The Words of the Pople Family
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The Words of the Pople Family |
Continuing a tradition established by our church in Korea more than 20 years ago, members around the world set out for 40 days of summer pioneer witnessing.
In addition, the wives of the 36, 72, 124 and 430 couples in Korea left their families behind to spend seven months witnessing and teaching in villages throughout Korea. Once before, in 1970, Father had asked the blessed wives to leave their families for three years and devote themselves to pioneer witnessing and teaching. The sacrifices they made left a deep impression on Korean people.
Additionally in Korea, our members have gone out twice a year for 40 days of pioneer witnessing: once in the summer and once in the winter. Last summer Father asked our members worldwide to begin following this tradition. This summer is now the third such large-scale pioneer witnessing effort.
There are no figures available on how many members worldwide participated in this summer's pioneering effort. In the United States, Europe and the foreign mission countries, leaders were instructed to send members out to witness in new towns beginning July 1. In the United States, more than 300 members were sent out: approximately 145 from the World Mission Center, 16 from New York church and about 150 from the other states. The largest concentration of American pioneer witnessers is in small towns of the northeastern United States.
In New York City, those who did not go out for 40 days were asked to witness at least two hours a day on the streets, setting up literature tables and colorful Divine Principle charts along the sidewalks to attract passersby. Complementing the usual weekend introductory seminars at nearby workshop sites, extensive lecture programs were set up in the World Mission Center, so even those who are not able to leave New York for an extended time could study the Divine Principle in the equivalent of the 2, 7, 21, and 40-day workshops.
The following general instructions were given to American 40-day pioneers.
Remember that you are God's representative to the village or town you will pioneer. Even though you will be alone externally, you are actually not going alone. When you go to your town, you should feel that you are the bearer of Heavenly Father's treasure of truth. Therefore, no one will actually be alone. Never forget just how much God is concerned about each man's eternal life. God paid indemnity for 6,000 years to prepare the people who are to meet you. It is their destiny to meet Heavenly Father now through our True Parents. You are witnessing in order to fundamentally revolutionize their lives and the world.
Remember that you are fulfilling a historical role. These 40 days have the potential to indemnify the 4,000 years during which God prepared for Jesus' birth. Jesus spent 40 days fasting in the wilderness, and John the Baptist did the same; no one helped them. We should work in this way, too.
Remember to trust the Principle. Whenever we follow the truth 100 percent, we have give and take with God and we feel joy. Therefore, we should expect to feel joy and confidence during seeming external hardships. Feel that you are going through the same course as Jesus (he had no room, little money, etc.), bearing in mind that he never lost his connection to Heavenly Father's heart.
Upon arrival, report first to God. Find a place to pray -- a mountain, a high hill or a park -- and pray along the following lines:
"Heavenly Father, You sent me here. I arrived in this town as Your representative. Because You and True Parents need a substantial instrument to use, I pledge to work to save the people. I ask the assistance and support of the spiritual world to accomplish this historic mission."
Set a 40-day prayer and fasting condition. Shower and shampoo and begin with serious prayer at 12:00 midnight. Fast at least the first and last days of the condition (drinking water only). A stronger condition can be set by fasting three days rather than one. Promise God you will pray at least three regular times each day (recommended hours: 5:00 a.m., 12:00 midnight and one other time during the day). Keep a careful prayer list of all spiritual children. Pray for them diligently at least three times a day.
Survey the town. Drive around or take a tour: select the neighborhood with the greatest activity -- hopefully near the bus station -- to live in.
Send your mailing address to your headquarters. Even if you cannot immediately find a room, try to send some type of address which could be used to contact you.
Next, greet the leaders of your town: the mayor, the police chief and other influential people. You should simply explain that you are a member of the Unification Church and that you have come to serve their community as well as bring a message of truth.
Contact any other Divine Principle members in your town. Participate in any lecture programs and Sunday services by bringing guests and occasionally lecturing or sharing. If no programs exist, organize them immediately.
Keep a guest book with names, addresses and telephone numbers of people who have heard lectures; re-contact them frequently and systematically.
Develop a regular schedule of calling your central figure.
Establish a daily schedule and be utterly faithful to it.
Father has emphasized that results come according to the following proportion of investment: spiritual foundation (40 percent), explanation and teaching the Principle (30 percent) and exemplary activity and lifestyle (30 percent).
Reflect on the town's general spiritual foundation. Research to discover the loyal people who prayed for the town and were extremely concerned about its future. Also, research and locate those who are presently the most active and concerned about the town. When you understand these situations, strive to work harder and pray more deeply for the sake of the people of the town than anyone in the past or present has ever done.
If you really love the people and are concerned with their eternal lives, trying hard to meet those whom God has prepared, you will be able to experience and inherit God's heart. You should long to meet people, desperately searching for those whom God truly prepared for you to meet.
You should serve the people even more than they serve you. Even if they invite you to share a meal with them, offer all of your physical strength to clean or to assist them in their housework, yard work, etc. Don't use people in a self-centered way for a self-centered purpose. At all times, be sincere in your concern for people's eternal lives. In order to do this, you will need a tremendous amount of prayer.
True Father has mentioned that for every hour he witnesses he needs three hours of preparation in prayer. Even though we may not reach this standard, keep in mind the necessity of continuing to pray whenever you have the chance. You should check the effect of your prayer. You need to have a 100 percent pure mind and to feel that you are close to the True Parents. If you make some mistake, you should repent and start anew, resolved to obey God's direction absolutely.
Be clear and comprehensive in explaining the Principle, the True Parents and the goals and ideals of the Unification Church.
Listen to people's stories of situations before you speak about the Principle. After you know their character and experiences you can begin. You can use brochures, videotapes and Principle books to augment your explanations.
You may sometimes encounter a difficult question about the Principle. Please be careful about answering; it is important that you give an accurate answer. If you don't understand the question or what answer to give, be honest about it. Tell the person that although you don't know the answer, you are sure that with research, the Principle can give you the answer; then offer to find out the answer and contact them afterwards.
The Unification Church movement has a vision and hope which we want to share with people throughout the world. We should share our daily lives, our own unique characters, our activities and our attitudes. Therefore, we must first establish an exemplary lifestyle which will not only attract others but fill them with a desire to follow. Learn to be a person of integrity whom people can naturally trust.
Share your love with people and show them your deep concern with their eternal lives, your devotion to God's will and your desire to help the world through your daily activities.
You will draw people to you by your teaching, your character and your love. They will want to share their lives with you; they actually desire to share all -- f this with God, through you.
You should guide your contacts towards this standard. They should eventually come to feel that they can discuss anything with you. You can guide them in so many ways. Give them eternal memories; speak to them all night on a mountain or hillside; go street cleaning together with them; pray with them in the quiet of dawn in a park.
Through these types of things, they will have lasting memories of the taste of prayer, the taste of Heavenly Father.