On Sunday, March 7, True Mother invited 150 women leaders from the Korean community in America to attend a special banquet at East Garden. While two thirds of the guests came from the New York area, another third came from New Jersey and Washington, DC, as well as a few from other parts of the country.

Many of the guests had attended Mother's speech late last year and came to receive further guidance from her and to know her better. Also, most of them came because they knew of Father and respected him as a worldwide leader despite their religious differences with our church. The event began at 4:00 pm with Mother greeting all of them and explaining a little of the background of the Women's Federation for World Peace. In her greeting, she explained how women are central to bringing world peace in our modern age through nurturing true love within their families. Mother then introduced Father who delivered a 4 1/2 hour address on the Divine Principle and the Proclamation of the Messiah and the Completed Testament Age. He began by describing the numerous problems in America, including drugs, free sex, homosexuality and dysfunctional families, and how these can be solved only by true families centered on true love. He pointed out that, in order to solve this problem, one needs to know the truth about God's original ideal and the origin of the problem. In his usual style, Father spoke directly and strongly to the audience, but always with eloquence and with the heart of a parent desperately reaching out to his lost children. As Father spoke about the creation, fall, restoration and Second Coming, the audience could feel his seriousness and immense effort and love, even though it was often difficult for them to understand and digest the content.

Because of the stature of some of the women, a couple expressed their concern about the late hour. However, Father firmly and lovingly subjugated the atmosphere and reminded them of the seriousness of the hour for their families, America and, most of all, Korea. The beauty of it all was that at the end of the banquet, those same women were the first to rush to grab Father's arm and stand at his side for a photo opportunity even apologizing for their impatience. To see this was a testimony to the power of True Parent's heart and position with regards to the world. The banquet and entertainment was held after the speech in a style of elegance and celebration which typifies True Parent's traditional heart of giving. Korean songs were performed by various Japanese and American members. A particular moving part of the program was when one Japanese sister publicly apologized to the audience for the past history of Japan's abuse of the Korean people. Some of the guests were moved to tears.

Afterwards, Father and Mother went with the guests to their buses waiting outside, and even entered the bus with them to bid farewell. As they said farewell to each other, I could see the endearing feelings of warmth, gratitude and reverence on the faces of the guests towards True Parents. It was certainly an evening they would never forget!

I felt personally that this meeting was very significant for a couple of reasons. First of all, even though many had come to listen to Mother's speech last year, they now heard Divine Principle directly from Father. Secondly, this was Father's opportunity to begin his public proclamation of messiahship, not only to the Korean women leaders in America, but as a first step to proclaiming it to the nation and the world. While many may not have understood everything, it was a significant moment for launching the Completed Testament Age into the public domain. Reflecting upon the fact that many left with a vague understanding of the importance and content of Father's speech, I feel that the next step is for members of the WFWP to continue the process of teaching them based on Father's initiative so that they can come to a clearer understanding of Divine Principle and the role of True Parents. This event was simply another of True Parent's initial efforts to start the process of salvation of America and the world through the WFWP, which we, as their children, must have the same vision and determination to carry on and complete.

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