True Parents History for Children

 

The Time Of America's Visitation

by Linna Rapkins

This is the continuation of a story of Father's first visit to the United States, during which his main purpose was to establish holy ground in each of the mainland states. It was a grueling, and sometimes harrowing, journey that had to be accomplished in 40 days.

Information for these stories was gleaned from old newsletters and conversations with early members. George Norton, one of the drivers on the trip, was especially helpful, and the photographs are from slides he took and then carefully safeguarded all these years.

In a Hurry

The next stop was Grand Canyon. They soon learned that the word "grand" is really too small a word to describe this natural wonder, and Father loved its magnificence: the many shades of color as the sun danced upon its cliffs, the river snaking its way through the bottom in its everlasting task of carving the canyon even deeper, the overpowering depth and breadth and length. God's handiwork was beyond words.

The group of seven proceeded east through Arizona and into New Mexico, where they drove past, and sometimes over, its dry flat mesas. After blessing ground in Albuquerque, they went over to the city hall to get some earth and a rock to take back to Korea.

"Everything is concrete here," they soon noticed. "There's not even one loose pebble we can take."

After searching awhile, Father walked over to the building itself and pointed to one of its corners. Mrs. Choi explained, "He suggests chipping off a piece of concrete from the corner and using that in place of a pebble." They got out their tire iron and quickly whacked off a piece.

"Here's some dirt stuck in the cracks of the sidewalk," someone offered. "Would that do for dirt?" They dug it out and quickly went on their way.

In many states there were no members, and the travelers were on their own to find a park or mountain or some other likely location for a holy ground. Sometimes, they used their map; sometimes, they asked for directions to a park. The moment the car came to a halt at the park, Father was out searching for the right spot. The others had to hustle to keep up.

One person-usually George-recorded everything with a movie camera as well as a still camera. Another-usually Gordon-wrote down instructions on how to find the holy ground. But these same men often had to participate in the ceremony, so it was impossible to do everything and still keep up with Father. The moment he was finished with the blessing ceremony, Father hurried back to the car eager to continue.

They could only shake their heads in amazement. "He doesn't walk; he speeds," they laughed. "We should have gotten in shape before we came on this trip."

Father had told them to change drivers every two hours. Once, as George was taking his turn driving, he suddenly heard a single English word from Father, "Faster." Throughout the trip they went "faster" and, strangely, they seemed to be invisible to all police patrols. As the days went by, they settled into this new lifestyle. Often, the three on the second seat carried on conversations in Korean. Sometimes, they translated a few things for the others, but more often they didn't. Mrs. Choi sometimes used the time to teach Father some English.

Miss Kim took care of the food. She bought bread and lunch meats at the grocery store and made thin dry sandwiches. "Here's your sandwich," she would say as she handed them out. One sandwich! Their growling stomachs sometimes protested, but no one said anything.

One day, after they had eaten, Father asked, "Are you still hungry?"

"Yes," chimed in all the voices at once.

"Then let's get more food," he answered with a big smile. From that point, they had more to eat.

They usually tried to get gas at Chevron gas stations, because George had a credit card. Often, Father watched intently over his shoulder or followed him into the station to see how this piece of plastic worked. Nothing like it was available in Korea.

The trip across Texas was amazingly long, broken only by the rolling tumbleweeds and scattered ranches and oil wells.

"So much unused space," Father commented again and again, with Mrs. Choi or Miss Kim translating. "In Korea every centimeter is used. Why does anyone worry about overpopulation with all this land?"

No one had the answer.

On the way to Dallas, Texas, they were given a quick lesson in just how dry and brutal the area really was. A storm brewed; but not a rain storm. It was a raging dust storm. The earth of Texas suddenly whirled up, building into thicker and higher clouds. It sifted into the car until everything was covered with grit. They could hardly see where they were going, but they kept moving anyway. It seemed like an eternity before the storm gave up. Neither snow, nor rain, nor sleet, nor hail-nor dust-would stop the progress of this heavenly mission.

Father blessed ground in Dallas. Before they left, they had to buy some more rope for the cartop carrier. As George walked out to the car he happened to look back, and there was Father following him. He wanted to come along and see the big American hardware store and watch him pay with a credit card again. Everything was new and interesting to him.

Oklahoma's red soil was a change and so were its bumpy roads, but it also had few people compared to Korea. Everywhere, there was plenty of space.

"Yes, there is a lot of room here," someone explained to Father, "but the people are generally quite poor. Ever since the dust bowl of the 30's, it has not prospered."

There was a small prospering center in Oklahoma City, however, and Philip Burley and others were ready with a very warm welcome. That evening was spent singing and sharing. Each person sang a solo for Father, and Father sang a solo for them. Holy ground was created in a park amidst the picnickers and canoers.

They crossed from Oklahoma into Kansas that day. Suddenly, someone in the car saw something interesting "Look over there! A herd of buffalo!" "So this is where they roam."

"Yes, well, years ago, there were thousands of them all over the plains, but most of them were killed. We seldom see them anymore. Of course, with all the people moving in, there wasn't really room for them to roam anymore."

A bit further, as they climbed onto the flat plains of Kansas, another change was noticed. There was snow on the ground.

"The weather will be colder for the next couple days," remarked one of the passengers.

"Well, let's hope this is all the snow we'll find on this trip," responded Gordon. "We planned the trip so that we would get to the North last, so hopefully by then the snow will be mostly gone."

"Yes, hopefully," agreed the others.

The 80 mile-per-hour Interstate 80 was a welcome relief after the potholes and narrow roads of Oklahoma, and they sped with all due haste through the flat winter fields of Kansas where corn and wheat would soon thrive. In City Park of Kansas City, Father blessed the holy ground wearing his new winter coat. It was definitely still winter there.

Missouri became a little more hilly with more trees. It was snowing, and the roads became icy. They had to slow down-but not too much-and, after some uncomfortable moments, they managed to arrive safely in St. Louis.

There, Bob and Vivien Oswald, along with another couple, welcomed them into their home.

"How did you hear about the Principle so far away from other members?" asked Mrs. Choi.

"Mary Fleming wrote a correspondence course and sent it to us," they answered.

Miss Kim added, "Approximately 12 to 15 people have taken that course and joined."

There were just two couples in St. Louis, so what an occasion this was for them. To meet any members would have been a joy, but they began by meeting Father himself!

In the midst of some cedar trees of Forest Park, the cold wind cut through their coats, and their fingers and toes soon felt frozen. Father paced off the holy ground a little faster than before. The four Missouri members were amazed to notice how completely Father focused on what he was doing.

"He wore no gloves or boots, and he didn't shiver from the cold," they reported, "and his shoes didn't even seem to get wet."

To the South

Heading back South, the little band of travelers looked forward to leaving the snow and ice behind. There wasn't time to drive to Kentucky's capital city, so they just drove into the western tip of Kentucky where snow still covered the ground and blessed ground in Paducah. Quickly, they pressed on to Tennessee.

When they reached Memphis, Tennessee, it was already dark. In heavily wooded Overton Park, they groped their way with flashlights through the pitch blackness and slushy melting snow. As they tramped around,

trying to find a good spot for a holy ground, they suddenly received visitors-the police.

"What're y'all doin' out here?" they asked suspiciously.

George went up to them and showed his HSA-UWC card and explained their unusual mission the best he could. "We just want to pray for Tennessee," he said. "We want to choose a spot here, and have a little ceremony to pray that Tennessee can be blessed."

The policemen looked dubious, but, for reasons probably unknown even to themselves, they gave their consent. "Well, I reckon it's OK this once, but don't stay long, ya' hear? The park's not supposed to be open after dark."

Using their flashlights, Father quickly performed the ceremony, and within minutes they were speeding into the countryside once again.

They made it all the way to Little Rock, Arkansas, late that night. In the morning, bright and early, Father chose a spot in War Memorial Park beside a golf course. As he spread the holy salt and prayed, the others kept a wary eye open for speeding golf balls.

For a short time that day they traveled the narrow hilly roads of Alabama, past small farms and simple shacks. Father made note of how green everything was even in late winter and wondered why there should be so much poverty.

The swamplands of Louisiana revealed still another side of America- green and stagnant and rather eerie, and yet there was a certain beauty about it.

Father blessed ground in New Orleans that night. Ernie Stewart, who was on his way to Florida where he was to be stationed in the army, was there to greet them. When they left early the next morning, he was their new passenger.

The dancing blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico on their right made their spirits bright that day. They barely stopped for anything, as they made good time through the day and shared the roads with the truckers throughout the entire night.

Early on March 8th-the llth day after leaving Los Angeles-they arrived in sunny Tampa, Florida, where Rebecca Boyd (Salonen) and the other member had been eagerly awaiting their arrival. Col. Pak had come down from Washington D.C. Doris Walder (Orme), who had been going ahead of the party to help prepare the way, was also there. In Lowry Park, among the tall pines covered with Spanish moss, the 15th holy ground was blessed. The alligators nearby paid no attention.

Then it was on down to Miami in southern Florida. Since they would be sleeping in Miami that night, George did not try to sleep while Gordon drove. Gordon decided to drive the whole 4 or 5 hours himself.

When they arrived, they went to the most obvious attraction, the beach. While Father got his first view of the Atlantic Ocean, Col. Pak bent down and ceremoniously wrote in the sand in Korean letters three feet high, "Abogee" (Father). Father smiled and in smaller letters he wrote, "Omonee" (Mother). Then, he dipped his fingers in the ocean and a gentle wave reached up to touch the soles of his shoes.

Father chose a beautiful piece of soft green turf with a tall slanting palm tree overhead for a second holy ground in Florida. Then Mrs. Choi informed the drivers, "Master would like to see Key West."

This was not in their travel plans. By this time, Gordon was tired from driving from Tampa. George was tired because he hadn't slept. And it was 150 miles over the Key Islands and connecting bridges to reach Key West, the southernmost point in the United States.

It wasn't easy, but George did it. As soon as they arrived, they stopped at a restaurant.

"I'll just stay in the car and sleep while you're eating," said George. He curled up on the seat and quickly went to sleep. After awhile, a tapping on the window woke him up. There was Father, smiling and holding up a hamburger for him to eat.

So bright and beautiful was this land of blue-green waters, white sparkling sands, rows of waving palm trees, and billowing white clouds. The herons, ducks, pelicans, and other abundant wildlife obviously loved it, too. Father collected a few seashells and some sand to take back to Korea, and they visited the home of Ernest Hemingway.

"America has so many different kinds of places," he remarked. "It's like many different countries rolled into one."

Up the East Coast

The time came on March 10 to point the car north. After a day on the east coast of Florida, they were introduced to the red clay soil and pink magnolias of Georgia. In a beautifully flowering park in Savannah, among some strong oak trees, ground was blessed.

Then, on through Columbia, South Carolina; Raleigh, North Carolina; and historic Richmond, Virginia. There were no members throughout this stretch, and they moved quickly on.

The next day, they were met in the mountains of West Virginia by Col Pak, Moon Hye Yoon (Seuk) and several other members from Washington D.C., who presented Father with a big wreath of yellow flowers. Father blessed ground among some young trees in a "holler" (in Appalachia that's a small valley).

One car from D.C. had been festively decorated with little flags the way they do for dignitaries in Washington. "Would you like to ride our car into Washington?" invited Col Pak. The answer was yes, and they quickly made the change.

Arriving in D.C. couldn't have been more perfectly timed, for spring brings out the best in that city. The budding trees, the cherry blossoms almost ready to bloom, the spring flowers, and the patches of bright green grass all promised, "spring is coming."

It was 1965-the explosive sixties. The streets were peaceful, and President Johnson was at home in his White House. It was hard to imagine that in a couple of years these same streets would be the setting for "peace" demonstrations with riots, tear gas, and tanks.

As the holy procession came down from the hills of West Virginia and into the nation's capital, they marveled at the massive white government buildings and memorials and the great grassy mall.

"Overpowering, solid, inspiring, impressive," were some of the words used that day. The little flags fluttered gaily on the car, and passers-by wondered what dignitary had come to town. Then they headed over the Potomac River into Virginia where Col Pak had prepared his home, called Arlington House, for Father's visit.

The spring sun touched everything with brightness, and as Father climbed out of the car, he saw the eager members lined up to greet him. They had come from New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia-Ken Pope, Pauline Phillips (Verheyen), Jhoon Rhee, the traveling Doris Walder (Orme), and two brand new members: Diane Griffith (Fernsler) and Barbara Mikesell (Ten Wolde).

They passed under an arch of flowers, walking upon a white carpet rolled out for the occasion, and shook hands with each member.

"Please come in and sign our guest book," said Col Pak graciously. And after they were seated inside, he ceremoniously announced, "We would like to present you with the keys to Arlington House, the Fellowship House in D.C., the Jhoon Rhee Institute, the New York Center, and the whole city of Washington, D.C., for they all belong to you."

Father lowered his eyes in gratitude and accepted them on behalf of Heavenly Father. Then, they were treated to the most delicious food on earth-pulgogi, fluffy white rice, and all the trimmings-a most welcome change from hamburgers, French Fries, and sandwiches.

The second day was for sightseeing, and on the third day Father had decided on two sites for holy grounds in the nation's capital. First, they went to the Ellipse behind the White House. With the White House before them, and the Washington Monument behind them, Father stepped off the 4-position foundation and scattered the holy salt. Police were patrolling all around, because a demonstration was expected to take place later that day. Father's little group must have been invisible, because the police didn't pay any attention to them.

Next, they went over to the Capitol building for a picnic lunch. With the great white dome of the Capitol looming before them and the Washington Monument piercing the sky behind, they stood around a fir tree (it is now gone and walking on the grass is forbidden), and Father blessed the ground. They closed by praying fervently for America. Suddenly, the chimes from a nearby tower began pealing, "God Bless America." They smiled at each other with tears in their eyes and knew this moment belonged to their Heavenly Father.

For five days, Father stayed. He visited the Jhoon Rhee Institute and Fellowship House, a row house at 1907 "S" Street, which would be the Center for many years.

Every day, Father met with the members and visitors. Sometimes, he talked far into the night. Never before, had these members experienced such long meetings without breaks, and they surprised themselves by sitting still so long and getting by with so little sleep. They felt tremendously blessed to be in the presence of their Leader at last.

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