The Words of the Vincenz Family
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The Words of the Vincenz Family |
Since the beginning of the summer, we have tried by any means, making conditions of all sorts, to find children for our True Parents, to lay a strong foundation for France. Inspired by the actions of the Japanese Family and especially of the Dutch Family, we started this condition. For 3 weekends, 12 of us went to witness for our Heavenly Father and His Son in different small towns around Paris. Two by two, they started for their unknown mission field without money, addresses and experience, from Saturday at 6 a.m. (beginning a 24 hours fast) to return home on Sunday at 10 p.m.
Each of us grew in depth and sacrificial capacity. We felt stronger than in Paris the loneliness of our Father's Heart; we experienced on our small level how He felt not to have a home anywhere on Earth, and how He and His Son have been rejected. Most of all, we saw how much Father loves and helps the ones who fight to restore the World to Him. The more we pushed away our limits, the more resources we found in ourselves; the more we gave, the more energy came to us.
To get spiritual help and guidance, to really work with God in these towns, many of us made special conditions of prayer: praying all night by turns in a park before giving anew our pledge on Sunday morning -- feeling so close to Father in the quietness. God never rests. We wondered how many man know this feeling and like to linger thus with Him, how many children He has who just like to be with Him all the time.
We walked along the streets to meet people, and often we walked again the same path. Always something would push us forward when we thought of resting awhile: a sister received a communist pamphlet proclaiming the great satisfaction of the French people to receive Russian M. Brejnev. Strangely enough, it was a strongly communist town that brothers found a Christian community expecting the Second Advent just as it is accomplished by our Master. But they do not see the time is now. Many Christian groups, youth movements, social organizations were contacted. How many want to achieve goodness in giving only a part of themselves to this purpose. They refuse to hope, and instead of giving their energy to build an hypothetical ideal world, they just aim at making this one "not so bad." 1% e experienced that Christians (Roman Catholics for the most part in France) too often view their religious life a life of horizontal love. They sheltered us, fed us, listened politely. But their tie with Father is not the most important thing. How sad we felt seeing this! They do not even are about the Second Coming of the Lord! They have been deluded all the time, and they do not have faith in the One they say they follow. How much stronger we have to become to show them the dream has become reality!
We went to find lost people in all places: cafes, churches, army barracks; a brother gave a public lecture in a park, 4 or 5 persons attended. But there were not always people to contact. In August in a very small town, a brother and a sister experienced the sadness of not being able to share with anybody the precious message delivered to us. They thought a lot of Our Master when he first tried to bring children to our Heavenly Father.
At night, some were sheltered by monks, priests, Christian families. Some stayed in parks, building lobbies or in basements. Two brothers asked a man where they could spend the night, he answered "Come home", and shortly after "You have just saved a man from death" and took a gun out of his pocket. He was on his way to kill another man. They spent the night and part of the morning with him talking of Father and His work. His words could have referred to himself: Father gave him a great chance in stopping him to do evil and in letting him know his way for salvation. But he did not see the most important part of Father's gift. Through that we realized that we are here to save men from despair, from their sad condition of death in leading them to Our Savior and Father.
This condition really helped the family to get closer together. And this is a good lesson French individualistic people have to learn: it is only when we give ourselves to the same work and, act suffer together that we really become close. No need for words, no need for stories of the past to know each other. We know it is in the same way that we can perceive Father's Heart: in co-operating with Him and His Son.
Now the French Family knows a little better how to give and sacrifice. There is still so much to pay for France and the World! But now we are not afraid. We know by experience that Father is with His Family, we know He always wins. Mansei!
In the Name of our True Parents,
Bernadette Bellay