The Words of the Lorenzana Family |
One Blessed Day for IEC Participants
Joshua Lorenzana
July 31, 2005
For some it was the most remarkable day of their lives. World CARP leaders and IEC participants from around the world attended Hoon Dok Hae with True Parents at Han Nam Dong. During the day they went to a pilgrimage to the holy sites of the Unification Movement.
"True Parents are the embodiments of God." This was the speech read by Rev. Chung Hwan Kwak at the Hoon Dok Hae at Han Nam Dong. Truly it was such an incredible moment for many who have attended Hoon Dok Hae with the True Parents for the first time. True Father urged us to empty ourselves and deny completely in order for God to dwell in us and become his embodiments. Father brightened up the atmosphere by calling on the elders to sing songs and then followed by representatives from every nation. He would make fun of the eclectic sounds of every singer. Truly remarkable was Hyung Jin Nim’s singing followed by the True Parents and everybody singing "Arirang." Rice cakes and Il Hwa drinks accompanied the morning service.
The IEC leaders were then toured to the sacred places of the Church within Seoul. First stop was the Yeoido holy ground. What looks just like a square section of a cemented parking lot in the city center was actually a holy ground where Father would visit every time he comes to Korea. In it would stand Father’s dream –World Mission Center, the tallest building in the world. The participants prayed fervently in this holy ground for this vision to be fulfilled.
Next stop: HukSeukDong Church. The participants visited the Seoul Bloc 1 World CARP HQ and listened to the lecture of the center leader about Father’s life spent in this place. In Hukseukdong, Father spent six years of life filled with times of tearful prayer, sacrificial living and witnessing to the children and Christian ministers. The delegates saw the house Father lived and where Father’s mother visited him. The national messiah of Slovakia who now lives in the house shared his experience witnessing to the leaders of his mission country. Somehow he has inherited Father’s spirit of having big dreams despite being called a crazy man. These big dreams were envisioned at Hukseukdong, at that small house where Father started his mission
The last stop was at ChungPaDong where the original church headquarters, the current FFWPU headquarters and the new FFWPU building are located. The participants felt the spirit of the early times at the original HQ. It was where True Parents were married and seven True Children grew up. The clothes Father and Mother wore, the furniture they used, and the things of the True children are still on display. There were also pictures of the True Children, Father’s barber’s chair, and even his phonebook were some of the things that inspired the participants and brought them closer to the True Family.
A few minutes walk led the participants to the current HQ. Then a few minutes walk again led them to the new FFWPU building. Standing eight floors high, this stone building will house a lecture hall, FFWPU and WFWP offices, computer center, meeting rooms, and a True Parent’s room. One cannot help but be amazed at how the movement has grown so much. For many, this building symbolizes the tremendous, unfathomable investment of our True Parents and the Unification members.
At the end of the day the participants experienced mixed emotions of joy, wonder, sorrow and hope. They felt in themselves how True Parents have led this movement faithful and relentless in fulfilling God’s dream. This day has brought a stronger sense of ownership to the IEC participants. Just as True Parents have relentlessly pursued God’s dream, so too should we have the same conviction. Just as True Parents have become embodiments of God, so too should we become true Parents.
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