Faith & Life

Special Bus Stop

There is a special bus stop on a mountain road in Taebaek-si, Gangwon-do, Korea. It is a bus stop called, “In front of Kwon Chun-seop’s House.” The bus stop, which opened in 1999, was originally called “In front of Kwon Sang-cheol’s House.” Kwon Sang-cheol always worried about his wife who was struggling with an illness because she would have to walk a long distance to take the bus whenever she visited the hospital. He repeatedly requested the city hall to build an additional bus stop. As a result, a bus stop was built near the house, but the city could not figure out a name for the bus stop. It was because the bus stop was built in a remote…

Be the Same Person Inside and Outside!

Some family heads are friendly to their colleagues but abrupt with their families; some wives are kind to others but blunt to their families; some children are very considerate and sympathetic to their friends, but not to their families. Your family can be more hurt and heartbroken by the words and actions that you express without a second thought, thinking, ‘They will understand because we are family.’ This month, how about treating your family just as you do others? This doesn’t mean you should keep your distance from your family, but be polite and careful as much as you treat others. When you become the same person inside and outside, don’t you think you’ll be able to find your true…

For Eternal Life

Gulliver’s Travels is a prose satire written by Irish writer Jonathan Swift, which begins with Part I: A Voyage to Lilliput and leads up to Part 4. This satire was adapted into a children’s story and has been read by many children. When I was a teenager, I had a chance to read the full text of Gulliver’s Travels and there was a very impressive part. The third nation Gulliver goes to after traveling in Lilliput and Brobdingnag is a flying island, where he hears from a high official about the Struldbrugs, people who are immortal. Gulliver starts to admire them, but he soon changes his mind. At first, Gulliver envied them at the thought that they would stay young…

Choi Jae-ung from Incheon, South Korea

Even If Everyone Gives Up

On May 8, 2019, a woman in her thirties named Amanda Aller got lost while walking in a nature reserve in Maui, Hawaii. Since she left her cell phone in the car, there was no way for her to contact anyone. The more she walked to find the way out, the deeper she went into the woods and the darker the day got. Then, she had to go through all types of struggles to survive. At night when the temperature dropped, she covered herself with leaves or dug into the mud to keep her body warm. During the day, she wandered around and looked for food such as fruit, water, and insects. One day, she fell off a cliff and…

Guan Zhong and Bao Shuya’s Friendship

During the Spring and Autumn Period in China, there were Guan Zhong and Bao Shuya. They were very close ever since their childhood and became government officials together. Guan Zhong became an aide to Gyu, the son of Yanggong, the monarch of Qi, and Bao Shuya served Gyu’s half-brother, Xiǎo bái. However, when Yanggong was killed, the two brothers and their supporters fought over the throne. When Xiǎo bái succeeded the throne and tried to kill Gyu and his supporters, Bao Shuya earnestly asked the king to appoint Guan Zhong as a government official. Guan Zhong helped the king wholeheartedly with the governmental affairs and was eventually appointed as a chancellor. Bao Shuya was happy for Guan Zhong’s success as…

My Wish Was Granted

It was always my dream to preach overseas. My dream grew bigger and bitter whenever I heard the fragrance of Zion from young adults of my age that they bore many good fruits by preaching the gospel overseas in the scorching heat or piercing cold. However, the situation was not favorable for me. I was anxious to go overseas, although I didn’t express it. As I tried to console myself, God comforted me with a sermon during worship. After listening to the sermon, I came to realize the fact that God loves me more than I love myself and eagerly wants me to be saved and blessed. My heart was overflowing with gratitude when I realized that the path given…

Ryu Ne-ip from Goyang, South Korea

Family Glory

Treasure No. 182, Imcheonggak, is located in Andong, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Korea. It is the oldest house that exists in Korea. It was a private house during the Joseon Dynasty and the largest mansion built with 99 rooms. In January 1911, at the peak of Japanese imperialism, Lee Sang-ryong, the owner of Im Cheong-gak, gathered about 400 servants. He then burned their slave documents and told them to leave to help the country regain its independence, and he himself went to Manchuria to fight for independence of his country. When his family members, including his son, grandson, younger sibling, and nephew, joined the independence movement, the Japanese imperialists set out on a railroad track across the center of Imcheonggak in 1941, saying…

Happy Bronze Medalist

There is an athlete who suddenly became a star after winning a bronze medal at the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games. The athlete is a Chinese swimmer called Fu Yuanhui (20 year-old). She became famous because what she said during the interview after the women’s 100 m semi-finals drew a lot of attention. When she came out of the pool after the game, the reporter said to her, “Your time was 58.95 seconds. It’s a bronze medal!” Then, Fu Yuanhui opened her eyes wide and asked with amazement, “Was I that fast?” Then, with a joyful expression, she said that she was completely satisfied with her record. When the reporter asked her if she was disappointed because it was…

All Joy and Happiness Are in Mother

When my son introduced his future wife to us, my wife and I liked her right away because she told us that she went to church. Since we were Christians, there was nothing more I would want as long as they made a harmonious family, living an upright life of faith. Soon after our son got married, we found out that our daughter-in-law’s church was the Church of God. Although we were unhappy about that, we couldn’t show it to such a good daughter-in-law. At our devoted daughter-in-law’s request, we had been to “Our Mother” Writing and Photo Exhibition hosted by the Church of God, and listened to the church news she often delivered to us. Then one day, our…

Lee Sil-geon from Daegu, South Korea

A True Teacher of the Nation

To establish the foundation of his country, King Sejong in Joseon Dynasty of Korea created Hangul (Korean alphabet) despite his heavy workload. King Sejong was fluent in reading and writing Chinese characters, so he did not need to create Hangeul when managing governmental affairs. Then, why did he invent Hangeul? “Since Chinese is not the language of our country, Chinese characters cannot fully express Korean words. Thus, many illiterate people are unable to express themselves when they are trying to say what is in their minds. I felt sorry about them and created a new set of twenty-eight alphabets, so that everyone can easily learn and use it in their daily lives.” Preface of Hunminjeongeum The reason King Sejong created…

On a Rainy Day

I don’t like rainy days. The gloomy weather makes me feel down, and also makes my clothes and shoes wet. Another reason I don’t like rainy days is that my joint predicts the rain more accurately than the weather center, as I’m suffering from neuralgia. But sometimes I smirk while walking in the rain. I went to school in a small town for the first couple of years of elementary school. My house was located in the center of the town, and the school was so close to my house that sometimes from the school playing field I could see my mom hanging laundry on the rooftop. Back then, quite many students had to walk for thirty minutes or even…

Choi Jae-jeong from Gunpo, South Korea

No Graffiti! Yes Clean and Safe Town! 2

Brothers and sisters in the Sydney Zion are from various cultures and races, but they are one in mind for proclaiming Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother with every small good deed. A good opportunity to shine Their light was given to us. In response to the community’s call for volunteers to roll up their sleeves and take part in the Graffiti Removal Day, we participated in the event. On October 29, 2017, clothed in bright yellow vests, we put on gloves and goggles and performed the mission to erase the unsightly graffiti on the wall of an industrial building at Blacktown. Participants came from across age groups: children, high school students, young adults, and adults, so we could share the…

Arleen Alzadon Montano from Sydney, Australia

Meal Time Filled With Love

In summer, 2019, we carried out free meal service in Saitama, Japan, as part of the activities of the ASEZ WAO—the Young Adult Worker Volunteer Group We volunteered to help a cafeteria that provided free meals to children who could not afford to eat properly for various reasons. Although it was not easy to work in the kitchen in the boiling hot weather, we joyfully rolled up our sleeves, imagining the children would enjoy the meals. Thinking that it would be good to make happy memories, we also wholeheartedly arranged traditional Korean folk games and snacks. On the day we were supposed to volunteer, we had to make some changes in our plan due to an unexpected situation in the…

Song Ji-ye from Bucheon, South Korea

Overprotection Makes Children Weak

A young man who had graduated from college visited a psychological counseling center. He was brought by his parents who could no longer stand watching their son sleep during the day and play computer games all night. Their son was old enough to become independent and plan his life, but he had no will to live. Through counseling, the counselor found out that the biggest problem was that he grew up, receiving excessive concern and meddling from his parents. This young man, who is the only child in his family, was under the thorough system his parents made, and got everything he needed even before he asked for it, and he could only hang out with the friends who met…

It Was So Close

Four years ago, the owner of a Chinese restaurant across from our Zion was changed. I wanted to deliver the words of truth to a new neighbor, but since he said he wasn’t interested in religion, I just briefly said hi to him. At the end of 2018, I visited him again after the New Jerusalem Preaching Festival was proclaimed. When he heard the truth, he wasn’t that interested like before, but I continued to see him. I was worried I might disturb his business, so when he wasn’t busy and came out of his restaurant to be refreshed, I just took him to Zion and delivered the truth. We may use the expression, “Many drops make a flood,” in…

Oh Dae-yeob from Seoul, South Korea

Create Family Mailbox!

Jeong Yakyong, a scholar of the Realist School of Confucianism in the Joseon Dynasty of Korea, wrote more than a hundred letters to educate his two sons during his exile. Another scholar Yi Hwang too sent numerous letters to his son to convey his deep love. Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, the author of The Little Prince, expressed his affection and longing for his mother through letters from his childhood to death. A letter is a good tool and a best gift to convey a sincere heart. Many parents have been moved to tears by their children’s letters, and many children have corrected their mindsets at their parents’ letters. This month, let’s create a beautiful family mailbox and share family love through…

Time to Repay God Who Has Waited for Me for a Long Time

In the barren desert where it was difficult even for a clump of grass to grow, manna which God sent to the Israelites was food of miracle. However, as they ate it for every meal for forty years, they began to regard it as miserable food. My parents received the truth when I was about five months old, and they chose to walk the path of prophets a few years later. Thanks to that, I grew in much love and care from many brothers and sisters in Zion. My life at Zion was only full of joy until I became a teenager. During my school days, I started to feel unhappy that I had to keep worship services in Zion…

Seo Jun-yeong from Seongnam, South Korea

Mom and Light

When I was little, my house was located in a deep mountain valley. My village had only fourteen households, and there was no bus there. I had to walk forty minutes to go to the elementary school, and it took me almost one hour by bike to go to the middle school. The high school was too far to commute from my house, so I stayed at the school dormitory. During the week I stayed in the dorms, and on the weekends I went back home, where I received rice, side dishes, and pocket money to spend the following week. Every Saturday, I had to hurry to go back home. There was the bus that went near my neighborhood, but…

Ju Jeom-yeol from Yangsan, South Korea

The Teacher’s Last Gift

In June 2018, people with colorful schoolbags gathered together in one place. There were various school supplies in the school bags. The place where they gathered was a funeral home. It was the day when the coffin of Tammy Waddell, who died of cancer at the age of 59, left her house. Waddell was a teacher at an elementary school in Forsyth County, Georgia, the United States. She taught her students for about thirty years, considering them special enough to call them “my children.” She said that all children had the right to learn, and she would often help the students in need. Meanwhile, her cancer returned, and she became terminally ill; then she made a request to the people…

Awakened with Mother in Mind

I visited my hometown in ten years to celebrate my grandfather’s 80th birthday. If I were to describe my grandfather I used to know, I would say, “strict and strong.” He was also very diligent, so he alone usually took care of his crops, except during harvest. That was why I was sure he was quite strong and robust. However, I was surprised upon seeing him ten years after I last saw him. He had gone so weak. He hardly moved and didn’t speak that much as well. He mostly stayed in his rocking chair and slept but when he needed to stand or sit, he needed assistance. I didn’t know what to do other than to show my respect…

Jomarie M. Supleo from Mandaluyong, Philippines