The Words of the Burley Family
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The Words of the Burley Family |
Month after month, reports, postcards, letters and telephone calls alerted us to, "He will be here soon," or "… on such and such a date!" Each time our hearts fluttered with the anticipation of the moment of actually meeting our Master and Father in the flesh. Each time we thought, "Ah, at last this must be the time!" But at least with constant alerts and proddings of the spirit, we were quickened and made ready. Our wildest imaginings could not conjure up the reality of his coming. "Is it true... this is the fulfillment of scripture... are we actually a part of it?" It drew us closer to our Heavenly Father and greatest love, faith, obedience, humility and awareness. Truly, he came as a thief in the night." Truly we were a people mope prepared. Thank you father!
Over the past weeks, we in the Oklahoma Center had received notices giving dates of his arrival in this area. One day we received a call that he would arrive here Wednesday, March 3. On Sunday, Feb. 28, we received a call that he would arrive In Dallas that evening between 9 pm and 3 am. Immediately I made reservations to fly to Dallas. I had been invited to ride with the Leader and his party to the Oklahoma City Center. Pinching myself would have been to no avail. I was numb through and through. I didn't really need an airplane. I could have flown on the energy produced by joy!
When I arrived in Dallas he was already there. For you who have already met him, you know there: are no words to express the meeting. For you who are yet to meet him, you shall know as we have known. And if you feel as though you just want to sit, smile, bubble inside, and pray -- don't worry. You are quite normal! We are still bubbling.
After one day in Dallas, it was decided that at 2 pm, March 1, we would start for the Oklahoma Center, about 300 miles away, Doris Walder, Maggie Compton and I went before them to prepare the way. We arrived approximately two hours ahead of them. At 6:30 pm, Father and family arrived on a carpet of cottonish white snow. The Oklahoma Family was lined up in the entrance-way to greet him. The entire room lit up with his radiance and in each of us was a reflection of that inner joy, love, peace and power which only he could bring. In the Leader's Party were Mrs. Choi, Miss Kim, Doris Walder, George Norton and Gordon Ross. Present to greet him from Oklahoma City were Johnnie Dorsey, Martin Roberts, Alyce Harvey, Bud Hicks, Betty Hicks, Donald Hicks, Bernez Meneke, Sandi Clark, Nelson Clark and Philip Burley. The Dallas part of our Family had come also: David Iriek, Maggie Compton and David Flores.
After a delicious meal of chicken, rice, sea weed, kimchi, salad, and rolls, we began the evening meeting. The Master made a speech expressing his awareness of how much we had been waiting for him, and that he too had wanted deeply to meet us. After his speech, we sang solos and group songs to him. The highlight of the evening was when he sang songs to us. After one marvelous song, Miss Kim quoted him as saying he sang it with the desire to have all mankind in his bosom. At this point, words are inadequate to express our feelings for him.
On Tuesday, March 2 at 12 noon, our Master blessed Holy Ground at Lincoln Park in the heart of Oklahoma City. As I stood listening to him pray to Father, I realized intellectually that never again would there be a day like this. I knew also that it was a literal blessing, and that Satan could not claim it. I knew that since it was God's we would come to love it above all other land. Yet, in most respects, it will only be in retrospect that we shall realize the greatness and blessing of these ceremonies and his days with us, especially when masses make sojourns to these Blessed Lands. Immediately, we went to the state capital building for earth and pebble to be taken back to Korea, and then on to Anadarko, Oklahoma known as the Indian capital of America. There our Leader observed Indian living on a guided tour.
We arrived back in Oklahoma City, had dinner, and then a meeting in which our Leader answered questions and made comments. Such a wonderful feeling to sit at our True Father's feet and listen to his words of love, wisdom and power. Volumes could be written. We owe him everything, and as he said, "If you will follow me, you shall become as me." With the feeling I received as he spoke this, I knew it was true.
On Wednesday, March 3 at 9:30 am, our Father and Leader departed waving good-bye until completely out of sight as we sang Arirang to him and wiped away the tears. From beginning to end it was as they, our brothers and sisters in Korea say "goom anin goom" -- a dream but not a dream. Our members were set afire by his love and power! The Kingdom is so real to us now! We, with all of you, desire to fight with him so that he may stand before heaven and earth and say to all God's children as he said to us the night of his opening speech, ''I stand here on earth in place of my Father, so you may call me Father. To the fulfillment of his mission, we stand united with all of you in the Name of our True Parents.