On the 31st of March, the Donghae Branch of Shincheonji Volunteer Group held the '9th Visiting Health Doctor' event with members of the Donghae Branch of the Korea Association of Disabled Veterans.

The 'Visiting Health Doctor' programme, which marks its 9th year this year, provides free medical services to foreign workers, who are often caught in the medical blind spot, the elderly living alone, and the underprivileged. This particular programme was conducted in conjunction with the 'Five Senses Tour' project, which serves to remove the societal barriers between people with disabilities and people without and establishes a support structure for increased communication, understanding and the overcoming of physical and mental barriers.

The service was provided for soldiers and policemen with disabilities, injured in conflict or while performing official duties.

During the 'five senses tour' prepared on that day, an experience for healing was held in the Maengbang-Samcheok area where cherry blossoms and rapeseed flowers were in full bloom, and at the gateball ground in Geundeok-myeon, Shincheonji sports experts taught basic badminton posture, mini-soccer penalty kicks, and conducted special sports coaching such as Tuho throwing.

A member of the Korea Disabled Veterans Association who participated in the event was handed a cup of water by a young volunteer and, recalling the past, said, “I had a tough youth. When I was young, I had nothing to eat, so I lived on kkukjuk (a food made to fill my stomach using a small amount of grain and the most common ingredients), but even kkukjuk was rare, so I volunteered for the army at a young age to lighten the burden on my parents. After being enlisted into the army, I ended up going to Vietnam. The war ended and I was discharged, but it was as if the pins and bullets of war were stuck in my heart. There wasn't one day I felt at ease because of the haunting sounds of bullets and shelling and memories of my comrades dying in agony. I didn't tell my family for fear of them worrying, and as a result, I distanced myself from others, felt alienated, and subsequently suffered from depression.”

He said, “Among the benefits provided by the Disabled Veterans Association, there is psychological counselling; but even if you get counselling, it's only a temporary solution and you end up going back to how you were. But today was different. At first, I came out with the mindset that this would be like any other volunteer organisation, yet I found it so beneficial being able to openly talk about what was in my heart after seeing the volunteers’ bright and friendly expressions.”

Finally, holding the young volunteer's hand tightly, he said, “I don't know how long it's been since I laughed and ran like I have done today. What's most important in life is being healthy and happy. As if I were back in school after so many years, I enjoyed seeing pretty flowers and doing sports activities.”

He added, “I am grateful to the members of Shincheonji Volunteer Group who prepared this event,” and, “I hope there will be another opportunity to participate in the future.”

Shincheonji Volunteer Group Donghae Branch said, “We will continue to regularly carry out - and not just as a one-off - various services that gives weight to each other's value so that we can all coexist regardless of our congenital, acquired, physical or emotional disabilities and to address societal prejudices. Particularly in the Republic of Korea, which is still scarred by the War, we are preparing a variety of events for men of national merit, whose needs are not being fulfilled by the present system.”