Nepal: First Nation of Cheon Il Guk?

Ginger and John Nicholls
March 6, 2011

When our Regional President of Asia Dr. Yong met with True Mother recently, she told him that Nepal must realize a nation of Cheon Il Guk "at any cost". Dr. Yong explained that we have less than two years until D Day -- Jan. 13, 2013. Where can the hope come from to encourage our True Father, who feels he cannot go to spirit world unless he can spend even one day in a nation of Cheon Il Guk? Even in Korea, the prepared Fatherland, the government has not yet shown enough response to our True Parents to realize such a foundation. Then what is the reality for Nepal to fulfill that role from the position of the first Cain nation to realize Cheon Il Guk?

My husband and I have been dealing with that question now for several years -- especially since we fulfilled a promise to God by returning to live in Nepal in April, 2008 after a 3½ year recovery period in England. We needed to recover from the stress of our previous 8 years of National Messiah mission -- especially having to move between two countries each year due to visa and finances without a stable home or financial foundation, not to mention the physical and spiritual challenges of the mission itself and life in Nepal. Then, by God's grace becoming parents for the first time at 45 and 47 years old in 2003, and even taking our 4 month old daughter back to Nepal for 7 months, we felt it was time to stabilize ourselves for a few years and consider the future.

We had promised God to return to Nepal after 3 years in England, but after buying air tickets for our return in July of 2007, my husband, who had been suffering with severe esophageal reflux and throat problems for several years, was notified that he would be able to have an operation (from the NHS waiting list) within a few months. On the day in August that we were supposed to fly to Nepal, I prayed with tears for our beloved mission country, repenting to God that we couldn't return within the original 3 year time period and questioning whether we would ever be able to return under the challenging circumstances we were in. I had a dream that night. True Mother came to England and walked straight through the crowd of members to my husband and I asking to talk to us. We sat down together and Mother asked us why we had left Nepal and what were we doing in England? I explained to her about all of our difficulties (personal and Nepal situation) and with her loving eyes, she drank in my reply. She then encouraged us to return to Nepal and she gave me a paper with a list of Korean and Japanese names and said that these people would help us. The last thing she did was to ask me to sign for her, the time she had spent with us. She explained that she was accountable to heaven for how she spent her time.

When I awoke, I wanted to return to the dream and the loving embrace I had experienced. After my husband's operation, we deliberated again about returning to Nepal, and finally, 4 months later, we felt the spiritual world practically kicking us out of England. We arrived in Nepal in the midst of a national political campaign for a new government. Elections took place 8 days after we arrived but the exciting news was that the Nepal Family Party had been registered just two months previous and Unification members were going at full force to seek the election of their candidates. A miracle took place that month. We never really believed that NFP could win a seat but everyone knew it would be good experience in foundation laying. However, at the last moment, several weeks after the election, it was announced that the last seat of the new Constituent Assembly went to the NFP and would be filled by the National Leader of the Unification Movement in Nepal, Eknath Dhakal, someone we had met in the first year of our mission during his first 7 day seminar.

Now, almost 3 years on, there have been more steps of progress that have given us clear hope and inspiration that Nepal truly can fulfill such a destiny to become the first nation to realize Cheon Il Guk. Members around the world have all sung the holy song, "Unite Into One" over and over throughout the many years of our movement, and yet whoever thought that there might be significant meaning of uniting one nation into one in relation to "lift the white cross on our banner high above Mt. Everest it waves". Last year, a large banner for peace and reconciliation was placed at the top of Mt. Everest in Nepal by a Nepalese blessed member who had no previous mountain climbing experience and almost lost his life. It had been signed by True Parents, Hyun Jin Nim and Hyung Jin Nim, 12 Korean regional leaders, the Prime Minister (at that time) of Nepal, and the leaders of all of the political parties in Nepal, religious leaders and Nepalese Unification leaders.

Last year we held 3 major 7 day Original Divine Principle seminars with a total of almost 1000 participants and by the end of the year, a 12 day series of Original Divine Principle content had been televised live twice on national television and the third televised Original Divine Principle took place last month in January. By themselves, these conditions do not automatically change a nation of fallen people into a nation of Cheon Il Guk. However, they are powerful conditions that Heaven is using to bring rebirth and resurrection to the nation of Nepal as a whole, combined with forthcoming conditions of outreach and development of the NFP centering on the Chairman and CA member, Hon. Eknath Dhakal. As Dr. Yong reminded us of the story of Jericho, it was conquered by a march of 7 times around the city. Such outreach to all of the districts of Nepal, together with the heart of absoluteness-- understanding that every city is valuable to God will surely be a key to God's victory in Nepal.

Is there room for cynicism in these end times? My husband purchased 3 documentary DVD's over the last year pointing to Dec. 21, 2012 (and the time leading up to it) as a time of worldwide phenomena taking place with a dramatic climax leading to a rebirth of humanity and the universe -- or a total destruction. I'm not talking about the blockbuster Hollywood film "2012", but documentaries involving scientific discussion and research, as well as ancient writings and prophecies from the Mayan civilization, Nostradamus, and others. (e.g. Titles: "2012: Science or Superstition" "Nostradamus: 2012" and The 11th Hour) Setting aside all of Unificationist beliefs these documentaries are quite stimulating, convincing and parallel with True Father's declarations.

Coming back to Nepal, the position that it stands in geographically, sandwiched between India in the Abel position and China in the Cain position -- two of the largest populated nations in the world -- is symbolic for the position of the 38th parallel. If successful to realize Cheon Il Guk, then it stands in a prime position to influence and win over these two powerful nations.

Therefore, according to Divine Principle, (and many scientists, environmentalists, etc.) what is most needed is the fulfillment of man's responsibility to realize the new world, the ultimate will of God. No doubt, True Parents' have sacrificed everything to fulfill their responsibility and are continuing do so. But what about us as members? No doubt there are dedicated members throughout the world living in very sacrificial situations, some even without much foundation to empower them.

My husband and I have tried to commit ourselves to fulfill the National Messiah mission in Nepal for the last 15 years running without asking for outside help. We have sacrificed everything to try to fulfill this mission, including our nations, our family, our mental and physical health, and investment in our own financial foundation for the future. Living in Nepal is a great challenge with the extreme lack of infrastructure and development -- even in the capital city--but the internal challenge has been the most difficult.

We own no home or property and have spent more than $50,000 over the years from the money we earned each time we returned to England managing (while living in) hotels for the homeless which included cleaning toilets, kitchens and personal rooms of single mothers, mentally disturbed, drug and alcohol addicts, ex-offenders, refugees, and problem teenagers. During the last 3 years, we have spent almost 3/4 of our savings from the 3 ½ years we earned while staying in England and now we have barely enough to get us started all over again in England should we have to leave Nepal, with a 7 year old daughter to raise in our mid-fifties.

We gave up the course of pursuing the possibility of giving birth to our own child when the National Messiah mission began, not because we ever had a desire to become foreign missionaries but because we felt God calling us. Then God returned the blessing by giving my husband and I a Japanese/English daughter, consoling our hearts after (barely) enduring our childless course for 21 years since our 1982 Blessing. Jacob also needed a 21 year course of indemnity to realize a chosen nation. We are far from being the ones best qualified for this mission and have continuously struggled with our shortcomings, our Blessing and our value in relation to this mission. We have wanted to quit many times.

However, each time, we have tried to give up, we hear God's cry and True Parents' desperation. Especially, we are always reminded of Jesus' words, "Do not worry about what you will eat or what you will drink…Put God's Kingdom first and all these things shall be added unto you."

The time has come that we cannot afford to stay any longer in Nepal (where we cannot earn money) without asking for outside financial support. The Nepal Church has been supporting half of our need for the last few years and we have received some personal donations from Japanese members which we are always grateful for as well as some support from the region which also comes from Japanese members. But despite Nepalese members fundraising over the years outside Nepal, international fundraising has become very limited. My husband established the fundraising foundation within Nepal and is trying to build it up again, but it is not enough. We are trying to stay for at least 2 more years to assist the Nepal Providence to realize Cheon Il Guk by 2013. We are the only elder Blessed couple living in Nepal concentrating fully on the Nepal Providence and especially Nepal Church. Without wanting to be a burden to anyone, we humbly ask our worldwide membership centering on USA and Europe for any financial support that you can give. (I am American, my husband is English). Please consider that it would give you a chance to join the efforts in Nepal to establish Cheon Il Guk by 2013. Once one nation succeeds, then other nations will more quickly follow.

Our life in Nepal is very challenging. One of the most difficult things is transportation. We need a car because I have suffered with osteoarthritis of the spine for 25 years and my husband suffers from asthma. The roads are very bad (even in the capital city), the pollution is extreme, and driving can be very dangerous. In the past we used public transportation and taxis. In order to get around, we have been using a 30 year old church car for 2 ½ years that doesn't have power steering. The engine stalls constantly despite efforts to repair it. No air conditioning and even the heater doesn't work properly. It is dangerous enough to drive in Kathmandu because traffic rules are not followed and motorcycles continuously swarm through the streets cutting in front of the car from either side without warning, but with the engine cutting out each time we slow down, it can be horrendous. If the traffic doesn't kill us, the stress surely will. Even with 36 years of driving, I refuse to drive in Kathmandu, which means my husband has to carry the burden. Cars are very expensive to buy because you have to pay a government tax which makes the cost of any car double. We're not asking for a new or even a nice car but a better one. We would be grateful even for money to fix up the old one -- maybe find a reconditioned engine if it is possible. Can you help?

We need about $600 a month to live on -- that includes $155 rent/utilities. Food, gas heater in winter, school fees, etc. We need $600 annual visa cost plus $3600 airfare once a year to return to England -- mainly for immigration purposes to keep my residency in England. I am a UTS Div. graduate and I willingly accept that my life is an offering for God's purpose. My husband holds no such academic degrees, but he willingly offered up his soulful singing talent when he rejected a dream record contract from the music industry and joined Unification Church in 1979. Our only concern is to live long enough for our daughter's sake. One day, I hope to finish our book, "Tears for Nepal" which is a testimony to our faith in God and True Parents and their abundant grace. Please help us to help God, True Parents, and the members in Nepal to realize the dream of Cheon Il Guk.

May God bless you and your families.

Sincerely,

Ginger and John Nicholls
Abel National Messiahs in Nepal