Dear brothers and sisters,

While in Lyons with second generation members, I was always longing to witness to French people aged 18-25. Even though my team agreed with me, they could not do it easily. But I kept a burning desire in my heart. I would like to share with you a personal experience of breakthrough when you really want to get something.

On Sunday, June 15, we had our Sunday service outdoors, near a lake. I gave a sermon about "Engraftment". During the whole sermon, I was upset internally, seeing how almost everyone was passive and reluctant to take responsibility even for singing songs or answering questions. But I kept smiling and tried to inspire everyone. When the service was over, I felt that I could not stay with my own people. We had not been able to bring even one guest for this outdoor service, and I was ashamed in front of God. I felt that we were insulting Heaven by being just happy among ourselves, without concern for the rest of the society. Therefore, I discretely left the congregation, saying to only one person that I was returning to the center. As I was in bus and then the subway, I felt sadness for the thousands of souls unattended by the disciples of the Messiah: so many destinies not affected even once by those who know the Lord! I was really very sad and sorrowful, and in need of an object of love.

I was now approaching the center, it was 1 p.m., and the streets were so hot and quiet.

Suddenly, I saw a young man walking toward me. He was eating a sandwich. I decided to talk to him:

"Don't you think that we should eat sandwiches together, just nearby?
- Sorry, who are you?
- I can prepare my own sandwich within a few minutes, and then, we can watch together the diagrams of the True Love presentation.
- True Love?
- Yes, especially true love in the couple, in the relationship between man and woman.
- That sounds great, I must say. Where is it?"

After a few minutes, I was sitting together with Cedric, 21, who had just returned from Edinburgh in Scotland, after 9 months. He was born near Lyons and was so interested by the diagrams on my computer: "It is like a dream, he said. I always wanted to do the same, I mean, I wanted to create a program about love on a computer."

He was fascinated by the Four-Position Foundation, the Give-and-Take arrows between Subject and Object, and the quotes being used to illustrate True Love. At 2, he had to go for an appointment, but was back at 3:30 and stayed until 5 p.m.

This young gentleman will be back in Lyons only in july. But the few hours with him were so heavenly.

The next day was Monday. At 11 a.m. somebody rang the bell at the door of the center. A young woman entered, and spoke to me, while other members were singing songs with a guest. The young woman was a certain Anne-Marie Pays ("Pays" means country in French, and I thought that I was just trying to find spiritual children to restore the country). Anne-Marie wanted to propose new services for our telephone. But I was determined to relate to her on an internal dimension, no matter what.

"We are very interested by the telephone, in this place, I said", and I brought her in the living room. She spoke for a few minutes and then asked many questions about our association. She was so delighted to fill in the questionnaire about True Love, and because she was so busy, I had only a few minutes to introduce the True Love lecture. Just like Cedric, the day before, she was fascinated, and promised to be back.

When she came back in the evening, I insisted that Kalane, a 16-year old HARP member could stay with both of us during the lecture. Kalane has a French father and Japanese mother. Her two elder sisters were already mobilized in Lyons and could not be Blessed with spiritual children. I wanted to honor their family by having Kalane become a spiritual mother, if Heaven wants.

After this Monday evening, we did not see her for a few days. But then, during three consecutive evenings (Friday, Saturday, Sunday), she received 8 Divine Principle lectures till the conclusion: the Second Coming. Every time, Kalane and myself prayed for her with tears. Anne-Marie will be 30 this year, she kept something very pure and genuine in her mind.

As we were about to return to Paris, she became very sad, and we tried our very best to connect her with the local community of Lyons.

This experience has taught me how much we must persevere and really fight till the end to give joy to God.

Laurent Ladouce

 Download entire page and pages related to it in ZIP format
Table of Contents
Information
Tparents Home