Jeong In Jo
August 9, 2009
Headquarters Church, Seoul, Korea
As you have probably heard, Hyung-jin nim made a ' special sincerity condition of 21,000 bows from July 29 to August 7, for victory in our witnessing to 21,000 members for the Growth Stage Unification Peace Temple. Hyung-jin nim asked me to report to you about this condition on behalf of the six Hoonsas who supported him during those ten days. I do not think I can come close to expressing the depth of Hyung-jin nim's heart and devotion, but I will do my best.
Many of you were probably taken by surprise when the decision to offer such condition was announced. Please note, however, that Hyung-jin nim had made up his mind to do it several months ago, while he was doing morning prayer vigils at the top of Mt. Maebong. It was then that he told us it was necessary to offer 21,000 bows before entering the Growth Stage Temple. He then kept praying to decide when to begin the condition.
Those who knew about this were waiting in anticipation and, finally, Hyung-jin nim announced his resolution to start on July 29. He decided to actually make the offering after his realization and proclamation about the true love theology of the seven deaths and resurrections and the completion of the eight stages.
On the evening of July 28, Hyung-jin nim and Yeon-ah nim arrived at the church and informed us that they were going to stay in the room specially prepared for the condition until the offering was completed. They also asked the three Hoonsa couples to support them during this time and stay with them at the church. Following this request, we quickly packed our bags and came to the Headquarters Church.
At dawn on July 29, Hyung-jin nim looked at us and asked to agree to "be imprisoned in this place until the end of the condition."
The offering began at 3 o'clock in the morning. Hyung-jin nim felt very urgent and did the bows very quickly, planning to finish the condition in just three days. He did not allow himself to take sufficient breaks to rest. He felt exhausted after finishing four thousand bows on the first day. Hyung-jin nim felt it was important to establish the condition of forty for separation from Satan, and he decided to stop after four thousand bows, feeling too weak to continue bowing that day.
Before the condition resumed on the morning of the second day, we prayed very hard for Hyung-jin nim to be able to continue since we knew that he had exhausted himself the previous day.
We were relieved to see Hyung-jin nim begin bowing right on time in the early hours of the second day. However, each bow caused him severe pain. He told us he had muscle aches and cramps in his legs.
He did five hundred bows and took a rest, then another five hundred bows. Yeon-ah nim was very worried about Hyung-jin nim. During his breaks, she would give him massage or put a warming plaster on his legs to ease the pain. However, the pain would not go away easily. On the second day, Hyung-jin nim was able to do two thousand bows.
It was painful for us Hoonsas to see Hyung-jin nim suffering so much and we felt we had not offered sincere enough conditions to support him. We could not help but cry. To support Hyung-jin nim, day by day we would read to him from True Father's memoirs, sing holy songs, and think constantly about how to give him some strength. We dedicated ourselves sincerely, even wondering whether it would somehow be possible for us to make the offering on his behalf.
Hyung-jin nim suggested that the Hoonsas experience offering more than one thousand bows themselves. And so we responded by doing 1,000, 2,000, even 3,000 bows.
Hyung-jin aim's experience was excruciating, his body wracked with pain and his spirit body engaged in fierce spiritual battle. Since this condition was offered to save 21,000 lives, I felt the burden was several times heavier than that of a regular condition. Nonetheless, Hyung-jin nim always expressed gratitude, saying that happiness comes with suffering.
On the third day, Hyung-jin nim caught a cold. He wrapped a scarf around his neck and asked us to turn off all the fans and air-conditioning. At the peak of the summer heat, Hyung-jin nim had all the windows closed and continued his bows, pouring rivers of sweat. He also lost his appetite and did not eat much during this time.
When we reflected on how God and True Parents felt as they looked at Hyung-jin nim's sincere dedication amidst these difficulties, we could not help crying.
The first three days were thus full of challenges and hardships. It seemed that, one bow at a time, Hyung-jin nim was experiencing the seven deaths and resurrections. I cannot express what Hyung-jin nim went through during this time. He ended the third day having completed one thousand bows.
Despite the challenges of the first days, Hyung-jin nim did receive abundant support and grace from the spirit world. First, Hyung-jin nim dreamed of True Father walking around the Growth Stage Temple saying "It's so nice and beautiful," with a big smile on his face.
Second, Young-jin nim appeared at night and invited Hyung-jin nim to have pizza together with him. On the second day, Hyung-jin nim was able to eat some pizza and gain some strength. All of us enjoyed a pizza party together!
Third, at one point, Hyung-jin nim saw Heung-jin nim appear and stand next to the curtain at the window. The very next day, Hoon-sook nim came to visit. She offered bows together with Hyung-jin nim and encouraged him a lot. When she saw how Hyung-jin nim was suffering from muscle aches, she suggested putting on the special tape that ballerinas use for pain relief. It suddenly struck us, "Of course! Why didn't we think of this ourselves?" We went out right away and got the tape for Hyung-jin nim.
In the afternoon, Hyung-jin nim wound the tape around his legs. When he came out he said, "Wow! This feels good!" He felt so grateful to his older brother for sending his sister-in-law. From then on, the pain gradually disappeared and Hyung-jin nim regained his power and continued his bows. So we received a lot of support from the spirit world during this period.
Day by day, more and more members joined the sincerity condition in the Main Chapel on the second floor. Moreover, on Sunday, the Old Headquarters Church building was filled with members who did their bows with sweat pouring off their bodies since that old traditional house does not have air-conditioning. Amid the summer heat, members would keep coming to the church to support Hyung-jin nim in his offering. I had the feeling that the church was overflowing with offerings of devotion and sincerity.
Hyung-jin nim said that he realized the power of sincerity conditions once again. He felt a surge of new strength each time he received a report about members joining this sincerity condition.
Hyung-jin nim said he felt, as he made the offering, as if each bow was saving one person's life. His knees were bruised but he persevered through the pain to be victorious. It is time for us to do our part. What is our part? We need to find these 21,000 people that have received life through Hyung-jin nim's offering, and bring them to the church! Can we do this? [Aju!]
Members who heard about Hyung-jin nim's situation brought nutritious food and fresh fruit to ease his burden. After hearing about the heart and sincerity of these members,
Hyung-jin nim said that if they devote such sincerity to witnessing they will certainly bring results! Hearing this, we felt that Hyung-jin nim is like True Father, who always puts the public good above his own well-being.
At the end, Hyung-jin nim and Yeon-ah nim held hands and completed this long and arduous journey by offering prayers of gratitude to God and True Parents.
Editor's Note
If Hyung-jin nim had fulfilled the condition in three days as he initially wished, members might have marveled at his athletic prowess yet might have forgotten that we were meant to be moved to action. But our International President's course took him down into hell and he had to fight to fulfill his commitment, and come back. And members did come out to support, with their families, their children -- in their homes and at the churches, in their hundreds and thousands. Some offered hundreds of bows a day, some even a thousand. Day by day, more and more members joined this spontaneous revival. These hundreds of thousands of bows charged up the engine of our church to set her in motion.
That our international president inspired so many members to make sincere offerings in solidarity with his purpose to witness to 21,000 new members was surely a most significant aspect of Hyung-jin nim's victory.