#11

11. Light brightens families – Home visits

Until meeting and having these positive relationships with many people like these, there were lots of tribulations, and also many joyful and beautiful stories as well.  Usually, with teaching class, individual consultation and healing, etc., it was just so hectic and busy that even if I had ten bodies, it would have been insufficient. 
On Saturdays and Sundays, I visited the members’ homes one after another, had lunch and dinner, and trained and lectured on principles.  With the members’ families, nearby relatives, friends, and neighbors, everyone gathered and it was a day for Chunjikiun celebration. 
Since I had become a master, it was a period of time where I felt the most joy.  Nowadays, this kind of culture and tradition does not exist.  Only at this one time, this kind of culture formed.  Members wanted to invite me before other members did.  If I cannot go, they became disappointed and sad.  Therefore, in one day I had to go to two homes, one for lunch and another for dinner.  There were times when the car broke down and I could not go.  Then the police would be called and many times I would go with the police car.
At this time, I was able to see that in everyone’s true nature, it is filled full of transcending love.  Everyone did it together with one mind/heart and one purpose.  Race, culture, religion, ideology, philosophy, nationality, etc., were all transcended;  and there formed a closely knit bonding, like a family.         

#10

10. People who kindled the fire – Three families’ torchlight

For the official center to be opened like this was due to three people who were like the torchlight.  No matter who says anything, that first person is Byum Woon Lee and his wife.  Because, with their far reaching great force, they invited us and allowed us to use the small space in his office; therefore we were able to begin.  Both the businessman and his wife were truly generous and warm-hearted people.  Despite our immature ways, I cannot forget how they looked after us without saying anything.  Seventeen years later, thinking about it now, I am ashamed and regretful of so many immature ways we acted.  Never will I forget; and I give my gratitude.
Secondly, is Han Gu Ryu, acting Jiwonjangnim, and his wife.  He enrolled as the first training member, and in order to find a new space, he searched and under his name he drew up a contract.  To trust a stranger to do all that, must not have been an easy thing to do.  Additionally, he found and finalized the contract for one bedroom with living room in a senior apartment for me to live in, and he provided a bed, bedding, and a few housewares.  He provided a temporary place for me to live in; and to see if there was anything that was inconvenient, he visited frequently and cared for me. It was a convenient place for me, without having a car.   
When due to overworking I became ill., when I collapsed he took me over to his home, and for three days and nights, his wife warmly cared for me, which is also something that I cannot forget.
Lastly, there is Won Yong Park, general affairs manager, and his wife.  He thoroughly attended to all the great and small matters personally, listened to the members’ many suggestions, consulted with me, and then preceded with the adjustments. There must have been many troubling incidents that arose, but he took care of the matters without any difficulty; and for everyone to get along with each other, as an intermediary he played such a remarkably harmonious role.  Also, when the center training was finished, he always came to the restaurant together with me and bought me dinner, then drove me to my apartment.  After coming from work, even though he must have been very tired, without showing any discontent, he looked after us happily speaking of joyful stories.  Without having a car, lacking spare time and money, I was unable to eat on time, and often missed meals and my health suffered.  For these reasons, his generosity is something that I cannot forget.  He was like a kind and generous uncle from a hometown.
In addition, there is one more person named Bong Joon Kim, the businessman who was in the clothing business.  The business was successful, but it was at a time where it was experiencing difficulties.  Even in the midst of that difficulty, he offered a car.  It was a Buick, as I remember.  It was an old used car that would not start easily and often stopped while I was driving it which caused me some troubling dilemmas.  Still, with the help of this car, I was able to do many things.  Also, I would like to give my gratitude to him.
In addition to them, many members, in large and small ways, took the initiative and gave an example to others, and assisted.  Because they all helped joyfully, Dahnhak exists in America now; and I do not forget that fact.       

#9

9. Playing with fire – Vigorously  burning flame

Now, in order to officially open and to establish with a new meaning of Gae-Chun, grand opening of the new Philadelphia center was set for October 3rd on Gae-Chun Day.  It had been exactly four months since coming to America.  Ilchi Lee, who was in South Korea, was again invited.  Now, as a student, with establishing Dahn centers as an official organization, I had invited him.  I was attending Catholic and Christian churches, and became familiar with the Christian religion.   And so, at the opening ceremony, a priest came and gave his blessing.  The honorary headmaster (Ji Won Jang Nim) was a priest in his former occupation and his wife was also a nun.  For some reason, he had reverted from a clergyman to just a devotee, and became a businessman who was married and was head of a family.  As devout Catholics, both persons must have so very much loved each other.  Maybe, because of that, many things became to be associated in that way.  One day, the honorary headmaster and I went to the Catholic church, but that day was a special day.  After holding the service for a good while, one middle aged American woman was said to have received special grace and a gift from God, and she came to have the ability to chant and read other people.  Just as she passed by, she would give readings for people, and for me she said that I was in depression.  Even I think that it was depression, for it was such a difficult period of time.  Because I didn’t have much money, I was not able to give much but gave about ten dollars for contribution.  When going through struggling with so much hardship, I wished I could have returned back to South Korea.  However, after going through it, it was truly rewarding and joyful.  With the invitation of Ilchi Lee and two masters were chosen and came.  Both persons cases were such that they were from America(Yong Soo Moon) and from Canada(Hyun Mook Choi) who immigrated with their families and then went to South Korea to train, and became masters.  However, since they returned to South Korea before adjusting to immigrating, it was a situation where their English was yet not fluent.  In this case, they were neither Korean nor American, but are in a place where they have half aspects of both sides.  It is a unique situation that occurs only in those generations that immigrate.  They have come to be in an unclear and indistinct state where they are neither completely used to the Korean or American culture.  Although, thinking about it now, they quietly and steadily, indeed, did very well.  It is because everyone worked with a sense of having a mission, and tightly came together and worked well.  Even though we were separated by distance, once in a while I would go to Los Angeles to give special lectures and also managed, and took care of the center.  It was not possible to go often, but through phone calls and letters, we stayed in contact.  Now, with two places on the east coast, Philadelphia, and one place on the west coast, Los Aneles, and on the complete opposite sides, three places had been created.

#8

8. Burning firewood   – Settling period (Part 2)

In the beginning, the membership fee was $200.  It was because I didn’t have any money. The members suggested that the membership fee was too expensive. I asked for their understanding. And, when it became over 100 members, I promised to lower the fee to $100 and to return the remaining amount.  After about six months, over 100 members gathered.  And that promise was kept.  Even though I returned the money, no one accepted it back.  They simply wanted that amount to be used in paying for the next month’s membership fee, or to introduce other people.  Also, as funds for the center’s expansion, they made donations.  I felt truly grateful.  Like this, members increased, and people from long distances of two to three hours came.  Again, the space was limited, and members who came from far away felt a lot of inconvenience.  So, I searched and found another Tae Kwon Do training place and decided to use it as a timeshare.  In addition, masters were to come and go alternating back and forth.  Now, in Philadelphia two centers were opened. From Los Angeles, there were endless requests for more space. While the center location was being searched for, a contact came that there was a space available next to a restaurant, and I decided to draw up a contract.  Now, it was a situation where there was a shortage of masters.  I made a request in South Korea for masters to be sent, and I waited.