ⓒ 2004 WATV

Greeting autumn the season of fruit-bearing, the Church of God Daejeon Association members extended a helping hand of the love for neighbors and life. On October 10, they held The 11th Earth Environment Protection Movement, Campaign to Save the Gap River' in obedience to the commandment of God, Love your neighbor as yourself.

About a thousand of Church members, citizens and some men of society attended this event to put their love for environment into practice and cleaned up around the Gap River. They aroused the attention and interest in the environmental protection in Daejeon city.

The Gap River calmly flew across Daejeon city under the autumn sky which was clean and blue. The event started at about 10:30 a.m. with the opening address of Woo Seop Lee, the pastor of Daejeon Association. The weather was clear and the cool wind was blowing. After his opening address, the invited guests spoke the words of encouragement and the congratulatory messages. The participants had a chance to think about the importance of the environment again through the speech of Sahng Do Park, a professor of political science in Daedeok University.

ⓒ 2004 WATV

They began to collect the rubbish after shouting the environmental protection oath and the slogan, Lets love Gap river, lets love our neighbors. There were 3 parts -the south door of EXPO, the way to Daedeok bridge and the way to Dunsan bridge. They collected all the rubbish and dirt walking for about 1km in these three regions.

On the other hand, two rubber boats (IBS) were operated on the water by marines of Daejeon for cleaning under the water. The youths belonging to IVAS (International Voluntary Service Association of University Students of the Church of God) had a street campaign and an environmental protection signature-seeking campaign. All the citizens, who signed their names, pledged themselves to become advanced citizens who take the lead in the environmental protection; they were given an environmental shopping bag each.

ⓒ 2004 WATV

The members collected the rubbish, keeping smiling. They acted diligently to find the cause of the environmental pollution. It's very fun to clean the field with mom, dad and granddad, little children and elementary school pupils said and picked even small rubbish on the ground carefully with their small hands.

There were various kinds of rubbish-broken scoops, old tires, milk bottles, boards, rusty iron boxes, empty bottles, scrap irons, cans, some pieces of wood, cigarette butts, smelly garbage, old blankets covered with earth, wet boxes, broken chairs and so on. Quite a few gunny sacks were needed for the rubbish collected by the volunteers.

ⓒ 2004 WATV

The event finished at about 1 p.m. All the members gathered together, saying, God bless you~, with bright smiles on their faces. They shared the harmony of family and the love of neighbor, having lunch together.

All the men of society who'd watched this event praised the members of Church of God. Lawyer Yeong Gyu Lee, who used to be a public prosecutor in the Public Prosecutor's Office in Seoul, commented favorably on their works, saying that he had an opportunity to think about Church of God again. Professor Sahng Do Park emphasized that the Church of God is playing an important role in a matter of the environmental restoration and protection, inciting some proverbs such as that this event is like 20 ants support 80 ants.

A citizen who attended this environmental event showed her hope that the Church of God holds more various services, saying, The Church of God members look like angels. I thank them for working hard for our region.

ⓒ 2004 WATV

We give thanks to God who has allowed us to deliver the true love of God by doing a good thing, said Pastor Woo Seop Lee. We hope that more people join us to spread the love of God through such a voluntary work, so that this world will be brighter."

The environmental pollution is threatening the lives of people, especially in the 21st century. Protecting environment is to protect mankind and save them from disasters. It is a kind of practice of love of God.

The Church of God has been taken the lead in loving neighbors as the light and salt of the world, following the will of God. This reporter hope that the Church members' method of loving life in the 21st century will make this world better.