EAST GARDEN, August 1984
Part 5 (final) Click to read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4
This interview with Hyo-jin nim took place when he was in his early twenties. It was first published in Today’s World magazine, and has been edited slightly for length for inclusion in this series of testimonies by early members. Hyo-jin nim’s testimony is both a refreshing personal perspective and informative on the subjects he addresses.
Ye-jin and I don’t really agree with each other so much. She is very, very strong. It’s amazing. If she were a brother about my age in this position, we’d never get along. But because she’s a woman, I feel protective toward her.
I have to understand her. We sometimes have a different point of view, and that puts me on the line to see both sides, to make a clearer judgment and to reach a clearer answer. She helps me in many ways. She does not tell me directly, but just by being with her—and sometimes by arguing with her—she expands my direction and my ideas. “Well, some people think like this … “ Wow! Ye-jin thinks of points that I didn’t even think of. That is good.
She is very strong, but there is more fragrance of love than there would be with an older brother. If I had an older brother, maybe he would be too rough and tough, too sharp and overbearing, but because Ye-jin rounds off the corners I really respect her. She does not know that, but I do respect her.
In-jin is very, very emotional, very “heartistic,” pure, and good; but sometimes she is stubborn. That is good. Because she is so emotional and leads with her heart, she is very sensitive to everything that goes on in the church. If you look at her while she is going around speaking, you can see she picks things up right away because she is so sensitive. That is another aspect of her greatness.
Heung-jin: Ohhh, he was a man! I was proud of my brother! I always brag about my brother. I am physically strong—a kind of horse—but he is broader than I am in his feelings for what he believes in. He gives his life. Unto his life he’ll do what he believes in.
He loved his fellow man. He loved the people around him. He was always trying to think of others before himself. Let’s say he was hungry and eating a hamburger. If some other kids came he would say, “Hey, do you want it?” That’s pretty hard to say. When you are hungry that’s pretty hard to say. When you want something for a long time and then you have it, it’s hard to give it away, but he does. I love that. To that I bow my head, I humble myself to him. I know he is my younger brother, but still in that sense I need to learn. That is a great man, a true man.
Un-jin is very diplomatic, in a way, and very humble. Sometimes too humble. She always puts herself down. She knows her potential, and she knows her limits. Still, she likes to always humble herself. She does not say much, even though she may feel something. She doesn’t like to discuss things with other people, even suffering. She wants to hold it inside herself, because she feels that she might hurt other people. She might make them struggle in their minds, burden them—so she holds herself back. That is a greatness, too. Most people want to get out their frustration and anger, trying to justify their actions. She doesn’t want to do that. She always holds herself back. She is always quiet. I need to learn that.
Hyun-jin is very, very witty. He can make me laugh when I am in the most anguished state, but he also respects me. He will give unto his life when he believes in something or when he respects somebody. He will be a great helper to Father. All my brothers are manly. They cannot stand injustice or wrong. But when Hyun-jin finds someone who has more of a certain quality than he does, he is the kind of person who stops at that moment and humbles himself. He becomes quiet and really tries to clear his mind, clearing away even the smallest thought that maybe in some way he is better than that person. In that kind of way he is purifying his mind for what he believes in, for the truth. He purifies his mind. That takes a great man.
Kook-jin is very, very like a heavenly judge. He likes to make everything perfect. It has to be perfectly right according to the Principle. He doesn’t try to just do what he thinks is right, but he judges it according to the Principle. He is also very lovable—almost like a teddy bear. The tone of his voice is always like an echo from his heart. It rings out with truth. It’s not just solid, not just penetrating. It’s not sharp in a judgmental way, but it really rings. Even sometimes he judges me, but he makes it sound so good, so understanding, so reasonable. That is another gift. When most people judge, they are sharp; but with Kook-jin it rings from his heart. That’s different, totally different. That is a beautiful person.
Kwon-jin is very diplomatic in a way, too. Maybe he learned that because he has a lot of brothers and sisters, but it’s his heart. He does not say even little things like, “Hyo-jin, can you buy me this?” or “Can you take me there?” But he will say, “Hey, Hyo-jin, do you have time? What are you doing today? Do you have plans to go out? Are you going in this direction?”
And I say, “Why do you ask me?”
“Oh, I am just wondering.”
“Well, I am going to get some guitar strings. Yes, I am going in that direction.”
“Can I go with you?”
He will not come to the point, not even then. As I go along, and I go there to buy them, on the way back he will say (before we get to that place), “Hyo-jin, do you like video games?”
I say, “Why?”
“Well, I am just wondering.” And he says, “Well, there is a video game place over here, a video arcade. Do you want to go? There is one really good game there. It’s really fun. You can shoot all those missiles and stuff.” And he tries to talk to me about what I like.
He is extremely sensitive and keen, but also very careful. He always subtly directs me to where he wants me to go. That is another talent.
In the little ones, their characters haven’t really shown up that much, because they haven’t been going out mingling with friends or other people. Sun-jin’s character hasn’t fully shown itself yet. She is only seven years old, but she is very pleasant to be with. Some kids that age are very, very rude and only want to do things their own way. I have always been studying the bigger ones—trying to be with them, to understand them, and to help them. I know them, but young girls … Sun-jin is very pleasant to be with. She always makes her Oppa (big brother) happy. It makes me proud of her. It’s good to have a sister like that.
She is a little plump right now and real cute. But that’s just external. The kind of smile she gives me is not just made up. She smiles from her heart. I really feel that.
Young-jin is a very knowledgeable person; very, very philosophical. Hyung-jin will be like a saint—very loving and caring. You can see it in his face. He is always calm. A little boy’s face: peaceful.
Yeon-jin will be the little one to stand up for the older ones. Sometimes some kind of a mediator is needed to avoid the gap between myself and her generation or level. When she grows up, she will bridge that gap. She has a kind of steady, careful, but very penetrating, piercing character.
Jeung-jin will be the unity of our family. She’ll bring happiness to our family, with the kind of cute things that she does, because she is the youngest one. Her character is like that; she is always trying to make people joyful. She always calls me Hyo-jin nim and Chot-chae Oppa (first brother). Even though I am grumpy because I am thinking too much, she always clears that away.
Hyo-jin nim ascended in March 2008. His wife Yeon-ah nim is chair of UPF in Korea and their children remain close to the movement, the older ones studying at university and preparing to take on a public role in the movement.