By FFWPU Africa
The Little Hyobaragi workshop was held from October 31st to December 8th for nine children ages 1 to 8 and staffed by mothers and young wives at the Twikatane Center in Lusaka, Zambia.
The development of the program follows the model of Hyojeong Nuri, which teaches children faith lessons through stories, games, and activities.
The name for this program was inspired by True Mother’s words as she refers to young people as “hyo-baragi,” a combination of the Korean words “filial piety” and “sunflower,” encouraging them to become filial children who look toward Heavenly Parent and True Parents just as sunflowers face the sun. The theme of the Little Hyobaragi program was to do just that—nurture and educate young, blessed children who face Heavenly Parent and True Parents with sunflower-like faith. Throughout the 40-days, the program aimed to give faith guidance and instill Unification Church traditions and culture to children from an early age as well as create a model for children’s education for Zambia and the rest of Heavenly Africa.
The overall Little Hyobaragi program was similar to that of a daycare, providing meals, snacks, and plenty of playtime, but it also incorporated faith-centered activities, such as morning Hoondokhae and lessons about God, True Parents, filial piety, the Divine Principle, and even Korean language and culture. These topics were taught in various ways, such as cooking, painting, and reading stories.
Aside from the typical schedule, there were also several special outings to parks and zoos, where the children could appreciate nature and explore new surroundings.
On November 20th, Rev. Bakary Camara, Cheon Eui Won Co-Chair of Heavenly Africa, paid a special visit to meet the Little Hyobaragi participants. In this joyous atmosphere with three generations, the children sang songs and told stories for Rev. Camara, whom the children call “Papa Camara.”
The program concluded with a closing ceremony, which included looking back on the Hyobaragi journey, hearing closing remarks from regional vice president Ms. Mica Amanlaman, and presenting gifts from teachers to the students.
Throughout the program, the children formed strong bonds with each other and with their teachers and caretakers. While the children blossomed to become more confident and independent, the staff also saw their own growth in the motherly heart as they invested love and sacrificed time for the children.
After this experimental program, the next step is to refine the curriculum, adapt it to African culture and appropriate age groups, and present it to mothers in the local community who can carry on the task of educating and nurturing God’s sons and daughters.
