The Words of the Johnson Family
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The Words of the Johnson Family |
After graduating from the Camp Deerwood, my 1st stop was with an actionizers group in a home on 7th avenue in Park Slope Brooklyn, New York.
My connection to people who wanted to live a divine principle life grew. Some of my new friends now were Andre Jenkins, Paul Reilly. one year later after separating from the actionizers Andre, Paul myself would meet up for what was to be my 4 years spent on the mobile fundraising team in NYC. (MFT) As an actionizer my or our primary job was to actionize our beliefs in the divine principle. Serving others, loving others, doing good deeds. The fundamentals of any religious faith. (Cleanliness is next to godliness).
Applying the principle of give and take action and how good vitality is created using the physical senses to infuse the spirit.
Basically a lot of hard work with some fundraising.
I don't remember now but I think it lasted 2 months and then I graduated to my new home the Queens Unification Church on Ash Avenue in Flushing New York. It was first there that I met Dr. John and Leona Didsbury, a loving couple. Dr. John was a hardworking man but very loving but tough. I remember him falling asleep many times as he and I participated in prayer in the prayer room at 4 West 43rd Street. I recall Leona and him having a very loving relationship. One song I picked up or first heard sung so lovingly by Ms. Didsbury was the song "The miracle of love". Is there room in your world for me.
I was sent there to do home church and witnessing. We would go to 43rd street every morning and do witnessing with True Parents (Father's) picture. The year was 1983. One of the signs of stands we used then was a large picture of true parents and a saying that said: "AFTER TEN YEARS OF PERSECUTION WE STILL CONTINUE TO PROSPER."
There were other brothers and sisters who shared the Queens Unification Church with us under Dr. John. There was 2 sisters Irene from Europe and Janet from America.
I wasn't very good at being result in terms of witnessing at the time. I would argue with people or they would argue with me about my belief in the church. But I stuck it out. I was not growing very much I felt.
Secretly Sister Janet from let me drive the church station wagon even though I did not have a license at the time. She was really trying to be a sister to me. She and I were the sole 2 African American members in the center at that time if I'm right.
There was a blessed brother from one of the 1982 blessings name jerry that shared quarters with me in the basement of the Queens Church.
I have not seen him since then basically curiosity got the best of me and I often wonder did his blessing work, did he stay a member? He was not much older than me at the time. Tops 6 years older than me or less.
In June or July 1982 I was transferred to NY Church Mobile Fundraising Team. (MFT) a bright and lively bunch of youth with energy thru the sky. I recall seeing and witnessing their energy as I'd go to 43rd street each morning for witnessing with a sister Leslie and Leona and John. To be put with them was a blessing. Nobody in the Queens center was in my generational range etc., but MFT was perfect match.
I remember Tim Henry was my first commander. A very patient brother who was not pushy at all but a good listener I felt.
Tim would sing and was down to earth with each individual member who was on MFT.
Here is a list of some of the MFT at that time: Tim Henry (commander), Will Peat, Michael Brazil, and Chris McGwinn (3 team captains). This was 30 years ago. Today with the invention of the internet and programs like facebook, I am still in touch with Tim Henry and get to witness some of the loving cast brothers and sisters that I spent time with there.
Because of time, I would like to end my blog right now. But stay tuned, I'd like to input more information on how I learned how to be a Unification Church brother and why some of the persons I am mentioning I have the fondest of memories from God's point of view.