Trying to hold back her tears, Ye Jin Nim gave the following testimony to brothers and sisters at the World Mission Center on January 2, 1991.
As you all know, today is the Victory of Love that s you all know, today is the Victory of Love that Heung Jin Nim has shown to all of us. To many people who do not know about the existence of God or the meaning of life after death, the word “death ” means “total darkness” and the end of everything. The feeling it conveys is one of total sadness. But we have learned from True Parents about the existence of God and know that going to the spiritual world is a time of celebration and joyful anticipation. Yet when we think about Heung Jin’s life and ascension, we cannot help but be retrospective about why he h ad to go such a course at that crucial time.
God has been arduously preparing for the coming of True Parents and True Family throughout history. I’m sure God has great expectations and such hope for each child of True Parents especially for Heung Jin, as the second son in Father’s family. God must have had grand plans for him to become an exemplary son and exemplary blessed child to all members throughout the world.
I don’t want to be too sentimental, but I would like to talk about Heung Jin as a person: he was always very gentle and although all of us in Father’s family have some temper, he was the one with the least temper. Sometimes we would tease him about being too laid back, but he was always good with people, good with friends, and overall he was a very warm and very loving person. I do feel if such a significant offering was needed at that time, he was the most filial and prepared person of all. He always felt for God and talked about God. As you have seen through his drawings, he was thinking deeply about the spiritual world and about life and death. As a teenager, he was always contemplative, thinking about spiritual world and h ow it would be. He always stressed that he wanted to become a bodyguard for Father, so that if somebody ever pointed a gun at Father he could jump in and become the human shield. Even though he was joking about it, he said it a few times. Now that I look back, it was very prophetic. In many senses, he was the most prepared out of all of Father’s children. Even when he was born he had three days of extreme difficulty: he was at the verge of death for three days. Since he was so loving to Parents, then Parents really loved Heung Jin a great deal. We all have good feelings and memories about him.
A pure offering
Let us try to understand the historical background in 1983 that precipitated Heung Jin’s sacrifice. Father was touring Korea to bring victory over communism; he was pushing hard to spiritually ease a very turbulent time in Korea. On the day of Heung Jin’s accident, December 23, Father was giving a speech at Kwangju, a place which evokes painful memories of bloodshed for Koreans. With the start of the children’s course in 1981, it was a very difficult time for Father’s family. Throughout the world, Father h ad warned of the urgency for members to unite in deeply supporting Father and the Providence.
Through Father’s teaching of the Divine Principle, we basically understand the principle of indemnity. Throughout His history of working to restore this world, God had to use this principle of getting hit and then reclaiming. Always at the crucial time, the most pure and spiritually prepared person was sacrificed. We know how Jesus Christ, God’s most precious son, had to be crucified at a critical moment in restorational history in order to save the world. In 1983, Heung Jin had been saying that when the crucial time came and Satan wanted to claim the biggest offering, he was ready to give up his own life in exchange for Father’s life. Of course, we never imagined that it could ever possibly come true; but the spiritual atmosphere that was gathering was such that it became totally inevitable.
Even though we follow Father and hear how a certain time is so urgent spiritually and historically, we sometimes don’t really feel it to our skin. We think, “Well, Father can indemnify everything,” or “Father said that we are passing through such and such a course, and we must unite and pray.” But we don’t deeply feel the real urgency. Similarly, Father had mentioned to the True Family before he left to unite and pray for Father’s course in Korea because it was such a significant time in Korean history; but we just couldn’t fathom that something like Heung Jin’s sacrifice could ever happen.
So on December 23, the news of Heung Jin came very unexpectedly: our family just couldn’t believe it. We rushed to the hospital. When we learned how serious the accident had been, we gathered in a little room at the hospital and prayed desperately. We still had much hope in our hearts that this would pass and everything would be okay, as had always been the case when we have followed True Parents. But Heung Jin was obviously very, very damaged, and the doctor was beginning to say the worst. We were praying and crying, totally united in our desperation.
A time of repentance
Of course, Father had heard about the accident but he had to continue with the Victory over Communism speeches throughout the different provinces in Korea. He just pushed on, even though he had received such incredible news. Back at the hospital, we were wishing that Father would come and somehow save Heung Jin Nim, who wasn’t getting any better. Eventually, Father came. Although we were beside ourselves, Father didn’t show even one tiny tear. He comforted each one in turn, explaining that if God took Heung Jin’s life we had to understand the meaning of his offering. Through this most painful lesson, we had to learn about the importance of unity between True Parents, the True Family and the church members throughout the world. Father told us that all religions would unite through Heung Jin who was to be the messenger and mediator for the physical and spiritual worlds.
Father mentioned that if we had been united with God and True Parents, the accident could have been avoided. However, the time and conditions were such that Heung Jin had to become the greatest sacrifice and offering.
It was a time of repentance for Father’s own family; but Heung Jin’s sacrifice and example even at death, provided a time when Father’s own children could comprehend who they are. We understood that whatever small suffering we were going through, we had to deeply accept our faith while learning to love and unite with each other, True Parents and God. We realized that no matter what happens in our lifetime, we need to have total faith and be absolutely ready to give up our own life. With that kind of determination, we would be able to follow in Father’s footsteps centering on God.
Personally, I was able to appreciate how precious is the life God has given to me, and to understand how I could live up to God’s expectations of me by fulfilling Heung Jin’s mission. Heung Jin’s last wish was that those of us who remained behind would determine to offer and even totally sacrifice our life for the sake of our mission. If we are resolved to face even death, we can accomplish so much. We promised Heung Jin that we would live the life he should have lived, and to take responsibility to accomplish what he could have accomplished on this earth. So it was a time of deep spiritual awakening for many of Father’s own family’s members. Through this experience, we were able to understand God’s Heart toward Jesus’ crucifixion and also Father’s heart to sacrifice his most precious son for the restoration of the world.
The lesson that we must always remember on the anniversary of Heung Jin’s ascension is that it wasn’t inevitable and could have been avoided, had we been internally united and spiritually strong enough to ward off Satan’s ongoing attacks. As we commemorate this day, each one of us should understand that if I can really become a true son or daughter of God, if my own family becomes a true family, on up to the tribal, national, and worldwide levels, united with God and True Parents, then we have learned the great lesson God wanted to teach us. This kind of painful event can be avoided in the future if we look deeply at our own life of faith-our shortcomings, lack of determinations, and mistakes-and feel on this day that suffering comes from “me”; that is, God looks down at “me” with a feeling of suffering. If we cleanse ourselves and purify our minds with a new determination and a new understanding, if we unite in God’s true love and follow Father, this kind of tragedy can be avoided. That is how I personally felt through the whole ordeal.
The one thing that I want to add is an example of Heung Jin’s filial piety toward Father and Mother. Near death, he held on for more than 10 days and, as a courtesy to God, didn’t pass until God’s Day 1984 was over. Even that gesture was such a lesson for all of us. So I hope that this day is not just a day of remembering that Father’s son, Heung Jin Nim, sadly passed away; but let this day be a day of reflecting on our own spiritual life-concentrating on our attitude and determination toward where we should be going. It is a day of retrospect for me and our family to examine our spiritual lives and our spiritual levels.
Pray to Heung Jin Nim for help
For me, the most important spiritual aspect about Heung Jin’s death, was my experience of desperately searching for God: asking Him to save Heung Jin. During those 10 days, I completely clung to God while kneeling by Heung Jin day and night-repenting about our own past and our family’s past. That was the biggest blessing and lesson from that experience. Heung Jin, through the whole ordeal, provided the example for us to wholeheartedly determine to give our life and accomplish the mission that God expects us to fulfill on this earth.
I know that Heung Jin is working diligently in the spiritual world. When our families are faced with many difficulties, we feel Heung Jin working, trying to contact us to give support. Even in the spiritual world he is on the frontline with the members who have gone to the spiritual world before him: doing the most he possibly can in the spiritual world to help True Parents and each one of the members.
Heung Jin is out there working on the frontline, so when we are faced with difficulty we can pray to unite with him, with Christ and all the blessed people who have gone before us. When we pray desperately asking for help, Heung Jin, Christ and all those people can work through us. Because we are living in the physical world, we do not know about the spiritual world; so at times we are bogged down with our problems on the earth. But spiritual world is really trying to help and is ready to work together with us; it is a matter of how prepared we are and how ready we are to accept the spiritual world’s offer. No matter how desperately Heung Jin cries out from the spiritual world, if we are spiritually deaf and blind then we can’t hear nor see how much he is trying to reach each one of us. So please pray that Heung Jin’s spirit and the spirit of Christ and all the blessed people can work with us.
As Father stresses over and over, we are the ones who hold the key to open up the spiritual world. It’s all up to us. On this day, if we can understand that insight one more time and be determined to push ourselves to fulfill that role, then I think Heung Jin will be eternally grateful. Then the whole meaning of Heung Jin’s Sung-hwa will not be in vain but will bear fruit. That is what Father expects us to recognize on this day. Let’s really look at ourselves and set a new goal, a new understanding, and a new determination to go forward. I know a lot of members are having a hard time; but whenever I am faced with difficulty, I pray for Heung Jin, Christ and spiritual world to help. Many times, I was able to receive comfort; so I wish that members can do the same and that we can become participants in the victory of love-the true love that True Parents and God deeply stress. Thank you very much.
Concluding Prayer (Ye Jin then prays in Korean)
Beloved Heavenly Father, we are gathered here today in memory of Heung Jin. Dear Father, I pray that you can fill each one of your children’s hearts with your warm love. Bless this whole hour with your warm love. Father, as we look behind at such a painful difficult situation, it has been so hard for you to bear the tragedies that have happened. Yet, we should not cry or be frustrated that such sad things have occurred, but pray to keep in mind the covenant that you had made with Heung Jin and True Father. We should not have a sad feeling for Heung Jin’s loss, because as a result of his loss we could make a greater determination to have a new mind.
Let us now look back at our past to remind ourselves to make a new determination to follow God’s dispensational will. I entreat you to help us to check our hearts, to see if we are, in your eyes, strongly standing as children of loyalty and purity. Let us renew this determination during this coming year. We pray that Heung Jin’s precious blood was not shed in vain. Throughout the new year, let us keep a new determination and burning spirit: the spirit of Heung Jin’s sacrificial love.
We beg you to save us you who love us so much that you sent your precious only son, Jesus, to save us by giving his life for us 2,000 years ago. Once again, we remind ourselves of your deep will and desire to save all of mankind. Let us think of your great heart, of how you felt seeing your only son nailed to the Cross. True Father is fulfilling the dispensation of restoration with the same agonizing parental heart that you had as you endured these sacrifices for the sake of mankind throughout history. Let us deeply understand your agonized heart of restoration. Let us help to lighten your heavy burden by sharing your burden as your children. Dear God, in this new year, please help us determine to publicly confess, “We want to make your burden lighter” and then really do it this year.
God, your children, the Unification Church members, have worked so hard. They are so weary that I entreat you to touch each of their hearts, giving them comfort and courage. Your children here have had such a hard life of faith, filled with so many difficulties; may the experience of your parenthood be renewed in each one’s mind and let your love blossom in each member’s heart. Help us to realize the potential you placed within each of us so that we may become the hopeful children you need us to be. Enable us to have the courage to fight Satan in the world.
Up until now, Jesus, Heung Jin and so many saints have showed us how to fulfill your will on the frontline. They are all our models. Now we face the new year with a new mind, new heart, new understanding, and new determination. To carry out this pledge, help us examine how the saints walked in their daily lives and how they willingly sacrificed their lives. May we renew our minds with a burning spirit to fulfill your will and Father’s desire, with a high spirit and grateful heart. In every direction–east, west, north, and south–let us spread your burning Spirit to every heart, bringing your unification into the world. Let us make this a holy day, with our members zealously trying to fulfill your will throughout the world.
Have mercy on us for we are such poor, unworthy members; please help us, even with our inadequacies, to have the strength to carry out your will. Chastise us that we may do our best to fulfill your heavenly call. Let the Unification Church be the church that concludes your dispensation on this earth. I beg you to not allow our central mind and purpose to be shaken. Let us unite our original minds to become a church strongly united with you.
By your grace, let a new faith arise in Korea. As we go toward the 21st century, let this faith spread to the world like a burning filament of new hope throughout the world. If there are some dark shadows in your children’s hearts, help them to get rid of them. With blessings and love in our minds, let us consecrate our hearts to you, becoming your chosen children. Let this special holy day be acceptable to you. Thank you for taking care of us with so much love, for teaching us with so much patience and for showering us with so many blessings. Let us pray with a new determination, warm tears, and a repentful mind as we walk the way of your will. We thank you, in the names of our True Parents, who came and brought victory on the earth. Amen.