The Righteous Are as Bold as a Lion -- Part II

Sun Ae Kang
September 2013

Sun Ae Kang was born in Seoul in 1915. She graduated from Ehwa College in 1937. She had married and had children when she joined our church without her husband in 1958. The title, "The Righteous Are as Bold as a Lion," is from Proverbs 28.1

We both paid a visit to the governor of Gangwon Province together with Mrs. Jeong Sun Choi. After receiving the governor's permission to give a lecture to the officers of the Gangwon provincial government, we invited Chang Rim Choi to give the lecture. The lecture received a great review, enabling us to give a lecture to even the public officers working in the city of Chuncheon. On this foundation, our activities developed by the day and we could convey our message to the chairman of the Promotion of Reconstruction Committee, the director of the YMCA, pastors, universities and even broadcasting companies. We even visited the Army Second Corps, but could not meet the commander. So we went all the way to the Counterintelligence Division and asked to talk to the general in charge. An officer reprimanded us saying, "Do you know what this place is?" We had lunch at a cafeteria for army officers. We also talked with the adviser on the troop information and education and the director of a broadcasting station.

Once, a Moral Re-Armament (MRA) movement leader paid a visit to Gangwon and invited religious figures under the name of the provincial governor. I remember being the only woman invited.

After the governor's skilled greetings and personal introductions, we listened to the motive and purpose of M RA. After the presentation, the governor then said, "I would like to welcome Mrs. Rang, being the only woman here today, to say a few words" and made me stand. I tried to press down my beating heart and thought, -- This is the moment I should convey Father's teachings." I started by saying, "There cannot be a result without a cause. Hence, we can see a cause through its result." All the participants on that day, including the governor, appeared quite surprised by my message. Many said they had difficulties comprehending such a highly philosophical lecture.

Since that event, the chairman of the Promotion of Reconstruction Committees always comes to our church and give words of encouragement whenever the community leaders' meeting was held. The entire Chuncheon area, starting from the governor to those working in the local government felt like members. However, I aimed for more, thinking, "How can I make all the people of Gangwon listen to the lecture?" So, I made another request to Governor Pak. According to him, the Home Affairs director, the Public Affairs chief, and the local section chief had to all agree on my proposal. He suggested that I meet them. I went to their offices at the provincial government building almost every day. With a heart that I had to accomplish this before Father returned to Korea from his world tour, all the prayers and dedications I invested paid off and I ended up persuading all those who opposed us.

One day, a local official, Seok Bong Lee, and I urged the Home Affairs senior director with earnest hearts. He gave in with a smile, saying, "No matter how hard I try, Mrs. Kang's enthusiasm just outmatches mine."

The next day, I met the local section chief and he quietly revealed to me an internal problem and told me to talk with the chief secretary. Soon afterward, I went to the chief secretary. The chief secretary reported the matter to the governor and once he came back, he instantly summoned the Home Affairs director and the local section chief and told them right in front of me, "Why are you opposing what other people are doing? Tell everyone that if they don't do it, it will be the same as committing hara-kiri." He instructed that an official notice be sent immediately. I met the Public Affairs chief and raised my two hands up saying "I am a Unification Church member" and then put them down. He told me that I looked like an innocent child when I did that.

He told me that his heart did not feel like his at all. I was certain that our pleas were conveyed to Heaven and that it was God who was helping us.

A few hours after this decision was passed, a dam collapsed, flooding the surrounding area. The flooding caused many problems. However, because the provincial government office had immediately written the official notification, it was conveyed to the church. God's work and providence could have almost gone up in the air in one second. This enabled the community leaders to act as Victory Over Communism lecturers.

October 10, 1965, was the day Father returned to Korea. Over a thousand members came to welcome him home. As soon as he arrived, Father set off on a tour across the country and conducted ceremonies to connect the soil and stones he brought from forty holy grounds he had created around the world with Korea and the first place he went to was Gangwon Province.

The Chuncheon District had already readied a big room for Father to stay in. As for the preparation of furniture and equipment, they were divided among all the other zones and the room was well decorated.

Father arrived in Gangwon and went to the Holy Ground located on the hill behind the provincial government building.

He spoke to all the members and gave a benediction prayer. On the clay that Father had to leave, Mrs. Seng Ryeon Ji, who had been waiting for the opportunity to receive a written or calligraphic message from Father, made an earnest request before Father left. Father readily accepted the request and wrote one calligraphic message for Jeong Sun Choi and her daughter Seng Iyeon and one for Bong Ae's Pak daughter. As for me, he wrote only a single Chinese character "A (o dedication);" the meaning of which was quite deep.

I could not recover to good health and stayed at the headquarters church. With Father's permission, I went to Sang Hun Lee's internal hospital in Daejon. I received treatment for about a month while staying in Sok Jang's Lee place. I decided to rest and while I was taking oriental medicine, Father paid a visit to Daejon during one of his provincial tours. I pleaded with Father, "Please let me freely follow this path." However, Father refused my request with a serious expression. I could not look straight at his serious expression and could not say anything back to Father. Father told me "to rest some more."

After this, Father had an opportunity to come to Daejon again. Seeing me suffering from toothache, he then told me, "It is happening because of old age" and was quite saddened and concerned about my situation. Seeing Father being saddened by my suffering, I could feel the heart of a Father. Following this incident, I removed my top teeth and replaced them with dentures. They felt new and beautiful.

Living Around Father

Early in September 1966, I set off for the factory in Sutaekri. While I was helping with the wiping of gunstocks, I followed Deok Ja, who was in charge of Father's meals, and helped her take lunch to Father at Jangjamot Park. At night, we all huddled together and were talking when Father asked me, "Sun Ae, what is your wish?" I was quite weak and could not do much for God's will and hence answered, "I wish I had good health." Father replied, If you stay here, you will recover. So please stay here." It was so unexpected that I was taken aback. However, Mother also asked me to stay with them; I was quite sorry but did what they asked me to do. I then started to think about what I had to prepare. My mind was uncontrollably happy. Deep in the night, Father and Hyo Jin nim went into a tent and the rest of us slept in the open.

I spent every single day in nature; during the day, I met Father, took care of the children and conducted my life; at night, I spent my time in a refreshing and tranquil environment. I could completely recover from my illness and my health was gradually progressing.

One day, Father decided to hold a district leaders' meeting in Jangjamot Park. He came early in the morning on that day and caught fish with a casting net late into the night. We had a basketful of fish. Then Father instructed us to buy ginseng and carp. After the carp were boiled, Father instructed us to put in the ginseng that we had pounded into powder, in the broth; the fish was used to make mae-un-tang. We had a feast with the food. I still remember how someone brought some water pigeons and pheasants, which he had killed with a shotgun that day. We plucked the birds that night and roasted them on a wood fire. I remember them being such a delicacy when we tried them.

When winter came in, I moved to a yellow house near Jangjamot Park; however, being uncomfortable, I took a lease on a room behind the factory. It was during this time that

I was given responsibility over the preparations of Father's meals. Together with one young female member, I prepared meals with all the dedication and all the ideas I could muster. After every lunch, I served cinnamon and bean rice cakes using glutinous rice which Father enjoyed.

Around mid-February 1967, a second factory was built in Sutaekri and Father would come every day at six in the morning and would stay there until 11:00 PM. I would prepare his meals with all my heart and on days when he would eat everything, I would carry the table back to the kitchen and jump for joy. Father's room in Sutaekri was first in a thatched house; it was later moved to a tile-roofed house.

On February 5, 1968, I was delighted to receive an achievement award bestowed by Father himself. A few days later, Teacher Won Pil Kim told me he was surprised, saying, "Father personally recommended you." I was quite surprised to hear it and also felt humbled.

Father would often go to Chung Pyung in the summer. I did my best to supply side dishes from Sutaekri instead. Father would be immersed in deep thoughts while fishing and catching carp, through bell fishing in Chung Pyung. At times, he would continue fishing until late at night in the moonlight and would be completely drenched in the fragrance of nature. Mother and Hyo Jin nun would entertain him at his side and though the meals I served during those days were rather simple, Father would eat it as if it were delicious and then say, "I ate well," which was a source of great joy to me.

On April 6, 1966, a ceremony was held in Sutaekri, near Seoul, to mark the beginning of the construction of the Tongil Heavy Industries main building. Mrs. Kang worked here soon after the factory opened.

A few times, we had to relocate the tents when flooding occurred. I often thought that I would have never experienced such a lifestyle had it not been for God's will; I was ever grateful and in awe.

During those days, the headquarters expanded the Seoul district and chose women community leaders. I was also appointed and was given the responsibility to guide university students in Tongdaemun District. At 5:00 PM, I waited in front of the bus stop and guided middle and high school students to listen to our lectures. I taught university students Japanese. Four months flew by in this manner. The factory dormitory at Sutaekri was completed by then and this happened on the day the inauguration ceremony for the new dormitory.

On this day, a heart and friendship meeting was held in the annex building with Father. Mother kept telling me to eat from Father's table and giving me meat from the meal. Mother completely showered me with all the love I could not receive until then. A few days later, I received a message instructing me to "stay in the newly completed dormitory." However, I still remembered how I received so much pain in Sutaekri once and wanted to die as a result; I was not delighted by the news at all. Hence, I went to the headquarter church and when I met Father, I asked him, "Do I really have to go?" Father then told me to go immediately.

Since Father said so himself, I now had no alternative but to pack my belongings and go to Sutaekri. Gun Ja Han was also living at the dormitory. I once more had to cook food with my clumsy skills.

On May 27, 1971, Father sent the national leader and all the heads of departments to Chung Pyung without any warning. He told me to go as well. I quickly prepared myself in the minibus and set off for Chung Pyung. Once I arrived, I prepared lunch at Jun Gu's Kim house and then rode on a boat to get to Father's tent. Father's tent was situated on a three-pyeongi piece of land between a mountain peak and the riverside. Father was the first to take a pickax to this peak. The heads of departments followed him in doing this. After a week of hard work, a construction team was organized and thirty-six people came. Father supervised and commanded the construction until it was completed. He would encourage us and at times gave out some refreshments. Mother often bought everyone tasty fruit and meat. At the end of our collective efforts, we readied the construction site in fifteen days, working rain or shine, and we constructed and completed a building in eight days.

The first rally held after this completion was on September 12, 1971 when Father opened the summer assembly for pastors on self-discipline training. Not only was the air, water and mountains in Chung Pyung clean, the food itself was served with dedication. Hence, all participants listened to the new truth happily and were able to receive grace in its fullness, both spiritually and physically.

Following this, a workshop camp for university students was prepared and 240 students partook in it. A few days after the camp started, I noticed a student approaching me. After I closely observed the student, I realized it was my youngest son whom I had left behind eleven years ago. He ran to me saying "Mom" and I was quite surprised. He did not want to leave my side anymore. Seeing him so weakened, my heart was in much pain. I inquired about his state and heard that after his sister had gone to the United States, he could not go into the army and his life had lost a sense of direction. I then made a big decision; the feeling that he might put an end to his life if I were to leave him in this state, came to me, so I told him to stay with me. I reported this to Father and he gave me his permission. I suppressed my gratitude and joy and started raising him from the bottom. I made him do the lowest chores starting from feeding the pigs, dogs and chickens and carrying their food in buckets, to outside work such as weeding pepper fields. While doing this, he participated in the camp for university students and newly realized the Divine Principle;" he started becoming internally strong and even helped me attend Father and the True Children. Just thinking of how other members would have resented me if I had asked them to do what my son had done, I came to a deeper understanding and appreciation of lineage, family connection.

If it were not for this path, I would have not been able to push my way through this disorderly world and advance with firmness; nor would I have been able to understand the fortune and destiny of this troubled world. The more I think about it, I came to realize that heavenly fortune moves toward the side of goodness and my heart felt more secure as I came to understand the direction of history.

Whenever I reflect upon all these aspects, my only thought is about how I can repay this tremendous grace. I firmly believe that this providence will truly be achieved and I gladly advance toward it.