Summary of the Third Pioneer Training Program in the USA

“We are not going this path for ourselves alone, but for the great cause God would have us accomplish,” said our Leader at the opening session of the third pioneer training program. The first phase of the program marked a new direction of the national movement as it concluded with a dramatic selection of center directors as new bus team leaders.

The one hundred participants, old and new pioneers, center directors, and IW’s were prepared though an intensive week of lectures by our Leader and Young Whi Kim.

The schedule was rigorous. At 7:30 every day from December 10 to 15, everybody moved en masse to All Souls Unitarian Church, our home for a week. Lectures began after breakfast and were held throughout the day until 10:30 PM when the church closed. Primary lecturer was President Kim, who covered the Divine Principle until the midst of restoration history. There was opportunity for three group Photo date and location unknown discussions: on helping people grow, on defining problems, and on solving problems. David Kim was moderator throughout the session, providing inspiration and stimulating contributions of entertainment.

Only Leader spoke on Saturday morning, Sunday morning, Monday and Wednesday morning, and Friday night. Love, the significance of the pioneer mission, and the purpose of sacrifice were the major themes of his talks. Examples (from notes):

“Which is first? Love or life? Man was born out of love. You must live and die in love. If you pour yourself out to a person, that person will be yours. Who has given out everything? God. If people really know that God is like that, they cannot but love Him”. (Saturday)

“I am here to save America under God’s Will. I know in what way the US must go to be saved. All members of the Unification Church and the people of the United States must unite.” (Wednesday)

‘”I am here to drive you out to fight — to fight with you and through you. Not for my sake, but for you and your nation. After having accomplished, you can say: ‘What a wonderful person I am! I am a victor!… If you do things before you are ordered, you will have opened the way. Of your own accord, you can go without the course of indemnity. If you understand, you want to face the difficulty before you are told to do it.” (Friday)

After Friday’s speech, our Leader asked the couples to rise and selected seven of the men — Phillip [Burley], Edwin [Ang], Jack [Korthuis], John [Jon Schuart], Farley [Jones], George [Edwards], and Hugh [Spurgin] to come forward as bus team leaders. Through the now familiar gridiron diagram, a number was assigned to each leader. Confusion reigned for a while as old and new pioneers were mixed and men and women separated.

Our Leader then quickly matched men and women into seven teams. Each team sent a member to the grid diagram on the board at the top they placed their names and at the bottom were the numbers of the mobile units. By tracing over the lines, our Leader matched each team to a number and therefore to a leader. Those desiring to go to states voiced their preferences and were assigned. With most major decisions made, our Leader adjourned to Upshur, where leaders for the major centers were chosen. On Saturday, he, Mother, their party, and Miss [Young Oon] Kim went to San Francisco {Miss Kim will to Korea from San Francisco for a visit.) On the 27th, the seven units formed in Washington dispersed.

(From New Age Frontiers)