The Words of the Eu Family
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The Words of the Eu Family |
When I was in Korea, I had been an itinerary worker, but when I came to America, I was given the role of a leader right away. I was shocked! Still, Father encouraged me in my work in Denver as the regional director saying, "You are a representative of Korean women. You are also a representative of your husband. You should bring your husband's spirit from Korea to America" [Her husband Hyo Won Eu, president of the Unification Church in Korea, died in 1970.] I didn't feel I had enough confidence for such an important mission, but I tried to do my best.
For 20 months I worked in Colorado, Texas, Washington DC, and New York. When Father went to prison, he asked me to stay with Mother at East Garden, so I stayed with her for 11 months. We held a prayer vigil there every night at the holy ground. Through my prayer I felt Mother's deep heart, how much she loves Father and tries to do her best.
After Father's release, 10 women IWs were sent out -- one to each region. Our destinations were determined by lottery, and I chose Region Four, centering on Atlanta, Georgia. At the time I didn't understand my mission exactly; I wasn't sure what to do or how to support the regional director, Rev. Byung Ho Kim. I just thought that since I was a woman, I should support and encourage the members as True Mother would.
However, Father also directed us to meet with ministers. "Our English is not so good" I told Father, "so how can we do that?" He just said, "Try, even if you would rather die!" He went on to say, "If you cannot speak, then write down what you want to say and read it to them:'
While I stayed in Atlanta, I invited 18 ministers to the center. They really had a lot of questions about Father. One minister asked me, "How does Rev. Moon feel about Jesus Christ? What is his concept?" I remembered a very useful and inspiring explanation that Father had once given to Professor Herbert Richardson; I read about it in our Korean magazine, Tong Il Se Ge. Father had invited Prof. Richardson to East Garden, where he had a chance to question Father directly. He asked: 'According to rumor, some people think that you are the Messiah. Are you?"
Father quoted Luke 10:25-28, explaining that if you try to love God with all your heart and soul, and love your neighbor as yourself, you can save yourself. If you save yourself, you can be a personal messiah. If you can save your nation, you can be a national messiah. And so on. Father said that he was trying to do that, and he encouraged Prof. Richardson to try too. He said everybody should try.
Prof. Richardson was very inspired by that. He said that when he was young, his minister used to encourage him strongly to be like Jesus, to imitate him and follow his way. At that time he couldn't understand exactly how to do it, but when he heard Father's explanation, it became clear.
We have to correct the ministers' concepts about the role of Jesus Christ. Whenever they ask me about Father's concept of Jesus, I ask them in return, "Do you know the meaning of 'Messiah'?" They usually reply, "Oh, Jesus Christ is Messiah" Then I explain, "Yes, of course he is the Messiah. But Rev. Moon teaches that everyone should be a messiah. If you can save yourself, you are your own messiah; if you can save your family, you are a family messiah. The final question is, Who can save this world? Whoever can save this world is the Messiah of the whole world:' I think this is a good answer.
Once a minister asked me to come to his radio station and do a show on the air. It was supposed to be a program of questions and answers; but I was worried about doing it because I cannot understand the language of black ministers very well. Then I remembered Father's advice and wrote my speech down on paper. The radio station gave me 15 minutes, and so I read my summary of Unification Church activities and Father's explanation about the meaning of the Messiah.
Father once taught us what the four most important points of the Principle are. When I explain these to the ministers, they become very inspired. The first point is the true relationship between God and man; the second point is the relationship between the spiritual world and the physical world; the third point is man's portion of responsibility; and the fourth point is the problem of Cain and Abel. I tell them that without understanding the problem of Cain and Abel, we cannot understand the problems or the goal of history. And through understanding all four points, we can connect with God.
Mrs.
Eu at a workshop in Birmingham, Alabama, with ministers and
(standing, left to right) Wayne Hill, Joshua Cotter, and Rev. Byung
Ho Kim.
Many ministers also ask me, "What does Rev. Moon plan to do next?" They really want to know about us. Ever since Father came out of Danbury, many Americans have become interested in our church. Whenever members go fundraising, people they meet ask, "Can you explain something about your church? I know Rev. Moon was released from prison. So what is he doing now?"
Our members are so used to being persecuted. They are very afraid of getting a negative response. But now, the response is changing to become positive. I always encourage my members to not be afraid -- that is my desire and my mission.
On October 14, 1985, Father called the IW's to East Garden and encouraged us to have two-day CAUSA seminars in our regions. He gave two reasons for this. He said that in an afternoon or one-day seminar we cannot give enough material or convey enough deep heart. He also said that we need two-day workshops in order to give other ministers a chance to teach the CAUSA material themselves.
After the meeting I went back to Atlanta and gave the leaders the new direction about two-day workshops.
Everyone was very surprised because it had already been so difficult to bring ministers to a one-day seminar.
Later Rev. Kwak visited our region and explained more deeply about Father's desire for us to hold two-day seminars, and encouraged everybody to try. Joshua Cotter, the state leader of Alabama, decided to start a two- day workshop right away.
I went down to Huntsville, Alabama, and arrived on the second day of a two-day seminar. Two graduates had come to help. One white minister, Rev. Robert Walker, was giving one of the CAUSA lectures. He said that when he had attended a regional CAUSA seminar previously in Atlanta, Tom Ward, executive vice-president of CAUSA International, had testified that white people should repent for the sins they committed against black people; in his talk he cried tears of repentance for his ancestors' sins. Because of that experience, Rev. Walker was inspired to lecture himself.
A black minister, Rev. George Washington, invited Rev. Walker to stay overnight at his house during the seminar. Before the seminar, the white minister had had a real prejudice against black people. After the experience of staying with Rev. Washington, he began to love black people. I think this is a really historical story.
When I heard about Rev. Walker staying with Rev. Washington, I bought a fruit basket, took all my city members, and went to visit them. I just wanted to drop by and say hello. When I arrived at about nine in the evening, the ministers were talking and sharing together. They begged me, "Oh, please stay and talk with us. We have so many questions about Rev. Moon and the Unification Church. Can you stay?"
For about two hours we talked and talked. Rev. Walker asked me, "Do you believe Rev. Moon is the Messiah?" "Yes;' I replied, "he is my Messiah:' I gave him Father's explanation of Luke 10:25-28, and tried to correct his misconception about the role of the Messiah. "Do you worship God?" he asked me.
"Yes, of course:' I replied.
"Do you worship Rev. Moon?"
"Rev. Moon saved my spiritual life:' I answered him; "I love him and respect him, but I worship God." I have found that the ministers now are really investigating and trying to understand the relationship between God and Jesus and Father.
When I meet with ministers I try to explain how much Father loves Jesus. I tell them how Father, in the early days in Korea, used to speak about Jesus in tears, explaining the long indemnity course that was necessary for Jesus to be born, and his miserable situation on earth.
Wherever I go, I explain my faith very strongly. If the testimony we give to people is vague or unclear, they will just continue wondering; they will be lost in the midway position where they cannot clearly separate from Satan in their thinking. That's why we even have to risk creating a problem for them by speaking strongly; they will have to pray and find out about Father. Then they can come to God's side.
I think many people joined the Unification Church because they were disturbed about a certain point and wanted to investigate. Even before I ever met a Unification Church member, I had heard rumors: "Moon Jesus has appeared in Seoul!" I was shocked. I was a Presbyterian, and I couldn't believe this strange story because I was expecting Jesus to return on the clouds. I even prayed, "God, a really terrible person has appeared in Seoul:' Many people spoke scornfully of this Moon Jesus who had appeared in a physical body, not in spirit.
However, after five famous professors, including Dr. Young Oon Kim and Mrs. Won Pok Choi, quit their university to join the Unification Church, I became very serious, thinking that I should go to investigate. But because of this one point, I was too skeptical to go. At the time I was staying in a dormitory with Mrs. Mi Shik Shin Choi, who became my spiritual mother. One day I asked her to go for a walk with me, because this point was bothering me so much.
During our walk I asked her, "Do you really believe this Rev. Moon is Jesus Christ?" Mrs. Choi's character is usually very gentle and kind, but at that moment she got very angry with my question. "How can you ask me such an important point? You want to know that without even agreeing to come to the Unification Church?!" She spoke with such dignity and authority at that moment that I surrendered. I promised automatically, "Okay! I will go tomorrow!"
For three months, every day, she had witnessed to me, saying, "You should go, you should go, you should go:' but I had refused. I didn't like the idea of this Moon Jesus. This time she really scolded me, even hurting my dignity and pride. That's why I finally had to go and learn about the Principle myself.
If we testify to Father clearly, saying, "Yes, I believe he is the Messiah many people will respond negatively and may even fight with you. That's okay, because if we speak with authority and confidence they will have to stop and think, "Is he really the Messiah, or a false messiah? Is he from God or Satan?" It's okay to make them confused or frustrated, because then they can get an answer from God. Don't you think so? That's why, whenever I meet with ministers, I really want to speak out.
Father already asked us to proclaim his messiahship, so please go ahead. Otherwise spirit world cannot work with us. Even if the people are negative, remember that they are still curious underneath. That's why we don't have to be afraid.