"The Love of the Lord Keeps Us Warm!"



North Korean Refugees were moved by the love of the Lord shown in the event which was held in the main sanctuary of Manmin Central Church. It got a little warmer after the recent extreme cold weather and on January 22nd the Love of the Lord Mission had its 7th Anniversary Service and Celebration Performance welcoming the Lunar New Year's Day.
760 people including the members of the Love of the Lord Mission, which is the group of North Korean Refugees in the church, their neighbors and relatives came to celebrate this event. The DVD entitled "The Power of God" was presented and Pastor Dongcho Shin, who is a lecturer for the United Holiness Theological Seminary, delivered the message in the service. There were performances of the teams who belong to Performing Arts Committee of Manmin Central Church in the celebration performance.
Pastor Shin delivered the message with the title, "The Happiest Man." He asked the participants what true happiness is and then told them how to lead a happy life. Two ways of enjoying happiness that he suggested are: first, you must have eternal life. and next, you should have hope for the heavenly kingdom. His message encouraged many North Korean Refugees, who came to South Korea seeking freedom, and made them become filled with true happinees and hope.
In the anniversary celebration, the Pearl Chorus, the Artistic Dance Mission Team, and a worship dance team from the College and Canaan Mission gave glory to God with their praise, a fan dance, and College/Canaan dance performance respectively. Serem Korean Traditional Music Mission Team won high praise from the attendees for playing a North Korean song with the title of "Nice to Meet You" on a JangSaeNob, an improved Tapyeongso which is a Korean traditional musical instrument.
After the performances the participans gave praise to God with joy and danced together with the members of the performance teams to the Korean traditional folk song 'Arirang.' They shed tears of homesickness while singing the song, 'See You Again'.
"I feel joyful when dancing to 'Arirang.' The performance was so beautiful and impressive," said Mrs. Okja Kim. They went back home happily with many gifts which Manmin Central Church had prepared in celebration of Lunar New Year's Day.
"I offered God 15-day-vowed-prayer preparing for this event. I feel happy because many people came and received grace. The message and the performances reminded me that I was a very happy man.", said Kapsu Kim, the leader of the Love of the Lord Mission.
"It was freezing outside until yesterday, but now it's getting warmer. I give thanks to the Lord who changed the weather. Many North Korean Refugees came to have faith through the DVD, 'The Power of God.' They said with tears that everything was so touching here and they felt thankful for us. I think that this annual event makes a deeper impression over time," said Pastor Sangjoon Park, the occasion organizer and guidance pastor of the Love of the Lord Mission.

Written by reporter Hyunjin Kim (mstory_hj@naver.com)