[Thailand] Mind Speech Contest at Thai University

After the 2016 Thailand World Camp held at the Thammasat University, a new event was held under last week under the theme IYF Mind Speech Contest. From February 8th to 11th, there was a Mind Speech Contest at each university for the students that had attended the World Camp.

On the 8th at Rajamangala University of Technology Isan, on the 9th at Thammasat University, on the 10th at University of Phayao and Burapha University, on the 11th at Chulalongkorn University, Kasetsart University, Silpakorn University, and Chiang Mai University. The preliminaries were held at these 8 universities and the finals were held on the 13th at Kasetart University. A total of 80 students participated and 32 students gathered again in the finals and shared a story they had never told anyone before.

Good News Corps alumni from each university came together to rent venues in the universities and contacted each student that participated in the World Camp as they prepared the contest. It wasn’t easy to contact over 4,000 students but we could see the heart of the Good News Corps alumni towards the gospel. It was not an easy task to carry out registration in a short period of time after the camp ended. There were many students who said they couldn’t come for various reasons but, God allowed students to send their manuscript one by one.

On the day of the contest, we could see the IYF students go beforehand to prepare the event and receive registration.

Many students gathered to receive the World Camp participation certificate and watched the contest. The IYF students were the hosts, showed the audience last January’s World Camp highlights video and promotional video, shared their experiences as a Good News Corps Volunteer, and finally, the contest began.

The students not only shared their touching and best moments while participating in the World Camp but each and every person also shared what was in their hearts. Many students that came together and friends who came to cheer them said that these were stories they hadn’t heard of before.

At this Word Camp, the students reflected upon themselves through the lectures of Pastor Ock Soo Park and Sister Hye Jin Moon and had the time to share their hearts. One student even attempted suicide and had no hope until attending the World Camp where hope entered the heart while listening to the lectures. A student living as an orphan after losing one’s parents, a student living with new parents, a student who had closed one’s heart towards one’s parents, etc. many students spoke about their family troubles while some even had trouble with friends and lovers, leading them to consider suicide. But they met with the IYF, listened to the lectures, and became happy and filled with hope.

Five minutes was a short time to express everything in their hearts but many students wished to go for the Good News Corps Overseas Volunteer Program and applied for it. The students spoke their hearts little by little through this contest and had a moment to reflect upon their selves.

A total of 8 students were awarded in the finals on the 13th. The airplane ticket for attending this upcoming 2016 Korea World Camp was given to the 1st place, a mini ipad to the 2nd place, and a Samsung Galaxy S5 phone to the 3rd place. The remaining 5 honorary speakers were given Pastor Ock Soo Park’s book Who are you that is dragging me?, IYF t-shirt, and cash of about 30,000 won.

After the contest ended, the students from a distant province stayed a day or two more at the IYF Bangkok Center and had the time for counselling and fellowship. Amongst them, a female student from University of Phayao who received a prize shared her story of how she attempted suicide. She said she had once been student representative, had many friends and a lover but went through much pain as she became outcast and abandoned. While having fellowship with Missionary Hak Cheol Kim, she received salvation.

We were happy to see that many students were able to share the story in their hearts and open their heart through the first Mind Speech Contest and, we look forward to the second contest.

1st Prize Acceptance Comment

I didn’t know I would receive a prize. I’m so happy to have had such opportunity. I’m still lacking in many ways but the IYF taught me a lot and I still have a lot of things I need to learn and have missed in the IYF but I want to learn more as I go to Korea.

3rd Prize Acceptance Comment When I received a prize, I was surprised and happy. I can’t even speak well. When I first prepared for it, I thought I would have time leftover but I felt so sad when the finishing sign was held up because there were still many more things I wanted to say but I had to reduce it. I thought I wouldn’t be able to receive it. The cellphone I have received is very expensive and I could never afford one on my own. I had really wanted it from before and I thank the IYF. But what I’m most thankful of is that I was able to open my heart and share it. Thank you.