Starting November 16th-December 11th at the Indoor Stadium of Daegu Athletics Center, there will be blood plasma donation drive. 4,000 Shincheonji members plan to participate with 2/3 of its members donating for the 3rd time.
Shincheonji Church of Jesus was called to action as the search for an effective COVID treatment continues. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) requested the church for their participation in plasma donation stating, “It is necessary to quickly develop plasma treatment through group plasma donation, in the current absence of an effective treatment in the midst of the continuous occurrence of COVID-19 at home and abroad.”
Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony will be participating in a large-scale group plasma donation drive for the third time starting on November 16th for three weeks with about 4,000 congregation members expected to join.
In the past, the church had already conducted two group plasma donation drives in the month of July and September for the sole purpose of developing COVID treatment. The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters expressed their gratitude to the 4,000 who will be participating in the upcoming blood plasma drive starting on the 16th of November. The third blood plasma donation drive will be held at the Indoor Stadium of Daegu Athletics Center. Traveling expenses for such a large group will be self-funded by the volunteers themselves in an effort to relieve the burden on taxpayers.
A member of Shincheonji Church of Jesus said, “I was glad and grateful to hear on the news (CG Green Cross) that the plasma treatment is being used at the point-of-care situation. It’s the most valuable thing we can do (as people who have recovered from COVID).” He added, “Through our experience of participating in plasma donation, all the members of our congregation have realized that the power to overcome COVID-19 is tolerance, love, and unity. We will put in our utmost effort so that South Korea can overcome COVID-19 through plasma treatment.”
The efforts of the Shincheonji Church are recognized even in international countries such as the United States. Over 50 mayors and 20 state representatives from the United States and Canada have commended the work of Shincheonji by writing thank you letters to the congregation for their plasma donations and volunteerism. During times where the medical community is finally able to advance in finding a treatment, resources are truly needed. These blood plasma donations will prove useful not just to one country but to millions around the world who have been affected by the coronavirus, something that many leaders realize.
In light of the month of thanksgiving, international Shincheonji members continue in the spirit of volunteerism by serving their respective communities, such as working together with organizations like the Red Cross to host blood donation drives, as well as helping to bring a new start to families by offering free professional photoshoots to those who have lost many photographs to wildfires. Prior to November, Shincheonji members have actively participated in other volunteer work, such as helping to gather coffee and pillows, offering online tutoring services to children of various ages, and making encouraging posters for firefighters who risked their lives to extinguish the fires that devastated many homes.
From large blood plasma donation drives to making colorful posters, the impact of such work is significant. An international member of Shincheonji, regarding their volunteer work, comments, “This year may have started in not such a great way but what matters more than how we start is how we will finish. I am glad to be given the opportunity to serve and do good for my community, and I hope it will not end here but will continue to the next year. Hopefully, this will encourage many others to participate in similar volunteer work. This kind of work can unite people’s hearts; I think that’s what we need at this time.”
