Change in Swaziland through Mind Lecture

The journey in Southern Africa has begun with the mind lecture in Swaziland. Swaziland, a country known as the African Switzerland with beautiful scenary.

Swaziland has a population of 1.2 million; area of 17,364 km2 , which is slighter bigger than Korea’s Gangwon province; with 70% of the working population in agriculture; and also in wholesale and retail, and light industry. Swaziland is different from the typical poor image of Africa with high standard of living and level of consciousness. Also, it is safer than other African nations for foreigners to go outside in the evening.

At 11am on the 9th of September(Wed), Pastor Ock Soo Park visited Swaziland. This visit was realized via invitation of the Swaziland government to present the youths with mind lectures and cultural performances as well as to introduce the IYF to youth related government personnel.

The party that arrived had a quick meal and carried out the mind lecture to 500 students at the Police College situated in Matsapha.

Having heard about the invitation of the mind lecture from the government, national broadcast Swazi TV came to interview Pastor Ock Soo Park at the Police College. Through the interview, Pastor Ock Soo Park explained how he was able to found the IYF, communicated that the many students of the world can learn to have a strong and healthy mind through the mind lecture, and expressed his hope for many strong-minded youths to emerge in Swaziland through the mind lecture.

The students were a bit stiff from police training when they attended the event but they cheered as they saw the first program of the Righteous Stars’ dance. The stiffness was gone soon and they were enjoying.

The following stage of the Gracias Choir captivated the hearts of the 500 Police College students. The continuous stages of Gracias Choir’s soprano solo, tenor solo, violin solo, piano solo, and trio of Park Jin Young, Choi Hae Mi, Woo Tae Jik, Lee Ra Mi, Park Su Bin were enough to move the hearts of the attending students. Some raised their thumbs up in the air between the performances to express that they were the best and cheered.

Especially, the last performance sung in Swaziland’s local language, Siyabonga Jesu, made everyone happy and amazed at how the choir could sing in their language. They enjoyed as they sang along and some stood up to move along to the rhythm.

Afterwards, the main speaker of the mind lecture, Pastor Ock Soo Park, stood on the podium. Through the story of the volunteer John Choi who was stung by a scorpion, Pastor Ock Soo Park explained how the volunteer John Choi overcame the poison of the scorpion through the strength in God’s words and how anything impossible can be fulfilled by being connected to God’s heart.

“Everyone, try giving marks to your lives. As you give precise marks, you will realize what a lacking person you are. Everyone, dispose of the belief in yourself and accept the words in the bible. There will emerge people that will shine brightly on Swaziland. I hope for you a blessed life, nation and family by listening to the words of God, and that you become precious people of God,” he said.

“I think it will be difficult to go back to normal life after watching the performance today. The lecture was also very moving. The lecture guided the trainees to big hope, progression, and a path to learning faith in God. I look forward to how the youths led by the IYF through spiritual life will change in the future. Also, this lecture was of great help to becoming great future policemen. Thank you. (Commandant of the Police College / Mr. Vmasuku)

“The mind lecture was very inspiring. The contents of the lecture was very touching and fundamental to all beings. Especially, we were able to understand the difference in just doing action and putting our hearts into it. Also, we learned how to use our hearts as it is more important to enjoy what you’re doing instead of simply trying hard. We learned there is more harvest when we put our hearts into something.” (Simon Sacolo/Police College Trainee)

In the evening, the lecturer was changed and Pastor Yeong Kook Park lectured while Pastor Ock Soo Park carried out a mind lecture at a different location, the Correctional Services College. 300 students attended the lecture here.

The Correctional Services College also responded enthusiastically to the Gracias Choir’s performance. They were engrossed in each and every song performed and answered with applause and shouts of encore. Most of the students raised up both their hands to express that the music very good. Moreover, there were bright smiles blossoming like flowers in the participants’ faces.

Afterwards, Pastor Ock Soo Park preached through the words of Isaiah chapter 53 that we have all sinned and gone astray but all our sins have been cleansed by the grace of Jesus. Moreover, he emphasized through the scriptures in Hebrews chapter 9 verses 11 that there has been eternal redemption and our sins have been completely forgiven.

God is working in Swaziland. David was nothing more than a shepherd but once his heart became one with God, He made him King of Israel and fulfilled wondrous works through him than with any other king. Likewise, although Swaziland is a small country in Southern Africa, when workers connected to God’s heart rise up, we look forward to them to change the nation and to become stars that shine upon Africa.