The Words of Young Oon Kim

40-Day Enlightenment Movement In Korea

Young Oon Kim
New Age Frontiers - September 15, 1962

Nearly 6,000 men and women, old and young, went out on July 20th for another Forty Day Enlightenment Movement which is combined with evangelical work. These messengers are all voluntary workers of divergent vocational and educational backgrounds. They have proclaimed the message in every village, which is the smallest unit of administration in Korea. They have now come back to Seoul with many reports of victory in their work.

There are eight districts in South Korea. The headquarters of each district is holding a training course which lasts for 40 days. When the Forty Day Movement is over, the district superintendent selects capable young men and women from the new converts and trains them to become leaders for the next Forty Day Movement, which will be held in the winter season. In their training program, the lectures in headquarters teach the Divine Principles so that students will master them and be able to teach others.

They also share their spiritual experiences through their testimonies. Through music lessons they learn new songs. Through physical exercise they train their bodies so that they may be able to stand hardship. Above all through the group life during the training period they are emotionally united by God's love, are directed toward one goal by the Divine Truth, and spiritually united by the realization of One Father and of the imminent fulfillment of God's kingdom on earth. After the 40 day training their unity is stronger than that of any blood tie. With a sacred vow they go out to new mission fields to teach the Divine Principles.

The District superintendents select the most outstanding new young people from districts training courses and send them to the headquarters in Seoul, where they go through another 40 day training of similar program. After this training they are sent out to mission fields or to their own districts for more intensive witnessing.

The 13th training course at headquarters in Seoul started on September 10th.

Large cities are divided into districts with one team assigned to each district. For example in Seoul 120 teams are assigned to cover the whole city. They invite people to a public hall where the Divine Principles are lectured every evening. Usually over 100 people come and listen to each lecture.

During this last Forty Day Movement our Master made an itinerary trip for a period of eight days. He visited each district, where most of the local members gathered together to see and hear him speak. He spoke from six to seven hours at each place. To meet him some members walked 70 to 80 miles to come to the meeting. They were greatly inspired and encouraged. This itinerary trip was the last one that the Master will officially make in his fulfillment of the national mission. 

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