Greeting from Ms. Yasue Erikawa, World Itinerant

General leader, and all leaders and missionaries Cho-Guk!, Kwang-Bok!, Hae-Bang!

More and more missionaries go back to Japan by way of New York because of visa affairs. They finished Chung Pyung 21 Day Workshop for graduates and came to the U.S. in July. When I happened to have enough time, I asked some of them about their impression of their activities during the past three months. At that time, I felt God's glory, so I asked them to testify. Let me introduce two of them.

They are Toyomi Mizuno (4200/1500) and Keiko Sasaki (1600/1500) who stayed in Tennessee. I could not help crying about their faithful mind-set and the generosity of their husbands and children left behind in Japan. I warmly applaud them.

While they are in Japan to arrange the visa affairs, they will not go back home, because their father-in-law and mother-in- law are now taking care of the children. So once they show themselves, it is so hard for the children to depart from their mother. They are supposed to be soon coming back for Million Family March. Only their husbands know confidentially about their stay in Japan and they will hand them required expense for staying in the U.S.

I really appreciate the foundation that the missionaries like them and their families deserve credit for Mother's country. I never fail to report to TP about their testimonies when TP comes back here.

I also thank Naoko Fujino for her hard work in Chicago. The activity there is actually a good model for the rest of the nation. Emi Misawa, a second generation, who worked hard in Louisiana is a newly university graduate. She did her best at the last moment in spite of inconvenience due to the absence of the state leader. I pray with utmost sincerity that each of them come back early as Mother of America from their temporal return to their home country.

This time, let me introduce four representatives of the members who are on the way back to Japan via NY.

Reported by Toyomi Mizuno on Oct. 3

I am sincerely grateful for the glorious support.

I am on my way to go back to Japan temporarily to arrange my visa affairs after three months stay in the U.S. It is so regrettable to have to go back in such an important period for the coming MFM on 16.

The members here in Tennessee have worked so hard for a series of Blessing activities and the negotiation with churches centering on three women members of Kodan (1 American, 2 Japanese: these three members are working for a Japanese restaurant.)

When three of us were sent in July, TP desired us to deliver the flags to churches, and the members here were willing to work with us cooperatively. Before that, they were always ready to welcome the missionaries, and allowed them to stay together, and visit churches together, making a team.

There is no transportation here to go anywhere, their support with their cars was really helpful. One of us took care of the children in turn, and the others visited churches. The local members also came to be heartily pleased when they visited the pastors whom they met before by using this occasion.

When we mailed the letters to churches, we decided to share the expense to send many more letters. And eventually we could send the letters to 3000 churches. After that, we heard that big amount of donation was sent from the blessing members who could not even come to Sunday service, because they live in the distant places. At that time, we were much impressed with TP's words, "if we are involved in mission activities, we would be resurrected."

On various occasions, we could know about the other brothers and sisters who fully committed themselves to mission activities so far in the U.S. Then, we came to know how hard TP have invested themselves in this country and how much sacrifice True Children have paid. We also came to know that many members were sent to this nation from all over the world and took pains taking efforts with blood, sweat, and tears.

Now we know we feel TP's victorious foundation and great glory through church visitation and various testimonies. But behind that, we also feel that there are much sacrifice of TP, True Family, and brother and sisters.

I would like to add one more thing that I was impressed by.

We happened to have a chance unexpectedly to take care of four children (8, 7, 6 years old, and 10 months old) of a blessing couple for some reason from the middle of August to the end of September. We were bothered about lack of sleep because one of us had to feed him milk at the midnight, and we also kept an eye for the other three who caught cold with high fevers. In the morning, we woke them up and sent them to school and took care when they went to bed late at night. We were much depressed because we could not concentrate on the mission while we got the information of glorious result of the other regions through this news. Then a complicated idea "Why we should do such a thing in the distant place far away from Japan," came to our mind.

However, through the children, we had a chance to think about second generations.

At the time of the mission abroad of 4200 in prayer, before I left Japan, I got God's revelation "Even though my husband and I are in good relationship, our children will be taken away by Satan without uniting centering on God's providence." So I really wanted to follow my revelation, and I stayed in South America for three years and a half. For me, to follow TF's will means to work for God's providence, and at the same time, it means to unite with my husband was my wish. During this period, my husband changed a lot understanding my wish. When I left Japan, my husband opposed strongly trying not to let me go, and I ran away from home. But recently when I attended Chong Pyung 21 Day Workshop for graduates, I called him to say, "TF wants us to come, so I can't help going to attend the workshop." Then he laughingly answered, "Even though I stopped you, you won't follow me, I know." He allowed me to go. After the workshop, when I left Japan to come here, I met my husband for the first time in three years and a half, he said to me, "Am I unlucky to get married with a wife like you? Will the day really come when I would assure myself of our happiness?" And he sent me off with the words, "Do your best." Before I was involved in the mission, I felt that I was loved, but this time, I felt much stronger and more generous bonds of conjugal love.

The other day, I got a letter from my six-year-old son. In it, he says, "Thank you, mother, for your hard work on my behalf, Hiro-chan. Please do a good job for God." When I called my husband, he did not know about the letter. There was a time when the son did not understand the existence of Mother because I left him and have not seen him since he was two years and three months old. So, when I called him from America, he did not know what to say to me. But now I understand that my husband has been taking care of our children and testifying about me well.

Because of this experience, I felt something different from when I was in South America. I understood about going to another country as a missionary. It is an opportunity that is given by God in order to understand True Parents' heart. They can't love their children though they eagerly want to do that. In this time, I was given another aspect such as, my son have same situation as True Children. I felt God also gave this environment to him. Our church leader in Tennessee, who graduated from UTS talked about True Children several times, and we, Japanese sisters heard of True Children in very few times. Those stories gave me an inspiration about my son.

My son was late-child of ours, and I have wanted him to become a blessed child who can follow True Children. From this aspect, I can say it is very significant for our children when we fulfill responsibility as missionaries.

When I joined 21-day workshop in Chung Pyung Lake, Dae Mo Nim told us, "Please do not leave your husband and children without care even though you are an missionary. Pay attention to them and give your love as much as possible." I know it is not easy to work in both of the mission and my family, but I want to do my best with my family. I am really grateful to God and True Parents.

Reported by Keiko Sasaki on Oct. 2

The blessed families in Tennessee are spread over the whole state. We have just three families who work with me, but they are positive members and have good relationship with each other. Several families are in Memphis and Knoxville, and they are also making big effort.

Our church leader just came to Tennessee. He receive direction from True Father to go to UTS and finally he graduated from the institute even he has supported his family. When we arrived at Tennessee, he went back to Japan and stayed there for a month in order to get a visa and to bring his family to the US. During his absence, we worked so hard to support him in spiritually. The Kodan members out of three families drove for us to visit churches and even to go shopping.

When we visit churches with the flags, they accept the flags unexpectedly. As many pastors were not in their church because of their work outside. We realized that we did not have enough time to make the goal of 144000 churches, so we got an idea of mailing letters about the flags. During planning the mailing, HQ gave us same mailing strategy, so we devout ourselves to that. Children of three Kodan families, who were on the summer vacation helped us a lot. We had dinner together, worked late into the night to complete 3227 mailing.

One missionary who had strong back pain became to have leg ache too, but she did not take rest and visited the churches with dragging her leg. One day, during mailing the letter, her leg was pulled by someone spiritually. And then the pain suddenly disappeared. Everybody there was surprised and believed angels worked to help her.

I make up my mind everyday to keep absolute faith, love, and obedience before True Parents. I pray to witness to pastors who accept True Parents as Christ, who deeply learn Father's words and then like their lives for God and True Parents' providence. I know that I am not capable enough to bring such pastors but I want to respond to God's call.

I visited a pastor who has some connection with us but we did not take care well so far. I attended his Sunday service. Then, he came to me and said, "How is Rev. Sun Myung Moon?" I was surprised at his attitude. His name is Rev. White who lent us buses at the time of RFK Blessing and offered use of his kitchen at the time of Mother's speaking tour. He mentioned the Unification Church in his sermon like "People made a lot of bad gossips about UC, but now the UC is our friend."

I usually feel that the spirit world works well when the members unite together centering on the church leader. We, our church leader, a sister from Kodan and I participated in the kick-off meeting of the Nation of Islam for the Million Family March. The state leader of the Nation of Islam gave a great speech and the audience was fascinated. He stated, "Rev. Sun Myung Moon will support our Million Family March." Then, he suddenly introduced us in public.

On September 29 and 30, there was an ALC conference in Minifies. We have just one blessed couple there, Abraham's family, but the conference was successful. I am sure the big heavenly fortune is coming to us because of the victory and suffering of God, True Parents and True Family. So I will work harder than before in order that more ministers can accept True Parents as the Messiah.

I am a member of 1600 missionaries in Greece from 1994. When I departed to Greek in 1994, I had to leave my husband and 2-year and 4-year children in Japan. I know my husband had so much suffering to take care of the children for himself. In this time, I struggled to come to the US because I had debt and I got one more child. I almost gave up to follow True Parents direction. However, my husband pushed me to do that. I felt my husband became strong-minded person through mission to overseas. I was glad to see that he was trying to support True Parents providence, even I came to respect him more than before. My children are friendly with each other and help each other. I hope they will go to the countries all over the world to work for God and True Parents in their future. I am sure if they go to other countries, they can be changed 180 degree and be developed. Indeed, they will have lots of chance to feel and spiritually meet True Parents heart. I am so grateful to God and True Parents to gave me this mission.

Reported by Naoko Fujino on Oct. 2

I came in U.S,A on July 11th. I arrived at Chicago which is my missionary place on July 14th and I did activities for two and half months. I visited churches and witnessed as my main activity. I visited churches with local church's members who had experience. When we visited, a pastor was so glad that he introduced us as his friends in public. Additionally, he gave us time for talking to the church members. It seemed that local church members in Chicago spent for many years to make such a good friendship. At that time, we had only to take care of churches which had been met previously rather than to visit new ones. That is why many family flags had been already delivered in almost churches.

After mailing the flags of our target number to churches until the end of August, we began to visit the churches which we heard from. We could give the flags to church pastors no matter we visited even in a Catholic church without an appointment. Before mailing, we did almost black churches'. However, there began to order for the flags even from Catholic fathers. I felt that Heaven was trying to unite all of Christianity through this providence.

We wondered if we could not talk to pastors and fathers in English. However, I could eliminate bounds among the churches through my visitation and tribal messiahs of the local church began to do activities together. Therefore, I feel it is so important that we, Japanese missionaries, come to America.

In Chicago, Rev. TL Barret is the first pastor who accepted a family flag at the end of 1996. He hoists it outside. On September 9th when was Day of Jericho Walk, in the morning, flag ceremony of Bishop Allison was held. Regional leaders participated in the ceremony. True Father was so glad that he was the first Bishop who hoisted it outside. I regret that I did not videotape the ceremony. If I did, how glad True Father could have been! I want to videotape Jericho Walk and Hoon Dook Hae in ACLC which is held once a month because I would like to share the realm of American providential victory with brothers and sisters in Japan. However, unfortunately, nobody can take responsibility to do so. I think that America needs Japanese who can work systematically.

At beginning of my visitation, I could not distinguish names and faces of pastors, but finally, I could do. On September 28th, more than 40 bishops gathered from all of America in the church of Rev. TL Barret. Fortunately, I could participate there. Rev. TL Barret introduced me to bishop Kim and we had an opportunity to sing a song. Then, I was impressed so much. Black bishops and pastors were very energetic and powerful. I wondered how we can promote your providence if those people agree with True Father. When I saw Bishops, I felt that they were brothers centering on True Parents.

I am staying in New York on the way back to Japan to participate in 10th workshop in America for members which participated in 21-day workshop for collage graduate in Chung Pyung, In this workshop, I could listen to precious words from vice president, Rev. Levy. He said to us, "Missionaries can't save Japan if they are in Japan. They can save Japan and the world through supporting America." " Million Family March has a special and important meaning." After going back to Japan, I will have to show sisters this content.

Reported by Megumi Misawa on Oct. 2

I arrived in Dallas, Texas that belongs to region 10. At the evening, my missionary place was decided by lot. It was Louisiana. A state leader lived in Louisiana's church until this February, but nobody was there when I arrived. The church was only used for Sunday service. On July 16th, I arrived in New Orleans from Dallas by 13 hours' bus ride with the other missionary and a leader who came from Otstin and graduated UTS this year. We prepared ALC which had on July 28th, 29th. We had no car and were not so familiar with the place. I wondered how we could do? However, we distributed ALC conference leaflets so hard, but we were concerned because only 4 or 5 people had regestered one week before the scheduled event. Finally 60 people participant in ALC. In my personal opinion, we could win this providence though our state didn't have enough church foundation and even a state leader. Participants were very moved. Then, they proclaimed; " I am going to mobilize many people next time."

After that, blessed wives could not visit so many churches. That is why they had to take care of their children during summer vacation. Therefore, we looked for churches with the map and visited by bus. Then, we could meet a pastor who had 54 churches and tried to deliver family flags to all of them.

I had to stay there on September 29th, 30th. In the two days, I stayed home of Japanese blessed who lived in America and I visited churches together. We could give seven churches the flags. Finally, I did 117 flags for more than two months. Then the most significant thing was, that a pastor signed the flag in the last church which I visited. I sincerely recognized that God prepares everything when I do my best.

I could not fulfill enough as a missionary which God sent. However, I decided to prepare to be able to offer myself in front of God when I have an opportunity to come to America. Thank you very much.

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