True Parents’ Message and News English Version No. 24

天一國 4年 天曆04 MAY 2016 ARTICLE ONE

The Substantial True Mother of Heaven, Earth and Humankind

By Umberto Angelucci

s a newly appointed regional president, in the Middle East, the task seemed quite arduous. This is a region that is creating hell for the whole world. How are we to bring peace in such a region? Our True Mother has frequently explained to us that the time has come for Aus to solve substantially the problems of the world, to actually analyze our region’s sit- uation and make substantial plans to solve problems and bring peace. We, as experienced members, have spent many years making spiritual conditions for the “kingdom to come.” In fact, the mission of our True Father was to make the provi- dential and spiritual declarations and conditions to lay the foundation to build the king- dom of heaven on earth. But now we are living in a new era. Now is the time when we, as the believers, must substantially build the kingdom of heaven on earth, Cheon Il Guk. According to Exposition of the Divine Principle (ten-hour lecture version) “During the period when the providence of restoration is to be completed after the Second Coming of Christ, the people of faith are to bear the third responsibility to defeat Satan and complete the providence of restoration.” This is the time we refer to as the women’s era or the time of our True Mother. As a mother, her mis- sion is to bring to fruition the mission that our True Father had pioneered and together with us build that kingdom. When we started our mission in the Middle East, True Mother was very supportive. She had a special meeting to discuss our region and sent us a directive. She was concerned about the war in Syria. She discovered that families were leaving in droves because the educational system had been destroyed and there was no hope of a good educa- tion for their children. That was one of the main reasons they were leaving in such large numbers for the West. The parents knew that in Europe their children would receive a good education, which they had no hope of receiving if they stayed in their own country. Hence, True Mother gave us the direction to start a school for the Syrian refugee children in Lebanon. We followed her direction and created a preparatory school to equip refugee children, who have been out of the school system for years, to enter Lebanese schools. We are also supporting the ones that have enrolled to receive the expenses they need to continue. To start our own school is not easy but at least we are helping many of the distressed children to prepare to return and others that do not have the resources needed to take advantage of schooling offered by the Lebanese government. Also WFWP is in the process of creating a library in the local school to improve the education the chil- dren are receiving. We are doing what we can within our capacity. True Mother also encouraged us to conduct more service projects in the Middle East. We have proposed three under the title of Middle East Peace Initiative Service Projects. Again, she encouraged us to identify problems and try to make a program that can solve them. In addition, she mentioned that the blessed couples in the West (Europe and America) should help to support these projects. We have just finished a project in Jordan titled, “Dreams Can Come True,” again, working with refugees, to create and perform dramas that have themes involving moral lessons. We know that refugee camps are breeding grounds where fanatics recruit new soldiers. The dire situation of the camps had led some children to corruption and an im- moral lifestyle. There are many people there that encourage this unethical way of life. We created a team of universi- ty students that mentored high school children to create and present these Moral Dramas. They traveled to twelve refugee camps in Jordan to present these dramas to the children in the camps. This was a big success and profoundly affected the lives of those involved as well as those that observed the lessons. Making effort to change the minds of these young people is not an easy task, but now they have hope that there is an end to their desperate dilemma. We need to do more of these kinds of programs to help these talented young people make their Dreams Come True. True Mother deeply cares about the children of the world and needs our cooperation to create the kingdom. We have high ideals, and though it is not easy, Heavenly Parent and True Parents are depending on us. Let’s not make them wait any longer for us to take responsibility to defeat Satan and establish Cheon Il Guk.

Rev. Angelucci is the FFWPU president of our Middle East region. True Parents’ Message and News

www.ipeacetv.com 天一國 4年 (天曆) 4月 May 2016 CONTENTS

04 07 12

ARTICLE ONE TRUE PARENTS’ MESSAGES Asia / Philippines 02 The Substantial True Mother 04 Salvation through the 24 Our Course To 430 Couples of Heaven, Earth and Holy Marriage blessing Humankind Europe / Albania 07 The Way toward 28 You Have Great Value! A W-Carp Project Freedom and Peace TESTIMONY 14 Bolstering Thai Families Austria 10 True Mother’s through the Blessing 32 Meetings of the Austrian

Benediction Prayer Committee for Transition over Holy Items 16 How I Joined the Unification Church Middle East 34 Investing in 18 Witnessing in SPECIAL GRACE Our Most Precious Alignment with Central 12 Providential Resource, Blessed Children Figures Background to and Purpose of Bestowing North America the Holy Items 38 Divine Principle in the REGIONAL NEWS Language of Love Africa 22 For the Sake of the Nation The Development of CULTURE Character Education in 42 Music, Art and Culture in a Nigeria Heavenly World TRUE PARENTS’ MESSAGES 1

Salvation through the Holy Marriage Blessing

riginally, if Adam and never had there been a time when order to remove the false love and Eve had reached the God’s love, life and lineage tied original sin sown by false parents, perfection stage in the together. True Parents must create a new Garden of Eden, they foundation of love. O Reversing the original failure would have received the marriage Adam and Eve lost their founda- blessing. Due to the Fall, however, Adam and Eve, who were the ances- tion to establish absolute faith, abso- the marriage blessing centered on tors of all human beings, fell due to lute love and absolute obedience to God was not realized. Therefore, false and immature love. Based on God when they entered into a false God had to work through four self-centered love, the archangel marriage. As a result, they turned thousand years of history to raise the intervened in their relationship and their lineage upside down, lost their Israelites, to whom he had sent the caused the Fall. As a result, God was realm of ownership, and their family Messiah. He intended to give the in exile and Adam and Eve ban- came to ruin. Thus, the restoration of marriage blessing at the time of ished. By introducing a love connec- lineage is necessary. Adam and Eve Jesus, but again the marriage bless- tion that God did not permit, hu- as true parents should have passed ing went unrealized. As a result, the mankind came to bear original sin. their pure love down eternally providence of the blessing had to Removing this original sin is the through their lineage. However, begin anew at the advent of the third enormous responsibility of human Adam and Eve married without Adam, upon his laying a successful beings. Because all human beings establishing a pure lineage, so we foundation in the nation and world. were born from false parentage, have to restore the absolute lineage, The marriage blessing of the third unless a love connection emerges the realm of absolute ownership, and Adam was a historic event. From the that is from true parentage, this an absolutely pure heart through the creation of the world until then, original sin cannot be removed. In blessing.

4 True Peace I know clearly about God and the families should not think of the without heeding God’s command- spirit world. I also know how im- marriage blessing as an ordinary ment. Thus young people today, who portant God’s nation and lineage are. marriage of a man and woman. You are descendants of those ancestors, The purpose of the Unification should know how serious it is to do not listen to anyone. Such is the Church marriage blessing is to receive the blessing. time we are living in. The Fall in the restore that lineage. Due to the garden of Eden is the origin of free wrongful marriage of the false Heaven’s ultimate hope sex. What was sown there is bearing parents, the world fell into ruin. Yet The ideal of True Parents existed fruit today throughout the world. in the name of True Parents, it is before the creation of the world. Young men and women fall in the possible to return to God’s original Before God created humankind, he very same way as they did in the nation by creating the realm of had the concept of True Parents at garden. The value of human beings lineage and connecting it to God. For the center of creation. In order to has declined to below the value of this reason, establishing a blessed complete the ideal of True Parents, animals. In order to get physical family is a truly remarkable thing. all things in heaven and on earth satisfaction, people act like animals. With the blessing, I have given you came into being. All people became thoroughly the ticket to enter heaven. Centered on true love, everything degraded through the Fall, which should unite into one. Unity cannot blocks them from returning to God. God’s original plan happen in isolation. In order for two However, God is alive and he feels Once Adam and Eve had attained things to become one, the relation- sadness when he looks at humanity. perfection, God would have blessed ship has to be level. When children This is why he sent the Messiah to them in marriage and he would have become adolescents, boys look for the world. God will create a united become one with the bodies of Adam girls and girls look for boys, and they world by establishing the order of and Eve. Their becoming one in true come to unite with one another on love in the family, the nation, the love would have allowed God to have the same plane. Thus, they will meet world and God through the Messiah an embodiment on earth, to have an in the center. In that center, God will on earth, who demonstrates the object partner, and to form a family. come down through the straight example of good character. The This can begin only when the love of vertical line of the tradition of love. Unification Church is accomplishing the invisible Heavenly Father and the Therefore, the center of love at the what no one else could do. As re-cre- visible Heavenly Father become one. wedding ceremony is God. The ation is being realized, the world is That connection was to have been invisible God, who is the root of love, becoming one and Satan’s evil world made through Adam and Eve’s first resides at the center of Adam and is giving way to the heavenly world. love on their wedding night. Center- Eve’s wedding, and heaven and The reason the Unification Church ing on love, heaven and earth, man earth unite as one. Their wedding has to give the worldwide marriage and woman, God’s life and human ceremony means that the Heavenly blessing is to help couples prepare life, God’s lineage and human lin- Parent and the earthly parents have for central missions when the age of eage are united. Because Adam and united as one, centering on love. The the family comes. People from more Eve would have represented the place where God can reside is the than a hundred nations can go invisible God in the flesh through place where man and woman be- through the blessing ceremony. their lives, God’s presence in the come one. God, the internal charac- These people are our brothers and human world would have manifest- ter and form, enters into Adam and sisters. I see them as our siblings. I do ed substantially in the child, hus- Eve, who represent the external not see them as foreigners. By giving band and wife, and parents. Through character and form, and these two the blessing to everyone, we will Adam’s family, God wanted to have worlds become one centered on love. have representative families world- his lineage realized in our families. wide. When all families follow True The love, life, lineage and conscience Toward the age of the family Parents, the parent–child relation- of the invisible God should have The goal of the Unification Church is ship will form, which means families been one with the love, life, lineage to establish the right order of love that accomplish the four-position and conscience of the visible God in and to unify the world. What is the foundation and have a reciprocal humanity. This unity is realized most difficult thing in terms of base with True Parents will come to through marriage. unification? Unification can be be. Therefore, they can inherit every- Originally, the blessing enables the achieved by force to some degree. thing from the victorious True Par- father and mother to bequeath their However, force cannot settle the ents. Then, to pass all this on, you love to their sons and daughters, as world of love, which is based on need to go back to your family as well as the love of a couple, of chil- internal character. Love cannot be tribal messiahs. dren, of a family, of a nation and of taken by force, nor sold for money or The marriage blessing in the the world. The holy marriage blessing knowledge. Love can be exchanged Unification Church has established a of unfallen Adam and Eve would only for something true. Therefore, new family culture transcending have meant that God became the both men and women search for true race, nation, culture and tradition. vertical Parent and bequeathed the love and when they move, it should Within the realm of the heavenly ownership of everything in the only be to pursue true love. nation, all countries are included in cosmos to his children. That is the In the garden of Eden, Adam, Eve “one world under God.” The Fall led significance of the blessing. Blessed and the archangel started a family to the gap between mind and body,

May 2016 5 True Parents pronounce the Invocation of the Blessing at the 10.14 True Parents’ Cosmic Blessing Ceremony on October 14, 2009.

the gap between husband and wife, perspective of the world? What can educated people about it. I have lived and the gap between parents and fundamentally resolve the problem for the sake of others and created a children. It was within the family of nations competing to satisfy their worldwide foundation. I have raised that a Fall took place. That means that own interests? young people in each nation to live Adam’s family fell. Everything was Each one of us must find the unselfishly for the sake of others. Not lost through the Fall of that one answer in Heaven’s law, and by only that, I have also conducted family. For this reason, we have to means of a fundamental awareness international marriage blessing find one perfect family. of God, who is our origin and root. ceremonies in order to establish ideal The unity of the world as a global The nature of God’s true love is to families of true love that are interna- family is essential for heavenly give but want to give more, to give tional, interracial and interreligious. fortune to come. Astonishing devel- and forget what he gave, and to love This work changes the history of opments in science and technology his object partner more than himself. human culture. Centered on true bind humanity together through a God’s love is the only answer. We can love, we have brought down national revolution of information, communi- get answers when we realize that all barriers and have gone beyond racial cation and transportation. Thus, human beings are brothers and barriers to overcome hatred. We have international cooperation is needed sisters under one set of True Parents. fought to give birth to ideal families and a shared commitment is neces- When all human beings form one that live for the sake of one another. sary in order to protect the Earth’s family under God and True Parents, As a result, we are forming a new fragile environment. Yet what can live for the sake of one another and world culture. bring the power to change people’s are united, all problems can be re- tendency toward selfishness and solved. Throughout my life, I have This edited excerpt is from Cham Bumo their attachment to a self-centered practiced the way of true love and Gyeong, Book 4, Chapter 1, pgs. 309–313.

6 True Peace TRUE PARENTS’ MESSAGES 2

The Way toward Freedom and Peace

True Mother gave this speech to gathering of heavenly tribal messiahs from Thailand on May 8 at Cheon Jeong Gung.

ll of you know the Divine them to become the true parents and dence of salvation, God selected a Principle. You probably true ancestors of all human beings, group of people within the fallen understand the meaning of but they failed to fulfill their respon- world and called them the chosen A the word “indemnity” as sibilities. The Fall saddened God. people. Then, as he cultivated them used in the Principle. A person has to However, because God has the blue- and waited for them to establish a pay indemnity in order to correct a print of the ideal creation, he could national foundation, he told them he wrong. In the history of the Family not simply discard everything. Thus, would send to them the Messiah. Federation in Thailand, Thai authori- the providence of salvation com- Just as he had promised, God sent ties persecuted Dr. Lek Thaveeterm- menced. Regardless of how omni- Jesus Christ as the Messiah. Even sakul. How long was the prison term scient and omnipotent the Almighty though the Messiah possessed great of the eight Thai leaders? Twenty-one is, from you, conditions for Satan to capabilities, in order for him to estab- months, and the trial lasted twen- accuse must not arise. lish a nation, a central figure and a ty-one years. They truly paid a huge people were required. That is why amount of indemnity. Therefore, The loss of Jesus God raised the Israelites to receive his Satan could no longer hinder God’s Because God’s intention through the only begotten son, Jesus Christ. Then work in relation to the Principle. Creation was for human beings to Judaism…the high priest, Zechariah’s God created heaven and earth in perfect themselves and achieve family, Mary (who gave birth to the the beginning and had a dream of oneness with him, an individual only begotten son) and the Jews had the future through humankind. God among fallen people who can shoul- to act as a fence for Jesus and become desired Adam and Eve to grow and der his or her own portion of respon- one with Jesus. Because they could receive the blessing under his realm sibility and attain perfection must not achieve that unity, Jesus had no of protection. God’s vision was for arise. Within the historical provi- place, no foundation to stand on.

May 2016 7 1 2 3

Consequently, Jesus had no choice She protected and educated well 1 Mr. Ronnachit Phutthala, who is a Thai govern- ment official and ambassador for peace, with his but to take the way of the cross. As he the only begotten daughter and of- wife receiving a gift from True Mother died, he promised he would return to fered devotion for me to take part in 2 Robert Kittel, True Parents’ special emissary to Asia hold the marriage supper of the the marriage supper of the Lamb, for 3 At right, the regional president, Rev. Yong Lamb. Fallen people desire to meet the True Parents. She also led an Chong-sik, listens as Thai national leader, Kamol True Parents. Since Jesus died on the exemplary life of serving True Parents Thananopavarn speaks cross two thousand years ago, the in front of blessed families and other 4 Thai members offer a traditional dance to True position of the only Son remained, church members. Even after she went Parents in Cheon Jeong Gung but the only begotten daughter had to the spirit world, she was able to not emerged. God could not enter the carry out her role in lieu of True Par- nation of Israel, could not use it again; ents. Hence, she was named Dae-mo the Israelites had failed to fulfill their [Great Mother]. She is an indispensable love and take care of their children, responsibilities, so God’s doing that person to all fallen people. From that and they fervently hope their chil- would have created grounds for viewpoint, all of you are fortunate. In dren will surpass them. In many Satan’s accusation. Jesus’ time, two thousand years ago, countries today, however, people are no similar environment existed. No unaware of the philosophy of filial A new chosen people fence protected all of you, but if you piety. Therefore, only those in the In light of that, Heaven had to pick look at the history of Cheongpyeong Family Federation act as responsible another nation of people to establish a today, Dae-mo nim displayed absolute children in relation to Heavenly foundation for his only begotten faith, love and obedience in the posi- Parent, the Absolute Being. That is, by daughter. Simply put, the two thou- tion of being one heart, one body, one fulfilling one’s filial duty. sand years of Christian history mindset and one in harmony with through the Korean people, the True Parents. Though she was in the Think communally Republic of Korea, has been to pre- spirit world, she prepared for True Receiving the blessing is not for your pare for the only begotten daughter, Father’s ascension in the real world, benefit alone; the desire of Heavenly for the sake of the Returning Lord. which nobody had ever imagined or Parent is to be able to embrace the 7.3 The only begotten daughter is True thought of doing. It was not something billion people of the world as his Mother, born in 1943. Can you follow that just anybody could accomplish. children. In that case, those of you that what I’m saying? The only begotten That is why she is the one today re- received the blessing earlier have to daughter had to be born on the Chris- sponsible for preserving the dignity of guide the rest of the world to partici- tian foundation because providential those carrying out church activities in pate in the blessing. In plain language, history unfolded in that direction. the world. the more happiness is shared the more Dae-mo nim was a person who it will spread. The more blessings you was born in a family in which three Approaching God give to others, the more happiness you generations consisted of an on- Yes. Heavenly Parent is the parent of will receive in return. ly-child, and she had fulfilled the all human beings. True Parents are Governor Ronnachit (who spoke to central role in a religious group that the ones who make it possible for us you earlier) I am proud of you. One’s offered immense devotion in order to to come into God’s presence. Without original mind yearns to be expressed. prepare for the returning Lord. You them, none of you is able to approach I would like to congratulate him for have to be aware of this. Two thou- God. Due to True Parents, we can being able to take the path toward the sand years ago, Mary did not fulfill stand before Almighty God, the position of a true, filial son and a true her responsibilities in the presence of Creator, as his children. loyal subject. Jesus, but Dae-mo nim fulfilled her Particularly in the Orient, filial It can be lonely by oneself. If all role in the presence of the only begot- piety toward parents (concepts such brothers and sisters go together, ten daughter to have been born in six as loving and respecting one’s par- happiness will multiply. All the thousand years. ents) is taught [pointedly]. Parents people of today’s world will feel that

8 True Peace even in college, and grows up nor- mally, he or she will eventually be somebody great, with all types of knowledge. By supplying you with the essential spiritual and physical nutrients, this place can help shape you into that type of person. In this way, you lay your foundation here.

Dae-mo nim’s spirit world efforts This is possible due to the substantial providential history of Dae-mo nim, 4 centered on True Parents. Two thou- sand years ago, Jesus lost his four-po- sition foundation due to Mary’s failure. Nevertheless, that four-posi- they should not think only of their knew nothing about his purpose for tion foundation came back alive, own well-being and prosperity or the Creation, True Parents officially owing to the foundation of the only that of their own countries. Only went to the United States in 1972 to begotten daughter to have been born when those in their neighboring awaken that nation. We went there as in six thousand years. I fulfilled my countries are all happy at the same doctors to solve the problem of family responsibility. So who am I? Satan time will those in their countries be breakups. The decadent culture in cannot invade. happy. All the world’s countries are society was destroying the United When Dae-mo nim passed on to brethren in the presence of Heavenly States. We had come as firefighters to the spirit world, the first thing she Father, the Creator, and True Parents. extinguish the blaze. Since then, True started doing was subjugating Luci- Parents kicked off providential history, fer, the archangel. Natural subjuga- True Parents’ mission which reformed and awakened the tion… You probably have not heard When the environment to welcome U.S. In his almost forty years there, that Dae-mo nim subjugated Satan the returning Lord was ready, God True Father developed the history of with true love. She awakened the utilized democracy rather than mon- the providence. Since the providential heart of the archangel, who had archy. Hence, it is not that the United history of the United States embraces assisted in the providence of creation States was doing well. Rather, the U.S. the entire world, Father was trying to together with God in the beginning. committed many mistakes. In provi- embrace the world through awaken- Overcome by unfortunate greed and dential history, however, Christianity ing the U.S., having left Korea and thus causing the Fall, Lucifer became laid the foundation that could receive Asia behind. the ringleader who brought human the only begotten daughter and the However, because True Parents beings into the satanic realm. returning Lord. For the sake of reli- have forged all the paths for human- She educated and persuaded him gious reformation, God led the Puri- kind to move forward on, True Par- in his original, unfallen archangelic tans to establish America. Religious ents have fulfilled their responsibili- position. She showed him love and freedom was proclaimed. Even in the ties. The door to receiving the talked him into coming back to his Middle Ages, the Roman Catholic blessing has now opened in Asia. You natural self with his original mind. I authority was powerful, but this later need to understand this. know this as a fact. Do you under- broke up into various denominations. stand? Many regulations existed. To awaken Work toward personal renewal This was not done by rule of the original mind within all human You are blessed people. Be grateful in thumb. You have to understand and beings, God had to cause people to front of Heaven. When you were not explain with the law of the Principle. search for the parents. As Roman yet aware, unspeakable pain arose in There will not be other True Parents’ Catholicism was too bureaucratic and providential history. However, due to ideologies. They are the highest. its leaders had little foresight, it just hard work, the door has opened for When many nations know of and flowed away like an incantation one the world. You need to understand attend True Parents, the world will is trying to memorize. that the place in the spiritual world naturally have peace. Human beings Heaven could not simply sit still and the substantial world where one are striving for freedom and a world and do nothing. Therefore, Heavenly can best experience and feel grace of peace; the answer is True Parents. Parent permitted the God-centered and blessings is Cheongpyeong. Do Do you understand? Thus, fulfill Puritan movement on the new conti- you understand? your responsibilities in your nation. nent. Before the bicentennial anniver- All of you are sad at heart. You Then expand to neighboring nations. sary of the founding of America, God need to come often if you miss True In that way, happiness will spread. bestowed his blessings in a place Parents. Only then can the level of By fulfilling your portion of the where he could embrace the entire your hearts develop. For instance, if a responsibility, Thailand will be the world. The blessings were not solely student pays close attention to his or central nation in Asia. Doesn’t it for America itself, though. Since her teachers in elementary school, sound tempting? Go right ahead and Americans did not look up to God or middle school and high school and do it.

May 2016 9 TRUE PARENTS’ MESSAGES 3

True Mother’s Benediction Prayer over Holy Items April 21, 2016 (3.15 on the heavenly calendar) Cheon Jeong Gung Prayer Hall

10 True Peace ur awe-inspiring Heavenly Parent! In order to realize your dream, you manifested the Creation and created Adam and Eve, who were to become ancestors of all human beings. The principle behind the Creation called for human beings to become one with you. If Adam and Eve had fulfilled their responsibilities and become the very first ancestors of Ohumankind by attending Heavenly Parent the world today would not be in its present circumstanc- es. However, due to the Fall, Heaven has endured a long, six-thousand-year history filled with resent- ment and grief. Yet you held on to your original ideal of Creation, so you endured, longing for the day the human ancestors would appear and liberate you. For the first time in six thousand years, in 1960, the term, “True Parents,” was manifested on earth through the only begotten son and daughter that You raised. However, even though True Parents had many miserable days owing to their having to begin from the very bottom and climb up through the eight stages (because the Christian foundation, which had been prepared for two thou- sand years could not create an environment or become a ladder) True Parents still bore many blessed children. These blessed children, who are in Satan’s realm of power, have the responsibility—centered on True Parents, with absolute faith, absolute love and absolute obedience—to multiply in a position united with their True Parents. Yet, even before fulfilling that responsibility, they have looked after themselves alone and wavered in that (satanic) environment. True Parents’ hearts break when they see their children living such a life a faith. Heavenly Parent has supported True Parents’ wish with compassionate grace once more to estab- lish a realm of God’s homeland where all human beings can become blessed children. As blessed families and true citizens of Cheon Il Guk, which You have settled anew on an established standard of faith at high noon, we will become blessed children who fulfill our missions and responsibilities. Please bless this occasion so that these blessed children may engraft as unified children who fulfill all our responsibilities in the presence of True Parents’ efforts to embrace the 7.3 billion people, which is the hope of our Heavenly Parent. To bless this day, once again, in the name of True Parents, may we be reborn through these holy items graced with Your compassion and become true children who can go to the eternal original homeland with no shadows and no trace of even the smallest satanic realm. May all the children of our unification families all over the world realize that these holy items bestow your blessed grace and may they joyfully appreciate you. May we become children who do our best to fulfill our responsibilities so that your children, the 7.3 billion people, who will remain in your proud history—can be embraced within True Parents’ bosom. In hopes that you will once again oblige us with your compassion, I bless these in the name of True Parents. Aju.

True Mother then said to the members present: This holy salt is special. When a blessed member nears the end of his or her earthly life and is about to ascend to the spirit world, the member should repent to purify any wrongdoing. This holy salt should be used in a special ritual during the Seonghwa Ceremony so that the person can ascend in the original state of Adam and Eve at the time of their creation.

May 2016 11 SPECIAL GRACE

Providential Background to and Purpose of Bestowing the Holy Items

Providential Background

A. On February 2 (1.13 by the heavenly calendar) in 2013, True Parents hosted the Cheon Il Guk Foundation Day Registration Blessing Ceremony. Through this blessing, True Parents uncondi- tionally bestowed the grace of returning to the original garden of Eden. Through True Parents’ unconditional love, blessed families could return to the era of Heavenly Parent’s direct domin- ion and take the path befitting the era of Cheon Il Guk.

B. T he True Parents of Heaven, Earth and Humankind proclaimed Vision 2020 to enable the settle- ment and firm establishment of Cheon Il Guk. Three key policies were announced for this vision, namely, “witnessing,” “creating an environment for witnessing,” and “raising future talent.” Furthermore, True Parents have been leading the providence to restore all humanity through heavenly tribal messiah activities. In particular, following True Father’s ascension, True Mother offered profound devotion for three years in a state of absolute oneness with True Fa- ther. True Mother offered this devotion on behalf of all humanity and participated in the last measure of filial devotion that True Father offered to our Heavenly Parent. Furthermore, on the foundation of these devotions, True Parents hosted the historic third anniversary of Foundation Day centering on True Parents’ holy birthday.

C. T rue Mother instructed that we celebrate the joint holy birthday of the only begotten son and only begotten daughter as well as True Parents’ Holy Wedding. These celebrations helped members reminisce on the meaning of these events. During the fifty-sixth anniversary of True Parents’ Holy Wedding (held on March 16, 2016), True Parents bestowed the Cheon Il Guk holy wine. True Mother explained that through this special holy wine, blessed families should completely purify themselves for the lives they have led since the Cheon Il Guk Coronation, resolve to improve and make a new start through the four years of hope for the victory of Vision 2020.

D. In order to forgive and embrace blessed families once more, True Parents had to bear an un- imaginable cross of love. Let us remember this special grace bestowed by True Parents through this special holy wine ceremony, repent for past mistakes, and express our gratitude by contrib- uting to Vision 2020 through victorious heavenly tribal messiah activities.

12 True Peace Purpose in bestowing this grace

1. C heon Il Guk Holy Items of the perfection level: True Parents made the very first holy items during their Holy Wedding on March 16, 1960 and bestowed them at the formation level. On June 13, 2006, True Parents presented us with holy items at the growth-level through their victorious Coronation and Entrance into Cheon Jeong Peace Palace. Finally, during the fif- ty-sixth anniversary of their Holy Wedding, True Parents bestowed Four Great Holy Items of Cheon Il Guk at the perfection level.

2. T his grace will enable us to be reborn in the original garden of Eden and enter the eternal origi- nal homeland (Bonhyangwon) in a state of ninety-degree alignment with Heaven and without any satanic traces or shadows.

3. This blessing is a special grace that will enable us to become true children.

4. M oses received the tables with the Ten Commandments, an unchanging symbol from Heaven, while praying and fasting for forty days in the wilderness on Mt. Sinai for the sake of the Israelites. Likewise, the Four Great Holy Items of Cheon Il Guk are heirlooms to be cherished by all citizens of Cheon Il Guk. They have been bestowed on us as symbols of Heavenly Parent and True Parents as well as a special grace that will retain heavenly fortune and stop all satanic intrusions.

True Mother arranging the Holy Items as she prepares to pray over them

The FFWPU International Headquarters contributed this article.

May 2016 13 TESTIMONY

Bolstering Thai Families through the Blessing This article was adapted from a Thai government official’s speech given in the presence of True Mother on May 8 at an event to honor people that had fulfilled their 430-couple blessing mission in Thailand.

By Ronnachit Phutthala

One of thirty-eight Interfaith Peace Blessing Festivals held in Kalasin Province Thailand since 2013; Opposite page: The writer speaking at Cheon Jeong Gung

14 True Peace feel deeply honored to have the peace and happiness to my people. opportunity to meet True Par- True Parents teach us about the ents here at Cheon Jeong Gung value of filial piety, love, life and Peace Palace and to be able to lineage, fidelity in marriage and the Iexpress my determination to bring true love relationship between wife peace and happiness to the one hun- and husband, parents and children. dred and forty thousand people, When we give ceaselessly, we can whom I serve as the chief provincial bring lasting peace and security as officer of Kalasin Province in north- well as sustainable economic growth eastern Thailand, with the help of and development to our communities FFWPU Thailand. and nation. In January 2013, I studied the Since the beginning of 2013, we Divine Principle and received the have organized thirty-eight Interfaith blessing as the chief district officer of Peace Blessing Festivals and blessed Khao Wong District. I came to appre- more than twenty-seven thousand becoming richer does not mean ciate the greatness of True Parents’ couples in many districts and sub-dis- becoming happier. On the contrary, teachings, their vision and the Inter- tricts of Kalasin Province in close our society has become more corrupt faith Peace Blessing Festival. These cooperation with Mrs. Sangkom and conflicts have increased. answered all my questions, which I Netsopa and her team. By the middle On the other hand, through True had had for over thirty years, and of this year, we will have reached Parents, I can now see the light of showed me the way to bring true more than seventeen thousand bless- hope. True Parents teach us that true ed couples, or forty tribes, who will happiness comes from true love, have completed the three-day cere- which begins in the family when mony and who practice the blessed parents and children practice true family traditions. love. As the family is the starting Wherever we organize blessing point of happiness and true love, the ceremonies, I can see positive changes strengthening of the family is a cru- in the lives of the government officers, cial factor in solving all kinds of their families and communities. Many problems. Though the Thai govern- couples had serious problems and ment has not shown much concern were on the brink of separation, but for this issue until now, there is great after receiving the blessing, their nega- hope now as the new constitution tive behavior changed. They now under consideration states that “the enjoy warm family relations; even government has a duty to strengthen criminal behavior and drug problems the family.” I sincerely hope that this were solved through the FFWPU will open the way for the government education programs and blessing. to implement policies and allocate From the bottom of my heart, I want budgets to programs that strengthen to express my deep gratitude to True the family in Thailand. Parents for their teachings and the I have brought fifty-eight govern- blessing, which have brought much ment officers representing forty greater benefit and happiness to the families from Kalasin Province and people of Kalasin than I ever experi- high level government officers from enced before in my work as a govern- five other provinces to participate in ment officer for over thirty-eight years. this special seminar in Cheongpyeo- In general, the Thai government ng. Meeting True Parents in person policies focus on three pillars: 1. To and recognizing their life-long sacri- ensure security and safety through fice for the sake of all humankind, law enforcement by the police, they will take True Parents’ vision through public relations and adver- back home and dedicate themselves tisements. Despite huge government to building increasingly more model spending, however, the problems communities of blessed families have steadily increased. throughout the country. 2. To improve the national infra- My wife and I have firmly resolved structure, such as electricity, water, to work with FFWPU for the one roads and the internet to bring pros- million people of Kalasin Province and perity to the people. However, fami- to nurture a model Province of peace lies and communities have become by expanding True Parents’ vision and weaker and crime and social prob- philosophy to every sub-district and lems have increased. village in Thailand. 3. To bring economic development and increase the GDP; nevertheless FFWPU-Thailand contributed this article.

May 2016 15 TESTIMONY

How I Joined the Unification Church

By Charles Mugabo Kahondah

ing portable ladders leaning on a very high wall on top of which was a smooth, paved landing, leading to a shining house. The house was about twenty meters away. As I reached the top of the wall, I found myself unable to step on this landing, because ropes bound my hands and ropes connected my legs to a very heavy object, which I was unable to see. I took a penknife from my pocket and tried to cut the ropes, but by the time I cut the last rope, the The writer with his son, June Tae Kahondah ones I had cut earlier were again holding me as they had before. The heavy object was still on the ground, securely fixed to the ropes. I y physical parents are times appallingly disappointed and took time struggling, without success, Mr. Petero Mugabo and rejected in all my marriage proposals to disconnect myself from this heavy Mrs. Prisca Rufuure in a period of six years. On December object. I sat in silence in this dream Kahuliire Mugabo. In a 5, 1983, my father died, having lived searching for a solution until an idea Mpolygamous family, my mother was well over one and a third centuries, came to me: I should pull the heavy the fourth wife. Among their nine leaving me a lonely and disappointed object up. I did so, only to find the children, I was the third born, follow- son. heavy object was my dear Margaret. ing two sisters who each died shortly Reaching the landing atop the wall, after birth. My father, who in Septem- A new life begins we were both tired; we sat watching ber 1939 was already old enough to be Exactly a month after my father’s and marveled at the shiny house. exempt from our graded poll tax due burial, while still experiencing the When we stood to walk toward the to old age, took on my mother in 1948. pain of the loss of my beloved father, house, Margaret walked quickly and I was born on June 4, 1952. They on January 8, 1984, dear Margaret disappeared into the house, while I upgraded their marriage to Christian Guderia Ndyaazhugwa Busiingye remained behind, gazing only at the matrimonial status in 1956. I grew up came into my life with a heart of building. I then awoke from my amidst difficulties and suffering but sympathy. Two and a half months dream. still grew. later, I met the Holy Spirit Association The next evening, I went to the My loving old father had wished for the Unification of World Christi- center and told the central figure, Ulf me to marry when I was still young, anity, Uganda chapter, which Marga- Ingwersen, who listened attentively so that by the time he died, he would ret and I have embraced with one and then said, simply, Margaret will leave me with his legacy of continuity. heart since March 1984. When we go to heaven ahead of you. Sincerely, I Yet, because I first had to get through finished a twenty-one day workshop, did not understand what that state- my education, it became hard. He many experiences surrounded us, ment meant at the time. I went home kept waiting in eagerness. When highlighting the many struggles we and told Margaret, who only laughed. eventually I had completed my educa- were going through. For instance, I tion at twenty-six, I tried to comply remember the dream that scared me Our course toward oneness with my father’s desires but was five most, in which I found myself climb- Life continued with our difficult

16 True Peace course as a married couple. My back- family by going through the final When Ho soon was just nine ground faith was from native Angli- concluding procedures of the blessing months old, we moved from a place can, whereas Margaret was from the on December 24–26, 1992. we were renting to our own house, Roman Catholic faith. Our embracing Part of Margaret’s rush to the where unfortunately after only six a new, uniting faith in the Unification shining house in my dream of 1984 months and thirteen days, Madame Church brought new challenges. Ritu- was physically seeing and meeting Margaret died of a stroke on the als and traditions confronted us. True Parents in Seoul. Yet, still much February 15, 1998. Her ascending to Soon, as it happened, we had our more was to come. On December 3, the spiritual world in such a hurry first child, a daughter, Patricia 1993, we met True Mother in Nairobi, reminded me much of what the Agarukire, born to us in July 1984. Kenya, on her one-hundred-and- dream communicated to me back in Our second-born was a boy, Bosco twenty nation speaking tour, the 1984. This accorded with the interpre- Aineamazima, born in August 1985. theme of which was True Parents and tation Rev. Ingwersen had given me. He lived only eleven months and died the Completed Testament Age. Mar- due to measles. At his burial, we garet and I, as blessed couple number Moving ahead confronted the experience of having one, sat in the front row, directly in One may think that hardships and embraced what our relatives called a front of True Mother in the Kenyatta suffering have continued to follow different religion. Thank God, Mrs. me, but with constant allowances, Irmigad Ingwersen had moved some through prayers in my life of faith, I four hundred and fifty kilometers am remaining focused and raise my with us all the way from Kampala children with one heart. In life, I have City to my home village in Rukungiri realized that a great part of responsi- District, and had offered to preside bility is often singular and particular over this burial memorial ceremony. in nature. Having served for nine and When my relatives and the local half years as a vice-national leader in Anglican clergy saw that we had my country, I appeal to my heart to come with members of our Unifica- see the way forward. When our tion Church and that we were deter- church was thrown out of rented mined to bury even without their centers in Mengo, a neighborhood in involvement, they softened. The joint Kampala, we had nowhere to go to burial ceremony we held smoothly. gather for fellowship. I offered my Amidst difficult challenges and home, though humble, to provisional- hardships of faith and responsibility, ly accommodate us shortly after separation became intermittent, God’s Coronation on January 13, 2001. which nonetheless brought us two When True Parents’ coronation oc- daughters, Providence Atubweine in The writer with his dear wife Margaret, who curred on February 6, 2006, our na- February 1987 and Preparation Aturi- ascended to the spiritual world in 1998 tional-level celebration also took place heihi in September 1989. With these in our home. This was humbling for challenges and hardships from inside my family. Sunday services there and outside our newfound faith, we International Conference Center. This were simple and socially warm. God continually moved on in ways that was significant in our life of faith to a was with us all the way through. mere words cannot adequately ex- degree that these words are inade- Our movement’s purchase of a plain. quate to describe. In January 1994, Peace Embassy elevated us from Heavenly Parent blessed us with a where we had been worshiping for Becoming a blessed couple blessed son, to whom the regional over sixty weeks. We could feel True On August 25, 1992, dear Margaret president, Rev. Lee, provided the Parents’ love by reflecting on their and I received the blessing in the name, June Tae Kahondah. humble beginnings and reflecting on thirty-thousand-couple Blessing True Mother’s visit to Uganda in May Ceremony. Margaret, with a few other Public outreach 1999. There is hope in vision 2020 representatives from Uganda, attend- From the time of the inauguration, in through conviction and devotional ed this ceremony in Seoul at the main 1993, of the Uganda chapter of the service. My family feels grateful for venue. Meanwhile, a few others and I Women’s Federation for World Peace, being present in life at this time when participated in Nairobi, Kenya, via dear Margaret served as the True Parents have been walking on the assumed satellite link, which vice-president. In 1995, we felt good earth, moreover at a time unique in unfortunately the government disal- when we actively brought spiritual the history of our redemption. As I lowed perhaps because of poor pack- children into the blessing, the likes of write, I am happy to have my daugh- aging of the necessary information Mrs. Betty Busiingye Byamukama of ter Ho Soon attending a second-gen- our church had provided. Neverthe- Kabale and her husband, who re- eration Top Gun program and being less, we went ahead in a Blessing ceived the blessing among the elevated with all the logistical desires Ceremony supervised by Rev. and 360,000-couple group. In November of life including the blessing. I love Mrs. Lee and Mr. Nonami. 1996, my blessed central family re- and thank True Parents, and I pray for We, Margaret and I, thereafter ceived a second blessed child, a True Mother’s good health and long officially started our glorious blessed daughter named Ho soon Kahondah. life.

May 2016 17 TESTIMONY

Cheon Il Guk members singing before one of the members begins street preaching outside Chiba Station; the writer is second from the left.

Witnessing in Alignment with Central Figures

By Lee Mi-jae

18 True Peace Iksan in North Jeolla Province as one-day workshop. Through these the sixth of eight children. I have workshops, I felt that True Parents’ three older brothers, two older teachings were the most precious of sisters and two younger sisters. My all jewels. Teachings of Christian family was poor; we crammed into churches such as “Just believe” or a small house with only two rooms. “the Lord will come to earth from During the early days of the heaven on a cloud” seemed vague Unification Church, leaders such as and unscientific. On the other Rev. Lee Jae-seok and Rev. Hwang hand, the logic of the Divine Princi- Hwan-chae (both in the thir- ple astonished and fully convinced ty-six-couple blessing group) mis- me. True Parents’ teachings have sionized in my village as regional captured my heart ever since. leaders. Back then, no church or I worked in Ilhwa’s Business church-owned building for them to Administration Department (in stay at existed in the village. Al- Jegi-dong, Seoul) until I was bless- though my parents were not mem- ed among the 6,500 couples in 1988. bers of the church, they kindly My husband is Japanese. I had offered these missionaries a place never met a Japanese before, and to stay whenever they came to our since I had learned in Korean village. Winters were very cold, so history classes that Japanese were my family gathered in one room “murderers” who killed many and kept our chickens in the other Koreans, I remember being scared room. The missionaries said, “We that horns might be sticking out of don’t mind sleeping in the room Japanese peoples’ heads. I can with the chickens. Please let us laugh at it now, but I was serious stay.” Looking back, I feel sorry for then. allowing respected leaders of our True Father said to the Korean church to stay in that room. sisters blessed in Japanese–Korean My oldest sister (thirty-thou- couples, “Go to Japan and love your sand-couple blessing group, after husband’s tribe and nation in my marriage) married while working in place.” I have lived in Japan with Seoul but she had many difficulties these words in mind. in her married life, which brought her to the Unification Church. My My view of witnessing sister strongly wished that her I do not have likes and dislikes brothers and sisters would marry among approaches to witnessing. I through our marriage blessing. take the central figure’s viewpoint In 1982, after graduating from and do my best in any given envi- high school, I started to live with ronment such as street preaching, my sister’s family in Seoul. One social witnessing through True day, she handed me Exposition of Father’s autobiography, explaining Divine Principle as she returned our teachings using a (computer- came from Korea to Japan in from work and said, “I’m exhaust- ized) tablet, etc. Since I believe December 1991. My husband ed. Could you read this for me?” oneness with the central figure and I started our family in After I had read it for about fifteen creates the foundation to connect to Tokyo. After moving to Chiba minutes, she asked me, “How is it?” God and to True Parents’ heavenly Iin 2008, I served as a leader of Since it was very different from fortune, I make every effort to families with bi-national parents in what I had learned in a Christian follow True Mother’s advice to the Chiba Family Church. In June church I attended up until I entered forgive, love and unite and be 2013, I joined the Cheon Il Guk high school, I answered, “It’s scien- grateful for any environment given Support Group to realize True tific and amazing.” My sister re- to me by whomever is in charge. Mother’s wish for us to fulfill our sponded, “I know,” in a content In the Chiba Family Church, mission as tribal messiahs. tone. which is in the South Chiba Dis- I visited the Unification Church trict, we go out on the street in front The logic was impressive with my sister and attended a of Chiba Station once every month. I was born to a farmer’s family in seven-day workshop and a twenty- Around fifteen women and young

May 2016 19 The writer and her husband Mr. Okamoto Hideyuki at the Cheon Il Guk Foundation Day Registration Blessing Ceremony, February 22, 2013

members along with Rev. Taka- testimony of her having come this my impure heart and to love the hashi Yosuke, the church leader, far because she has maintained the people of Chiba. Although I used to and Mr. Koshikawa Takayuki, the sheer desire to be a filial daughter be a bit embarrassed around peo- Missionary Department manager, to True Parents moved me. I was ple, I can now talk to strangers on participate. When I give a testimo- also surprised by how she listened the street without getting nervous. ny as one of our bi-national blessed closely to the people she met on the My heart has become so close to the couples, some people stop and street and how she communicated people of Chiba that some say they listen, others come up to ask if we with them with patience until they mistake me for their cousin or other are running an election campaign would open up their hearts to tell relative. and still others hand me a drink her their addresses, names or How would True Parents love saying, “Good job.” It is fun to telephone numbers. Moved by her this person who is standing in front receive various responses. deferential attitude of continually of me as their child? If I approach a Since 2014, we officially started making effort to return even more person with that heart, my joy will shosha witnessing [writing out joy to True Parents regardless of the reach them. I usually start with a True Parents’ teachings by hand] in results achieved, I formed a firm greeting saying, “I came to Japan front of the Chiba Station under the determination to inherit her heart. from Korea as a bride twenty-four leadership of the then regional lead- years ago. Rev. and Mrs. Sun er of Region Fourteen, Rev. Aoki Working in Chiba Myung Moon blessed me with a Hiroshi. In starting shosha witness- I pick up trash as I walk from the Japanese man because they love ing, we first visited Mrs. Maekawa church to the Chiba Station every Japan. I also learned to like Japan, Masumi of the Fukuoka Family morning after attending our 9:30 and now I love Japan!” This moves Church (in our Fukuoka District) AM departure ceremony at our people and I can praise them natu- who had achieved satisfactory church. I believe that picking up rally. results in shosha witnessing. Her trash has been a condition to clean After I have them experience

20 True Peace shosha, I show them a video on a visited the training hall three times. ny strictly points out the strange tablet and invite them to the Chiba After that, I gathered the courage Japanese phrases I use. Until meet- Shosha Hall. A year has passed to ask her, “Which church was it ing her, I used to communicate since we started shosha witnessing that you had attended before?” and with people casually without using and fifty-four people from various she answered, “The Unification honorifics or formal terms because age groups and careers have decid- Church.” I told her that I had met church members usually under- ed to take the course. my Japanese husband through the stand me even if my Japanese is a Unification Church Blessing Cere- bit strange. But this will no longer A returning guest prepared by God mony. When we both felt better by apply. I make appointments to meet my getting it out, I invited her to our There are times when I feel so guests from morning to night as church. severely stressed that I want to much as time allows. However, I When she came to the church, break off my relationships with could not build a deep relationship she willingly told me episodes, guests. Yet I gain power to love by merely conveying True Parents’ such as how she witnessed with them again by thinking of God and teachings. Therefore, I always think devotion to her spiritual child who True Parents, who strive to embrace of ways to make them happy by has now received the blessing or humanity with parental true love serving them, by cooking Korean how she ended up placing a dis- and their true hearts. Even if I find food, preparing birthday presents tance between herself and the fallen nature within guests, I feel for them, etc. church to take care of her parents. grateful that I can be liberated from In February 2014, I met Ms. A (a She started to learn True Parents’ such fallen nature through such woman in her fifties) on my way to teachings again and she was able to experiences. the airport to participate in the receive the Cheon Il Guk Scriptures Our regional leader, Rev. Nam commemoration of the first anni- by contributing a donation to the Gyeong-tak, who began working in versary of Cheon Il Guk Founda- global providence. this post in March 2015, is asking us tion Day in Cheongpyeong. Snow to shift our mentality in witnessing. fell heavily that day and Ms. A gave Wealth through witnessing He suggests that we relate to True up her seat for me when I finally Until recently, I had been too busy Mother’s wish and witness to guests managed to reach the bus station to pay attention to my personal who can contribute to establishing with a large suitcase. I thought to appearance. I think I had also the foundation to save the nation myself, “I wish I could witness to placed restraints on my husband and the world in practical ways. At such a warm hearted person,” and and two daughters in various ways first, the members were puzzled, kept her in mind. such as by not buying clothes or not knowing how to witness to such A month later, I ran into Ms. A enough food. True Mother said that people. But as our mentality and on the street by coincidence and we can become wealthy through our ways of thinking started to found out that she lived nearby. We witnessing. When I first heard this, change, guests in their twenties or exchanged greetings and enjoyed I thought, Really? However, as a thirties started to increase. Another some conversation. As we talked, I result of holding firm faith in what significant characteristic of our learned that she had lost her par- True Mother had said and making recent guests is that many of them ents and lives in solitude with no continual and desperate efforts in work in welfare-related jobs such as friends. When I told her I was witnessing, I now realize every day caregivers and nurses. Korean, she said, “I used to attend that this is true. I want to keep up my effort in the church before.” I wondered if One of my guests brings me witnessing by becoming one united she was talking about the Unifica- deliciously cooked food once every with the heart of the central figures tion Church but chose not to ask at week. Another guest gives me who represent True Parents and that moment. clothes as seasonal gifts. Now I can interact with their wishes with a Since then, I kept in contact with give a street sermon wearing nice pure heart. I will offer absolute her by cooking and delivering clothes. A church member who is a sincerity with faith in what True Korean food or by bringing back farmer brings me rice and vegeta- Parents instructed: To fulfill the souvenirs whenever I visited Korea. bles. I feel the existence of God who mission of a tribal messiah by Ms. A, who had a certain faith, one lives and works in my daily life completing the blessing of 430 day asked me to visit the training through such people around me. couples and to move forward for hall for tekazashi [healing through God also polishes my character the victory of Vision 2020. energy coming from the palms of through my guests. One of my one’s hands].” When I asked her, guests who is a corporate operating This was reprinted with permission from “Would you come to my church if I officer’s wife and a teacher of flow- FFWPU-Japan’s March 10 issue of Sekai visit yours?” she said, “Okay,” so I er arrangement and the tea ceremo- Katei (World Family).

May 2016 21 REGIONAL NEWS / AFRICA For the Sake of the Nation The Development of Character Education in Nigeria

By George M. Ogurie

t all began with True Mother’s visit come out tops in the race. She then AIDS crisis at the time. The core to Nigeria in December 1993. True gave Nigeria the goal of ten thousand message, derived from the Divine Mother was then on a forty-nation couples for the next Blessing Ceremo- Principle lecture on the Human Fall, I speaking tour proclaiming “True ny in 1995. being—“chastity before marriage and Parents and the Completed Testament After True Mother had left, under fidelity in marriage.” Age” and Abuja, Nigeria was one of the guidance of Kathy Rigney, then her stops. After a momentous speech regional director, church leaders Serving the nation to some one thousand five hundred began to brainstorm to figure out how Incidentally, apart from some token Nigerian dignitaries at the Hilton to reach the huge goal. They realized government effort, the unification Hotel, Abuja, she addressed church that by conventional witnessing movement found itself among very members at a victory celebration, alone, reaching it would be very few groups doing any form of serious charging them to bring victory at the difficult. They decided it would be AIDS awareness campaign at the next blessing that would be held in best to witness to Christian churches grassroots in the country at the time. 1995 (for 360,000 couples). She said she and bring whole congregations to the As this was seen as an important was having everyone in the world blessing. service to the nation, HIV/AIDS stand at the same starting line for a To convince the churches to accept education became a stand-alone new beginning and that she trusted the blessing, we had present it as a program on the list of unification that the Nigerian members would practical solution to the rampaging movement activities. That was a shift from AIDS campaign for blessing in churches and rural communities to a full-scale HIV/AIDS education pro- gram in secondary and tertiary insti- tutions. For its pioneering effort in this area, in 2000, the Lagos State govern- ment under the auspices of the state Ministry of Health invited the unifi- cation movement, represented by Michael Kiely, our national messiah and me, as education director, to join its action committee on AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs). This was the first such committee in the country. In 2002, the federal government was to constitute a simi- lar committee at the national level, drawing the bulk of its leadership from the Lagos Action Committee. The national committee later matured into what is now the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA). 1993: True Mother receiving flowers The unification movement’s HIV/ from blessed children in Nigeria AIDS activism in Nigeria spanned ten

22 True Peace True Mother and members of her entourage in Abuja, Nigeria with Nigerian members

years, 1995–2005. We reached hun- came from our True Mother’s visit, interests—is an important catch. dreds of thousands of students in together with Hyo Jin nim, in 2006 Another important catch is that the about a thousand schools across the during their 180-nation world tour, Unificationist character education country. Official figures showed that that year, to proclaim “God’s Ideal presentations have a lot of spiritual the HIV/AIDS prevalence rate became Family and the Kingdom of the power. They are spiritually invigorat- significantly lower in the southwest- Peaceful, Ideal World.” ing and have an interfaith appeal. The ern states of Nigeria, which enjoyed The then governor of Bayelsa State, presentations identify with traditional more intensive intervention than the Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan spon- values cherished by the various other states in Southern Nigeria. sored that event, which took place at religions and ethnic groups. This was the Nicon-Luxury Hotel, in Abuja. He also a key factor toward the success of Our national role changes and his wife with some one hundred our HIV/AIDS education. High gov- Nigeria is an amalgam of more than and twenty other dignitaries received ernment officials, school administra- two hundred ethnic groups of vari- the blessing on that occasion, officiat- tors and teachers have testified to this ous sizes struggling to stay together ed by True Mother and Hyo Jin nim. fact. Even die-hard militants who as a nation. Transition from many After the event, Governor Jonathan received the character education years of military rule to democracy invited a team of UPF character lectures have confessed that our (1984–1999) in the fourth republic, had educators led by Kathy Rigney and group was the first group that taught its side effects in that the greater Kevin Winter (of blessed memory) to them in a manner that touched their freedom of expression inherent in a his state to run a statewide character hearts, so they were always willing to democracy was wont to manifest education program in secondary listen. violently in an environment where schools, 2006–2007, under the direct Recognizing Character education people with divergent loyalties must auspices of the governor’s office. as a critical tool for social engagement struggle for access to political power, Governor Jonathan’s intention was by the unification movement is very in order to gain control of scarce to stem the tide of violent agitation important. In Nigeria our goal is that resources. Therefore, the country and militancy at the root in Bayelsa unification movement’s brand of char- experienced quite a bit of restiveness State in particular and the Niger Delta acter education ultimately becomes in the early years of the fourth repub- region in general. In 2007 he became the mainstream curriculum at all lic, all through the 2000s. vice-president of the nation and in levels of the educational system. That A critical reassessment of the 2009, following the death in office of is why the focus is now on training unification movement’s social engage- President Yar’ Adua, he became teachers to acquire the knowledge ment effort, therefore, showed the president of the Federal Republic of and skills to deliver character educa- need to move from the narrow area of Nigeria and in 2011 he was elected tion in order to have the required HIV/AIDS education to the broader substantive president. manpower for massive nationwide area of character education; in other The unification movement’s char- programs. Although teacher-training words, we upgraded HIV/AIDS acter education was appealing to programs are still at the pilot stage, education to character education, in President Jonathan not only in the interest is high among stakeholders at order to address other social malaise sense of personal character building various levels of leadership. If we ride such as drug abuse and all forms of but in the promotion of a unique on that wave of interest, we will violent crimes. sense of patriotism toward the nation. surely reach our desired destina- The idea that the individual should tion—Cheon Il Guk. Heavenly influence live for a higher purpose—especially The impetus for a concerted character in uplifting and preserving the nation Rev. Ogurie is the national leader of education program in Nigeria again rather than the pursuit of sectional FFWPU-Nigeria.

May 2016 23 REGIONAL NEWS / ASIA PHILIPPINES

Our Course To 430 Couples

1

Immediately following the last Foundation Day celebration, an event took place in the main hall of the Cheongpyeong Heaven and Earth Training Center that honored members that had blessed four hundred and thirty couples, thereby fulfilling their tribal messiah mission. This is an edited version of a speech given by a tribal messiah wife ex- plaining the efforts she and her husband had made to achieve that lofty objective. Some material has been included from a DVD they produced.

By Nellie Huard

24 True Peace 2 3

y husband Patrice and I me to do with my life, so I went to 1 The Huards giving the Invocation of the Blessing, in lieu of True Parents came to the Philippines Cheongpyeong. During a forty-day 2 Guiding a Filipino Muslim through the from France, in Europe. workshop there, my ancestors told registration process My husband is French. me, Go to the Philippines. We have 3 The Huards with (left to right) Shirley Vergara, M head of the Witnessing Department, and I am from Holland, from a family prepared everything for you. This Renely Baloaloa and Roel Ejada, who married of fifteen children. We are both is not for you to gain results but to before they were blessed. sixty-five and we have been in the heal your own heart. 4 Attending our church service with Mr. Kwon, unification family for forty-three This happened several times, so I Public Relations Dept. Head for Africa. 5 Francis and AnnaLiza Lopez, the couple that years. We received the blessing in thought that it came from my began missionizing Marikina 1978 in England among the 118-cou- ancestors, so I could trust it. My ple-blessing group. That blessing only desire is to bless people. The took place for the unity of Europe. blessing is the only way to rid Cheongpyeong at the end of Au- We have three children and six ourselves of the fallen bloodline. gust. I saw the pope praying every grandchildren. I had worked as a When I came home, I said to my day in our room. After we started pioneer in the south of France. I husband, I must go with you to do witnessing, I asked him, Will you contacted forty thousand people in a mission in the Philippines. witness to your 430 through us? He six years, but we could not bring smiled. I often saw the pope smil- people to participate in the Blessing Republic of the Philippines ing like that. Ceremony. We moved back to Paris, When my husband and I arrived in We discovered a new way of where over a four-year period, I the Philippines, I saw the late Pope witnessing. We did not present distributed seventeen thousand John Paul II (1920–2005) speaking ourselves as members of a church pamphlets, but no one responded. happily with True Father. We but as members of the Family I had finished working and I stayed in a hotel for a few days Federation for World Peace. We wanted to know what God wanted because all the members were in would visit people in the poorest

4 5

May 2016 25 A Blessing Invocation by the Huards with the assistance of a Filipino member

area around Manila. Fulfilling our the street. When my husband gave whatever difference existed in their four hundred and thirty couples a speech, I felt True Father’s pres- Christian background, they easily completely took only four months. ence. Sometimes, we were doing accepted that they had to drink the One woman came to help us. prayer blessings half bent over, holy wine, do the indemnity-stick “God and the Holy Spirit told me to because the ceiling was so low. ritual and for married couples, help you,” she said. We also worked Sometimes the unique small rooms remain separated for forty days. In with a few coordinators, like Grace people lived in had no windows. the end, 98 percent succeeded in and Rose, who helped us by gather- We did the indemnity-stick ritual doing their three-day ceremony. ing people in different houses. for seven couples in a tiny room; People in Marikina City are like sometimes a mouse would run by Personal visits children—with open hearts and or fall down from the ceiling when We visited them one by one to excitement. They receive the bless- my husband would give his speech. administer the holy wine, guide ing with a humble attitude. In the beginning, they told us them through the indemnity-stick Can you imagine people run- that in order to have a hundred ritual and start their forty-day sepa- ning in the street to give you the people finish the three-day ceremo- ration. We would visit couples a paper filled out with their name ny, we would need to contact three second time, one by one, to offer a and their picture in order to receive hundred couples. My husband said, prayer blessing over their three-day the blessing and asking for more I do not want that. I hope that 98 ceremony. For the people living in papers to give to their friends? In percent can succeed. that area, just reaching the end of an hour and a half, a hundred and In the end, we accomplished that every day at 10:00 PM or 10:30— fifty people signed up for the bless- goal. We would show a picture of Saturday and Sunday included— ing. That amazed me. True Parents and after a short required a huge amount of energy. I felt the presence of True Mother lecture of less than ten minutes, in Sometimes, a wife would need to walking in front of me every day in English, by my husband, despite awaken her husband for the sake of

26 True Peace An indemnity-stick ritual taking place in a public setting as Ing Keng Brandner (in white) and a blessed member in her tribe supervise and guide the process

the three-day ceremony. How great The residents are strongly religious. such patience and love. Thanks also the willingness of these people was The fact that only ten couples did to True Parents for their sacrifices to follow with grateful hearts. not do the forty-day separation and for having paid a huge amount We came to visit a woman before period and three-day ceremony of indemnity, through which we doing the three-day ceremony. surprised us. They understand that could be free and we could help With a sparkle in her eyes, she said, to receive heavenly fortune they free the world through our four I pray every morning and every must make effort. hundred and thirty couples. evening in front of the picture of We created a center in the mid- Thanks to the enthusiasm and True Parents. Others told us, Do not dle of our area to educate people wonderful lectures of Dr. Yong. For worry; we will do our forty-day following their three-day ceremony. the help of our ancestors and others separation. Father said that we could fulfill our in the spiritual world, for Pope Paul The power of the holy wine is 5 percent of the responsibility by II, who was with us from the begin- strong. The attitude of husbands blessing four hundred and thirty ning, we are grateful. We also feel that had not been interested in the couples as tribal messiahs. grateful toward all the leaders in beginning changed after the holy the Philippines, who received us so wine ceremony. Usually wives Dealing with collective sin well; for Francis and Anna-Liza became excited. People stopped This mission, reaching this number Lopez, the main leaders in Mariki- drinking. Couples stopped fighting of couples, involves reversing na City; and for all the coordina- and others found a job after their collective sin, because only by tors, who helped us to fulfill our three-day ceremony. working with our coordinators goal of four hundred and thirty Why were we so successful in were we able to bless the required couples. Marikina? It is the most difficult number. I personally went through place to live. Many people died a very deep cleansing of collective This text was edited for inclusion in TP- there because of devastating floods. sin. Thanks to Heavenly Parent for magazine.

May 2016 27 REGIONAL NEWS / EUROPE ALBANIA

One goal of the project was to raise awareness among young people of the suffering of others.

28 True Peace YOU HAVE GREAT VALUE! A W-CARP PROJECT

ne of our local World-CARP chapters, in Korça, the major city in southeastern Albania, organized a project called You Have Great Value. As in many other places in the O world, we were aware that in this city live some very poor families who do not have enough to eat and whose living conditions are bad. Therefore, the young members of CARP-Korça divided into three groups and discussed what our CARP members might do for them. We had already done this type of project once before, in Janu- ary. This article covers the second project, which we carried out in April. Through these projects, we have helped support six impover- ished families.

Our intentions Our purpose in carrying out these projects is two-fold. On the one hand, we want to help young people become aware of the difficult reality in which many people find themselves, thereby helping them develop empathy for others and to help inculcate in them the value of living for the sake of others. On the other hand, we want to provide substantial relief to these poor families, to alleviate some of the diffi- culty and the accompanying stress that burdens them.

Our CARP meeting In a meeting with CARP members, we spoke about historical figures who invested themselves in bettering others’ lives, and thereby changed the world. We spoke about the significant work and invest- ment of Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King, Thomas Edison and Rev. Sun Myung Moon. In a previous activity, we had presented a video of the famous movie, “The Great Dictator,” which Charlie Chaplin directed, produced and starred in. In a speech featured in the movie, Chaplin’s character, the Great Dictator, said “I should like to help everyone if possible—Jew, Gentile, black man, white. We all want to help one another” and “You are not machines…. You have the love of humanity in your hearts. You, the people, have the power…the power to create happiness.” This was an inspirational video, through which we encouraged members and guests to do things in life from which other people can benefit. Each of the teams decided to collect

May 2016 29 money, clothes and food to support poor families.

Activity to raise funds For most of the guests, this was their first experience of raising funds. Actually, we were worried about how they would react to the experi- ence, but what we saw and felt after the activity was nothing but inspira- tion and happiness. We could experi- ence how wonderful it is when we invest ourselves for others’ sake.

Visiting Poor Families Each team visited one poor family and gave them all the things the 1 3 team members had collected. These families invited us to go inside their homes. We sat together and listened to each family’s story. Their stories touched us all. Most of their situa- tions were beyond anything we had ever imagined. These experiences made us think a lot more about life.

Reflections In out next CARP meeting, we asked some members and guests to share their experiences. —I know there are many poor people in the world, but a great difference exists between knowing and seeing this with my own eyes. I was shocked. This caused me to reflect deeply. In one part of the 2 4 world, there are many material things and a lot of food, which is even being thrown away. However, on the other side of the world, people are suffering because of we can do many good things for starvation. Why is it so difficult for others that make some difference in people who are wealthy to share 1 The message on the board is the their lives but that we also gain theme of the project, You Have Great with people who are not? I am very Value! in the Albanian language. great energy and happiness. grateful that W-CARP gave me this 2 People of all ages and backgrounds Here are links of two videos we great experience. donated to help desperately poor made about this project: —Through this activity, I under- families. 3 She is helping to alleviate poverty stood that there are still many caused by low employment and low www.youtube.com/ people who need help… income levels. watch?v=Z9iG8FaZ3h4 4 Some of the staple foods Albanian  Results of the project CARP members delivered to needy www.facebook.com/FFPBB/ After the activity, our relationship families videos/1333499573333613/ 5 Delivering food and necessities to our guests became closer. We 6 Albanian CARP members posing with also more clearly understood that if members of a recipient family UN Information—Albania we put True Father’s words, “live Albania is located in southeastern for the sake of others” into practice, Europe bordering the Adriatic Sea

30 True Peace 5

6

and Ionian Sea, between Montene- Throughout the transition peri- Development Index (HDI). gro and Kosovo in the north, Mace- od Albania has been faced with a Albania represents a consider- donia in the east and Greece in the number of extremely complex able market in the region, due to south. challenges in order to establish several agreements on free trade Albanian history and culture is stable institutions guaranteeing with neighboring countries and the fascinating. Butrint, one of the democracy, the rule of law and European Union, as well as an world’s archeological wonders, a human rights as well as to operate attractive investment destination. city inhabited beginning in pre-his- a functioning market economy and Life expectancy in Albania is 77.1 toric times—now a UNESCO to cope with competition and years at birth according to the 2013 World Heritage site—in the south market forces. Human Development Report. of Albania provides a glimpse of Albania has enjoyed a high, According to the same report, 45 Mediterranean civilization from the sustained rate of economic growth percent of Albania’s population Bronze Age through the Greek, over the past several years, averag- uses the internet. Roman, Byzantine, Venetian and ing about 5–6 percent per year, Ottoman periods—all atop a cliff placing Albania into the group of W-CARP in Korça, Albania, contributed overlooking Corfu. countries with a high Human this article.

May 2016 31 REGIONAL NEWS / AUSTRIA

A sign of the times: Members come together to foster generational change in leadership in the Austrian movement Meetings of the Austrian Committee for Transition

Austria is forging ahead with its efforts to revitalize the movement and to encourage the participation of young leaders.

n March 18–20, the Austri- 2015, where we took time for the an Committee for Transi- committee to find clarification and tion (ACT) held its first direction in its mission. This weekend O Working Weekend in workshop in March was the first Gaflenz, which was a successful step initiated meeting of the ACT, to start a in working together more concretely. working process together in separate Peter Zoehrer initiated the ACT in focus groups. September 2015, as a group of four- The idea for the weekend was to teen young Unificationists (primarily allow time for the three ACT working second-generation couples), with the groups (Inreach, Outreach, Structure purpose of assisting a transition and Organization) to meet and make process in Austria to younger leader- a start on mapping out the areas that ship over the next few years. Since its need addressing and to set up a inauguration, the committee has met working process, in which others twice, at the Austrian Leaders Meet- outside of the ACT could also be ings in September and November involved.

32 True Peace As an initial step toward working the areas of Inreach in the Austrian potential to develop national projects with others beyond the ACT, the movement—namely, in the areas of such as Gaflenz and an annual Aus- working groups invited two sec- Youth and Education (Small children, trian Gathering (Österreich Treffen). ond-generation members and two HARP, CARP), Blessed Family Depart- This Working Weekend helped the first-generation members to partici- ment, and Pastors. This was the next group to feel a greater sense of unity, pate in the meeting. As it turned out, step, as it included more people in the teamwork and family spirit, and they provided valuable contributions. ACT working process. In total twen- created some momentum for the This being the first time that we met ty-four people took part. working groups to do the ground- in earnest, having smaller groups At the meeting, we spoke of sup- work. We decided amongst us that proved valuable. The smaller sizes porting the Blessed Family Depart- the next time that ACT meets as a made it easier to identify and discuss ment and regional pastors in their whole would be in the autumn and the main topics. The working groups roles, for example, by providing a that until then the working groups intend to gradually involve others and greater network of mentors and coun- would make up their own plans as far work more with others, over time. selors, and by delegating some of their as when, how often and in which Over the weekend, in addition to more menial tasks. We see it as useful form to meet. having three constructive working to bridge the gap between the interna- group sessions, we had the opportuni- tional and local level activities. This ACT Inreach Meeting ty to take part in some programs as a could be done by creating more na- The well-coordinated schedule al- whole group. These included tional level retreats and activities, as lowed working sessions to take place hoondokhae, discussions, fellowship, well as a national newsletter. within these respective areas, as well games, just taking in the fresh country as cross-over sessions, for example, air and some presentations. Among Outreach and public relations Youth and Blessed Family Department the latter, we had an opportunity to We discussed the possibility of devel- (discussing matching and blessing learn what inspired Top Gun work- oping a German version of America’s curriculums), Youth and Pastors (im- shop participants in their workshop “dp life,” which acts as an outreach provement of our youth involvement and received information about vari- web site and witnessing tool for the and increased engagement), the Bless- ous communication and self-help movement in the United States. We ed Family Department and Pastors training programs available and see as useful the idea of revitalizing (pastoral care and counseling). heard an overview of the Gaflenz our witnessing efforts through a This created a dynamic and highly center, currently Austria’s sole church national “AUTreach” witnessing interactive spirit, which allowed fruit- property. campaign and a “DP Refresh” work- ful sharing to take place throughout The main outcomes and actions shop. We also anticipate that working the whole day—including over lunch- steps from each working group were in concert with Germany and Swit- time, where the whole group went announced at the end with the whole zerland to strengthen our public together to a local Asian restaurant for of the ACT, to identify crossover relations work would be effective and a buffet lunch. For the final session of points, and to connect everyone to the would produce synergy. the day, everyone met together again bigger picture with a shared direction. and each working group shared a Structure and organization summary of its action points. Inreach Meeting, Vienna We intend to evaluate our church It was inspiring to be able to in- As a follow-up to the ACT Working finances, legal status, and organiza- volve and work with more members Weekend, on Saturday May 7, the ACT tional structure with the idea of in the ACT activities, and we hope to Inreach working group, led by Anna researching systems used by other continue this process by including the Janssen, organized a one-day meeting faith groups to find most effective abilities and passions of even more in Vienna with relevant members from solutions. We also delved into the people in the community.

Seated (from left): Peter and Gabriele Zoehrer and Heinrich Krcek, an ex-Benedictine monk blessed among our 6,000-couple group

May 2016 33 REGIONAL NEWS / MIDDLE EAST INVESTING IN OUR MOST PRECIOUS RESOURCE, BLESSED CHILDREN

A candle for prayer

34 True Peace The theme of the workshop is important for Israel and for each of our nations. Imagine a world with forgiveness, love and unity...

rom April 25 to April 28, we children had to challenge them- The next part of the schedule held a blessed children’s selves to reach the top using team- called for watching a movie togeth- workshop at the CARP center work and their mind–body unity. er. The purpose of this group activi- F in Jerusalem, Israel. The par- Liya Sasaki said, “I felt so deter- ty was to exercise the ability to ticipants ranged in age from eight to mined to climb up that when I analyze and better discern what is fourteen. Seven children fully par- reached the top I felt I could do good and what is evil. Through a ticipated in the workshop from anything. If you are determined, fruitful discussion after the movie, beginning to end. Its purpose was to you can reach any goal in life.” the children appeared to have help these blessed children discover We dedicated the afternoon hours grasped which points in the movies their identity, learn the importance to guiding the children in preparing were good to learn from and which of purity and develop a personal skits and personal lectures, which points they would be better off relationship with God and True they would present later. discarding. “There were many Parents. “Spreading the FLU—For- activities that we could learn from,” give, Love and Unite” was the work- Maintain pristine innocence Emma Mirzaeiv said, “not only shop theme. Purity and its importance was the through lectures but also through focus of the second day. After fun. We watched a movie and we Who am I? hoondokhae, we went outside for could learn how to distinguish The topic of the first day of the morning sports. The children, whom between good and evil.” Another workshop was “Identity.” The chil- we divided into teams, played child, Mirey Morita, expressed the dren reflected on the question, What games to help them learn to work sentiment, “I want to be much wiser is your identity as blessed children? together and bond. and to distinguish between good Yuval Skupinski answered, “My role After breakfast, the children and evil.” as a second-generation member is to heard three lectures, “The Fall,” restore the world…;” while Mirey “Purity and Our Responsibility,” Interacting with others Morita expressed the view, “My and “Our Life.” Through these, we The third day began with responsibility as 2nd gen member is urged the children to understand hoondokhae, followed by breakfast. to do God’s will!” how important their purity is and Afterward, the participants listened After lunch, everyone went to a how they can maintain it. Another to a lecture about how to connect to wall climbing facility, where people point we raised was how to distin- God. They learned how they might practice rock-climbing skills. The guish between good and evil. hear God; that is receive communi-

May 2016 35 1

2 3 14

cation from God, and feel God in 1 The narrative form of True Father’s autobiography is well suited for young inquisitive minds. their lives. 2 “For the lessons of life there is no better teacher than the look in the eyes of a child.” After the lecture, the children 3 A group of well balanced Unificationist children took a train downtown and partici- 4 W e would not be surprised if their youthful exuberance radiated throughout all Jerusalem. 5 The wall teaches patience, endurance and determination. It also allows some climbers to face their fears. pated in a Challenge Day activity. As part of this, we asked them to do tasks that required them to talk to and interact with people they did not know. As a reward for the teams, the participants ate ice cream togeth- er while speaking about their expe- riences. After lunch, we presented another lecture; this one covered developing and maintaining a relationship with God. Later in the day, after some addi- tional rehearsal, the children pre- sented their skits. One team per- formed a sketch on the topic of purity, and the other team did one on the conscience. Following the 5

36 True Peace skits, the staff went with the children first time, I wasn’t afraid of God, and participants gave their personal to the Jerusalem Forest. After shar- shared with him honestly about lectures. Some spoke about experi- ing a nice outdoor dinner, each of the everything.” For Yaniv Skupinski, it ences in which they reconsidered children received a prayer candle. was also a deep experience, “I felt an issue or realized something The children experienced an individ- that God was talking to me, and I important. Others described ual twenty-one-minute prayer. In had the deepest experience with phases in their lives in which they this prayer, the children later report- God.” had managed to overcome hard- ed having felt God talking to them Afterward, they all sat around a ships by using the Divine Principle and answering their questions. They fire that the staff had prepared and and by following the true way. felt his love and protection. This spoke of their experiences. One of the They then had some time to write prayer was very meaningful to them. young adult staff members, Libael their final reflections. During this “Internal change happened for me,” Ben Zvi said, “When I looked at the time, they also had private conver- Maya Sasaki said, “when we had the children I felt they are the light and sations with staff members. This special prayer. I felt I understood a hope for God. I felt so much love was a chance to express questions, much deeper aspect of God’s heart toward them, and the need to guide thoughts and feelings of a more much better; it was true and all and protect them, which reminded personal nature. The workshop through my heart.” For Miki Morita, me that God loves me in the same concluded with a graduation, in it was also something of a turning way.” which the participants received point. “After the twenty-one minute certificates and gifts. prayer,” Miki proclaimed, “I felt so What they took away liberated and closer to God. For the After hoondokhae and breakfast, the FFWPU-Israel contributed this article.

May 2016 37 REGIONAL NEWS / NORTH AMERICA

Rev. Ignace Wantete lectures Divine Principle in the French language in Colorado, a US state. Divine Principle in the Language of Love

By D. Michael Hentrich

ince the inception of the 2017. On November 8, 2014, the participants had time to concentrate French ministry in 2013, French ministry held a conference on God and on polishing their members have been actively at the Ramada Hotel based on the knowledge of the Divine Principle. S involved in the activities of Divine Principle. The turnout and Rev. Wantete is the center of the the ministry, including witnessing. teachings were impressive as seen new French-language Unification They contact different people and in the participants’ testimonies Church community in Denver Rev. Ignace Wantete takes care of (below). On Foundation Day in Colorado. He joined our church in teaching the Divine Principle in 2015, two couples whom Rev. Wan- the Republic of the Congo (also French. If a member witnesses to tete had witnessed to received the known as Congo Brazzaville) in someone in a different city or state, blessing at the Colorado Family 1990. He was the first member in Rev. Wantete teaches the person Church, which brought joy to the the providence from Congo Brazza- over the phone. He is currently faces and hearts of each member. ville to set foot in True Parents’ teaching, via telephone, a brother Later in the same year, we orga- homeland, Korea, in 1991. He re- living in Missouri who will receive nized a workshop in Estes Park in ceived the blessing in 1992 and the blessing on Foundation Day in the Colorado mountains, where moved to Senegal, where he later

38 True Peace The diverse group that came to hear the Divine Principle taught in French, which is an official language for twenty-nine countries.

became the president of the Unifi- headquarters to divide our local up with a yearly plan that will cation Church. He is currently an church congregations into smaller augment the group of people being assistant pastor in Denver, in groups that might grow more than exposed to the truth. The French charge of the French-language they would by continuing to identi- ministry will hold four conferences ministry. fy themselves as one large group. this year. These conferences will Thus, I asked Mr. Wantete to create have catchy topics with broad A valuable godly resource a separate French UC community appeal. The first conference took I was working as vice-regional there, utilizing the same church place on March 5, under the topic, leader under Rev. Park from 2003 to facilities, as the Mormon communi- “God’s Ideal for World Peace.” The 2006 and thereafter as the state ty does, effectively creating a ministry’s goal is to develop a good leader of Colorado when Mr. Wan- French-speaking Unification relationship with other Christian tete became increasingly active in Church. Based on his past mission church members and invite them to the Denver Church community. His leadership and experience, I desig- events, with the ultimate goal of spirit and heart for God and True nated him as a “reverend” and gave teaching them the truth and having Parents were truly refreshing and him all the help I could. We made them participate in Blessing Cere- inspiring. Moreover, since he was a French yard signs and bulletins monies. French-speaking brother and an and he secured French Holy Song As in the beginning of any other experienced Divine Principle lec- books. Since about a dozen local ministry, challenges are inevitable. turer, he brought those special gifts members already spoke French, a The French-speaking members and talents to the community. I seed community was formed and often converse with Christians who asked him how many they were off and running. Now, truly believe that their doctrines French-speaking churches were in they hold workshops, and weekly convey the ultimate truth. The the Denver metropolitan area, and worship has been ongoing for about second challenge is the lack of he informed me that there were three years. material. They need French Divine very few. I encouraged him to start Earlier this year, Rev. Wantete Principle books, more Holy Song a French-speaking ministry to realized that there was a need for a books and more French reading reach out to the many new witnessing strategy, because material that conveys True Parents’ French-speaking people in the area. we have yet to witness to so many message. Then the direction came from French-speaking people. He came The spiritual and financial sup-

May 2016 39 Nancy Emerson

had not been in a church in eigh- teen years when I met Rev. Ignace I Wantete in January 2015. My story is too long to tell here, but I abso- lutely know God put him in my life to teach me the Bible and Divine Principle. God waited until I was ready; believe me, eighteen years is a very long time. Rev. Wantete spent so much time patiently teach- ing me in a way that I would un- derstand. There were a few trying times throughout this process. Once I even quit, but he did not give up. He came and brought me back. I did find the truth and the answers to all my questions about the Bible. God, True Parents and Divine Principle are finally in my life. On April 10, 2016, I formally became a member of the Colorado Family Church. I am now a pioneer on my journey and looking forward to my adventures as I seek to spread the word across this nation and throughout the world. I am an American and do not speak French, but I do attend both the regular and the French services, where someone always interprets for me. On March 5, Rev. Wantete held a Divine Principle seminar for Discussing Divine Principle in a divine, natural setting French speaking guests titled, “God’s Ideal for World Peace.” He held it at the Colorado Family Church in Denver. If you ever have port of the local church is the basis people out there, waiting for True a chance to attend one of his semi- for everything the French ministry Parents. Rev. Wantete and all the nars, I highly recommend it. He has been able to do. Pastors Michael powerful and inspired explains in detail about Adam and and Adonia Hentrich encourage and French-speaking members of the Eve and the Fall. He talks about the provide the resources necessary to Denver church are the chosen three great blessings, the four-posi- facilitate the work of the French-lan- people to find them and invite tion foundation and about how guage outreach. The love and sup- them. True Parents are depending God has striven to save humankind port among all members are price- upon them and expecting greater throughout history. He explains the less. English-speaking members also things to come. Rev. Wantete hopes growth period we all have to go participate in ththe French events to to inspire French-speaking mem- through in order to reach perfection support the ministry. bers around the country to do the and how this all shows the scientif- I continue to believe in Rev. Wan- same in their respective states. He ic aspect of the Bible. One woman tete and his potential to lead and is also looking forward to working even commented that she did not grow a substantial UC community with others who want to establish a realize the Bible had a scientific for French-speaking people French ministry in other states so side. She was so excited. In addi- throughout the Denver metropoli- they can help each other to maxi- tion, he drew a time-line and tan area. There are many prepared mize their potential. showed how each age is parallel to

40 True Peace all the others right down to where how he gets along with people so sermons with a passionate heart and we are on that time-line today. The easily. These attributes earned him excitement. I often laugh or cry.... He Bible contains many parables and much respect from me and other has opened my eyes to Bible stories. symbols. Divine Principle explains people who conversed with him. I He explains each story in light of the it all and Rev. Wantete goes into am a very skeptical person, but Principle and God’s providence. great depth and detail in his teach- when Rev. Wantete started talking Brother Wantete is very charismatic, ing of it. The people in this church to me about the Divine Principle, I entertaining and fun to listen to. as well as Heavenly Father and found it hard to argue. He spoke Mainly, he reminds us always to be True Parents love him very much. with so much passion and serious- faithful and to develop our prayer He lives by Divine Principle. ness. His confidence and eloquence lives. We pray in unison every stimulated in me the willingness to Sunday. It is powerful. Thank you, Catherine Ichinohe listen to him more. He told me brother Wantete. things in the Bible that shocked me have been a member of the because some of them are things Justine Daboni French ministry in Denver from that I held so dear but happened to I the very beginning. I would not be wrong. For instance, I believed moved from Togo to Colorado miss a Sunday service for any- that the predestination of God is sixteen years ago. My husband thing. The sermons given by Rev. absolute, when he destined some- I and I received the blessing in Wantete are deeply inspiring, thing for you it would come to pass 1995. Unfortunately, he passed into deeply rooted in the Bible and in whether you had fulfilled your the spirit world four years later. The the Divine Principle. The unique responsibility or not; but this was French ministry has been such a fact about this ministry is that the wrong. It took me a while to come blessing to my family. Rev Wantete participants are from diverse to terms with the teachings. After takes time to teach us more about French speaking countries—France studying the Divine Principle, I the Divine Principle. Having the and several African countries. embraced the truth and I accepted teachings in French helps us to Through True Parents’ teaching True Parents. I received the blessing better understand them, as French shared in French by Rev. Wantete, on Foundation Day in 2015. is our first language. The commit- we can truly feel that we are one ment that comes from each of us is family under God. Laurette Heppell something I like. Even though we are a small number of people, I Emmanuel Shima am so eager every Sunday to come believe that the Divine Principle is a to the French service, which I have precious jewel that will attract was born and raised in a Catholic I attended ever since it began. I am others. We just need to expose family. When I met Rev. Wantete, so inspired to receive the word of people to it. I I noticed that he was different in God in my language, but most of all, some ways—the way he carries I have been so inspired to hear my Rev. Hentrich is the pastor of the Colora- himself, his way of talking and brother, Ignace Wantete, who gives do Family Church.

Some of the participants at the retreat in Estes Park, Colorado

May 2016 41 CULTURE

MUSIC, ART AND CULTURE IN A HEAVENLY WORLD

42 True Peace David Eaton, who is slated to become a key figure in the Cheon Il Guk Institute of Music speaks to the group True Mother brought together at the initial meeting. In the left foreground is Cho Sung-il, director-general of the FFWPU International Headquarters and Jeong Won-ju chief of True Mother’s Secretariat.

uring the recent celebra- vision of using music and art to wit- tion of True Parents’ Holy ness to the ideals of Divine Princi- Wedding anniversary in ple and to boldly proclaim the work Korea, True Mother in- of True Parents in this providential vitedD David Eaton and a select group era. It was notable that true Mother of talented and experienced Unifica- invited several members of Hyo Jin tionist musicians to form the orga- nim’s musical team to the meeting, nizing committee of the new Cheon further emphasizing the importance Il Guk Institute of Music. The insti- of his foundation in this new endeav- tute’s offices will be in Korea as part or. Mr. Eaton, who joined the church of the FFWPU historical complex and performing arts department forty David Eaton will be conducting the years ago, during the Yankee Stadi- organization’s activities from there. um campaign, worked with Hyo Jin At an initial meeting, it was ex- nim at the Manhattan Center in New plained that True Parents had dis- York City for several years producing cussed the “blueprint” for Cheon a series of musical projects. Il Guk from which they have been Upcoming projects for the institute carrying out their responsibilities include the compilation and discovery in order to bring the world back to of new Unificationist hymns and Holy God since their Holy Wedding in Songs, education for those in our sec- 1960. Music, art and culture have ond generation, and engaging the always been a part of the blueprint, world through the creation and pro- and now is the time to substantiate duction of music that embodies the True Parents’ desires in that regard. expression of shimjung culture. With David Eaton related how True Father the Winter Olympics taking place in had often spoken about how “mu- Korea in 2018, the world will be com- sic and religion go hand in hand” in ing to Korea. This might be a signifi- terms of bringing people to a higher cant opportunity to produce events consciousness and Godly virtues. In a showcasing the culture of heaven to subsequent meeting at Cheon Jeong international audiences. Peace Palace, True Mother spoke of The committee will reconvene in how great composers such as Mozart Korea in June to begin the process of and Beethoven had abundant talent implementing the various initiatives but suffered because they could not of the new music institute. find true love and a true purpose for their creative endeavors. The Cheon Il Guk Institute of Music Orga- True Mother cited Hyo Jin nim’s nizing Committee submitted this article.

May 2016 43