"I Was Born by the Prayer of the Shepherd, and with Thanks for the Grace, I Ran in Earnest"



Sister Jaeah Lee, Triple Crown in Race, Parish 31, age 14, Manmin Central Church

In Athletic Meet 2016, I participated in 100m sprint, long-distance race, and relay race for children and students. My mother offered up breakfast fasting for a week for me.

I had participated in the long-distance race several times in Summer Retreat. But it was my first time to run in the 100m sprint and I was not confident. I even felt more pressure because I had to run with adults. My great grand parish pastor, parish pastor, and people around me encouraged me to run without feeling pressure and prayed for me.



Moreover, three weeks before the retreat, Senior Pastor appeared in my dream and hugged me. As a result, I prepared for the race with confidence and happiness.

My mother had not had a baby for two years after her marriage. But she received Senior Pastor's prayer in the 10th Special Revival Meeting held in May, 2002 and she became pregnant and I was born. I won a triple crown in the Athletic Meet of Manmin Summer Retreat. I feel so happy and thankful. I give thanks to the Lord and to Senior Pastor who prayed for me.


"My 23 Years as a Badminton Player Was a Preparation Period for the Athletic Meet of Manmin"



Deacon Daesung Kim, Double Crown in Badminton and Relay Race, Parish 12, Manmin Central Church

I had won many gold medals in many badminton matches, but I really wanted to win a gold medal in the Manmin's glorious Athletic Meet held before God.

Manmin's Athletic Meet is held outside, so it is quite different from usual indoor matches because the players are influenced by wind, grass, and many variations. If I failed to play in harmony with my partner and failed to adapt to the new environment, it would be very hard to win in the match. I offered up vowed prayer and fasting and committed everything to God. I prayed for even wind to blow for my team.



My team and Branch Churches' Team had a tight competition, bringing the game to a tie, 15-15. But the opposing team made mistakes and we won scores. In the end, we won 21-15. In 2016, badminton match was newly added to the Athletic Meet, and we won the first gold medal and our female team won the gold medal as well.

I also ran in the relay race. While I was practicing, muscle on my left thigh felt torn and it was damaged. I thought God would let me experience His power and grow up in faith, so I was thankful. I received Senior Pastor's prayer during Divine Healing Meeting on the first night and the following day I ran in the relay race.

When I received the baton, my body felt very light as though I had never hurt and while running I was assured that I was healed. I entered the finish line with my both hands up and said "Hallelujah! Father, thank You!" I give thanks to God who healed me and to Senior Pastor who prayed for me.


"The Keys to Our Victory Were Peace and Obedience"



Branch Churches' Team, four consecutive gold medals in Volleyball Match

Branch Churches' Team members live in different areas: Masan, Gwangju, Eastern Gwangju, Daejeon, Miryang, Gimhae, and Chuncheon. They attend different branch churches, have different jobs, and ages are different from the age of 23 to 61. However, the Volleyball Team was united as one under the name of Manmin and won the four gold medals in a row from 2013 to 2016.

It takes five to six hours to gather from all directions. They had to meet in Suncheon or Haman which is the middle point between Kyungsang Province and Jeolla Province and did intense training with sweat in the gym for a month.

On the team are the members who used to be volleyball players in their school days. Some like volleyball and belong to a volleyball club. Brother Sungjin Lee is currently a volleyball coach, so the team members have good skills in volleyball. However, the key to the victory was their fervor for the Lord.

Elder Subaek Park, Head Coach (aged 57, President of Kyungnam Resource Corporation) said, "We prayed together first when we gathered. We prayed for the match to be a source of joy and happiness to branch churches' members and for us to give out the fragrance of the shepherd. We made up our minds not to feel discomfort against the opposing team and not to raise objections to the referee's decisions. Good teamwork is very important in volleyball match, and the team members kept good teamwork and joyfully played in the positions that were assigned to them in obedience although they might have wanted different positions.