By offering this testimony about my Chung Pyung Lake experience I am hoping to inspire more brothers to go.

I flew on Korean Air with my friend and colleague Hans Schwyter. When I arrived I found that many old friends and several Bay Area friends would be in the International Group (Michael Brown, John Gowey, Mike Kellett, Robert Clive, Martin Carmody). It was great to start with such camaraderie.

CPL is a world of paradox for me. The absolutely sublime coexists with the utterly mundane. Yet I find no contradiction there, everything makes sense when viewed with an open mind and heart.

The lessons start from the moment that I walk in the gate. My conscience seems to blossom in that environment. I intuitively sense the participation of my angels; I feel the supportive presence of my restored ancestors. Dae Mo Nim, Heung Jin Nim, and True Parents speak to me through their representatives, but also through their portraits. Especially at Jeong Shim Won Prayer Hall. Their eyes and facial expressions resonate with their spirits. I feel that I am in a dialogue with them through my prayers.

I asked Heung Jin Nim to help me understand the level of heart and commitment that I will need this year, if I am to fulfill my dream of contributing significantly to the work of his brother Hyun Jin Nim. I work for one of Hyun Jin Nim's companies. I asked him not to spare me any pain in showing me where I am lacking.

We formed a wonderfully international group with great representation from American, African, European and Asian regions. Eugene Harnett, a young AFC leader from Alaska, became our leader. I knew him from another CPL workshop where he assisted Mike Jenkins in leading our group. I wanted to stay close to Eugene but chose to not volunteer for any high profile responsibilities. I wanted to assist and volunteer for reading and lecturing.

I enjoy connecting with people and feel that I can sometimes help others by empathizing and channeling God's unconditional love to them. Meanwhile I like to move slowly through each activity, be it prayer, washing-up, meal times or buying gifts at the store. Even though I was committed to not resting until lights out, I never seemed to have enough time and was constantly behind. Several times when I was scheduled to read I didn't have the right book or the right color shirt. It was very confronting. However, where I used to become discouraged, I found that these challenges only strengthened my resolve and helped me to break through.

I noticed that Eugene and his assistants were always on time. They seemed empowered by their commitment to serve our group. My prayers moved from the repentful tears of a child longing to be close to his parent, to that of a son wanting to make a contribution to the struggle of his parents. I experienced strong spiritual growth at CPL. Everything cooperated to instruct and inspire me. I began catching up to Eugene and his leadership team. I started to make more of a contribution.

My Holy Song sessions and prayers at the prayer hall became deeper and deeper. At one such prayer, I wept with a longing to simply be with Heavenly Father and True Father. Father is the Father that I always longed for, that all brothers and fathers have always longed for. He is the True Adam, a true Father and a real man and hero. I cried and felt that I could never let go of this love once I had tasted it. Yet I knew that Father could make no exceptions for me, it is up to me to change. Through my tears I felt eternally connected to Father, and I was deeply touched by, and forgave my own father. I forgave him with tears and felt his and my spirit being cleansed of the resentment that had trapped us both. By accepting the True Adam in my heart, I could forgive the false Adam who had betrayed me at my conception. I felt a warm glow move powerfully down my head, neck and spine. I felt strengthened in a sustainable and permanent way.

On the seventh day I finally broke through. I read correctly at HDH. I ran up the mountain and prayed at the holy trees. I worked hard at Holy Songs and listened attentively to a passionate and inspiring testimony from Dae Mo Nim. We took group photos and prayed at the prayer hall. Then we hiked up to the site of the True Parents' Palace.

It was a long steep hike. I was already exhausted for a variety of reasons. I found myself walking and talking with Eugene Harnett. He was walking quickly but I determined to keep up. He shared a runner's trick don't look at the steep path ahead, rather focus on the ground in front and when you look at the distance traveled, the way appears level. Soon, we were at the top, sweaty and happy. We took pictures together. Listened to the great plans for the Palace and other projects. Hans and the other Bay Area brothers took photos also.

Streaking jets reminded us of the closeness of the DMZ. Mike Dickerson, state leader for Kentucky, joined me. I knew Mike from the Bay Area. I admire him as my elder brother. We walked down the mountain together. Mike shared a deep personal testimony with me about his experiences with True Father, in the military and at Hyun Jin Nim's recent leadership seminar. Through unity with my Abel brothers Eugene and Mike, I was blessed to receive certain qualities of Hyun Jin Nim's Abel type heart.

This experience was one of the many ways that my prayers were powerfully answered at CPL. Each track, such as Hoon Dok reading, reinforces the others. I receive a new level of heart at CPL. The Eight Day certificate followed by the Holy Wine ceremony when I returned home to my family, served to commemorate this change of heart. However, we don't go to CPL to get a piece of paper, any more than we receive the Blessing and change of blood lineage to get a certificate of marriage. We go because of the historical time period and the chance to renew our hearts at a new level of victory.

Heavenly Father made it abundantly clear to me just how He intends to accomplish this miracle of faith, hope and love in my life. I believe that He has equally or even more profound experiences ready for you when you choose to answer His call to come to CPL training center. Heavenly Father knows you better than anyone, better than Satan, better than you even know yourself. I strongly urge you to overcome the mundane obstacles and respond to His call. Grant Him this opportunity to work powerfully in your life.

Mansei,

Kim A. Dodge

CPL is the Chung Pyung Lake Heaven and Earth Training Center in Chung Pyung, South Korea.

AFC is the American Freedom Coalition.

HDH is Hoon Dok Hae, a Unificationist term referring to a gathering for reading and learning from the words of Rev. Sun Myung Moon.

The DMZ is the demilitarized zone separating North and South Korea which has existed since 1953 when the Korean war was brought to an inconclusive cease-fire, but never yet a peace agreement between the two Koreas.

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