Mother in Los Angeles, a Testimony

April 8, 1999

While it is still fresh in my mind, I would like to share with you my experience last week when True Mother came to Los Angeles.

I only want to share, not to judge or brag. My life is my life. I always say mine is worse than some and better than others. We are born with what we have and life dishes out what it gives but I think that the most important point is what do I do with those things. Personally I believe that I am a very lucky person in many ways.

I am originally from Los Angeles. I was born here. I joined the church when I was 22 years old, in Oakland in 1973. For the next 11 years of my life I went all over the country, working on IOWC, living in church centers, working as a cook in Barrytown, having the opportunity to hear Divine Principle from the greatest lecturers in the world and also seeing True Parents many times during that time and I worked for over 6 years on MFT. In 1982 I was Blessed in Madison Square Garden. We lived in Seattle, Washington for 3 years. Then we moved to Los Angeles. Two years after our last child was born, in 1991, my husband left me and the children. I was devastated at that time.

I was in bad shape. But through the help of my many wonderful and very patient friends here, I recovered. My three kids and I moved in with my mother who was living alone in a big house, the same house I grew up in, I got involved in PTA and the local Optimist Club. I sold roses every weekend and managed some apartments. I was very involved in Women's Federation for World Peace. I went to Washington D.C. to meet my first Japanese sister. Here in LA I went to every conference we had except one where I stayed home to baby-sit so someone else could go.

When the first National Parents Day was announced, I along with our State Leader put on a National Parent's Day Celebration. I met all the principals in all the schools in the city. (15 schools) and the first year we honored 12 couples. I also met with the city council and the mayor to get a proclamation. And, bye the way, this year will be our 5th Annual National Parents' Day Celebration.

A few years ago we opened a newspaper in my hometown. At first I refused to work on it, because I was too busy. Then I got on board that. The New California Times. I was never a journalist or a photographer, before that time I never studied anything about it, but through the paper I received on the job training and became a writer and photographer. Also through the paper I had a reason to meet everyone and go everywhere and became quite famous. Plus I learned a lot.

We also had many Blessings in my city. We did two Marriage Rededication Ceremonies with a total of 50 couples participating. They all wore veils and drank holy wine. It was beautiful, deep and meaningful. Of course you can imagine I had my ups and downs. I must thank God because God led me all the way. I also have many side stories of the people who entered my life during all this time, but I will save them for another time. Let me get back to the story of Mother coming to Los Angeles on April 2, 1999.

Through many trials and tribulations and a very messy house, the day of the event finally came. I bought a new dress and new shoes and painted my fingernails. The reason I did this was because I needed to feel like a VIP myself. I wanted to set a standard of respect for Mother. I had 3 VIP's at the VIP reception. One was the City Clerk. She is a young lady who I have been up front with about my church affiliation from the very beginning. She has already attended a bridge crossing ceremony with me before and we are planning one together for our city. She is a personal friend of mine and we often talk on the phone. The other guest was the City Treasurer and he was a former Mayor of the city. He is only 35 years old. He went to Washington D.C. with our brothers for the True Family Values program a few years ago. The last VIP was another young lady who I have known for over 3 years and she also attended WFWP bridge crossing ceremony with the Japanese sisters. She just became a city council woman in March. She is only 27 years old.

Because of these guests I was in the center of the front row. I did not even get a chance to see if any of my other guest were coming because I was up front. While I was sitting there I was thinking. Hey look at this, how did I get to sit up here? I just thought that it is God's Love and a real opportunity to substantially encourage and support True Mother since I would be the first face she could see from where she was standing on the podium.

At the end of the speech my friend the councilwoman gave flowers to Mother and Mother came down to the front row to shake hands with the people in the front row. She shook my hand too. The next day we went to her room to do Hoon Dok Hae. When it was time for Mother to have breakfast most of the members left. I just thought that if no one told me to leave then I would just stay around in the next room until Mother went to the airport. All of a sudden, I was asked to come to the dining room to meet Mother. There I was standing next to her. She looked so beautiful and tranquil and also a little tired. She asked something about the councilwoman and I told her that the councilwoman was my friend before she was a councilwoman and that she is only 27 years old, which means she was one year old when I joined the church. And how I and the other members always supported her with love and friendship. Mother was smiling at me as I was telling her these things. I felt like in that moment her heart and mine were connected. And that she was pleased so that was the reason she was smiling at me.

I think I needed that and I think she needed to see me to know what kind of people our members are. I felt she can see America through me. Needless to say, it was a good experience. After she left to go to the airport, I stayed behind to eat Mother's food and to help the sisters wash the dishes and the napkins and pack up the things for the next stop in California, which was San Diego.