Aetna Springs experienced the power of God's 2nd Generation in a high- spirited game of Yute which shattered the stillness of a quiet Napa evening. Playing for prize money donated by Father, and with more than a little pride at stake, the teenagers of our movement expressed themselves in very demonstrative ways until late in the evening on the final evening of a very special 3-day Winter Workshop for 13-17 year olds.

Three special guests from New York came to share their wisdom and experience with their younger brothers and sisters. Jin Hyung Eu (son of the late President and Mrs. Eu), Jin Man Choi (son of Tiger Choi) and Young Shim Kim (daughter of Peter and Phyllis Kim) came directly from an elder 2nd Generation workshop in New York to share on such topics as Father's hope for the 2nd Generation, The Future, School Life, etc., and to present a wonderful video about True Family. The wonderful opportunity for the 2nd Generation to connect to these elders from New York was greatly appreciated.

On the first day of the workshop, Kevin Thompson gave Principles of Creation and an explanation of Father's projects worldwide as well as a clear, no-holds-barred look at what the Fall of Man means in the life of teenagers. Pam Stein captivated the audience with her testimony of life and death situations as a missionary to Africa.

Casey Cox and Bill Bechtel led everyone on a hike to the waterfall, which inspired Joseph Lim and Wiljago Cook so much that they took a plunge in the icy water.

Everyone agreed on the need to continue to develop these workshops in winter and summer. However, seven days would be much better than three.

by Kristina Seher

On Tuesday, November 15, Christine Froehlich and I assembled with 1200 other women at the Oakland Convention Center for a Region 9 (California, Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada, and the Pacific Islands) Official U.S. Preparatory Meeting for the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women. We were excited about meeting other women activists and were especially curious about the United States' agenda for the U.N. conference to be held in Beijing, China in September 1995. We had prayed for some time before the conference that we could meet Arvonne Fraser, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations who is coordinating the U.S. contribution to the upcoming Beijing conference.

We were dismayed upon registering to find that of the 24 breakout sessions, only one mentioned the word "family"-and that only in an offhanded way. For this session the focus was on child- and elder-care and women's roles in providing it. The opening plenary session shocked us. The speakers spoke of their "anger" and the need for women to "keep on fighting." For what? Equal rights in the workplace. Christine and I felt they were tragically short-sighted. They offered the women assembled no positive vision, no view of a healthy and peaceful family, society or world. The keynote speaker, Carol M. Browner, the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and a member of Pres. Clinton's cabinet, never mentioned the internal role of women as the spiritual center of the family. Instead, she focused on environmental pollution and women's health. Surely these are important issues, but without attention to women's and families' spiritual health, we will never achieve a good society.

Christine and I decided not to be depressed but to roll up our sleeves and get to work. We drafted a statement outlining the need for a positive vision and briefly explained the WFWP view of world peace as dependent upon women and the spiritual nurturing they give their families and communities. We requested that the U.S. organize round- table discussions at the Beijing conferences on the issues which are at the core of a healthy world:

* character education;
* preparation for marriage;
* parenting education;
* an ethic of caring in human relationships;
* responsible stewardship of the natural environment;
* conflict resolution; and
* peace studies.

We emphasized that, based on this internal or spiritual education, women can more readily fulfill their potential in the world of work. (We looked so official as we worked that the conference photographer took pictures of us and people kept interrupting us to ask us about the conference!)

We then split up. Christine took one copy of our handwritten vision statement and action steps to a breakout session to read into the official record of the conference and I took the other to the executive offices of the Conference Center to type. Our plan was to meet back in a short time and track down Ambassador Fraser to present it to her, no matter what!

When Christine read our statement in one of the breakout sessions, she was applauded. Afterwards, several women handed her their cards and said they were interested in finding out more about the WFWP. Meanwhile, I finished typing our statement and a cover letter on WFWP stationery. Something made me linger for a few minutes in the executive offices looking at historical photos of the East Bay. Lo and behold, as I exited, I ran smack into Ambassador Fraser, who was wandering around looking for an exit. She wanted to take a walk outside to "clear her head." Naturally, I escorted her outside and took a few minutes to explain our statement to her and why we felt such an intense need for the U.N. to consider the spiritual role of women in their families and communities. I personally handed her the typed copy (so I know it won't be lost on someone's desk!) and saw her tuck it into her purse. Please continue to pray with us that our vision can be represented somewhere in the U.S. contribution to the Beijing conference.

Reprinted from American Neighborhood.

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