Il Shim Ring Ceremony in Prague, Czech Republic

Participants read out their pledge in front of True Parents and the congregation - Thirteen-year-old Anna Slezaková signs her pledge

A rguably the most important aspect of second generation education is understanding, valuing and maintain ones purity. The Il Shim program (sometimes referred to as ‘the Purity Ring’) is a structured course designed to help teenaged relationship to God and the value of purity, and ownership during the Completed Testament Age. We were very pleased to see an increase in Sunday service attendance, with many HARP members traveling regularly to Prague from other parts of the second generation (HARP members) take initiative country just to participate. To conclude and evaluate and assume responsibility for their personal life of their educational experience, participants were given faith. This year our Czech HARP committee a final exam that would determine whether or not coordinated the Il Shim program for the second time, they could complete the course. welcoming twelve new applicants aged 13 to 15 Lastly, perhaps the most transformational aspect of years old on to the course, all of whom successfully the program, for both the teenagers and their completed it! parents, was the confession. No matter how many or As part of the course participants were required to how few challenges we have faced, confessing our fulfil three main aspects: a spiritual condition, study wrong doings is always difficult. Consequently, we and a confession. were very proud of each of the participants for For many of the participants the Il Shim course gave making the right conditions and having the courage them the opportunity to experience doing their first and humility to conduct confessions with their personal spiritual condition as all of them were parents. required to take the time to choose the condition It is important to mention that whilst the course is they felt would be most valuable, commit themselves completed by the teenager, parental involvement is a to a set amount of time and report their condition to strong component and consequently the program their central figure; amongst others, participants can also be seen as a condition for both parents and reported reading conditions, prayer conditions as children to build a stronger relationship. Ultimately, well as fasting conditions. we believe that HARP should serve as a support for Educational lectures were held at the Czech both the children and parents as opposed to simply Headquarters in Prague every Sunday for five weeks, replacing the educational role of the parent. In terms covering topics such as: how to become a true of whether they decide to stay in the movement or son/daughter of God, God’s expectations and the not, for most second generation understanding fulfilment of your own potential, building a Principle is secondary to having a meaningful and

trusting relationship with their parents. We were purity ring from their parents. Tears of joy, nervous therefore happy to receive feedback from parents laughter, warm embraces, and a lot of clapping all that they were grateful HARP could coordinate the contributed to the incredibly high spiritual time and space for them to address topics that can atmosphere! We hope that this occasion can be a often be difficult for parents and children to talk springboard for our youth to spiritually mature, not about. only taking more responsibility for their own life of All the investment of both the participants and their faith, but also having the confidence to support one parents was best illustrated in the culminating event, another and help others in realising our True Parents the Il Shim ring ceremony. Following a moving vision of families centred on absolute love. sermon and in front of a packed audience, each of Congratulations to you all! the participants signed a pledge and received their