S. Korea - For many years now, I have dreamt of living and working in Korea, but it was not until this summer when that dream came true. I got an invitation to teach, and was given an opportunity to get a working visa (since I’m a US citizen and have a degree from an American school.) I truly feel God gave this opportunity to learn the deeper heart of True Parents’ culture by working with the Korean children, and at the same time connect with the providence in the Fatherland.

I came with another American sister and we started teaching on July 2^nd (2007) at Chungshim Native Institute (an English language school initiated by True Parents.)

The summer intensive course was very hectic but it was such a blessing that our place was only an hour away from Chung Pyung by bus, it was possible to attend the workshops or come for the day almost every week.

Another good thing is that we’re close to Seoul as well; there are opportunities to attend "Cheon Il Guk Sunday services" at Mapo church, now being ministered by Hyung Jin Nim and another Korean elder. I’m sure many of you have heard about it by now.

I can’t forget, after the first Sunday we attended the inspiring, spiritually uplifting and rejuvenating service, Dr. Park, our director took us out to a delicious mandu soup lunch on the way to our apartment. As we were getting ready to get into the car to go home, he received a phone call letting him know that True Parents are at E-Mart shopping.

We (three American sisters (teachers) dashed over there (a 5-minute ride) and followed True Parents around shopping for gifts and groceries. In the picture, I will attach, they were picking some big Alaskan snow crabs. The building in the background is where we live. There was a feeling of being in Heaven to have True Parents come to the same E-Mart where we shop. I heard this is the only E Mart near the Palace and the people from Seorak come here too.

At Chung Pyung, I met some Filipino sisters who told me about the Divine Principle lectures in English given by Hyung Jin Nim. I went, and felt so much at home as I was surrounded by our Filipina sisters. They have invited Hyung Jin Nim and organized this lecture series at headquarters church.

Hyung Jin Nim gave us so much guidance at that first lecture I attended about how to care for our families and how we should look at our children. He said how important it is for us as parents to have faith in our children. We should always believe how much potential they have and how precious they are.

We have to first change the way we think about them. Draw a new picture in our mind. Change the image that our children will not listen. We can’t worry about our children; whatever image we have of our children, that’s what they are going to be. We have to imagine them as happy people. I also liked what he said about worrying.

He said: "Worrying is like sitting on a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but you don’t go anywhere." I felt like he was talking just to me. Before that time, I was struggling so much on how to raise my teenage daughter. I wrote this short reflection after that:

"True Parents said everything could be overcome with True Love (in the Family Pledge). Finally, through Hyung Jin Nim, and his family, I have a model to look up to. He is teaching us through words and example how to build True Families."

He is a witness to how True Parents love and respect each other so he can teach us about that kind of love. For a long, long time, after the Blessing (in my case, 1989) I looked for a model to pattern my family life.

I looked up to True Parents and their words and life as a model, but that was not enough to prevent problems in my relationship with my husband and children. It was hard to balance being with our families and sharing love with them and sacrificing them (not being there for there at times) while fulfilling a mission or calling.

Many times the children were left to the evil people to be influenced by them. I made many mistakes myself before, now I have a chance to start over and do the right thing. Hyung Jin Nim is teaching us what he learned from his own mistakes and how he overcame with the help of his family. I pray to continue to invest love and heart in my family, mission and the world.

I’m also reminded by Hyung Jin Nim’s words to (I think) the Japanese families.

"For the first time in our church history, we have 3 generations in our church. The age has come for the first time in history when we can embody all principal notions or our philosophy, the four position foundation, the four great realms of heart, the three great kingships, the ideal of true family and so forth. We couldn’t do it in the 1970’s because our church members didn’t have families. So I view this time as very important."

This reminded me how precious the family God gave me is.

Hyung Jin Nim further said: "Satan appears in our daily life when blessed couples quarrel, hurt each other, and fight with each other with swords made of words. Satan comes to us in our ordinary, daily life. He knows that blessed families are most precious to True Parents, that’s why he attacks blessed families on purpose. That’s how he wants to destroy Cheon Il Guk.

I had the opportunity to meet Hyung Jin Nim personally through our directors, and I thanked him for investing his time, effort and heart in educating us. Then, he gladly took a picture with me.

Words are not enough to describe what I’ve experienced these past two months, so I will just mention some of the things that happened.

During the summer break, the two American teachers, my daughter and I visited the holy ground in Pusan. The Pusan church changnonim dropped everything he was doing and graciously accompanied us the rock of tears, the small church museum and a shrine on top of the mountain that he personally take care of everyday planting more flowers shrubs and taking off the weeds around them. Later on that day, we headed to Haeundae beach for a quick dip. There was a heat wave at that time so every inch of the beach was packed with people.

One of Hyung Jin Nim’s main concern is the education of the second generation. Two weeks ago, an English Sunday school service was initiated under the direction of Dr. Park and Dr. Burson. My class consists of the first and second grade elementary students.

I teach a total of 15 kids and more are coming every weekend. I love working with these little ones as they keep my heart feeling young and I learn so much from them. Their hearts are pure and free and they can learn a new language quickly. I even have the blessing of having one of Hyung Jin Nim’s sons in our class, and since he and another kid were born in America, they are helping me as leaders in whole-class reading.

I find each day as a new day bringing us closer to Cheon Il Guk with Heavenly Father, our Peace King and Queen True Parents and their Princes and Princesses leading us. With this, I would like to end.

Note: Mrs. Hiedi Iseda is a Filipina who was naturalized as US-citizen and joined our church in USA. She is serving this time as an English teacher in South Korea while her heart always beats to hear about Philippine Providence and is happy to share her testimony to all Filipinos and members through our website.