Our nation of Lithuania was given certain goals for the Blessing, and we have been investing all our energy to meet these expectations of True Parents and Dr. Seuk. The entire Northeast Continent has the goal of 50,000,000 Blessings by the end of the year of 1999; our country had the goal of 700,000.

We have four full-time native members, plus myself and my wife and our seven-year old son (he's given Blessings, too!). We did a forty-day witnessing campaign this past summer where we went to the busiest town in the country on the coast of the Baltic Sea. There we all did street lecturing and witnessing for twelve hours a day! (Summer days are LONG in the Baltics! Gotta take advantage of `em because the nights are equally long in the winter!) We used a portable chalk-board and placed it right on the busiest road leading to the beach. After about a week, the mayor himself came over and told me to move, and I said if he made us move I would have no choice but to contact my Senators, Congressman, and the US State Department section on Religious Freedom. The mayor gave us an even BETTER place to witness and lecture.

Yes, the Jedi had returned. We had been to this seacoast town the previous two summers for Blessings, and the powers that be had opposed us on several occasions, often stimulated by people associated with the Catholic Church. Now, however, the atmosphere was changed. Forever. It was due to the indemnity paid by our True Parents and faithful brothers and sisters all over the world.

About 10,000 people a day would pass by. Many would stop and listen for a few minutes, some for an hour, and some sat down on the street and listened for three days! Our members are three lovely beautiful young sisters and one dogged stubborn brother. The youngest sister joined only ten months ago. She is strong and comes from good stock: her mother is a local judge(!), and her dad is the headmaster of a school (they do all 12 forms --or grades-- over here) which just became a "gymnasium", which is the top level of school; most graduates go on to college ("gymnasium" has really nothing to do with sports).

These parents of our youngest sister have been to our center several times, at first with very stern and worried looks on their faces, since their only daughter had just committed to joining our movement as a full-time missionary. But now they have seen their daughter giving lectures on Pure Love and True Family, and going out to meet people all over the country, so they are very relieved. They understand we doing good things, but they still think we are maybe "too idealistic"! We tell them that the "ideal" is becoming "reality", don't worry! So they always come in looking somberly serious and leave with smiles and joyous relief. (Thank God and Heaven!)

Since September we've been completely focused on making our rather substantial goal of 700,000 Blessings. With our limited number of workers, it has required some creativity, and long steady hours of time invested. We now give the Holy Wine Blessing Certificate -- Four Blessing Vows on one side plus the Pure Love Pledge on the other, with an introduction that all this comes from our True Parents, Rev. and Mrs. Sun Myung Moon. We put this in every mailbox in the country. We also mention that the Family Federation was founded by True Parents in Washington in 1996, with Presidents Bush and Ford with their wives in attendance. So far so good. Some negative newspaper articles and twisted television has appeared, but God's power is stronger than Satan's.

Upon the completion of our goal of 700,000 Blessings, we began to prepare for the Blessing ourselves. We have this one young sister and one brother (two of the above) who wanted to be Matched by True Parents. Of course, these days national messiahs, usually the Father nation (Korean), suggest the Matchings and then Father gives the final approval or not.

Our young sister was especially concerned that Father himself give the Matching, so I was particularly anxious to find the best possible Match for her. She has worked so hard, with so much faith, I didn't want her to be disappointed. Because our Korean National Messiah has been unable to be with us for over two years -- they have six children, four of whom are still students -- it fell upon me to find the Matches for these two wonderful young members. I felt unqualified, really, for such a responsibility, so I asked Rev. Shin Jae Park, the vice-director of the Northeast Continent under Dr. Joon Ho Seuk, and he suggested I speak with the Korean NM of our Belarus neighbor, Rev. Kwon.

We are like brother and sister nations with Belarus, and I had several good experiences dealing with Rev. Kwon and his sons in Belarus, so it seemed a good idea. The fateful day came just before Christmas. I went to Minsk to see what kind of Matching Rev. Kwon would suggest. He and his son and daughter-in-law first treated me to one of the finest Korean breakfasts I have ever had! (I wish Matchings would come more often!) Then he pulled out a stack of photos, with about fifty young men and women members from Belarus. He asked me to choose the best young woman for our brother and the best young man for our sister. To say I was shaking inside would be accurate, I was!

After what seemed like an eternity of looking and looking and thinking and praying internally, I selected the two I was leaning most toward as matches for our two young members, but I did not say which ones. I asked Rev. Kwon which HE thought were the best. He then held up the EXACT SAME TWO that I had silently chosen! I was very happily shocked -- and very quickly relieved. He gave his reasons for choosing the two and immediately I realized he had given both a very great deal of thought. The brother for our young sister is five years her elder (26), is accomplished in three different trades -- has licenses in all three -- and is a full-time member, as our sister. The sister he chose for our brother is also a full-time faithful sister whose character was that of a real mother, very soft and warm. She, too, is a student who wants to teach mathematics (!), as she is very logical and orderly; a perfect compliment to our stubborn, often disorganized, but very faithful brother.

Matches made in Heaven! It's the only way I can describe them.

We are now looking forward with great anticipation for the journey to Korea to be with our beloved True Parents on their Birthday, and the most glorious Blessing in all of human history. Behold! God's Kingdom is at hand! Rejoice! With hard work, faith, and God's love power we shall overcome all doubts and build His Kingdom of Heaven on this earth at this time!

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