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| North American and European members of the Church of God visit the New Jerusalem Pangyo Temple in the New Year of 2019. / Photos from Church of God |
125 members from 10 countries wowed by Korea's rapid economic growth
By Han Myung-duk
At the beginning of 2019, the World Mission Society Church of God (General Pastor Kim Joo-cheol, hereafter the Church of God) received guests ― the 73rd Overseas Visiting Group. The group was made up of 125 Church members from 10 countries in North America, Europe, Central and South America, Asia and Africa, and most of them visited Korea for the first time. During their stay, they participated in various events such as Bible study, visiting local churches, and sightseeing. In addition to the meaning of the first visit in the New Year, the people of the world gathered in one place to convey a message of hope for the prosperity and well-being of the global community. It was special from the beginning.
Remarkable growth in about a half-century amazes the world
It was the year 2000 when the Church of God started to receive overseas visiting members in earnest. Up to the 73rd group, about 1,500 members had been visiting Korea every year. For the members of over 7,000 Churches of God in 175 countries, Korea is the country where God the Father and God the Mother, who are testified in the Bible, have appeared. So their visit to Korea is a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and a great blessing. Although foreigners' visits to Korea decreased due to the outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in 2015, about 240 members from 23 countries visited Korea and over 2,000 members came to Korea in 2016 alone.
Recently, the world's intellectuals from economic, legal, medical, and scientific circles entered Korea as a visiting group and participated in the International Bible Seminar and the Talk Concert against climate change, contributing to raising general awareness. The experts in many fields shared international issues to seek ways to change the world positively. This shows how the Church of God Overseas Visiting Groups enhance national prestige.
Touring around Seoul and Gyeonggi Province, the guests visited the Lotte World Tower observatory in Jamsil and were surprised at the development of Korea. The Church says, "Before visiting attractions, the overseas visiting group members briefly study Korean history. From the 1910-45 Japanese colonial period to the 1950-53 Korean War and the miracle of the Han River in the 1980s to 1990s, we introduce them to the energy potential and outstanding?characteristics of Korea which started as the poorest country and has become one of the world's top 10 economic powers in about 50 years. Today, we've made a special visit to the world's fifth-tallest building to view the development of Seoul at a glance."
The visiting group members looked around Seoul, listening to the explanations of the guide, and let out exclamations. While taking pictures of the scenery with their mobile phones, they said, "How can a country develop this much in just 50 years? It's surprising!" Some members stood on the glass-bottomed Sky Deck which overlooks the ground, making a gesture of flying.
"It's taken quite a long time for the United States to develop into a great power as it is now. However, Korea has achieved rapid growth in a very short period of time. Some parts seem to have developed more than the U.S," said Carrie Michelle Song from Albany, NY, U.S.
"I had fun at the Lotte World Tower Aquarium, seeing a variety of fish, and the Sky Deck was amazing in the observatory. I was scared at first, but after a while I felt like I was flying in the sky," said Ekaterina Kaurkovskaya, a student at the National Pedagogical Dragomanov University in Ukraine.
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| The 73rd Overseas Visiting Group members talk while looking around the Church of God's History Museum. |
Cultural exchange through visits to local Churches
The year 2019 marks the 70th anniversary of Daejeon City and the 30th anniversary of its promotion to metropolitan city status. Daejeon has made this year the "Visit Daejeon Year" and promotes it extensively. There's no mistake that the Church of God Overseas Visiting Group members, who visited Daejeon at the beginning of the New Year, are precious guests to Daejeon citizens aiming to attract more than 5 million tourists.
"All the visiting group members hope that the Visit Daejeon Year will be successful. We have many Churches in Daejeon, and this time we visited the Seo-gu Church located near KBS Daejeon Broadcasting Station and Art Center," the Church explains. Like the Churches of God in other regions, the Churches in Daejeon work steadily for the development of communities, promotion of residents' wellbeing, and environmental cleanups as well as taking on the basic roles of a church. Around the Lunar New Year's Day, the Church donated 75 duvets, which are winter necessities, to six administrative agencies, and conducted environmental cleanups throughout Daejeon such as Jung-gu, Yuseong-gu, and Daedeok-gu, including the surroundings of Pai Chai University and Daejeon University.
"Our country will launch a new government this year. People's expectation of the new president is great. Both Daejeon and Mexico are on the new starting line. I hope both will go well," said Oscar Sanchez Suarez from Mexico, giving a thumbs-up.
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| The 63rd Overseas Visiting Group from Europe and Central and South America have a good time at Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon that displays King Jeongjo's filial piety. |
Maria S. Aguirre, who works at the Samsung Semiconductor New York Office, is amazed that the Daedeok Science Town in Daejeon led Korea to the top of the world in the IT industry. "Koreans work really hard. Once they set a goal, they try their hardest to fulfill it, working from early in the morning. But what impressed me the most during this stay is the warmheartedness of Koreans. Most people say that happiness comes when they are happy. But Korean Church members say, 'I am happy because you are happy.' Such kindness makes me happy as if I am in the arms of my mother," she said with a big smile.
The Church staff led the visiting group, telling them about Korean tradition, culture, and manners in the bus on the way to another destination. The staff introduced beautiful Korean etiquette and culture, such as laying emphasis on family, treating guests wholeheartedly and respecting the elderly. Probably because of that, the visiting group members said, "God bless you," gathering both their hands and lowering their heads whenever they made eye contact. Although they were different in skin color, language, and age, they came together as a visiting group and experienced cultural exchanges, learning and sharing their differences.
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| The 63rd Overseas Visiting Group at Songdo International Business District where 15 U.N. offices are located. |
Message of Unity Conveyed with Mother's Love
The Overseas Visiting Group of the Church of God delivered a message of hope for the New Year, and emphasized Mother's love in unison. Through all ages, the love of a mother, who devotes herself to her children, has the power to change people. They explained that the power to change the world too comes from Mother's love.
"I'm deeply moved that our Church members from all over the world with different languages and cultures are united in Mother's love. If you don't care about other people and only think of yourself, you miss something important ― love. Among many types of love, a mother's love is the one that can change people, and those who are changed through it can make the world beautiful," said Michael Miller from New York, U.S.
"This special trip that I'm having at the beginning of the New Year has a great significance to me. Watching the members from around the world care and cheer for one another, I think the world will become a better place if everyone can experience such joy and happiness. We're from different countries, but languages and cultures are not a problem at all," said Allyssa Dunn (30).
"Military personnel can be put in the war zones at any time, even tomorrow. In the era of perennial disputes and conflicts among races and nations, I see people from all over the world get along with one another, which is the most hopeful scene that I've ever witnessed," said Nkululeko Zwayi, who serves in the South African Navy.
"What we have to do is to set good examples. When we practice good deeds according to the teachings of Christ, the world will change. The more I share the love of Mother, the less disputes and conflicts there will be," said Valentina Kaurkovskaya from Ukraine.
Kheti Maya, from a remote, high mountain village in Nepal, the land of the Himalayas, shared a touching story about the Church of God, which took the lead in relief efforts when massive earthquakes occurred there in 2015.
"At that time, the damage was very severe in Sertung, too. Due to the quakes, the road was cut off and the village was ruined. We were stuck in the village. When we were starving, food came down from the heavens. The Church of God sent food and daily necessities by helicopter. The origin of that love is Korea. Korean people are truly blessed," she said with a smile. The Church of God delivered food by helicopter 14 times to about 1,000 households in Sertung and Tipling, remote mountain villages, so that they would not lose hope.
Korea is the only divided nation in the world. It is no exaggeration to say that the situation of the Korean Peninsula, where the world's four great powers face one another, is directly related to world peace. The message of global harmony, which is coming from the Korean Peninsula at the very beginning of 2019, resounds loud. A visiting group member that sang Arirang at the Lotte World Tower Observatory mentioned the warmth and love of Koreans, and hoped that Koreans would maintain their beautiful mind for a long time. In this year, too, many visiting groups from around the world are expected to come to Korea. This reporter wonders what Korea will look like in their eyes.
