In the early evening of July 4th, 75 STF USA members arrived at Incheon airport in South Korea. Earlier that day, about 220 other STF members from around the world also had arrived. What was this special occasion? The 5th International STF Assembly! Once a year STF members from each chapter in the world gather together to share reports and experiences from the past year, engage in activities together, and unite with the same heart under one vision.

The theme of this year’s assembly was "One Family Under God, Aju! The Hope of All Humanity is North and South Korea Unification." This theme would permeate throughout all of our activities in the next week, becoming our battle cry in the sports competition, our chant as we marched through the streets of Seoul, and the topic of Hyun Jin Nim’s speeches. Most importantly, though, it became ingrained in our hearts.

On the 5th, each STF chapter presented its reports of the last year, using videos, speakers, and songs. That first day was an introduction for all of us, but the second day we began to really experience our theme in real life. Early in the morning, STF members gathered in international teams, loaded onto buses, and started driving north, to the 38th parallel. STF had received special permission to enter a restricted area and visit a General Outpost at the DMZ.

As we peered over the barbed patrol fences, we could see birds flying freely across the Im Jin River and into North Korea. Because we were prohibited from even taking pictures, it wasn’t difficult to feel God’s sorrowful heart at seeing his children so divided. After seeing this, everyone was ready for the service projects in the afternoon. Going into the surrounding area, STF members worked on the ginseng plantations, painted murals, visited nursing homes, serving with a desire to bring North/South unity.

The next day was an event that each nation had been preparing for -- a sports competition! Each STF chapter chose its best athletes to compete in dodge ball, basketball, soccer, and a relay race. The role of everyone else was just as important -- to support through cheering and singing and they did that all day long, going beyond their own national boundaries. By the end of the day, USA won overall. Though the competition was tough and the weather muggy, it was evident that every person gave everything in sports or chanting, and although it was a competition, the spirit created actually brought everyone together as one big family!

The last two days of the assembly STF was blessed to see Hyun Jin Nim and hear him speak. On the 8th, Hyun Jin Nim came to the Chung-A Camp and spoke to the STF Assembly participants, as well as Junior STF, MTF (Missionary Task Force) and W CARP leaders, encouraging everyone to find and fulfill God’s expectation for them.

The next day, after a Peace Rally and a march by STF members in the busy college area of Seoul, Hyun Jin Nim spoke to the World University Students Assembly (formerly called World CARP Convention). Through both rallies, the theme was the same -- "One Family Under God, Aju!" Hyun Jin Nim explained how this had been God’s dream ever since the beginning of creation, and all of history has been the search for this family. Now is the time for all of us to take ownership of God’s dream, break down the barriers in our own lives, and create one family under God. Afterwards, many people testified that their experience during the assembly had been a substantiation of this very dream and made new determinations to respond to Hyun Jin Nim’s call to action.

That evening was the official end to the International STF Assembly, but there was one more special event waiting for STF members. On the morning of the 10th, 120 STFers were invited to HDH at the Cheon Jeong Goong with True Parents. For many members, this was the first time to be there, and they felt it was not only a blessing for them, but for their ancestors and future descendents as well.