The Inter Religious Federation For World Peace International Religious Foundation - Developments in Interfaith Activities

by Frank Kaufmann-NYC

Apologies deep and wide to the readership of Unification News. Great investment and great achievement has transpired under the banner of inter-religious activity founded by Reverend Moon. In the past we have managed to maintain steady reportage on these pages. This year, however, we've fallen behind in that commitment. Much travel has had something to do with this. Won't they allow pencils on airplanes you ask? Alright, no excuses.

Unification News readers understand the basic principles and vision for interfaith activity founded by Reverend Moon. Religion (all religions) provides human beings access to God's Will (or whatever word or concept is preferred, recall here that a minority strain of Buddhism, for example is agnostic about "God." Confucianists think of "Heaven" and so forth). The source of peace and all ideals is God (by whatever name, and enough with the qualifiers for now... you get the idea). Thus we cannot reasonably hope to see the advent of peaceful times (at any level, from inner peace to Peace on Earth) without the insights provided by the great religious traditions. Father has said religion is like the mind. Politics, economics and so forth is like the body. Religion should provide clear guidelines for the way our human race should go, it should reveal God's principles and God's Providence; the way to peace.

This basic purpose for religion makes it all the more tragic that religions today (as they have always been) are fractured in conflict and discord at every level, and in every direction; across religions, within religions, between intellectuals and activists, conservatives and progressives, and so forth. "How on earth," we ask, "can such a splintered and fractious community reveal God's secrets of peace?" Father's desperate desire and great effort through the interfaith organizations he's founded, is to bring religious leaders and believers into harmony and cooperation, so that the one true God can express His singular Will for human beings in a universally recognizable and communicable way. Until recently this effort has consisted of conferences, publications, service and educational programs, high level diplomacy and negotiations, grass roots activism, and so forth. Two decades of such activity at a phenomenal pace has established the IRF and IRFWP, despite prejudice and persecution, as significant in this challenging arena of human affairs.

This year a radically new aspect arose within the purview of this interfaith work. It stems from 1992. In April of 1992, Father and Mother Blessed 43 Muslim couples from 9 nations. In August of 1992, Parents Blessed 28 couples from 7 major religious traditions. These Blessed couples remain faithful members of their respective religions. Once these inter-religious Blessings occurred the Blessing emerged from being, at one stage in the providence, "particular" religious activity, to becoming, when providential conditions allowed, interfaith activity. But this should not be misunderstood. What it means is that the Blessing for all else it is, is also the means by which religious leaders and believers can harmonize in loving cooperation. It goes without saying that from among competing theories on how the world's religions might come together, doing so through the Blessing is perhaps the most radical. One might say, it is a uniquely Unification theory of interfaith. Most interfaith activity proceeds along unreflected upon assumptions that good will, and imitation of secular procedures for dialogue and negotiations can for some reason or another dissolve the history of inter-religious conflict.

In 1991 on the foundation of 15 years of investment in world-level interfaith through the New Ecumenical Research Association (New ERA) and IRF, Father inaugurated the Inter Religious Federation for World Peace (IRFWP). The structure of the IRFWP includes a non- Unificationist as Secretary General, 7 Presidents, and a Presiding Council, the significant majority of which are non-Unificationists. These prominent religious figures lead the IRFWP grounded in their own religious conviction, and their own concepts and theories of interfaith activities. They admire Father's commitment, and share his ideals of peace among the religions and peace on earth. They do NOT necessarily share his view that the best way to pursue these ideals is through the Blessing. For this reason, the IRFWP does NOT involve itself in that unique approach to interfaith which involves leaders and believers in the Blessing. It dedicates itself strictly along lines of classical interfaith activities including dialogue, conferences, diplomatic negotiations, and publications. The IRF however, which is led entirely by Unificationists, has dedicated itself ardently to the pursuit of interfaith harmony through the advocacy of the inter-religious Blessing. These two lines of activity have comprised our efforts since September 1994.

The International Religious Foundation

Beginning in September, 1994, 6 members of the IRF formed a team to develop plans and materials for promoting the Blessing among members of the world's religions. By December, 1994 this team had produced a Blessing Video entitled "World Peace Through Ideal Families" which was produced in collaboration with Manhattan Center Studios, and debuted on Parents' Birthday during evening entertainment. The IRF multiplied 100's of these videos and made them available for the asking the world over.

In addition to the Video, the IRF team also produced an attractively designed brochure for the purpose of introducing the Blessing to members of the world's religions. This brochure, entitled "Marriage, Family, and World Peace," was reproduced in the thousands and were distributed world-wide. In addition to this brochure the IRF team produced an education manual entitled "Introducing the Blessing to Members of Other Faiths," which was distributed to all continental, regional, and national leaders, in order to support their witnessing efforts.

Finally members of this team produced a four lecture slide program entitled "The Loving Family and World Peace." These materials were distributed world-wide, together with a letter to all Unification leaders explaining that the members were willing to travel to their country to help with witnessing to religious leaders, to lecture at VIP Blessing seminars, and so forth.

The materials proved to have good appeal. Additionally, many countries DID request a visit from IRF leaders, and finally the slide program resulted in good fruits for the inter-religious participation at the up-coming Blessing. From December, 1994 IRF leaders gave 43 VIP Blessing education seminars in 18 countries. Even Reverend Kwak spent a week in India meeting with religious leaders, in some case for the Blessing, and in others for discussions of IRFWP leadership. Through this effort several hundred social and religious leaders, and more than 100,000 couples from the world's religions have signed up for the Blessing. Despite the contribution of this IRF team in terms of material and personal support, the several hundred thousand couples from the world's religions who will be Blessed this August, have only the foundation of indemnity of the True Parents, and the sacrifice of the Unification missionaries to thank. Currently the activity of the IRF Blessing Education Team involves preparation of the couples, the sites, the record keeping, and preparations for Blessed Couple Education which must occur after the Blessing. Also a few VIP seminars are still slated to take place. We are in constant contact with Unification missionaries in the field.

The Inter Religious Federation For World Peace

In addition to our commitment to the Inter Religious Blessing, these same people have been involved in conceiving, administering, and serving several important interfaith conferences and other interfaith activities.

Religious Youth Service

Inter Religious Group Works in Croatian Refugee Camps

From April 4 - 14, 1995, forty young people from 22 nations, representing 7 religious traditions worked to restore refugee camps in Croatia. The program attracted national level leadership both from social and religious leaders. United Nations representatives participated in the education program, the Head of the Croatian Ministry of Refugees and Misplaced Persons worked closely with the program, and the national media, including television gave a great deal of positive coverage at this event.

IRFWP Conference On "Building Inter-Religious Cooperation"

Christian, Muslim and Jewish Leaders from Eastern Europe and Former Yugoslavia

On April 8 and 9th, 1995, Croatian and other European Religious leaders representing Christian, Muslim, and Jewish traditions held a conference to discuss the role of these religions in pursuing peace in the region. Public panels with presentations from select members of this conference occurred both in Zagreb, and later in Varazdin, the site of the refugee camps that were served.

IRFWP Conference On "Dialogue For Christian-Muslim Collaboration"

Christian and Muslim Leaders for War Zones

From May 29 - June 1, 1995 Christian and Muslim leaders from Russia, Chechnya, Bosnia, Slovenia, as well as Western European countries gathered to take on the intense, high profile issues that plague our world and dominate the international headlines in these days. 32 participants in all dedicated themselves to analysis of the inter- religious relations in the regions from which they came. The second phase of the conference involved the presentations from the leaders in which they proposed and designed concrete plans for collaboration. These plans were debated and fine-tuned for the purpose of their ultimate implementation.

IRFWP Conference On "Muslim-Christian Dialogue: Problems And Possibilities"

Muslim and Christian Scholars and Leaders Study Educational Possibilities

This conference which lasted from June 4 - 8, 1995 involved Christian and Muslim scholars and leaders from 8 nations who gathered to discuss the larger more enduring issues in the relationship between these to great world religions. This conference was co-sponsored with Rennison College at the University of Waterloo, in Toronto Canada. IRFWP Secretary General, Darrol Bryant convened the conference with an eye to producing a University text which could be used to educate and introduce these religions, as well as the dynamics of interfaith dialogue to college aged young people.

IRFWP Conference On "Christianity In The Americas: Visions, Histories And Realities"

The Role of Christianity in the Establishment of Peace, Justice, and Prosperity in the Western Hemisphere

From June 23 - 26, 1995, 22 Christian scholars, theologians, and clerics gathered in Santa Fe, New Mexico to discuss the history and present reality of Christian Ecumenical relations in the Americas. Representatives from North, Central, and South America (5 nations), spent three days deeply engaged in conversation on sensitive issues of missions, evangelization, Protestant - Catholic relations, liberation theology, rich and poor citizenry, and many other issues which are crucial to the future of our hemisphere.

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It is, in many ways painful, to reduce these tens of deeply moving and globally significant events to an annotated listing. Each of these conferences, as well as the Blessing Education Seminars, are rife with intellectually stimulating themes and issues, as well as with spiritual and emotionally stirring moments of realization, reconciliation, and discovery. It is my deep hope that we will be able to bring some of these stories and testimonies to the readers of Unification News as time goes by. Despite this feeling of loss, to have to present these events in such a staccato and arid fashion, I am pleased that the good work of the IRF and the IRFWP, which has been hidden in recent times can now come to light, even if only cursorily.

Study In Korea Program - Getting Over The Culture Shock

by Kori Richardson-Seoul, Korea

I am 16 years old and I came to Korea in 1990. My parents wanted to come to Korea for many reasons, but our opportunity came when my parents were selected to be dorm parents for the foreign students.

My elder sister Sechany was able to enter the GOP program, but my younger brother, sister and I went directly into Korean public school. At that time I didn't know one word of Korean, or even the Korean alphabet. When I first went to school, I honestly didn't know what to expect. I was in total culture shock. I will never forget the first day of school. Practically the whole school came to my classroom to see the only foreign girl in the school.

My teachers have been very helpful. At that time they taught me how to read and write during their lunch breaks and free time. My first teacher taught me out of a first grade elementary school textbook. I was able to pick up little by little.

Most of the kids at school were very nice and many wanted to be my friends. I was surprised that they were anxious to see me every day. I was always interacting with them and that helped me a lot. After two years I could understand about 50% of conversation and my textbooks. But I still had a lot of vocabulary to learn.

When I went into middle school I was very fortunate to have very nice and understanding teachers. They always seemed to willing to help me. One night I had a dream in which True Father came to me and tested me in Korean and English. That made me feel good.

Now I am in middle school third grade and I can understand and speak about 98% in Korean. I have had my difficult moments, but now I can see that it was worth the trouble to learn Korean at my age. I think the most important things about learning Korean are being around Korean people every day and speaking to them all the time.

Reprinted from "The Western Program's Dormitory News"

Study In Korea Program - Experience of a Lifetime

by Miho Yoshida-Seoul, Korea

When I first heard about the program in Korea, I really wanted to go so much. At the time I wasn't sure why I wanted to go, but during these past 3 1/2 years here I have discovered why I came! My experiences here have most importantly helped me grow spiritually. Daily morning and evening services and the constant reminder to develop one's spiritual life through service to one's brothers and sisters gradually become habit-forming. Whereas life at the dormitory is centered on becoming a public person, at school we focus on learning the language and culture of True Parents.

The things I learned here, whether they were gained easily or with difficulty, are unforgettable. I have made lifelong friends here and will always remember the good times we had together. I am ever so grateful to Heavenly Father, True Parents, my own parents and all of those who have worked so hard to bring this program into existence and keep it going.

I think one of the most important things I learned in Korea was about my relationship as a blessed child to Heavenly Father and True Parents. I realize I must devote my life to God and the True Family, and be united with them. This means I am responsible to build heaven and to teach the world about True Parents and the Divine Principle.

Living in Korea has also shown me why Heavenly Father chose this nation as the chosen nation. I could see how open the hearts of the Koran people are, how loyal they are to their country, their long history, culture and traditions. Also I could see how the suffering course of True Parents is parallel to the suffering path of the Korean people as well as God's.

Going to Korean Middle School was very difficult at first. But my Korean classmates were very friendly and very interested in us, the foreign students. They helped me out a lot when I had trouble doing my homework or when I was homesick.

Attending Korean school naturally helped me learn the Korean language much more quickly than I could have done otherwise. Classes are all in Korean so we quickly build on the foundation of GOP and PREP and begin to use the language in everyday life. Also, in order to make friends with the Korean students, we have to speak Korean with them. So Middle School is perfect for improving our language capability. At school we also acquire the Korean study ethic and begin to study seriously, some of us for the first time. Also, as my Korean language improved, I was able to see how deep and expressive it is in expressing the truth for the Completed Testament Age.

I am very grateful to have been here and to have had this once-in-a- lifetime experience. I have grown spiritually and felt the heart of a nation chosen by and prepared by God to receive the Messiah. And I have learned the Korean language. I hope that other Blessed Children will come here and experience and learn what I have.

Reprinted from "The Western Program's Dormitory News"

Study In Korea Program - Changing of the Guard

This year we have witnessed many staff changes in our dormitory and school life. Beginning last September, Steve and Jerry Tamayo came from America to be dorm parents and teaching staff. They are replacing us, the Allans, who are going to New Zealand for hometown providence after 3 inspiring years here. Steve and Jerry are dedicated to your child's spiritual development, their academic advancement and their general well-being. Under their guidance, daily morning and evening services, pledge on Sundays, homework and Divine Principle study, and the chores, the dormitory is truly one family. As of writing we are still waiting to hear who the next couple will be to bring staff up to full strength. October saw the arrival of Mr. Young Whi Lee and his wife, a 430 couple, as head dormitory parents. They replaced Mrs. Gertrud Koch who served for 8 years as dormitory mother. We are very grateful for the guidance that Mrs. Koch gave staff and students alike. She is now working on behalf of the Blessed Family Department in New York. Also in America, Steve and Noriko Wright have turned over their duties as liaison staff to Tom and Carolyn Burkholder in Peekskill, New York. The Wrights were dorm parents here for 3 years, after which they worked on behalf of the program from America for a further 3 years, primarily taking responsibility for student applications, liaisoning with parents and program finances. We really appreciated their internal guidance and practical assistance and know that the success of the program is largely dependent upon the dedication of people like the Wrights who gave 100% to enable us to do our job. To all of you, a big thank you very much.

Solving Social Problems

UViews July `95

Love is the most powerful force. Even the most logical person will do illogical things out of love. By the same token, all the logical solutions to society's problems have no effect if they do not address the problem of "the lack of love."

In an article in the recent Imprimis, Jeb Bush, son of our former President and recent candidate for the governorship of Florida, decried the attitude which measures compassion by amount of money spent to help the poor, rather than by the actual result of that expenditure. Money does not buy love; it does not buy justice; it does not buy virtue. What our society lacks is not money or material goods. It is love; justice; virtue.

Justice is the expression of love according to truth: life for the sake of others. Virtue is the practice of such a life. The root of both justice and virtue, then, is true love. Then, if we could find the source of love, we could exalt justice and virtue, and solve our social problems.

What is love? Love is the power which unites two into one. In the logic of love, then, one plus one does not equal two; one plus one equals a greater One. Greater in what way? Greater as a husband and wife, which is One married couple, is greater than two singles. This is because the greater One creates new life.

To take another example: my mind is one thing, my body is another. They are very distinct. If they are separate, there is no action, no life. I am laying in bed; my body is asleep; my mind is dreaming-- nothing is happening. But when my mind and body unite, when the two become one, then I am a functioning person. John Lennon wrote a line in a song, "When you're one/Really one/Well you get things done/Like they've never been done". Street wisdom echoes this, counseling the uncool person to "Get yourself together." The more erudite say, "become one with yourself", or "achieve oneness". For the enlightened among Christians, "atonement" equals "at-one-ment".

We celebrate the same in our love for the creation, with the sought- after experience of being "one with nature." In such a state, I and the millions of separate entities of this world are One! The ecological principle teaches that all creation is one; hence to destroy a part is to damage the whole. Or a football team, a winning team, is one in which eleven men work as one. The many become one. All of this is achieved through love.

From this point of view, our social problems manifest because we are not one. In other words, there is division. We have marred our national slogan, "e pluribus unum" - "out of many, one". The true American revolution was not the renunciation of the king of England; it was that the several states could give up their separate sovereignties to form one "more perfect union". The power of love created this nation; God-centered love rooted primarily in Christian faith. This was the political principle at stake in the Civil War as well.

Division means there are dis-united parts. The problem is not that there are parts, for there must be parts in order for oneness to be achieved. The problem is that the parts are dis-united; they are in conflict. That is, each part is living for its own sake, not for the sake of others, not for the sake of the whole. There is no one-ness. That is, there is no love.

Love demands the highest intelligence; namely, the intelligence required in order to figure out how to love someone. The highest intelligence is not to create missiles, bombs and internets--but to create happiness, to love others with a love which melts their hearts.

Why is it difficult? Because it requires the sacrifice of the self.

To come back to the question: what is the source of love? The source of love is not myself; it is the other person. But to liberate this love begins with the investment (i.e., the sacrifice) of myself for the sake of that other person. By totally giving myself, a vacuum is created, into which God is pulled. By this, I receive more energy, which I can further invest in others. This in turn pulls more of God's love into me, and an eternal cycle is created.

This is the secret of eternal love and eternal life. This, as far as I understand it, is what Unificationism refers to as vertical love.

Then there is horizontal love. It is also circular. I am investing in the other. I give and give, replenished by the vertical source. Eventually, the love returns from the other, from the object partner. I am then energized by the returning love (which takes the form of beauty) and am stimulated to give more love, which results in the return of more beauty. Again, an eternal cycle of giving and receiving is established.

From this perspective, we teach that love does not come from me; it comes from my object partner. In other words, the test of true love is in the object partner's response. Until the response comes, one has not fulfilled the requirements of true, absolute love. One is a clanging gong and a sounding cymbal.

This is to say that the secret of love, the experience of love and taste of love, does not come from "me"; it comes from "my partner", from the other. This is as true for God as it is for you and me, because this is the nature of love. Even God cannot violate love. Love is absolute. It sweeps away everything in its path. This is why, once love became self-centered through the fall, it became almost impossible to save this world, and it has taken so many millions of years.

Each person must be able to find, to possess, the source of absolute love. That is, each person must have an eternal, unchanging partner of love. And this partner should be multi-dimensional; it should relate to "me" from above, below, right, left, forward and back. God has provided each person with this eternal, unchanging, multi-dimensional partner of love: his family.

Each person begins as a social creature: with a father and a mother who love them absolutely, who will most likely die for them if necessary; who want them to be the greatest person who ever lived. These are people who are willing to sacrifice for many, many years for their happiness, and count it a blessing if they are successful! Where else do I find people who count it a blessing to be able to sacrifice themselves for the sake of my own success? That is God's gift: my parents, your parents, everyone's parents.

We all know the joke about each child thinking his dad is the strongest man and his mother the most beautiful woman in the world. It's true, and it's God's principle. Because I have a daughter, I am the strongest, most handsome man in the world in her eyes. I am Sean Connery, Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwartzenegger all wrapped up into one package ready to be unpacked and climbed all over by my children. My wife is the earth mother, the source of life, the source of all happiness, right here in our house.

There you are: the source of love, all packaged, programmed, plugged in and ready to operate, is anxiously awaiting my birth, counting the days, with a name all picked out, and ready to pronounce to the world how unsurpassingly handsome or beautiful I am, how smart I am, and how I am lifting up my head, looking around and making funny but remarkably intelligent noises characteristic of one who is generally a very superior creature the likes of which the world has never seen.

In our parents (not to mention grandparents) God provides such a beginning for each one of us. With this beginning, we can endure those experiences of rejection, of alienation, of accusation and misunderstanding. Yes, we all can have that most absolute of possessions: SELF-ESTEEM!

Well, now that we've got this self-esteem established, we begin to stand up and look at the world around us. Sooner or later we realize that we were not created for ourselves, and we have special equipment which enables us to resonate with a certain other type of person: a member of the opposite sex. It seems that just as one's parents are programmed to love one as an infant, one is oneself programmed to love this opposite sex person.

That is, all of my being is meant to be given to one other, who becomes one with me, and we form a married couple, One body of goodness. This is an eternal, unchanging, unique and absolute bond, representing eternal, unchanging, unique and absolute love. Therefore, we are created to marry one spouse and maintain that marriage by the act of true freedom, for eternity. Thus, horizontal love dwells on earth, and is the foundation for vertical love to manifest its creativity in the birth of the child.

From the family, each person learns how to love, by being loved. There is no way to teach how to love other than simply, "to love". There is no way to learn how to love other than "to receive love". It is not easy, by the way, to learn how to receive love. It is only little children who have the true capacity to learn how to receive love. This is why the Lord said that you must become as a little child in order to enter the kingdom of heaven.

Parents naturally teach their children how to love, by loving them. Children naturally learn how to love, by receiving their parents love. And of course, as all teachers know, you really don't learn a subject until you try to teach it. And as all students know, the best teacher is the one who is always himself learning. There is a very close connection, then, between teaching and learning. By receiving love, one teaches the love-giver how to give love. By giving love, one teaches the love-receiver how to receive love.

The family invests love in the society. The parents invest love in the family. God invests love in the parents. Thus, when it comes to social action, to having substantial effect in a society, God works through parents, parents work through the family, and the family works through the entire society.

"What?" you might say; "It is individuals, not cumbersome families, which affect society. George Washington was an individual, so was Jesus. We act as individuals upon the society."

The answer is, in the Principle, the individual is nothing more than the representative of his family. To deny this is to fall prey to the false ideology of individualism. Feminists capitalize upon this to trash all history because is it HIS-story, that is, manufactured mostly by men. From an individualistic standpoint, feminists are right. History is a vast class action by men to suppress women from making any appearance. But let's not trash men; let's trash radical individualism.

Women have guided history through their men. (And I use the phrase "their" men purposefully. I belong to my wife. True love contains the right of possession.) History is the record of families. George Washington's work was the work of his family. His family's strengths and weakness were displayed on the historical stage in George. Let's take an example more close at hand. Newt Gingrich has a sister who is a lesbian activist. Therefore, Newt's family is ambivalent about sexual orientation issues. Even if Newt were to stand up for the righteousness of heterosexual monogamy, he evidently can't convince his own sister. The Gingrich family, then, cannot take a stand on this point. There are fewer and fewer American families which can. Therefore, despite the well-meaning efforts of our leaders as individuals, the nation is confused.

But here's the clincher: Newt's love for his sister transcends the question of her sexual orientation. And I'll bet you dollars to doughnuts that Newt would proudly proclaim that he loves his sister. Bill Clinton's brother is into cocaine, and his father had problems too. So what can Mr. Clinton do? His family cannot solve the drug problem or spouse abuse problem. But he still loves his brother and father, and I'm sure he would proudly state that as well.

But the problem is that each person (Newt and his sister, for example) may be led by the conscience to a different way of life. And their consciences take their love in different directions, and this makes all the difference.

Therefore the concern is that the love which is natural within the family be channeled in one direction. Ultimately, man's love and God's love must flow in the same direction. This direction is determined by the family: man to woman eternally, and woman back to man eternally, and parents and children and so forth. This is the perfect standard of love which will last eternally. It is the source of true love for society and for each person in society. It is the dwelling place of God. The remedy for all social problems is the establishment of ideal families on the earth.

Governments have done their best to solve our social problems, using all the tools of power and logic. But a reading the classical authors of Rome reveals that Roman government was led by brilliant men, ever as wise and great as any of our contemporary leaders. But the Roman Empire collapsed. Not enough wisdom? No; they had plenty. Not enough technology? No; they had enough technology to build the Empire and maintain it for several centuries. Their problem was the same as ours: not enough people willing to sacrifice their own benefit for the sake of the world.

We need a model of health, beginning with the seed. To cure a sick person, you need to know what is a healthy person. To fix a car, you need to know how a car is supposed to work. To cure an ailing society, you need to know how a healthy society functions. Otherwise, you're just putting band-aids on cancer. Our lawmakers try to remedy this and that, but have no standard of a healthy society which they are striving to achieve. With no ruler, one cannot draw a straight line. The healthy society emerges naturally from the healthy family, the family centered on true love of God. True families create people who can invest love in others at their own sacrifice. Such people will create an ever-expanding ideal society, nation and world.

This is the purpose of the Blessing, which is the work of God to liberate true love in the family. Is this unrealistic, wishful thinking? NO. The power of the cross is behind it. The power of Mt. Sinai, of the Kaaba, of the Bodhi Tree. The power of every person who ever dreamed a dream, who ever lived and died for an ideal. They are the people of greatness, the people we exalt, whom we must vindicate in this generation.

So You Want to Teach Sunday School... Effective Teaching Techniques

by Vicki Henry-U.C. Sunday School Principal, Minneapolis, MN

When I first became the principal of our Sunday School, I was inundated with many people saying they wanted to teach. But as the first year went by, many of those same people became tired or disillusioned with teaching and/or frustrated with feeling they didn't know how to teach. As I started into the second year, I developed a Teacher Survey. Each teacher or person who comes to me saying they want to teach is required to fill one out. It not only helps me, as the director of Sunday School, see how much they have really thought about teaching, but tells me what their understanding of education is. It also helps the other begin to organize their own thoughts and feelings about teaching and Sunday School in general.

The questions include:

1. Why do you want to teach Sunday School?

2. How much are you committed to teaching Sunday School? (Include how much time you can commit both in actual teaching and in preparation for lessons.)

3. List your personal traits, experiences, etc., that you feel can contribute in teaching children.

4. List the pros and cons of our current Sunday School system in Minneapolis (include curriculum, supplies, facilities, etc.).

5. What would you want to see accomplished this school year in Sunday School? (List whole purpose and personal goals.)

6. How much and what kind of direction and/or help would you want in teaching Sunday School?

What characteristics should a teacher possess?

(Excerpts here are from Creative Bible Learning for Children Grades 1- 6 by Barbara J. Bolton and Charles T. Smith, International Center for Learning, c. 1977.)

Each person who guides children should be a growing person. Prayer must be a regular, meaningful part of your life. Pray for each staff member in your department as well as for your own personal needs. Pray by name for each child in your class. Know his needs so your prayers can be specific. Pray for guidance in your lesson preparation.

Those who guide children must be teachable. Be willing to learn new and better ways to do your job. Keep abreast of today's educational trends by reading and studying current publications. Be open to the suggestions of others. Visit Sunday Schools in your area as well as public school classrooms. Also attend teacher workshops.

To help make the content of teaching material relevant to the needs of the children, a teacher needs to be flexible. One who guides children must be able to change his role according to the situation and interests of the children.

The one who guides children is a person who cares. He becomes excited when he sees a child discover an evidence of God's love or show loving concern for another in response to God's Word. Express your concern by loving and accepting each child. Understand the individual differences in children; become aware of the needs and potential of each child. Share the child's feeling of wonder and discovery. Enjoy his achievements with him.

Your role is to plan and guide children in Bible learning experiences through which they can discover, create and accomplish things for themselves.

Those who guide children are listeners. A child's words and actions are clues to his needs and understanding.

Build the teacher/student relationship.

Plan for children to have a choice of activities in which they will participate.

Providing an environment which stimulates learning is another teacher responsibility. Begin by keeping your room clean and attractive. Avoid clutter. Arrange materials so they are seeable, reachable and returnable. Use bulletin board space to display some of the children's Bible learning activities or similar work.

Recognize positive behavior.

Have realistic expectations.

Be enthusiastic.

Teaching style

There are as many styles of teaching as there are types of personalities. The important point to understand in developing your teaching style is always to have a dynamic classroom environment. In order to accomplish this, you need to go with the flow of the children in your classroom. Basically, this means you have to adjust to their learning styles. This has a twofold understanding connected to it. One is understanding the age level you are teaching. What are they capable of understanding? What is their attention span? The second thing is realizing that not everyone learns the same way as you. Some children are very visually oriented. Books with big, bright illustrations, video tapes and bright posters are necessary for those students. Some children learn by listening, so make sure your voice is loud enough and clear enough. Don't mumble to the floor when you speak. Still other children need to move or touch. Keep all these things in mind when teaching as well as when setting up your classroom space.

Facilitating teaching

In order to begin teaching, you need a strategy. Usually when you think of teaching, the image of the teacher standing in front of a class, lecturing and writing on the blackboard while the children listen is what comes to many people's minds. This, however, is only one form among many that should be used. I personally feel that a teacher of elementary-school age children should use the blackboard and lecture technique very sparingly. Exploring the following strategies in your classroom will lead to that dynamic classroom spoken of earlier.

*Cooperative learning. This is when each member of the group has ownership over the content, and children are encouraged to work together toward the final product. The teacher acts as the facilitator providing leadership, but not as the sole source of information.

*Dyads. This is when children work in groups of two. The teachers carefully matches the children so a comfortable working relationship may be productive for both students.

*Each one teach one. This strategy is where each participant in the group is responsible for a component of a unit of teaching. Individual projects are in this category.

*Learning centers. These are designed by the teacher to allow the children to work at an independent pace at activities which support the ongoing curriculum. Children may be held responsible for completing certain tasks which are outlined at each center. (Side note: you will usually need a big space for this kind of strategy, unless activities are in a folder format which can be stored in a file cabinet of some kind.)

*Demonstration. This is where a teachers models certain behavior. Role playing can be in this category.

*Inquiry. This is a process of framing questions, gathering and processing data relevant to those questions, and drawing inferences or conclusions about the data. The teacher's responsibility in inquiry learning is to help students find ways to gather and evaluate evidence; and to help them with the skill of generalizing and of inferring from their data.

*Reflective thinking. This is designed to give learners the opportunity to be philosophical-to consider, discuss and argue issues. Reflective thinking deals with questions that cannot be answered solely by data.

*Creative Expression. This is activities such as: poems, photographs, murals, skits, stories, drawings, paintings, radio programs, models, booklets, puppet shows, television programs (video), plays, games, dioramas

Developing your teaching voice

Whenever you talk to children, talk from your heart-really mean what you say. You will use your voice to get the children's attention, teach a lesson, to discipline, to reward, to acknowledge, to warn and to soothe. Studies have shown that most people "tune out" after about five minutes of someone talking. Because of this, teachers need to develop an interesting voice that holds children's attention. One way to do this is to develop the art of storytelling without a book. With no illustrations to help with your delivery, you must rely solely on your voice to communicate and "paint pictures" in the minds of the children. Try it with your own children or the children of a friend or relative.

Giving directions

Did you know that the most asked question in school is "What are we supposed to do?"? This question is usually whispered in the ear of the neighboring child. As stated before, all children have different learning styles. Because of this, children cannot absorb a complex set of directions; in fact, most adults can't, either. A good way of giving directions is to have them written down on the blackboard and/or on a paper for them to read, as well as giving them orally. Teachers of very young children can have illustrated directions.

The major points here are:

1. Always make eye contact with all your students to make sure they are understanding the directions.

2. Give directions visually and auditorily (have models made of each step in an activity if constructing something).

3. Keep directions simple.

4. Don't give too many directions at once.

How to use a lesson plan

A lesson plan is a self-imposed guideline. Writing a lesson plan forces you to clarify what you want to accomplish and organizes your methodology. Remember, however, always to remain flexible when actually teaching in order to meet the needs and interests of your students.

The following is the lesson-plan format that I use and what each heading means:

1. Goal/Subject Area: Basically, this is your topic. Is it a Bible story, Divine Principle chapter, some aspect of U.C. tradition or history, True Parents' lives, etc.?

2. Time Period: How long is your presentation? activity? Will the lesson be longer than one class session?

3. Objectives: These are your desired outcomes. What is it that you want the students to learn? Be specific.

4. Activity: What will the students do/make? How does it tie in with your objectives?

5. Materials and resources: A detailed list of every single item you need to present and carry through with your lesson. If you will need an extension cord, put it down. There is no excuse for spacing out your supplies.

6. Format: How you are going to present and carry through your lesson. List every step, including what you will say and ask the students.

7. Evaluation: How are you going to measure the success of your lesson? Your evaluation should coincide with your objectives. Ways of measuring include: observation of children, children's participation in activity, and question and answer.

Making it all work

All prospective teachers need to know what's in store for them. They should be told exactly what is expected of them. They need to know the lesson topic, how long they are to teach (for that class as well as how often they will teach), and what will be provided in the way of equipment and literature.

This preparation and communication is best facilitated through each grade level's Head Teacher to each of their respective teachers. I have found that this stage in Sunday School development is the most crucial of all. If there is no communication or not a good working relationship between the Head Teachers and their teachers, the entire Sunday School will collapse.

Consequently, it is an absolute necessity that your Head Teachers be strong, self-motivated, organized, consistent and responsible. The Head Teachers are the Sunday School Principal's "right arm" to achieve an effective Sunday School.

picture #1 caption:

Visuals and student participation help facilitate your teaching.

picture #2 caption:

Some children learn by moving. Here children try out a Korean dance that they saw on a Little Angels videotape.

picture #3 caption:

Be sure to include creative expression in your lessons.

Seeking God's Love, Life, and Lineage

This is the first in a series of three articles reprinted from Joymakers, chapter 6: The Fourth Beatitude: Seeking God's Love, Life, and Lineage

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

Both the first and fourth Beatitudes refer to our inner desires and aspirations. The first Beatitude focuses on "the poor in spirit," who recognize that they are sinful and hunger after God's love, truth, and blessings. Those in the fourth Beatitude realize that they need a transformation of their inner being in order to become righteous people, people of good character and Godly love.

Personal and Public Righteousness

God is the source and measure of righteousness. He is morally perfect and His rule is based on righteousness. The Psalmist says of God, "Righteousness and justice are the foundation of thy throne" (Ps. 89:14). In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus explains God's righteousness as His rectitude and His fairness. With His penetratingly deep understanding of motivation and heart, God carries out His justice. All good human traditions and laws derive from God's righteousness.

How does the righteous God look upon this sinful world? "But let justice roll down like waters," God declares, "and righteousness like an everflowing stream" (Amos 5:24). The Old Testament prophets proclaim God's wrath and judgment upon an unrighteous people. After exposing the ethical and moral corruption of Israel and the prevalence of oppression, violence, idolatry, and empty religiosity, Amos pronounces both God's warning, "Prepare to meet your God" (4:12), and God's invitation, "Seek me and live" (5:4).

The biblical view of righteousness goes beyond justice and judgment to include love and forgiveness. The same verse that describes righteousness as the foundation of God's throne concludes: "steadfast love and faithfulness go before thee" (Ps. 89:14). The Psalmist further testifies: "The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love" (Ps. 145:8). All God's actions stem from love, for God is love (1 John 4:8). God is always willing to sacrifice Himself and that which is most precious to Him for the benefit of the whole. Jesus says that God gave His only son so that we might have eternal life (John 3:16). God is utterly unselfish and lives, breathes, moves, and acts solely for the well-being of others, with the love and devotion exemplified in Jesus' description of the good shepherd (John 10:11-15).

Through His righteousness, God carries out His will and bestows grace, mercy, and salvation; so God's plan of salvation comes from God's righteousness. It is through God's grace, according to Augustine, that God makes people righteous. Paul writes that in God's "divine forbearance" He passes over our former sins and justifies those who have faith, because of His righteousness (Rom. 3:21-26). Christ's death for us while we were yet sinners is an expression of God's love and the basis for our justification (Rom. 5:6-9).

God considers people righteous based on their faith. Abraham was counted righteous because of his faith (Rom. 4:3). Faith brings knowledge of God's righteousness (Rom. 1:17). An encounter with God's righteousness and holiness makes us aware of our sin, as the prophet Isaiah experienced in his vision of God's throne (Is. 6:1-5). When we confess our sin, God, because He is faithful and just, forgives our sin and cleanses us of our unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). On the deepest level, we as fallen people cannot bridge the chasm between us and God's righteousness. This can only be done through the sacrifice of Christ. Moreover, God's holiness demands punishment for sin and elimination of sin. In his pure sacrifice on the cross, Jesus satisfied the requirements of God's justice, and God cancels the sin of those who believe on Jesus. (Rom 3:25).

In light of God's righteousness, what is the righteousness Jesus calls for in the Sermon on the Mount? Matthew placed special emphasis on righteousness, including far more references (16) to righteousness and righteous people than the other Evangelists (10 altogether). Matthew's fourth Beatitude is addressed to "those who hunger and thirst for righteousness," while Luke 6:21 reads simply, "Blessed are you that hunger now." Jesus' statement in the Sermon on the Mount about kingdom priority reads: "seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well" (6:33), while Luke records merely, "seek his kingdom, and these things shall be yours as well" (12:31). Righteousness is a major theme of the Sermon on the Mount.

The Greek word dikaiosune, translated as righteousness, involves both rectitude before God and right relationships among people. Right relationships among people result in the expansion of righteousness in the world, as people of honesty and courage work to promote justice and moral values in society. Thus there are two kinds of righteousness: (1) external, public righteousness, justitia externa, meaning to practice righteousness in human relationships and to work for the advancement of righteousness in the world at large; and (2) internal, personal righteous, justitia interna, meaning integrity, moral rectitude, and purity of heart before God.2 There have been many movements for social justice in this world. However, without tackling the problems of internal corruption and lack of integrity, promises of external reforms inevitably lead to disappointment. Thus, external, public righteousness needs to come on the foundation of internal, personal righteousness.

Here in the fourth Beatitude, we are called to a standard of personal righteousness through believing in Christ and receiving his saving love and grace. In the eighth Beatitude, which emphasizes public righteousness, we will see how Jesus calls us to become creators of righteousness, working to spread righteousness.

When righteous and righteousness are used in an internal, ethical sense, the terms mean uprightness. Righteous people are characterized by honesty, integrity, and dignity. Jesus describes righteous people as those who follow the ways of God, trying to embody God's sacrificial true love, and become substantially connected to God. Righteous people set the proper priority: their relationship with God. Rather than anxiously seeking food and drink to satisfy our physical hunger and thirst, let us remember Jesus' promise that God knows and can satisfy our true needs and that when we seek first God's kingdom and His righteousness, "all these things shall be yours as well" (Matt. 6:33).

People who focus on appearing to be good have difficulty responding to Jesus' call to a right relationship to God based on believing in him and following him. The Pharisees, who seek to be righteous by following the law, are appalled when Jesus eats with tax collectors and sinners. Jesus explains, "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners" (Matt. 9:13). By repenting and following Jesus, sinners become truly righteous before God. Jesus' parable of the lost sheep has a similar meaning: "I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance" (Luke 15:7). Here Jesus is not saying that there are people who need no repentance, but that there are people who do not even realize that they are lost. The self-righteous people, such as the scribes and Pharisees in his audience, are not aware of their separation from God and have not begun to see their need for repentance.

The scribes and Pharisees emphasize only the trappings of a religious life, and even this is done for the wrong motivation. They pray and fast and give alms to the poor-in order to gain public praise; and Jesus exposes their hypocrisy (Matt. 23:1-30). He calls us to go beyond the level of righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees (Matt. 5:20) and fulfill the law with a new standard of heart and feeling that is on a par with God's. Rather than promoting external religiosity, Jesus upholds a righteous realm of internal purity and sincerity and asks us to nurture our relationship with God-with the assurance that He who sees in secret will reward our sincerity (Matt. 6:4).

Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness

To hunger and thirst after righteousness implies a double discomfort, a compound need, an emphatic, doubled-edged longing. J. Boice said that the meaning of being hungry is to experience a desperate, frantic desire, almost unto death, to go back to God and His will.3 When thirst is added to hunger, the craving is even more pressing. Isaiah voices God's invitation to slake our thirst with His word: "Ho, every one who thirsts, come to the waters" (Is. 55:1). Matthew deliberately uses these physical needs for food and drink to symbolize a metaphysical need. The spirit of the text is the same as in Romans 3:10-11, where Paul's repetition makes for poignant emphasis: "None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands, no one seeks for God."

In this fallen world, Satan woos us with material things and many substitutes for true love, enticing us constantly to follow our selfish desires in hopes of feeling loved and satisfied. But the result, sooner or later, is always emptiness and dissatisfaction. Satan has polluted, distorted, and corrupted God's love and life, which are the only source of true and lasting fulfillment. As a result, we have a profound spiritual emptiness.

Being hungry and thirsty relates to being poor in spirit, meaning to be empty, like a jar or vase, ready to receive Jesus. The poor in spirit of the first Beatitude know that they have been in error and need love and truth. However, in this fourth Beatitude we are hungering and thirsting to make righteousness real in our life. We long to become righteous; we want to live in righteous surroundings. To be poor in spirit means to beg humbly for God's guidance, love, truth, and a righteous life; it is but a beginning point which leads to repentance. To hunger and thirst after righteousness means a total engagement of our inner being in a desperate quest to live in the right way. How shall we be satisfied?

When Jesus meets a Samaritan woman at a well, she offers Jesus fresh water to quench his physical thirst. Then Jesus offers her living water: "Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst; the water that I shall give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life" (John 4:14). Jesus calls us from our broken cisterns to the living fountain, that we may never more thirst. He offers to slake both thirst and hunger:

I am the living bread which came down from heaven.... he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me.... he who eats this bread will live for ever. (John 6:51, 54-58).

Jesus possesses the essential elements which can eternally satisfy our inner void if only we are ready to receive them. Those who recognize their inner hunger and thirst can receive Jesus' invitation to eat and drink.

On the eve of his death, Jesus encourages the disciples to eat his flesh and drink his blood, symbolized by the bread and wine (Matt. 26:26-28). This sacrament is a mysterious ceremony, even to this day. We take communion in order to become one body with Jesus, to receive the total merit of this son of God, and to be able to stand in his light, washed in his image-so that we too may be accounted righteous.

RYS Serves Refugees in Croatia

by John Gehring-NYC

Zagreb, Croatia: On April 7-17, in a region torn by bitter and often violent racial and religious strife, fifty staff and participants from twenty-two nations joined a Religious Youth Service (RYS) in an effort to serve families of refugees and displaced persons. Croatia became the seventeenth nation to host an RYS project, this latest project was the forty-third since its inauguration in 1985.

The RYS has proven to be an effective way to model religious cooperation by extracting a commitment from youth of all faiths and cultures to give unconditional service to those in need. RYS has visibly demonstrated its model of building, "World peace through religious service", and in so doing is a great force for goodness and transformation.

The prolonged conflict, ethnic cleansing and eruptive instability that resulted after the breakup of the former Yugoslavia has resulted in nine percent of the people in Croatia becoming either refugees or displaced people. This situation has placed heavy burdens on both the national government and on international relief organizations that are serving the population.

While being aware of this region's political instability and its potential for violence, RYS participants arrived in the Croatia capital of Zagreb at a time when the nation was on the brink of a renewal of the war. The participants came with the hopes that they would rather take the responsibility to offer what they could rather then wait at home and lament.

Personal Reflections on the Croatia Project

Participants who flew into the airport at Zagreb were quickly exposed to the effects of the regions on-going conflict as fleets of United Nations trucks stood lined up and waiting for their release to depart. These goodwill deliveries were often delayed, while drivers patiently wait for favorable negotiations, negotiations that would increase the likelihood of a safe delivery of critically needed supplies to Sarajevo and other conflict zones.

Waiting to be picked up at the rather small but clean international airport, I traced back the chain of events that led to the RYS going to Croatia. This particular RYS emerged largely out of the efforts of RYS alumni who got to know of the war through the eyes of one of its victims, Mirta Spear and the support she received from a key advisor, Dr. Vera Mehta.

Accustomed to wars images of pain and suffering being flashed into our living room through the passive medium of television many of us harbor an unfulfilled desire to do something for its innocent victims. The images and faces of war, all have their stories; yet for the stories to move us to action they need to be grounded in a reality to which we can relate. Summer, 1994 during the RYS project in Turkey we learned first hand the story of one of the war's victims, a fellow participant and friend, Mirta Spear.

Mirta's story was shared during the closing days of our work together in Turkey. She lost her home, her livelihood, suffered physically and saw many close to her die or become damaged by the wanton violence of exploding mines. Many of the participants decided that RYS should respond to the needs of those refugees in Croatia and soon after began to make concrete plans on how to make a successful RYS project.

Part of the key to the chain of events that led to the reality of a RYS in Croatia is the personal initiative and responsibility taken by people who had a vision of what could be done and their ability to cooperate and compromise with other like-minded people. This spirit of strong cooperation existed between the International Relief and Friendship Foundation, (IRFF) and the Inter-Religious Federation for World Peace (IRFWP) and the RYS alumni of Northern London University.

The people in these organizations were able to solicit and secure the support and cooperation of key officials in the government of Croatia and active leaders in United Nations relief efforts.

The IRFF had in the past five years laid a foundation for the work of the Croatia RYS project through the efforts of its chapters in Austria and Italy. Mr. Eckhart Riehl of Austria and Mr. Massimo Trombin of Italy had over the years been bringing goods to Croatia and earned the respect of those receiving aid and key officials. When the RYS requested to work with refugees in Croatia the IRFF already had been active in supplying a refugee camp in the city of Varazdin with fish powder and other material goods. The IRFF had also been serving a local hospital in Varazdin which received over the years nearly a $ 1,000,000 in equipment and supplies.

From England, IRFWP representative, Mr. Marshall D'Souza and Rev. B. Ananda Mangala, a Buddhist monk and student union vice president shared responsibilities with the highly motivated RYS alumni from North London University creating a RYS Croatia project planning team. These students and recent graduates raised funds, goods, and interest for the project through a series of fundraising activities. Their efforts were rewarded by the Vice Chancellor of the university whose good office donated one thousand pounds and also lent the RYS a university owned, seventeen passenger bus to drive to the project.

RYS Education Program

How do you prepare young idealistic people to enter the lives of refugees who have gone through experiences with evils that are often beyond imagination? The human dimension of the refugees situation and possible responses was an educational element added to this RYS program. Because of this factor, RYS invited a wide variety of speakers who were deeply involved with working with displaced people and refugees, including staff from the camp in which we would do service.

Guests from several Non-government organizations (NGO's) shared the realistic situation of both refugees and volunteer workers. Possible ways to build a relationship between those we were to work with was discussed in lectures and in teams while pointers of things to avoid were also outlined.

Also as part of the two and a half day orientation, UN representatives shared what their role has been in Croatia with a special focus on the efforts they have been making with displaced persons and refugees. From these presentations also came much practical advice concerning some of the typical situations that we could expect to encounter at the camp.

A key figure in the government of Croatia, Dr. Adalbert Rebic, Minister of Refugees and Displaced Person's gave us the view of the government of Croatia on the contemporary situation for refugees in the country. National television and radio covered this and other later developments of our stay in Croatia on the evening news. Dr. Rebic's participation was especially valuable for as a Roman Catholic priest he could take part in the public IRFWP forum in Zagreb and share personal and religious perspectives.

As part of the participants introduction to religious issues they were invited to take part in an IRFWP panel presentation at a Jewish community center in Zagreb. During this meeting representatives of several faiths shared what they felt was the best aspect which their faith offered to creating a peaceful world.

Religious awareness was also enhanced through the daily morning prayer and meditation services given by participants of each faith. An education session on the issue: " What is my spiritual motivation for service", provided an opportunity for participants to reflect on their inner motives for giving service.

Education programs were enriched by the active role that the advisors played. Seasoned veterans of many international programs, their character and experience was able to create a wide range of programs capable of enriching participants in multiple ways. Dr. Vera Mehta, who has worked with the UN in Sarajevo, helped organize programs that dealt with the refugees. Dr. Sherry Hartman-Burr of the University of Southern Mississippi, led four sessions which were focused on leadership training while Dr. Frank Kaufmann, IRFWP Director, moderated the IRFWP panels in Zagreb and later in Varazdin and Dr. Darrol Bryant, IRFWP Secretary-General led the RYS in a `Pilgrimage of Life" during the programs closing days.

As part of the schedule, participants were given a short time during the orientation to sightsee in Zagreb where they toured cultural and religious places of interest.

Reflections on Working at the Varazdin Camp

After the Orientation concluded on April 10, the RYS traveled one hour through the spring green countryside to reach the strikingly historic city of Varazdin. Housing at Varazdin was donated by a school who offered us its clean, bright and newly refurbished facility. The school, which serves learning disabled children was far better kept than most schools in the United States. This was where we were to stay for the upcoming week's work while the children were on Easter vacation.

After unpacking, we left the school by bus in order to attend a welcoming program at the camp which we were to work. This camp of 750 was just one of many in the city. Our bus on entering the camp was spotted and tracked by anxious children, racing on foot or on bicycle, following and leading the bus at what seemed to be dangerously close distance, all out of exploding curiosity and youthful interest in being part of what was about to happen.

To enter the auditorium we needed to pass through a thickly smoke filled hall that was filled mostly with men who had become too familiar with waiting. Our eyes would meet the faces of the men whose enthusiasm was a distant memory and whose hopes were often shrunk to receiving an extra portion of cigarettes. Yet, we could sense that we were a relief to them, representing a newness to what had become the stale routine of a monotony called, daily existence.

The auditorium filled with men and women of all ages but few men were present who were the age that makes for good soldiers. The little children dressed simply and were embraced warmly by the momma's, older children, spirited, with a more than average streak of independence, noisily waited. The program began with the normal fair of speakers from the camp joined by speakers from the RYS.

The atmosphere in the auditorium changed when RYS representatives were asked to stand. Twenty-two nations were called one by one. As words such as India, Nigeria, Mongolia, Kenya, France, Malta ..... came out of the speaker's mouth it became more and more clear to those in the auditorium that many corner's of the world were sending their young people to be with them. For the young, there was a new intensity in the excitement while the older people could more deeply feel that they were not yet forgotten.

Entertainment happily followed the speeches. RYS participants contributed various acts, but the highlight performance came with the team of Cathy from Austria and Bil from Mongolia. They performed an up tempo dance drama in three acts that had everyone clapping. The Croatia entertainment came from an incredible professional dance troupe that, in thirty minutes, conveyed a sense of the richness of the history and culture of the area as well as its involvement with the contemporary. The musicians played Elvis Presley, as well as they did traditional courting songs. A good time was surely had by all.

The following damp, chilly morning participants were divided into four work teams and began the physical labor for which we had been preparing. One team scrapped, plastered and painted the halls and inside apartments of a large building. Each apartment had one very large room that was used to house three or four families. A second team worked along side, painting these apartments, but also fixed the public laundry rooms and toilets. A third team painted rooms that were to be used as a children's nursery and repaired toilet fixtures while the fourth team scrapped and painted the large dining room where camp residents took their common meals.

The work in the Varazdin camp with its population largely composed of Bosnian Muslim's provided an opportunity for us to transcend daily routines and enter into a realm of profound sharing. Each of us has a personal memory of the faces and the stories of the children with fathers and brothers on the front, the widows and grieving mother's, the infants. The silent sullen atmosphere prevalent in the camp when we arrived.

As newcomers, we could sense the weight of despair which was often left unspoken. The reality of war: destroyed homes, shattered communities, divided families, bitter questions. The unsettling realization that there is no home to go back to nor a vision of the future for which to strive. We all asked ourselves the question, " What could we possibly do to help? "

RYS is an experience full of images. Often this image is drawn from the mouth of the innocent. In Croatia, one story is of an older women who has been waiting for three years to be reunited with her husband and two son's on the front. She befriended us and took some in as if they were her own children. She shared with us some simple words describing reality more profoundly then the pen of great philosophers. " While you from the RYS are here I can for the first time, forget about the war."

This temporary respite that the RYS offered was similar to the respite that the country was receiving for soon after we left Croatia, Zagreb was struck by a rocket attack and fighting was once again raging.

Closing Days

On finishing our work portion of the project the RYS concludes with a more reflected time. The organizers discovered a fishing resort area called Trakoscan which was in many ways an idyllic location for our closing days. On approaching the hotel participants were greeted to the sight of a large castle on a wooded hill and a lively stream that cut through both the fields and the woods.

During the free time given for reflection if one ventured on foot into the woods they could notice the swaying of the multicolor patches of fresh flowers while being serenaded by various melodies given by a wide variety of singing birds. Nature seemed to reflect a happiness over the fresh breath of Spring and the fact that it was a most holy and special Easter.

Programming during the closing days is less frequent and more informal, it is designed to give participants a chance to focus on reviewing some of the things they had learned during this project, plan what they wished to do on returning home and make written commitments.

One of the highlights of this period was a long walk made by all the participants through the countryside. Under the guidance of Dr. Darrol Bryant we paused at various stations and were given spiritual themes to reflect on. This "Pilgrimage of Life" helped participants to examine their lives and sharpen their vertical commitment to become the kind of person they hope to become.

Our closing dinner was a time to award graduation certificates to participants and staff and a handful of officials who had played an important role in making the RYS feel so welcomed in Croatia. The atmosphere of extended family filed the air. Soon after we need to say our good-byes yet their was an air of unreality when we said our farewells because for many of us it seemed more like the `till we meet again' you say to a favorite cousin.

Some have said that the RYS is like a prayer answered. Our prayers today are that the spirit this project brings, a spirit of reconciliation and forgiveness, can take root in the hearts and minds of the people. We hope that by planting the RYS model into the soil of this land the many good people that live there can choose it as a guide rather then repeat the failed habits of the past. It is becoming ever clearer that world peace can only come into fullness when the religions of the world commit themselves to the service of others.

Those who have worked on an RYS project have tasted the beauty of selfless service. They are also keenly aware of the power and potential for goodness that religious cooperation holds out to the world. RYS models the mindset and behavior that are required for true peace to become a living reality. Those that take part in this experiment are truly pioneering the way to a hopeful future.