We were very happy to welcome Minister Carolyn Parker from Powder Springs, Georgia, to Micronesia. Her ministry involves counseling and community-based assistance and fellowship in Atlanta, Georgia. She arrived on November 29th from Taiwan.

When she arrived here, she had no idea where she was, except that she was on some island surrounded by thousands of miles of ocean. Our preparation time was diminished as there were many changes in her schedule. We also had to be good hosts in attending to her needs. As very few people here have email and some don’t have a telephone, the most effective form of communication is to visit personally. Because of the nature of the communities here, the people are more comfortable when they meet in their community houses rather than in a hotel.

The event went very well despite many challenges, and the participants were fully involved and enjoyed the evening. Minister Parker really invested herself and read the speech with full conviction. Josaiah Waguk did an excellent job as Emcee. My wife and I relied on the participation of our older children, Nathan and Sarah, to assist on the occasion, and they invested themselves in the efforts.

We had several activities and meetings before and after the event, which made the time very meaningful for the minister and for the people whom she met. After she arrived, we had an evening dinner together to get to know each other. It wasn’t long before we heard the story of her life and her Christian walk. It was a powerful testimony of rising from a bad situation to something good and wholesome. She also appreciated meeting our family and sharing some personal time together. During the tour of other countries, she was traveling most of the time between events and missed the opportunity for sharing of heart.

The next day, we had a Prayer Breakfast with two Paramount Chiefs and their wives, followed by a visit to the Peace Corps to visit one of our key Ambassadors for Peace, Emy Musrasrik.

In the afternoon, I was called away to a meeting with the Directors of the Pohnpei Port Authority to discuss our Peace Embassy proposal in Pohnpei.

We met other Traditional Leaders and Ambassadors for Peace on Thursday night to hear the minister’s testimony about "Why I Chose to Go on the 120 Nation Tour." Minister Parker spoke with ease about her obedience to the call. She believed that Rev. Moon was doing more than anyone to promote peace and love in the world. This was her reason for joining the tour.

During the brief course of the mobilization, posters were put up around town advertising the event and some key church ministers were contacted and advised about the 120 Nation Tour involving other Christian ministers. Some were very surprised that we would have ministers from other churches doing a tour initiated by Rev. Moon. In the most unpredictable ways, such as at a supermarket, we would meet people who needed to hear from our minister. Minister Parker challenged them to work beyond religious boundaries and for peace and dialogue between different religions and denominations. It was a good message that they needed to hear.

On another occasion we visited the home of Paramount Chief Iso Sahngoro, who welcomed Minister Parker and gave us a stack of 100 bananas, pineapple and limes. It was the end of an agricultural festival for their community. Thus, the day was fruitful from different perspectives.

Much of the four days were times of personal sharing with Minister Parker, helping her to locate lost luggage from London, showing her some areas of the island, and discussing deeper areas of Divine Principle with her. She has many outstanding qualities, including perseverance, love of prayer, love of people and a deep spiritual perception.

Minister Parker said that she had the best time in Micronesia and being the last country of her 40 days on the tour, she felt grateful to have this experience. As the tour had been so hectic at times, we felt that God wanted to give her some good final memories of love, peace and friendship. At the airport on Sunday night, she stayed with us until the last moment before the gate closed. Naturally, she said she would like to return to Pohnpei and we would happily give her a warm welcome once again.

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