. Five stops and four hours later we arrive in the outskirts of Jeonju. As we come down the last steep hill, into the valley of the city, I see bright red neon lights dotting the landscape. Most lights in a city are either orange or blue, but red is rather unusual. Closer observation reveals the red dots to be crosses. Almost every Christian church has one. The walk from the bus terminal to Hehn's one-room gives more clues.There are churches everywhere. They're more obvious than America. The number of churches here is probably less than in the states, relative to the population, but their presence is more blatent. Remarks Hehn, " It's like walkin' around in a Marilyn Manson video." Eerie at first but then comforting.
I enjoy late night walks through the incredibly safe backstreets and my first weeks were spent wandering aimlessly. It's easy to do because nearly every road is winding and poorly lit. Think the exact opposite of Manhattan. NYC; no alleys only huge streets lit like a Monday night football game. Jeonju; primarily small, unlit alleys, lined with cars, barely wide enough for one car to pass. (Driving a F-150 or even a Chevy Blazer in this town would be absolutely nerve-shattering)
While on these walks I would frequently, though temporarily, lose my bearings. But, the red crosses atop these houses of worship are like the North star. Look for the pattern of red lights that's familiar and walk toward it. There are five churches within 2 or 3 blocks of my place. This is one of them.
