Hak Ja Han
July 22 - August 4, 2014
The Hawaii workshop for forty-six second- and third-generation members, which True Mother personally guided, occurred from July 22 to August 4. The theme of the workshop was "Let us become devoted children that love True Parents!" This was the second Hawaiian workshop; the first was for the true grandchildren only. The following article will provide you with an outline on last year's workshop and a description of what likely occurred at this year's workshop based on a schedule we received before going to print.
The 2014 Aloha Reunion with True Parents started on July 22 and will continue until August 4 at Queen Coffee Garden, Hawaii. The workshop's theme is "Let us become devoted children that love the True Parents of Heaven, Earth and Humankind!" Forty-five second- and third-generation members, aged fifteen to sixteen, will go through the workshop. The aim of the workshop is to enable the young people to inherit True Parents' traditions and filial hearts, experience God's heart at the time of the Creation by interacting with nature in Hawaii and to guide them in nurturing the dream of becoming Cheon Il Guk leaders.
As background information, the surprise attack by the Empire of Japan on United States' naval facilities in and around Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941, resulted in the U.S. declaring war on Japan; hence, Hawaii formed the basis through which liberation came to Korea, God's hometown. Additionally, on December 6, 1991, before their visit to Pyongyang, True Parents offered conditions in Hawaii to be able to embrace Kim Il-sung of North Korea.
Last year, under True Mother's instruction and guidance, the first workshop occurred, for thirty days, May 6–June 6. The true grandchildren went through that workshop, which had the theme, "Let us plant seeds of gratitude and love!"
At the 2013 workshop, the true grandchildren started their day with Hoon Dok Hae at half past six every day. They took turns reading As a Peace-Loving Global Citizen. After Hoon Dok Hae, they would greet True Mother. Morning hours also included listening to lectures on the Divine Principle and True Parents' life courses and learning True Parents' favorite songs and other Korean songs, to help the grandchildren experience Korean sentiments. They then had some time to do their personal schoolwork.
Programs in the afternoon focused on experiencing nature in Hawaii or doing special activities. True Mother usually accompanied the true grandchildren when they visited some beautiful places in Hawaii. Special activities included artwork (drawing, taking photos, ukulele lessons), sports and hobby activities (yoga, table tennis, swimming, fishing, snorkeling), touring and experiential activities such as manual labor (harvesting coffee beans, planting trees) or such things as touring a sea horse farm, horseback riding, watching movies and other activities.
In the evenings, the true grandchildren said goodnight to True Mother. They then wrote an entry in a diary to contemplate what they had done during the day, discussed the day with the other grandchildren and then went to bed.
Taking into consideration the various flight itineraries, the workshop graduation, or completion ceremony, occurred on August 3 at 5 pm. At that time, True Mother asked her grandchildren to become proud grandchildren that follow True Parents' path. The true grandchildren generally testified that they were able to learn about and empathize with True Parents' difficult courses through the workshop and that they were determined to become devoted grandchildren that follow True Parents' examples. They expressed gratitude to True Mother for hosting the workshop.
True Mother then instructed that a similar workshop take place the following summer in Hawaii. She asked that the workshop be established as a fourteen-day workshop and be expanded to include forty students -- ten from each of the four major regions (Korea, Japan, Europe and North America). This year's workshop was prepared based on these instructions.
The 2014 Aloha Reunion
On the afternoon of the first day of this year's workshop, Tuesday, July 22, a welcoming ceremony, orientation and team meetings occurred. Pastor Seong Tae Cho was the master of ceremonies at the welcoming ceremony, which started with a holy song. Everyone recited the Family Pledge and bowed and Ki Hoon Kim, regional president of North America prayed. Ms. Moon Sun Jin, director-general of the FFWPU International Headquarters, gave a welcoming address and then True Mother spoke. Members of the workshop staff introduced themselves. Sun Jin nim gave the benediction and Pastor Cho made some announcements.
Dinner began at 7:50 and concluded at 8:50. Following that was an introduction of the Wonmo Pyeongae Foundation and then a ten-minute prayer session. After concluding the day's schedule, the workshop participants had free time until their bedtime, between 10:50 and 11:00.
The basic schedule started the second day; it included a fifty-minute Hoon Dok Hae from 6 am, yoga for an hour (led by Sun Jin nim) breakfast, presentations and then lectures on the Divine Principle and True Parents' life courses.
Enhancing the basic schedule were special outdoor activities in the mornings, including a visit to a Hawaiian research institute on natural energy on July 25 and sightseeing on the Island of Hawaii for the whole of the following day. The workshop group went fishing and visited the Hilton Waikoloa Village Oceanfront Resort on the morning of the 29, played on the beach on the morning of July 30 and then repeated the July 29 morning schedule on the morning of the final day of the month.
Afternoons mainly focused on special presentations and lectures on the Divine Principle but also included some special afternoon outdoors activities. The schedule called for them to go to a beach on July 24 and to visit the Mauna Kea Observatories, which has the world's largest observatory for optical, infrared, and sub-millimeter astronomy, on July 27. Apparently, they will compete in an athletic competition the next day and visited Pololu Valley, which oversees and has trails down to a black sand beach on August 1. Yute games and free time filled their afternoon the next day. They held a cultural festival the following afternoon and the workshop graduation ceremony took place on August 4.
During the course of the workshop, the young people heard a series of presentations on broad topics, including one describing True Parents' deep connection to Hawaii by Won Ju Jeong, senior secretary to True Mother. Dr. Man Ho Kim, secretary-general of the FFWPUI International Office, spoke about True Parents' vision for the completion of the providence. Jin Chun Kim, deputy chairman of the Cheon Il Guk Supreme Council gave one presentation on understanding the Cheon Il Guk Constitution and another on understanding what occurs at Chung Pyung spiritually. An older member of the second generation, Won Jae Hwang, an associate professor of international politics, gave two presentations. A professor at Cheongshim Theological Seminary, Gwang Bong Cho, gave the Divine Principle lectures. Head teacher Dong U Kim, of the Universal Peace Academy, gave the lectures on True Parents' life courses.
We received the schedule in advance of the workshop, but the workshop likely followed fairly close to it. The workshop concluded on Monday, August 4. The young people that took part in the workshop presented their reflections on the experiences they had. The workshop's conclusion mirrored its ceremonial beginning, with a master of ceremonies, pledge service and bows. Mr. Farley Jones, chairman of the Pacific Rim Educational Foundation, prayed. Sun Jin nim spoke and True Mother gave her concluding remarks. Each of the workshop graduates received a certificate. Sun Jin nim prayed and then a group cheer marked the conclusion of the fourteenday workshop.
Second- and third-generation members participating in the 2014 Aloha Reunion with True Parents had an opportunity to nurture their dreams of becoming Cheon Il Guk leaders, not only through lectures on the Divine Principle and True Parents' life courses, but also through the natural beauty that surrounded them in Hawaii. They had a chance to reach toward the theme of the workshop itself, to become proud grandchildren that inherit True Parents' traditions and filial hearts in response to True Mother's hope. Our Heavenly Parent and True Parents have focused their special attention, grace and love on this workshop in Hawaii.