God Bless Zambia!
16th of March, 8:30 in the morning.
From early morning we moved to where the government of Zambia was organizing the breaking ground ceremony for the new youth center. There were concerns due to the rainy weather, but God knowing about the humid and hot weather of Zambia placed clouds in the sky so that the ceremony could be held in the cool weather.



Last year 2015, Minister of Youth (Hon. Vincent Mwale) attended the Korea World Camp and largely opened his heart to Pastor Park. Also having been greatly inspired by IYF he decided to build a IYF center in Zambia and he moved the heart of the president for today’s event to be held.



After the signing of MOU yesterday with the government of Zambia, today at the site of the new youth center the breaking ground ceremony was organized with many journalists, ministers, deputy ministers and over one thousand spectators. The government of Zambia donated a land of 1,917,000 square feet of land in Chilanga which is located twenty minutes away from the capital Lusaka. The ceremony was organized by the government and it was carried out with the presence of the president.
10:00 AM, after Mr. President Edgar Lungu arrived at the site of the youth center he had a brief meeting with Pastor Ocksoo Park. Then immediately moved to the site of the ceremony. The arrival of Pastor Park and Mr. President begun the ceremony which was accompanied by many reporters, politicians as well as a crowd over a thousand people.




The Gracias Choir was invited to the ceremony and they sang the Zambian National Anthem and also were given special time to perform. The national anthem sung by Jinyoung Park, Hyemi Choi and Julio of the Gracias Choir was heard everywhere and the audience sang along from the refrain and partook in the joy.


After the welcoming message of the deputy minister of the government, Pastor Park stood on the podium. Pastor Park started speaking about Clara whom he met during the South American World Camp. Just like how Clara was able to telephone her father and connect her with her father having received change in her mind through the ‘mind lecture’, likewise he spoke about how our hearts connected with not the physical father but the heavenly father.
‘You have sinned, but you are clean. You have sinned, but you are holy. You have sinned, but you are righteous.’


“God is telling me who has sinned that I am righteous. If you tell me, it is so then I will accept it. That is how my life changed. I saw the hearts of many people change through this word. Here we are going to build a youth center. We will make sure the youth don’t fall into sin. And we will preach the love of Jesus. We will ensure that the youth escape from fears and concerns and sleep with joy and wake up the next morning with hope. We will renew Zambia. I thank Mr. President, the Minister of Youth and various politicians who have helped to make this possible.”

Finally, Pastor Ocksoo Park shouted ‘God Bless Zambia!’
The president of Zambia listened attentively to Pastor’s message and said that they will help with anything they can’



Afterwards, the minister of youth and the president said “Here we will build a youth center and gym facilities. Various activities including the ‘mind lecture’ will be happening here. The youth will learn the Bible and grow up learning how to fear God. The future of Zambia is truly bright. I truly thank you and God bless you.”






The President of Zambia, the Minister of Youth along with Pastor Park took up a pickax to shovel the ground as a symbol of the start of construction. And in front of the tablet which was established at the site they spoke to one another. After they have returned from the site the president presented Pastor with a gift and Pastor Park also presented his presents to the president.



Approximately 3 hours of breaking ground ceremony was over.
Truthfully, there was many difficulties in ensuring the participation of the president in this breaking ground ceremony.
Even the day before the ceremony the president was carrying out works in the suburbs, and the government also claimed that the presence of the president may not be possible. Also, there was heavy rain which started the day before the ceremony so the preparation team was very nervous too.
However, the evening before the event the head of the department of youth called to say that the President has moved to Lusaka to attend the event. Moreover, on the day of the ceremony the rain stopped and the cool and breezy weather added to the beauty of the ceremony.
Not only that, but a meeting with the president which was considered impossible due to timing issues was accomplished through the deputy minister of youth, and as Pastor Park and the president stood to dance the joy of the ceremony was spread to many spectators present at the site.
Many youths of Zambia are learning little by little how to have one heart with God. Through this breaking ground ceremony the national Christian Broadcasting Station stated that they will broadcast sermons of the Good News Mission, and also requested to have all the lectures of the World Camp. In this manner new path ways with God is currently being opened in Zambia.
Although it is a land full of grass and trees, through this center many young workers will be established and trained to brighten Zambia, Africa and the rest of the world.
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