Ahnsahnghong]-Jerusalem Festival for Foreigners in Korea

Let Us Share the Love of Koreans That Resembles the Love of MotherNow the foreigners who receive the truth is increasing in number through God's unconditional love. On November 26, a festival was held for foreigners living in Korea . Many foreigners from over 50 countries, including the foreign brothers and sisters who already received the truth, were invited to the Jerusalem Festival for Foreigners in Korea held at the Okcheon Go&Come Training Institute. This festival was held as a part of the Preaching Festival to Proclaim the Glory of Jerusalem Mother to the Whole World, which was declared on the 22nd of November. There were over 15,000 attendants, including about 2,000 foreigners, their guides and young adult and male adult group members from each local Church.
Before the festival began, foreigners and the Church members gathered together and shared some refreshments in the 2nd Education Hall. The foreigners said that they had been greatly comforted by the members' love in a country that was strange to them. The foreign members who had already received the truth expressed their excitement, saying, We give thanks to Mother for calling us to this great festival and comforting us. At noon, the festival began with a worship service with simultaneous interpretation in English and in the other 13 languages. After Mother prayed that the blessing of the Holy Spirit would be poured out, the Choir composed of overseers and their wives sang praise to God with a grand chorus. Next, Chief Pastor Joo-Cheol Kim delivered a sermon on the existence of Jerusalem Mother, saying, You left your countries to study or work in Korea . Though you may suffer difficulties, living in a strange country, I am sure you will be greatly comforted by the fact that you have received the gospel of the kingdom of heaven in Korea . All living beings are made to be given their physical life through their mothers. This is God's Providence to show that we are given our spiritual life through God the Mother. At the end of the worship service, Mother comforted the foreigners who were having a hard time, and said, Spiritually, all people in the world are strangers on this earth, so I want you to realize your beginning and your heavenly home and go back together to the kingdom of heaven where there is no more death or pain. Jesus' disciples were saved by following the words of the Bible. Likewise, if we believe and obey the words of eternal life taught by God, we will participate in a banquet with God in the kingdom of heaven. The second part of the event began with a promotional video that introduces the Church of God . There were many performances for the foreigners who attended the festival. After the powerful performance of the marching band, a traditional Korean dance by the Children's Choir fascinated the foreigners.
It was followed by a gracious performance of the Jerusalem Quartet, and then a video was shown, which contain the present activities of the self supporting missionaries all around the world; they were working hard for the gospel, to proclaim the glory of God who came to this earth to restore all the truth of life including the Passover?the way to be saved from disasters, and also to proclaim the glory of Jerusalem Mother. Folk songs of the world, performed by the Children Choir, beguiled the foreigners' homesickness. At the end of the second part of the event, the attendants watched the musical play showing the biblical history of the Israelites' completing the building of the Jerusalem temple and proclaiming the glory of Jerusalem to the nations. Mother said, God's love is eternal, which gives eternal life, joy and happiness. Let us go back to heaven, our spiritual home, by conveying this love to the people who are dying due to disasters and sins. And then Mother posed for photos with the foreigners who were grouped according to their continent, and encouraged them all. Both Koreans and foreigners rejoiced together, smiling brightly. While they were photographing with Mother in the Main Hall, traditional Korean games were prepared inside and outside the gymnasium. Many foreigners joined in the games, and they all looked excited to try new things. Experiencing Korean culture, the foreigners made unforgettable memories and the Korean members had a fun time as if they had gone back to their childhood. Many kinds of Korean food such as roasted sweet potatoes were provided as well. On this day, 115 foreigners were reborn as God's children after experiencing the love of God. Despite the difference of nationality and language, they became one through the joyful festival and also became the members of the heavenly family through the one Spirit. Many foreigners said that they really wanted to attend this kind of festival with their families if they had another chance. An American, who followed his friend to this festival and received the truth on that day, said, I strongly felt that God was with us. Seeing him stammering out a greeting in Korean, Bok mani badseyo (God bless you), the members were able to feel his overwhelming emotions he felt through the event.
A foreign brother who had come to Korea from Ghana to work and received the truth two months ago said, It was a very special experience. I was overwhelmed when Mother told us to go to the heavenly home together with Her. God's love reaches out to all people around the world, transcending the confines of race and nationality. This festival will serve as a starting point to preaching the glory of Jerusalem Mother more actively to foreigners in Korea . The members of the Church of God touch the hearts of foreigners with their warm and sacrificial love, following the example of God who is love. Just as the apostles preached with the power of the Holy Spirit to many foreigners who came to Israel from many places around the world, all the Korean members will fervently preach to foreigners in Korea as well as overseas, so the Jerusalem Festival will be continued.