A Time for Commitment

Mica Camara
September 2010

At the conclusion of the workshop Hyung-jin nim presents Mica with a certificate for third place (out of hundreds of participants) in the lecture competition

Mica Camara is a twenty- four-year old, second-generation member whose father is from Mali, West Africa, and whose mother is Australian. She recently participated in the "Special Education Session for World Leaders Organized by True Parents" in Korea. We asked Mica to reflect on her experience and how it has influenced her path in life.

Question: What in the 120-day workshop changed your view of life?

Before this, I had a very selfish (I think) understanding of my relationship with God. It was just me and God, to the point that if another person were struggling in her life of faith, I would not interfere or try to help in any way. I mean, it just didn't bother me; I had an each-for-her-own sort of attitude. However, during this workshop I realized that even if I'm one with God, if other people aren't, it doesn't help God; my being one with God can only have a small effect.

I feel I have the ability to help other people, especially younger people my age, so I ended up playing more of that role in the workshop itself.

Question: Have you held leadership positions in the church?

I wasn't that involved with church activities in Tasmania, where we are more isolated. In Africa, I had taught Divine Principle to young people when I was about thirteen or fourteen years old. I was quite involved; you have to be if you are living in the center. Now I feel I should get much more involved. I want to try out or have a church mission for some time.

Question: What helped increase your desire to work within the church?

Definitely, it was feeling a closer connection to the True Family, with Hyung-jin nim and with being able to feel love from True Parents at many different events. It made me feel for those who couldn't come -- I am thinking here mainly of African people.

I am half-African, so I feel I owe something to my country, Mali, for being able to travel to Australia, come to Korea, go to Chung Pyung... I feel I have been allowed to do these things so I can bring something back to Mali, as my Dad was the central figure there. [Bakary Camara was national leader for a number of years.] That relationship with the True Family was the main reason for my thinking, Okay I've been given this grace; now, I need to give something back.

I felt God trusted me, that this grace could be given to me because He knew I would offer it back. So I need to honor that.

Question: Yeon-ah nim is not much older than you. I wonder if you felt close to her as you are also a sister from the second generation.

I think the fact that Yeon-ah nim is not much older than I am plays a big part in why I respect her so much. I can relate with her, that is, she is truly a role model, because I see that even at my age I can learn to show the same dedication and love that she shows for Heavenly Father, True Parents and everyone else. Seeing her and her husband at work together every Sunday moved me, because I felt how much they love True Parents and us members. They were always smiling and genuinely relating to us. I want to learn to have that type of dedication and devotion in my life of faith.

Question: One hundred and twenty days of Jeong Seong must have required a lot of dedication.

Hyung-jin nim mentioned early on that even if you are doing Jeong Seong you cannot put yourself high. For me that was good to hear. Sometimes, you are doing something and you think you are better than another person -- because (for example) you're waking up at 2:30 and doing bows, and maybe they're not. You have to catch yourself at times! Especially as a leader, you can become like that because you are doing a bit extra to what the other members are doing. But it doesn't mean you are better. Hyung-jin nim emphasized that point, and I think this will be very helpful for me as I progress in my faith.

At the graduation ceremony, he said, "This is just the beginning." I needed to hear that, too. When you finish something like this, you think, I've finished! You feel that you've done your bit. After 1 finish conditions, I feel I can relax. I think, I've done my bit for God.

But that defeats the purpose of offering the devotions. When he said that, I realized that this was just training, so that we could learn how to do it, and now we start on our own, and we bring it back to our own communities. This has been a period of learning and now is the time for the actual application.