Seong Tae Cho
July 13, 2013
In December last year, True Mother assigned Mr. Cho as the principal of the Universal Seonghwa Sunday School, which she wishes to make a model organization in educating the True Grandchildren and members of our second generation. In this capacity, he led the workshop in Hawaii.
As True Mother had instructed, a thirty-day workshop for the third-generation of the True Family, True Parents' grandchildren, was conducted at Hawaii King Garden from 5.6 to 6.6 by the heavenly calendar (June 14 -- July 13).
The December 7, 1941 air raid on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, automatically provoked the United States to enter World War II. From this standpoint, the liberation of Korea, God's homeland, can be said to have its roots in Hawaii. Hawaii is also the historic place where Father offered conditions to embrace Kim II-sung, which he did on December 6, 1991 with true love transcending even life. Hawaii is a place where the great spirit of true love is alive. Recalling this, we recognized True Parents' deep motivation for choosing Hawaii as the workshop venue. We conducted the workshop under the title, 2013 True Parents Aloha' Reunion. The workshop theme was Let us plant the seeds of gratitude and love.
The grandchildren that participated and completed the special workshop in Hawaii were Hyung Jin Nim and Yeon Ah Lee Nim's son Shin Joon Nim, who is presently staying at Cheon Jeong Gung, and their son Shin Deuk Nim and daughter Shin Goong Nim, who live in the United States and joined the workshop as it entered its final stage; Hyo Jin Nim and Yeon Ah Choi Nim's sons Shin Chul Nim, Shin Heung Nim and Shin Jin Nim and their daughter Shin Yuh Nim, who are presently staying at the Hannam-dong residence; and Heung Jin Nim and Hoon Sook Nim's daughter Shin Whul Nim. True Mother hoped that her grandchildren, who had started their school vacations, would inherit True Parents' heart through the lectures on Divine Principle and True Parents' life courses and naturally come to feel the heart of our Heavenly Parent at the time of the Creation when they interacted with nature in Hawaii. She also hoped that her grandchildren would be able to have great memories of being together through special activities.
The workshop was prepared with heart-moving and interesting material in accordance with True Mother's instructions. The main programs included Hoon Dok Hae, the lectures on Divine Principle and True Parents' life courses, yoga, singing True Parents' favorite songs, doing their personal schoolwork, experiencing Hawaii and other activities.
Workshop staff members came from the three major providential countries, Korea, Japan and the United States. Our working together held special significance.
The day's schedule began at 6:30 AM. Mornings began with the grandchildren taking turns reading As a Peace-Loving Global Citizen for Hoon Dok Hae and then greeting True Mother. Mornings also included Divine Principle lectures, lectures on True Parents' life courses, yoga practice led by Sun Jin Nim, learning True Parents' favorite songs in order to help the grandchildren experience Korean sentiments, and then individual time to do some of their schoolwork.
Afternoons included experiencing Hawaii and special activities. True Mother usually accompanied the grandchildren herself in true love when experiencing many beautiful places in Hawaii. Hawaii's marvelous natural environment moved the hearts of participants and staff members all throughout the workshop.
Special activities usually included art activities, such as drawing, taking photographs, ukulele lessons; sports and hobby activities, such as yoga, table tennis, swimming, fishing and snorkeling; agricultural activities such as harvesting coffee beans, planting plants tours and fun activities, such as swimming at the beach, touring a sea horse farm, horseback riding, seeing a movie, traveling around Hawaii, etc. In the evenings, the grandchildren say good night to True Mother, write a diary entry, read it in front of the other children and conclude their day.
Midway through the workshop, the grandchildren presented the songs they had learned in Hawaii. These moved everyone including True Mother.
Taking into consideration various flight itineraries, the completion ceremony was conducted on 6.5 by the heavenly calendar at 5 p.m. True Mother asked the grandchildren that they become proud grandchildren who resemble True Parents. All the grandchildren without exception testified that they learned and realized how difficult a course True Parents had to follow. They are determined to become devoted grandchildren resembling True Parents and they expressed their gratitude to True Mother for hosting this workshop. Shin Chul Moon Nim led everyone in three cheers of eok-mansei to conclude the completion ceremony.
True Mother has instructed that we hold a similar workshop next summer in Hawaii that will include her grandchildren and students ranging from their third year of middle school to those in their first year of high school. True Mother said that ten students each be selected from Korea, Japan, Europe and the United States. These forty students are to participate in the scheduled fourteen-day workshop.
True Mother, in the capacity of our True Parents of Heaven, Earth, and Humankind, who have reached complete unity with our Heavenly Parent, directly addressed, educated and nurtured her grandchildren, the True Family's third generation with true love on the beautiful island of Hawaii, a place that felt like the Garden of Eden, with no relationship whatsoever to the Fall. The workshop felt as though it took place in the original Garden of Eden.
True Grandchildren's Reflections
1. I learned the arduous suffering the Messiah and central figures had to undergo. I liked sports the best from the special programs. I will become a better nicer child in the future.
2. I could understand the difficult course grandpa and grandma went through and how much they suffered in their efforts to achieve world peace. I came to understand how to gain peace through the yoga classes. I will become a person who helps others in the future.
3. I learned how king father and king mother conveyed their teachings and the Divine Principle, and how they had to greatly sacrifice. I liked and enjoyed the special experiential programs in Hawaii. I was deeply grateful and sorry to all those on the staff who worked hard in the workshop in the background. I wanted to apologize to them because I felt it was something we ourselves had to do. I made the determination to resemble king father and king mother even more and treat those near me with a heart of gratitude
4. I was moved but also saddened while I listened to the lectures. I learned that I should live for the sake of others, and never give up until the end when I challenge myself to something no matter what kind of difficulties I may face in the middle. It was great spending time with my cousins in Hawaii. I loved harvesting the coffee beans and learning True Parents' favorite songs. I am determined to become a good person and be generous to others as a result of this workshop.
5. I was moved the most when I learned how king father and king mother established the church despite all the pain they received. The special experiential activities in Hawaii were interesting. I will become a good child in the future.