I am a prophet new to India; it’s been just three months since I came here. I thought I had many experiences for the overseas mission, but as I’ve come to India, I often think I am like a child who flounders around, not knowing what to do.
While staying in the Hubli Church during the preaching festival, I sincerely realized that God had sent me to India to train me to be a suitable prophet. I engraved upon my heart the realization I received through this trip, and write here to share it with Zion members around the world.
It takes more than twelve hours to travel from Pune to Hubli. In India, this distance is just like going to the next door, but since it was the first time for me, the long-distance trip was not easy. We crossed the mountains and rivers, sitting on a rigid bus seat fixed at an angle of ninety degrees and suffering carsickness. I didn’t know how I would travel more than ten hours like this, but seeing the unit leader who came with me preaching to the passenger beside him, I gained strength.
When we arrived at the Hubli Church after many twists and turns and met the beautiful souls like jewels, all my headache and tiredness disappeared. The branch church members who came out to welcome us though it was late, and their neighbors and relatives who had been studying the truth for long were waiting for us.
That day, a total of six souls became children of God. The new members were raising their faith, keeping the autumn feasts as well as the Sabbath days. After the baptism, I taught them the words of God under a dim light; they had twinkling eyes with gratitude. I was reminded of Heavenly Father a lot.
For the children who had been waiting for the words of life, Father taught the truth until late at night though He arrived late by taking a local train. After walking His path, then I could realize how great the sacrifice and love of Father was. I was choked while teaching the words of God.
“When you go to India, you will feel Father’s sacrifice and love all the more,” said Mother. Now I can realize even a little bit what Mother meant. What took quite a long time for me to be accustomed to was the meal time. People in India normally have lunch around 3 p.m. and have dinner around 10 p.m. As I was used to the Korean time, I was always hungry though I was not skipping meals.
While preaching in hunger, I came to think of Father. When Father was plowing the gospel field in the early days, the whole country was devastated and was in poverty after war. Even at the bad economic situation with a shortage of food, Father did hard work to prepare the expense for preaching, writing the Truth Books, and taking care of the church; He often skipped meals.
The Gospel of the New Covenant, which started in Korea, the farthest land in the east, is spreading rapidly in India, and many people are accepting the truth even in the unknown cities and towns. Such amazing work could be accomplished thanks to the sacrifice of Father who walked the gospel path for thirty seven years to save His lost children. Furthermore, there is the love of Mother who prevents all troubles by praying for Her children even until now. I believe the Gospel will be preached quickly to seven billion people as it is prophesied, “This Gospel will be preached to all nations” (Mt 24:14).
As the prophet called for the mission, I will follow the example of Father who walked the sacrificial path, regarding it as a flowery path only for the salvation of His children, together with my brothers and sisters who resemble Father and Mother, and devote to the Gospel with a beautiful faith.