The Role of Women in the Age after the Coming of Heaven and the Mission of Women's Federation

Hak Ja Han
March 2012
Japan

Hak Ja Han and some of her children circa 1971

Distinguished guests from home and abroad! Beloved members of the Unification Church!

It is a great delight to be back here in Japan, five years after my last visit in 2006. I would first like to offer words of comfort from my deepest heart to the nation of Japan, the Japanese citizens and members of our church in Japan for the severe harm they have suffered due to the great earthquake in March of last year, and also from this year's avalanche.

This year marks the twentieth anniversary of the founding of the Women's Federation for World Peace (WFWP), and as I look back on the footprints we have left behind in history, I would like to return glory to our Heavenly Father for His work behind the scenes to help WFWP develop and grow into a global organization. In addition, I would also like to express my deepest gratitude to our members, especially our Japanese members, for the hard work they are carrying out in various parts of the world.

On this day, I would like to speak to you under the title of 'The Role of Women in the Era after the Coming of Heaven and the Mission of WFWP, centering on the words of the speech given at the Cosmic Assemblies for the Settlement of the True Parents of Heaven, Earth and Humankind and for the Proclamation of the Word by God's Substantial Self.

In April 1992, in Seoul, Korea, True Parents declared the advent of the global era of women through the 'Founding Rally of the Women's Federation for World Peace,' attended by women representatives from 72 nations around the world and 150,000 women of Korea.

That day marked the beginning of the great footsteps of tremendous significance in the world history of women. This was because it was the point of global transition through which the main role of developing and leading history was handed over from men to women.

At the time, True Father emphasized, "The true workers who are to bring an end to the world of wars and violence, oppression and exploitation, and crimes, and realize an ideal world overflowing with peace, love and freedom, are the women of this era." He went on to speak words of encouragement to the women, telling them to become women leaders that can lead a new peace movement, armed with the fundamental ideologies of WFWP, that is, 'Head-Wing Ideology' and 'Godism.'

As True Father, following the will of Heaven, walked the path of righteousnes, on which he had had to endure persecution and imprisonment from unrighteous powers, he resolved time and again to begin a new peace movement led by conscientious and righteous women.

Moreover, through his keynote speech, True Father entreated, 'Now the time has come for women to establish the model of the true mother, true wife and true daughter, and thus fulfill an ideal family through the true love movement of living first for the sake of their husbands and children.'

Through these words he clarified that WFWP was not a movement for women alone, but rather the movement of bringing together ideal families to establish ideal nations and ultimately an ideal world.

After the founding rally, we embarked on a world tour, beginning with a speaking tour carried out across major cities in Korea, Japan, the United States, and eight major cities in Europe, and furthermore, through Moscow, Oceania, Africa, Asia, and China, to lay down a worldwide foundation for the organization and activities of WFWP.

Until then, I had only been in the position of following in the footsteps of True Father as he established traditions of victory. From that moment on, however, for the first time in history I stood on equal ground as True Mother and proclaimed the liberation of women worldwide.

What is more, we presented the 'Head-Wing Ideology' of True Parents based on 'Godism,' which played a decisive role in opening the gates to the post-Cold-War era, as the great Principle for the construction of an eternal world of peace. It is the mission of the Messiah and the Savior to teach the way to bring an end to our sinful history, which became entangled when humankind lost the way of true parents, true husband and wife, and true children.

Wherever I went, I clarified before all heaven and earth that True Father has dedicated his whole life to pioneering the path of the Messiah and True Parents.

Because Adam and Eve fell in the family, restoration also needs to be achieved in the family. By becoming one with the family of True Parents, it becomes possible to achieve the restoration of the family and become a perfected victor. We can then go on to restore the tribe and the nation, and furthermore, to accomplish the unification of the world and the unification of heaven and earth, and thus bring about the era of peace and prosperity centered on God.

True Father installed me as the representative of Eve, and made public not only the origin of the Fall but also the parables in the Bible related to the Fall and all secrets in history. This was because it was necessary for him to personally announce worldwide every sin committed by Eve.

It was truly miraculous that, in the short period of three months, we visited various parts of the global village and successfully held a women's rally in 113 cities in the world. We cannot but reflect on how great and inevitable was the providential significance of the founding of WFWP.

Thanks to such devoted efforts, in the first year of its founding WFWP already had a solid organization and foundation for activities in Korea and the rest of the world. Our members around the world are working hard to realize our founding spirit, 'Let us form families of true love based on the maternal love of women and construct sound societies and a peaceful world.'

Ladies and gentlemen, the Cosmic Assemblies for the Settlement of the True Parents of Heaven, Earth and Humankind and for the Proclamation of the Word by God's Substantial Self were carried out first in Korea, followed by eight nations in Europe, USA, and Nigeria, as the world tour for the declaration of the final conclusion and completion of the history of the Providence of Restoration in the lives of True Parents.

The path taken by the True Parents shall serve as a tradition and historic example; thus, I am proclaiming that all of you should model your life course on this path, become families that pledge to inherit and fulfill the will of God that True Parents have already accomplished, and be true to this pledge.

On April 18, 2010, we celebrated our 52nd year of marriage. On that occasion, we brought to a close the era before the coming of heaven, which was marked by sin and indemnity [atonement], and proclaimed the era after the coming of heaven through which a new heaven and new earth will be realized by returning to true love. Through this tour, we are leading a lifestyle befitting the era after the coming of heaven. Please engrave this point in your hearts.

The details of True Parents' life course have already been disclosed and conveyed to you through my husband's autobiography. I pray that you will all become the representatives and heirs of True Parents before the conclusion of the Cosmic Assemblies for the Settlement of the True Parents of Heaven, Earth and Humankind and for the Proclamation of the Word by God's Substantial Self. Please take heed of the autobiography, which is a record of my husband's life's work to enable the True Parents to succeed in their mission during their time on this earth, and build on my achievements. Please also inherit the teachings we have bestowed upon this world. In doing so, I pray that you will surely be triumphant in your course of life.

Like the True Parents have done, you too should become heavenly bridges for all your relatives and the members of your clan that are around you, and also a God-centered leader that can guide your clan to God's kingdom. I ask that you take this proclamation of True Parents to heart and pledge to put it into practice.

With the declaration of the advent of the new era of women, True Parents have organized new women's movements centered on the true love of God in various parts of the world.

Local chapters of WFWP are carrying out a variety of social educational programs for the establishment of true-family ethics, volunteer work and sharing campaigns for our neighbors and societies, the UN reform movement including the accomplishment of UN Millennium Development Goals and international exchanges and joint activities, and the 1% Love Share Project for North Korea and the campaign for the reconciliation and reunification of South and North Korea. In addition, local chapters in nations across the world are carrying out various activities adapted to their local circumstances and situations. During 1994, some 160,000 sisterly ties between Korean and Japanese women were made over 38 sessions.

This gave way to the 'Establishment of sisterhood between American and Japanese women in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the ending of World War II' held the following year, which gave birth to 20,000 American and Japanese sisterly ties, and the movement was expanded to include African-American women later on.

The sight of women from enemy nations embracing each other and making peace with one another centering on the true love of God was truly beautiful and heart-moving.

This tradition developed into a whole new level. At the Registration Rally for God's Kingdom and the Fatherland held last year, 172 American clergymen were bequeathed Korean surnames and formed brotherly ties with representatives of those surnames. In short, they were registered into God's Kingdom. The ideal of humanity as one family under God is being realized even as we speak.

Based on such activities, volunteer workers of WFWP in Japan have carried out devoted service with love and dedication, building schools, teaching skills and so forth, transcending the barriers of race, religion, and nationality, in regions around the world that face certain challenges, including Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and South America. Thus, they have laid a worldwide foundation for the activities of WFWP.

The 1% Love Share Project for North Korea, which signifies sharing a small part or 1% of what we have, is being carried out jointly by all WFWP chapters in the world. Moreover, to expand the scale and operation of the project, the name has now been changed to 1% Love Share Project and is being carried out around the world.

As can be seen, WFWP has carried out various activities participated by women leaders from all nations and all races in the world, and by sharing one another's experiences and wisdom in relation to the role of women in constructing a true world of peace, they have formed a strong sense of solidarity that indeed 'the world is one home, humankind is one family.' More than anything else, one of the greatest assets of WFWP can be said to be the deep friendships we have formed with renowned women leaders of the world.

Beloved members of the Unification Family!

Throughout our lives, my husband and I have established many international organizations and institutions to promote world peace. We have invested unreservedly in many fields including inter-religious cooperation, humanitarian projects to benefit society, intercultural activities, sports, education and the media. We founded all these initiatives with the aim of promoting peace and bringing salvation to humanity.

After working to succeed in all these things, some people would commend us and say that we deserve to look back and comfortably enjoy the rest of our lives.

They encourage us to forget about the world situation and sit back and enjoy the successes achieved during the past ninety years! However, my husband and I cannot look at the lives we have led in such a worldly way.

We have had to complete the mission of the actual True Parents, given to us by God, who is Himself the vertical True Parent of all humankind. Now, with less than one year remaining in this mission to make God's kingdom, Cheon Il Guk, a reality, we are leading each day of our lives with more seriousness than ever before.

Throughout his life, my husband has offered himself for the liberation of God, the one and only True Parent of heaven and earth, to restore to Him His rightful position as Parent, to save all human beings who suffer in the realm of death, and to return them to God's bosom. For this purpose he has persevered and triumphed over countless tribulations while leading the people of the world, who are living like lost and unaware orphans searching for their heavenly parent, toward the goal of global salvation. Due to the Fall, brought about by our first ancestors, people are born into the false lineage. Every one without exception wanders in darkness even now, unable to break free of Satan's bondage. Under such circumstances, how could we be anything less than completely serious in our lives as we guide the seven billion people of the world along the path toward the building of God's kingdom on earth?

Ladies and gentlemen, we are living in a historic time of great cosmic transition. It is a time for a great cosmic revolution to change history, to unite the spiritual and physical worlds and to create the ideal kingdom of heaven that God has longed for since the beginning of time.

We can no longer postpone or prolong the fulfillment of His wish. We have already proclaimed that January 13, 2013 will be "Foundation Day." That day will be the actual beginning of God's Kingdom of Cheon Il Guk. That day will be the origin. Yet, less than one year remains until then.

Therefore, it is time for all people to be humbly obedient to Heaven's decree. An unavoidable time is upon us today when we must invest ourselves completely with a life or death commitment for these remaining two years under the guidance of the True Parents who carry out the providence on earth as the substantial representatives of God, the King of Kings.

All the good spirits in the spirit world are mobilized and are already moving forward a step ahead of you.

Beloved members of WFWP Japan and Church members!

We are now living in the era of the Pacific Civilization. The central nations of this era are Korea and Japan. The Adam nation is Korea and the Eve nation is Japan. And the Archangel nations are the United States, China and Russia, which lie in the periphery. This was decided by God. In order for Japan to fulfill its mission as the Eve nation, she needs to connect the new tradition of the Eve nation to the women's realm in Korea. And now this has been made possible through the founding of WFWP.

Going beyond its mission as the Eve nation, Japan also has providential significance as the mother nation. Until now, it has always been at the forefront to fulfill its responsibilities and duties in the role of the daughter and the wife.

As the Eve nation, Japan needs to fulfill its mission following the will of Heaven; however, it is instead opposing the entry of Rev. Moon into Japan and persecuting our work. Faced with this reality, I have endeavored, with a loving heart based on the oneness in body and mind of husband and wife, to enlighten Japan about the heart and situation of God and what He desires of Japan.

True Parents are devoting their energies into helping Japan fulfill its mission as the Eve nation in the providence, that is, to go beyond playing the role of the daughter before the father, the role of the bride before the coming bridegroom, and the role of the wife before the husband, by establishing Japan as the mother nation.

We need to bear in mind that this is the sacrificial course comprising the infinite love and devotion of True Parents, who are trying to resurrect us into a new life and to deliver us by giving new life and love. Herein lies the reason members of WFWP Japan need to stand at the forefront before the members of any other WFWP chapters and to work even harder.

True Parents have already prepared the last words they will give to humankind. These have been prepared based on my husband's triumph over six or seven life-or-death situations, including six periods of unjust imprisonment. We are leaving behind eight textbooks and teaching materials for humankind to use for all eternity. Altogether, these are published in almost a thousand volumes.

They are The Sermons of the Rev. Sun Myung Moon, Exposition of the Divine Principle, Cheon Seong Gyeong [Heavenly Scripture], The Family Pledge, Pyeong Hwa Shin Gyeong [Messages of Peace], True Families – Gateway to Heaven, Owner of Peace and Owner of Lineage, and World Scripture.

These are textbooks you will have to read and study even after you go to the spirit world. They are not just teachings that come from the mind of one person.

They are textbooks and teaching materials that teach the heavenly way that God has granted to His suffering children for their salvation.

You should now set up the Hoon Dok Hae study tradition in your families using the books I have mentioned. That is the tradition where three generations of a family start each day by reading Heaven's word, and lead a life of practicing what they read, with a new heart.

Let's create a world where people in the spirit world and the earthly world can both attend True Parents at the same time, and read the word on the heavenly path together.

Once this happens, no matter how hard Satan may try to worm his way in to infest your lineage, once he encounters the Hoon Dok Hae tradition he will find no room to move.

If a family is aligned with God as at high noon, where no shadow is cast, and still does not receive God's blessings, who then could ever be deserving of them?

When such heavenly families fill the earth, the world will automatically become the heavenly kingdom on earth and in the eternal spirit world, fulfilling the vision of "one family under God."

Ladies and gentlemen, two years ago, my husband's memoirs, As a Peace-Loving Global Citizen, an honest and candid account of his life, were published. Through this book he shares how he discovered God's will for humankind and the path that we, as God's children, should follow. His life has been a typical model of the saying, "If at first you don't succeed, try, try, and try again."

We have as much faith in this book as in the Hoon Dok textbooks and teaching materials I have mentioned. For this reason, I recommend it to you, believing that it will show you how to lead your lives according to true principles.

It does not subtract or add anything to the ninety years of my husband's life, which he has led under Heaven's decree. I pray you will carefully read this articulation of true love and find great inspiration.

I have already mentioned that a life of vertical "noon-time" alignment casts no shadow. If we can all shine as we live such glowing lives, there will be no chance for the shadow of sin to be cast. Those who receive the light will be indebted to the light.

I pray that we can now wipe away the tears of people in misery and poverty, and lead an illuminated life of eternal true love that dissipates all darkness.

Beloved Unification Church Members!

Distinguished guests, at this serious and important time, a revolutionary and cosmic change must now take place in your lives. In light of this let us summarize the message Heaven has given to us today.

First, all blessed families should attend God at the center of their families and every day carry out Hoon Dok education, which can completely unite parents and children.

In other words, you should thoroughly teach the Divine Principle, the textbooks and teaching materials True Parents have bequeathed, True Father's autobiography, and absolute marital fidelity taught through the Original Substance of the Divine Principle workshops.

Second, Heaven has permitted the grace of the authority of Sunghwa for rebirth and resurrection to be bestowed on the family unit. Here, a requisite condition is the complete unity between parents and children. In other words, you must establish the standard for absolute parents and absolute children, and establish an absolute family in the normal course of events.

Third, humankind has moved out of the authority of the era of restoration through indemnity, thanks to the grace of True Parents who have suffered hardships through which they sweat blood. Therefore, do not forget the fact that during True Parents' lifetimes we all have the responsibility to liberate families, tribes, peoples, nations and the world in which God can dwell from the authority of hell.

Now that the era of restoration through indemnity has ended, what kind of era is dawning? The reign of tranquility and prosperity in the victorious authority centered on God and True Parents shall be eternal.

Fourth, we are now entering the era of the authority of God's direct dominion.

Ladies and gentlemen, I have said that less than a year remains until the "D-day" proclaimed by Heaven.

I beg that you inscribe in your hearts the fact that we have entered the era of the authority of the cosmic Sabbath in which your direct family members in the spirit world shall return to the earth to receive the Original Divine Principle education, and where eight generations will live together in a single family. Aju!

Ladies and gentlemen, these concluding remarks explain the broad outline of all our endeavors. They bring to a close this rally that is being held for the religious circles, the earth, the spirit world, physical world, and Cain and Abel-type world, in order to finalize what my husband, the Rev. Moon, has achieved through the course of his entire life with God the master of the spirit world and physical world. This is not something that could have appeared in history before now. We are now in a time where God is concluding the providence and harvesting its fruits in the final stages.

In Nepal at this very hour, Original Substance of the Divine Principle lectures received from True Parents are being broadcast by a national television station in Nepal, to educate all its people.

Activities centered on the United Nations are now on track and gaining speed. The Women's Federation for World Peace, which my husband and I founded, has been recognized for initiating activities that are in line with the UN's founding purpose and goals. Thus, it is becoming recognized as one of the top tier organizations among the 3,400 plus NGOs registered with the UN. Furthermore, WFWP has achieved outstanding results in its activities promoting women's rights, and solving problems of poverty and education for children. WFWP has already been awarded for its work on a number of occasions.

In addition, we have carried out many activities coinciding with the UN Millennium Development Goals, in Korea and the rest of the world, and I am delighted to say that, following its first approval in 1997, WFWP has been reapproved in its status for the third time in 2010, in the re-evaluation that is held every four years.

My beloved WFWP Japan members and Church members!

From now on, WFWP Japan should play a more active role in educating its members centering on the Peace and Unification Thought and Ideology, while at the same time externally nurturing women leaders in preparation for the establishment of true family ethics and the realization of a world of peace.

In addition, it should spare no efforts in making an international network of women leaders for the realization of the ideal of 'a world of peace with humanity as one family.

Moreover, every member needs to fundamentally cultivate and train the precious original nature and value given us by God, and endeavor to become fragrant women leaders with maternal love and a maternal disposition.

Thus, we should plant love and peace in our families and societies, and furthermore, do our utmost best to build a world of peace with humanity as one family by taking the lead in constructing a peaceful global village.

From the providential viewpoint, Japan has the mission of the Eve nation. This is why Japan has two contrary sons: the pro-Pyongyang Federation of Korean Residents in Japan and the pro-Seoul Federation of Korean Residents in Japan. Japan cannot stand as the Eve nation unless the two Federations are united as one.

When the two Federations, which are like Cain and Abel, are united as one, Eve should embrace them and connect that tradition to the Korean Peninsula.

The WFWP members of Korea and Japan should become one and set the goal of restoring the new nation, and plow on until they have restored the nation sought after by God.

Ladies and gentlemen, the world is now revolving centering on True Parents. Historically, Korea and Japan, Japan and the United States, the United States and Russia and other such nations have been enemy nations. The people from these nations will also take part in the cross-cultural marriage blessing on a nationwide scale in order to eradicate the fallen lineage received from Lucifer and inherit the new heavenly lineage.

The ongoing project to build undersea tunnels between Korea and Japan and across the Bering Strait, which I have proclaimed to the entire world, will be spearheaded by religious leaders on a worldwide scale and completed in attendance to our liberated God.

In this world, atheism and communism, which deny the existence of God, will be discarded, paving the way to building the world that God originally envisioned, where all people can freely communicate in harmony.

Let us not forget that, though our final destination is the end of the world, our starting point is the very place where our body and mind are united as one centering on true love.

We should also remember that it is only when our families become the settlements of eternal happiness and true love that we can bring to fruition the ideal nation and the ideal world that we have long sought after.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I pray that all of you will become victors who are part of this historic and providential revolution. May the heavenly fortune that flows through the True Parents of Heaven, Earth and Humankind be with you all.

This is because the Women's Federation for World Peace is the true 'path of the mother,' who is loved by God, True Parents, our neighbors and societies, and who thus finds her life worth living and full of happiness.

Beloved members!

We serve True Parents, who have found out the secret of God and have indemnified everything and laid down the foundation of victory.

You are in the position of the children. We are in the position of realizing God's dream, for which we should be happy.

How happy are we? We live our lives knowing everything, and all we need to do is practice the example set before us by True Parents.

When you try to have happiness all to yourself, it grows smaller, whereas when you share it, it grows bigger. Through us, our neighbors, tribes, nations, and the world can become happy.

Distinguished members of WFWP, and beloved members!

This year, the year 2012, is a very important one both internally and externally.

Externally, many nations in the world are scheduled to hold elections to choose their new leaders. We should pray that administrations desired by God are elected.

Providentially, we only have a year left until the Foundation Day of Cheon Il Guk.

We will live only when we do our utmost best in all our work.

True Father is working at the vanguard as hard as any young man, always thinking about and planning the Providence, and personally going about looking for ways to design the future.

Even now, True Father says that he wants to lead a busy life, rushing here and there.

In short, he is doing his utmost best.

The Emperor Penguins, who live in the South Pole, the coldest region in the globe, love their offspring to such an extent that it seems sublime.

Moreover, the efforts they put into multiplying their offspring despite the extreme cold weather reaching 50 degrees below zero are made possible because they are always hopeful.

Let us see them in this short video clip.

[Video clip (3 minutes)]

The life of the Emperor Penguin makes us think of a lot of things. We should ask ourselves if we have ever put such devotion into witnessing to a person.

Faith is love and hope. Do you have love? Do you have hope?

We have the true love of God and True Parents, which is more precious than any other love. We have the hope of the building of Cheon Il Guk, which is greater than any other hope.

True Parents love you, and they have high expectations of the role of Japan. I hope that this will be an opportunity for you to become more strongly united in heart with True Parents.

I also pray that you will cherish these words in your heart and make the year 2012 a year of victory.

I pray in the name of True Parents that God's blessings be with you, your family and your nation. Thank you.