Unification News for August 1996

 

Mrs. Moon's Victory in San Francisco

by Bill Bechtel-Oakland, CA

Reverend Moon started a fire of truth in Washington, D.C. It grew in three stages. The fire was kindled on April 16th when he told three thousand D.C. leaders about the failure of Zechariah's family to protect Jesus. He fanned the flames when he spoke on the importance of family to world youth leaders at the Youth Federation for World Peace one month later. The third stage was a conflagration at the Family Federation for World Peace on August 1st. In front of world presidents and prime ministers, he spoke late into the evening about the beauty, passion and righteousness of a husband and wife in true love.

Embers from this fire were brought around the nation to Korean audiences during the last weeks of July. Mrs. Moon spoke in twelve cities, bringing the same message as her husband. She told about the agony of Jesus` childhood without a family to protect him. With only a month's preparation, San Francisco members brought Koreans to hear Mrs. Moon at the Miyako Hotel. Inspired by Reverend Do Wan Kim, a dozen Japanese JEA brothers and sisters invited hundreds of Korean residents to hear her speak about Zechariah's family. Two thousand invitations were mailed to the Korean community in the Bay Area. San Francisco members visited their favorite Korean stores to pick up some kim chi and drop off beautiful invitation cards. Inside was an invitation to share dinner and special entertainment at the Miyako and then listen to Mrs. Moon's very important message.

San Francisco was the half-way point on Mrs. Moon's twelve-city tour. Her Los Angeles speech was the day before. The Northern California Church in Berkeley under Pastor Thompson offered much practical help. Mrs. Moon had the hard work to do, but Pastor Thompson was determined that the hall and video screening and sound system would not make it any harder. When he asked me to supervise the in-house audio technicians, I suggested, "They're professionals and we can leave them to do what they do best." He gave me an important lesson in a nutshell: "They know electronics, but they don't know the tricky spirit world." So we checked every detail of the setting up then checked it again.

Reverend Do Wan Kim was preparing to leave as National Messiah to Chung Pyung Lake at this time. Mrs. Moon's national tour was a big surprise but National Messiah responsibility was just as big a shock to the Kim family. The Kim's had been building friendships with the Korean community in San Francisco since 1987. Because he pitched himself faithfully into these preparations, the speech was a true success. His willing sacrifice to follow True Parents' direction in both the public purpose of this speech and the personal challenge of National Messiahship brought the good spirit world's assistance. He prayed and encouraged his members to witness door to door to Korean households and to ask Koreans on the street. The Japanese members were given some Korean phrases to rehearse and use to stop Koreans on the street. Many Koreans stopped to talk because of this heartistic effort to share their language.

The evening of July 25th began at 6:30 when we opened the Imperial Ballroom and began welcoming our guests. The banquet was prepared, and, of course, we wanted every seat filled with a delighted Korean guest. At 7:10, Reverend In Hoi Lee was sweating blood longing for this evening`s success so he let our members seat themselves at four or five empty tables. But as minutes trickled away, Korean guests continued to trickle in. Willingly our members vacated their seats as one more and then one more Korean guest was welcomed inside. Finally, and better late than never, the beautiful hall, decorated with delicate floral murals, was filled with Korean guests.

After all the guests left, we gathered with Mrs. Moon in the Spring Room. When she entered we all bowed. Just moments before I had brought the father and son audio technicians in to assist with the speakers. When I saw Mrs. Moon and bowed with the other members I completely forgot about the two men at my side. I'm sure their jaws dropped as they were left waist-deep in a pool of bent backs. So they bowed to Mrs. Moon also! There we listened like children as Reverend Moon spoke from New York. Over the speaker/conference phone he congratulated his wife and all of us on the evening`s success. With wide eyes and big ears, we sat enthralled as they sang to each other over the phone. Mrs. Moon sang such a tender song, I thought only a mother of deepest heart could sing that song. Some of us sang Korean songs for Reverend Moon. We shared a victory cake. Mrs. Moon closed by asking us to follow her directions given to the Los Angeles members, which Reverend In Hoi Lee printed for us later concerning caring for the Korean community and spreading the truth about Jesus. The next morning she explained to Pastor Thompson that children's education must begin with Divine Principle and always include updates on Reverend Moon's projects. Parents must seek the meaning of the projects and share this with their children, who will later be managing or involved with those projects.

 

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