Aim to understand that Father’s disciples received God’s protection because they trusted him

Aim
* To understand that Father’s disciples received God’s protection because they trusted him
* To learn the importance of trusting your parents

Materials
* Journey to Pusan, by Renee Balise
* Sun Myung Moon: the Early Years, by Mike Breen.
* Chapter 8 – 40 Days on Pyongyang and Chapter 9 – Refugee Trail
* Visual aids
– Father pushing Mr. Pak on a bicycle
– Father carrying Mr. Pak
– map of Korea showing Father’s journey south
– Refugees during Korean War,
– Photo of Korean War
– Early followers – Won Pil Kim, Mrs. Ok, Mr. Pak
– Mao Zedong- first Communist leader of China
– Kim Il Sung – first Communist leader of North Korea
– Song – Blessing of Glory
* Children’s worksheet

Lesson Outline
1. Introduction
2. Tell the Story
3. Discussion
4. Activities – worksheet
5. Review the lesson
6. Prayer

1) Introduction
Father travelled to Pyongyang with his fellow prisoner and follower, Moon Jong-bin. It took 10 days. With their shaven heads, they were, on several occasions, mistaken for fleeing north Korean
soldiers, but were able to convince south Korean troops and villagers along the way that they had just been released from prison. In his pocket, Father carried the remainder of his prison rice  powder.

He was saving it as a gift for his followers in Pyongyang. The two men lived off rotten vegetables, which lay in the fields along the way. Seven days out of prison, he composed a song of gratitude to
God, which he called ‘Blessing of Glory.’ He also wrote another song later called New Song of Inspiration

2) Tell the story
Everybody was fleeing south, because of the war. But not Father. Instead, he went north to Pyongyang to search for his disciples. Most had lost faith, except Won Pil Kim and Mr. Pak, who had a broken leg. Together they travelled south to Pusan, with Mr. Pak on a bicycle. It was a very long and difficult journey, but they finally reached Pusan.

Additional information
1) Father stayed for 40 days in Pyongyang to find his followers. The story only mentions Won Pil Kim and Jung Hwa Pak who remained faithful, but there were two others. Moon Jong-bin, a follower from prison travelled with Father to Pyongyang. When they arrived, they stayed at the home of a follower, Mrs. Ok (Ok Se-hyun) for a few days.

2) Shortly after they left Pyongyang the city was taken again by Communist forces. 
3) The couple who invited them for a meal both dreamt that important guests would visit and a meal should be prepared for them. This happened near Kaesong

4) One night Father woke Won Pil Kim and Mr. Pak up in the middle of the night . They had to go quickly. They were the last refugees to be allowed to cross Imjin River, before UN soldiers built barriers to prevent North Korean soldiers crossing the river. Later this was to become the border between North and South Korea.

5) A few days later they reached Seoul and stayed there for a few days with friends. On January 1st 1951 they were taken by the police to be conscripted into the army. They avoided this because they were in such a poor physical condition. If they had been conscripted Father could not have continued his mission.

6) With the help of friends in Seoul they got identity papers to show they were refugees. Without them their lives would have been in danger.

 7) On January 3rd the UN troops pulled out of Seoul, because Communist forces were closing in on the city.
8) One night in Koncheon they were invited into a house for a prepared meal. The man in the house had a dream that 3 important guests would come and they should be given a meal. This the second time they had such an experience

3) Discuss the Story
* What difficulties did Father and his disciples face as they travelled south?
*It was dangerous to travel during war and could be killed by bombs or guns
*They had no permanent home and not enough food
*Mr. Pak had a broken leg
*The boat they wanted to travel on was too crowded
*Because Father’s head was shaven, he could be mistaken for being a communist spy
*Father had no identity papers until he reached Seoul
*They could be drafted into the army
* What helped them to survive and reach Pusan?

God protected them
*They stayed together
*Won Pil Kim and Mr. Pak trusted Father
*Father had great determination not to give up
*They got help from friends on the way. e.g. Two families had dreams and gave them food
*Friends in Seoul made identity papers for Father
*Father’s knowledge of the Bible convinced the police that he was a church minister
* Why was it important for Kim and Pak to trust Father?

He knew many things that they did not know. He knew that a meal was prepared for them in a house. He knew how important it was for them to stay together to have God’s protection. He knew where to find his friends who could help. He knew that they had to cross Imjin River in the middle of the night.

* Why is it important for you to trust your parents?
They care about you and will always do what is best for you.
You don’t always know what is best for you. Sometimes you cannot understand why you cannot do something . Sometimes you cannot understand why you do have to do something. When you follow your parents direction the family is united and God will protect you. When you don’t follow your parents, things can go wrong. One thing to learn from this story is the importance of trusting God and staying together. The same is true in our family. Stay together, unite together, trust your parents, trust God and God’s blessing will come.

4) Activities
* Complete the worksheet

5) Review the lesson
Discuss with the children what can we learn from this story? Conclude by talking about two key points from the lesson
* To understand that Father’s disciples received God’s protection because they trusted him
* To learn the importance of trusting your parents

6) End with a prayer