Aim to learn the meaning of Mother’s 7-year course

Aim
* to learn the meaning of Mother’s 7-year course
* To understand the difference between a pure and impure attitude

Materials
* Mother’s Course, by Linna Rapkins
* Visual Aids
– Pictures of Hak Ja Han, Mrs Hong, Mrs. Won Pok Choi
– Members gossiping about Hak Ja Han
* Children’s worksheet
* Unit 9 memory cards

Lesson Outline
1. Background to the story
2. Read the Story
3. Discussion points
4. Activities – worksheet, memory game
5. Review the lesson aims
6. Prayer

1) Background to the story
True Parents’ Blessing in 1960 represented the marriage of the restored Adam and Eve. Hak Ja Han was in the position of True Mother, but to fulfill it she had to go through many tests of faith over a period of 7 years.

2) Read the story
Mother had to go through a seven-year course in order to become True Mother. It was a time of suffering. She was lonely and misunderstood. But whatever happened she couldn’t complain. On December 31st 1967 Father announced she had succeeded. On this foundation, he proclaimed the next day to be the first ever God’s Day.

Some key points
* Some women members found it hard to accept Hak Ja Han. She was so young and inexperienced. 
They felt jealous and doubted she was the right person for such a role.

* Father told Soon Hae Hong to stop thinking of Hak Ja Han as her daughter. She had to stay away  from her and serve everyone humbly for seven years
* Hak Ja Han knew God had prepared her for her mission, but her faith was tested to the limit.
– Her mother wasn’t allowed to visit her
– Father was always with members
– It took three years before she could move into Father’s room. But there was no privacy, because of constant meetings with members.
– She felt rejected by Father. He never shared his feelings or asked how she was
– She was treated more like a servant than a wife
– She had to attend Father’s lectures, but could only enter from the back and sit at the back
– She felt jealousy and criticism from some older women members
– She had very little sleep.
* She had to endure a lot of suffering without complaint and show complete obedience. After 7 years, on December 31st 1966, Father said she had completed the course, and could now stand as the True Mother. The next day January 1st 1967 Father declared the first God’s Day

3) Discussion Points
* What does it mean to have a pure heart? 
A life of faith often requires keeping a pure heart during difficulties. It means you don’t blame God when life is hard. You don’t complain about your situation. You don’t judge others for what they do wrong. You don’t bear grudges towards others wrongdoings. You forgive and forget. If you keep a pure heart God will help you. As Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”

* What did Hak Ja Han have to restore? 
Adam and Eve had the wrong attitude and disobeyed God’s word. To restore this Hak Ja Han had to keep a pure heart and obey God’s word. What was really hard was to keep this attitude, when she felt all alone. Only by keeping faith in God could she survive.

* Even though Soon-Ae had to give up her beautiful daughter to God, later on, she would be honoured as the ”Great Mother.” When God takes someone or something away from us, it is to make us more pure so that He can give it back to us a hundred times over. Deep in their hearts, both Great Mother Hong and True Mother understood this and they followed their faith through a deep, dark tunnel into the light of glory.

* What difficulties did Mother face?
– separation from her mother
– No privacy
– Feeling rejected
– loneliness
– Treated like a servant
– Criticism and jealousy from others
– Very little sleep.

* What attitude did she have?
Obedient, kept faith in God , persevered without complaint 

4) Activities
– Worksheet – Make a list of words to show the difference between a pure and impure attitude
Some Examples:
pure

• be grateful
• humble
• obedient
• see the good in others
• trust in God
• forgive others mistakes
• happy for others success

impure

• complain
• arrogant
• disobedient
• see others faults
• lose faith in God
• resent others mistakes
• jealous of others success

– Play the memory game to review stories from Unit 9

5) Review the lesson aims

*to learn the meaning of Mother’s 7-year course
– She had to restore Eve’s disobedience and lack of faith, in order to become True Mother.
*To understand the difference between a pure and impure attitude.

6) End with a prayer