Articles From the November 1997 Unification News

 

Preparations for the Upcoming Blessing

by Rev. Chung Hwan Kwak

This report was given after Belvedere Sunday Service on November 2, 1997. These are based on unofficial notes taken by Dr. Hendricks.

I worked under Father's guidance for the first, second and now third WCSF. This event did not come up suddenly. During the 1988 Olympics Father directed that WCSF be announced. At the time I had no clear idea of Father's vision. So Father explained: eminent scholars, art and culture events, should take place together. From now Father will solve world conflict through the WCSF. Father will make a culture and sports forum, to create world harmony. Still I was not clear, but I guessed that Father had already made a strong worldwide foundation for peace, and to bring them to one place.

Then Father added the blessing to the program. I was challenged to combine a culture and sports festival with a marriage ceremony. I questioned Father often, but he was unwavering. The most important element for world peace, he said, is the family ideal. Culture and sports must link with the blessing ideal. So we advertised this in the Seoul newspapers in September of 1988.

I have followed Father forty years, and in many cases had a hard time to understand his new projects. After the ad came out, Father proclaimed the Foundation Day for the Nation of the Unified World. He already had that planned. Other holy days were based upon conditions laid within the church, but this one related with external conditions, specifically with the providential action of the Korean government. But the Korean government has virtually no understanding of Father's will; it was just

The unified world will not come by political power, but by worldwide sports and culture, centering on one event. The fact that the Œ88 Olympics were in Seoul was itself a miracle. Nagoya Japan was the competitor, and they had already built stadiums etc. Their economy and diplomatic relations were superior to those of Korea. But Korea won. In this way, the Korean government did help Father.

Korea's national foundation day is October 3, and 1988 was the 4,321st year from the founding. All important numbers are there. 1 = God, 2 = dual characteristics, 3 = stages of growth, 4 = four position foundation and earth. They total out as 10.

And True Parents' family were involved as athletes, as part of the Korean team. So God, True Parents and True Children were involved in the games. Father felt these were his Olympic games. Father called missionaries from 120 nations, and directed them to serve everything to their own country's team. We brought trucks of McCol to all the athletes in the Olympic Village. Also we served the government ambassadors in every country.

Father invited all medal winners to the Little Angels Center. We gave them many gifts, especially to third world and communist world teams.

In 1980 the Olympics were in Moscow, and 1984 in LA. Many refused to attend 1980 because of Afghanistan. To retaliate, communists did not attend LA. The super-powers each had half an Olympic game. The Seoul games had 160 nations, the largest in history. Communist countries sent athletes despite having no diplomatic relations with Korea. Father pushed Korean government to invite and help communist teams come. It was to fill the external form and condition.

Why was Father so excited, watching three televisions? True Parents watched the entirety of the games, they really enjoyed them. More than any Korean, Father welcomed all participants. He made the unified world foundation, and proclaimed the one nation of the unified world. Only Father understood, and laid all the conditions before the proclamation. We do not know. Father said the WCSF will soon be the most important world event.

Blessing Testimonies

1992 was the first WCSF, and it marked a new level of the blessing. The conditions had been very difficult, but this was the formation stage of the globalization of the blessing ceremony. It was the tenth blessing ceremony since 1960, with 30,000 couples. Until then we had the condition of 3 spiritual children and 7 day fasting and 3 years in church to receive the blessing. But that year, Father decided to invite members of all churches. So I found Muslim, Sikh and Christian leaders to receive t

1995 growth stage was 360,000 couples, as growth stage it was very hard. It was so hard to gain those numbers. I asked Father to push leaders, but Father never would. I could not understand why, but later I came to know it was because he could not intervene in the growth stage. Therefore, the day after WCSF II, he started pushing for 3.6 million couples.

Now God and spirit world are assisting so much. As of last Wednesday, the total is 24,596,000 couples. Many miracles and spiritual phenomena. One example, in the former CIS, one non-mainstream Christian archbishop was tortured so much for his faith, in jail, and was told spiritually to live as a celibate, even though he and his wife live together, for 15 years. Recently he met our movement, and testified that True Father is the second coming, the seed of God's new life and True Parents.

Ultimately he had a chance to meet True Parents. When our National Messiah met this archbishop, she led a song session, clapping strongly. He joined and danced with complete unity, more than our own members, more excited than us. He received the blessing, and took holy wine to share with his followers. He understood without explanation.

In Africa, a minister was blessed, but the next day he was visited by his denomination's European leaders. He was shocked that he had joined this terrible sect. He went back and reneged the blessing. That night, Jesus came to him and told him to follow him. Jesus took him to a room, and he bowed to Jesus. Then Jesus took him to a higher place, and Jesus told him to bow, and he did and looked up and it was True Parents.

He became ashamed, and he sent his wife. UC leader gave condition of fasting and prayer. They did, and received back the certificate.

Ukraine testimony, a secular leader met our young sister, attacked and persecuted her. She was 22 years old, and she stood up to him and challenged his sources. His conscience was struck, and he could not get her out of his mind. He invited her to his home, and she came with her leader. Then, his father was sick and his mother took care of him. His mother had the dream of the two members nursing her husband. She told him the dream.

The next day, he had a dream falling down a cliff, holding onto the missionary's left hand. In her right hand was a cup of holy wine. He drank it and found himself in a safe place. He started systematically preblessing large groups, and the country has 2.5 million preblessings now.

So, even though you work hard, don't think you did it. Think of the blessing history from 36 couples blessing on. It always had a miserable environment, receiving persecution for no reason. But now, until Nov. 29, Father said he is focusing on one point, the blessing ceremony. He wants to embrace all humankind, to give the blessing. Don't be arrogant, thinking that you did it.

We pledged to True Parents that worldwide we will reach 39.6 million couples by Nov. 29. You will experience this miracle, if you take part in it. National leaders and National Messiahs are working hard everyday.

RFK Providence

At the Oct 29 press conference, the media people gave no negative reaction. They asked how much budget and its source, and a Washington Post reporter asked about what we are doing about all the other problems besides families? I said, we do not deny all the problems, but the most important one is the family, because it is related with human destiny. We have IRFF and agricultural and technological programs, and hunger solutions. But the most fundamental problem is family.

Mayor Barry publicly welcomed WCSF III and Rev. and Mrs. Moon at his press conference. The first two had no official welcome. This one even had an official invitation. Now we have received one from Thailand, too. Rev. B. W. Kim had announced WCSF III and received extensive positive press coverage. The next day, the government issued the invitation. The big festivals will be celebrated in many cities at the same time. It is a forum for a peaceful world.

The Washington Times reporter asked him, "I heard many ministers are against this because it is connected with Rev. Moon." Barry called Dr. Bennett to answer, and Bennett asked Rev. Schanker also to the microphone. Bennett said, if we argue doctrine, ten years is not enough. I work with them because they never deny others' value, and promote sexual purity for youth, so we joyfully support and welcome this movement.

So, officially, we are already a success. Then what is your difficulty? You must be proud and with dignity adopt this event. But what is your relationship with this event? How many of your spiritual children will be mobilized to RFK Stadium? In your lifetime, True Parents directly mobilized the WCSF in the US. Practically, it will be the last experience of your lifetime. It is for your family's record; how important is this event?

Years ago, we received so much persecution, and so our physical families could not understand, and our relationship was strained. But gradually Father's victorious foundation built, and after fifteen or twenty years, I began to concern about my family, my parents. If their son is serving True Parents, they must at least give thanks to True Parents and kyung bae, as a minimum.

So I visited them and invited them to greet Rev. Moon and Mrs. Moon. They refused, but I explained how much they guided me. You already learned in school. Again I tried, a year later. You love me, please, I beg you to meet them, because they are so good to me. They said, okay. I didn't say you will kyung bae. But at the moment, I said he is an historical teacher, so we should kyung bae, and I initiated. So they followed. Later, in 1988, they received the blessing.

Buying gifts for your parents is not important. The blessing is important. Send a letter, telephone and visit. Especially now, it is easy to give this best gift. They will give thanks later. How will they feel in spirit world if they are not blessed.

Dr. Sang Hun Lee went to spirit world and felt desperate to let us know the spirit world reality. He met Jesus, John the Baptist, Adam and Eve, Swedenborg, Kim Il Sung, and found out their status. He said, once you are there, there is no freedom. You have a certain status based upon your life on earth, and that is all.

So think about how they will feel if you did not introduce the blessing and True Parents? Even leaders like me, with busy schedules, have to fulfill Tribal Messiahship. Now we must fill RFK Stadium, with couples one by one guided by you. In front of media, with True Parents. Who will bring them, other than you? How will we fill empty seats? You bring people or mannequins. Even if there is one empty seat, it will be disgraceful. Our ancestors are coming down. Some countries have blessed millions,

Is there a more important event in your life? I told the worldwide leaders, we failed many times, so why do not we fulfill this time? This will cover everything in the past. Father is praying everyday for RFK Stadium. Do we focus on it? or on what? Please get more serious; don't look to others.

You may think Africa is easy and America difficult. But their conditions are so difficult. Sweltering heat, no food, no transportation, no money. Don't compare. Father asked all leaders to double their results. So everyone became strongly determined. Not by our effort, but because everything is prepared in spirit world. It's not just for the ceremony, but for yourself.

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