On July 10, about 80 members cleaned up the Independence Park under the shadow of clouds. Recently, the Park Management Office suffered difficulty due to the reduction of the personnel. Hearing of their being short-handed, the members volunteered to help them. Cleaning up the historic site full of the spirit of the patriotic martyrs, they renewed their minds as the spiritual independence fighters.

ⓒ 2005 WATV

The Independence Park was formed to pay a tribute to the strong spirit of patriots who raised armies against Japanese colonialization, led the March 1 Independence Movement, and died in prison. Many people visited this park to renew the meaning of independence and to inscribe the importance of the nation. In this park is the Seodaemun Prison which was notorious for brutal torture and other atrocities committed by the Japanese aggressors. So the park is crowded with tourists all the day. 1,300,000 people for a year, 3,600 people for a day, visit the park. Especially, on weekends, holidays and around the month of August when the National Liberation Day is laid, this place is more crowded and rubbish are here and there.

Until the last year 11 staffs managed the park. But now only 5 staffs take care of the park of 30,000 pyong, that the help of volunteers is needed. At 9:30 a.m. the volunteers gathered in yellow shirts with a bright smile. The Pastor Cho Gil-lae encouraged the volunteers, saying, "Let's clean up this historic site, that the tourists feel good and the glory of God is also revealed. This place is full of the spirit of patriotic martyrs. I hope that we all renew our spiritual patriotism and strengthen our will for spiritual independence." The Manager Kim Yong-ju expressed his gratitude, saying, "Even though today is a holiday, you've come to clean up the park. We are very thankful for your positive voluntary activities. Your service will be a great help to us."

ⓒ 2005 WATV

The volunteers began to clean the park, holding broom sticks, trash envelopes, hoes, and nippers provided by the office. They picked up all the trash and dirt in the park, cleaned up the promenade and uprooted the weeds in the garden. An old woman, who was visiting the park with her family, repeatedly commended them, saying, "What a wonderful job!" A woman, who was selling coffee and soft drinks, offered a cup of iced coffee to a volunteer who was pulling up weeds diligently, and smiled brightly, saying, "If more people volunteer to clean up like you, this park will be absolutely clean." And a citizen gave a shopping bag full of ice cream to a volunteer without saying any word.

Though the volunteers were soaked with perspiration, they smiled all the time and thanked God for giving them an opportunity to give delight to tourists and to reveal God's glory. They said that this cleanup was meaningful for them to renew the spirit of the spiritual independence fighters.

The dirts, every kind of trash and weeds which were picked by the volunteers were piled on the rubbish spot in front of the office and it formed a little hill. The Staff Cho Seung-gyu thanked the volunteers, saying, "We were so short-handed that we could not dare to pull up the weeds. Thanks to your devotional work, this park become very clean.

ⓒ 2005 WATV

Owing to the patriotic ancestors who did not lose the hope for independence amidst terrible torture and persecution of the oppressors, we enjoy the current glory now. Keeping this in our minds, we spiritual independence fighters must run towards the independence of the truth in any trials and hardships.