Overall, I think that the tour was a challenge for me. Since I didn't go on the PLA tour last year, I didn't know what to expect, but I soon realized that the tour "spirit" was much different than regular STF or fundraising. Sometimes the spirit could vary from reluctant apathy to warm inspiration and enthusiasm, to all-out chaos.

The biggest difficulty for me on the tour came in the way of Cain and Abel relationships. It was the first time I've had my direct central figure and the members on my team all together within the tight confines of a tour bus. Many times I felt like I was being torn in two directions on trying to meet the needs of my members, as well as carry out directions from my bus leaders. I could really see how important and how difficult unity is to establish.

I think one of the most valuable things I could get from the tour was a heightened sense of perspective with regards to the scope and importance of the issue of purity. It took me awhile to really start to connect to the issue, particularly in Japan where I wasn't at all familiar that there even was an immorality Problem. Michelle kept telling us that we should feel strong emotions about the issue, but at first I didn't fed so connected to the internal purpose of the tour.

There was one thing that helped, when I got "matched"^* [paired with a Korean tour participant] to this 14 year old Korean girl named R. Young. She was so funny and kind that I was sad to see her leave, and I detested the thought of her losing her purity because of this fallen world. It had a way of personalizing the whole cause for me, so towards the end of the tour I felt much more purpose because I just wasn't fighting for a "cause", I was fighting for my family.

So many things, good and bad, came to the surface, but overall I think it was a good experience. Where to in 1999 Europe? Africa? The world's first interplanetary purity tour? Only time can tell.

* Each Western brother and sister was paired with a Korean brother or sister to help make a family-like environment and strong unity.

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