The Words the Hose Family
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The Words the Hose Family |
From March 5 to April 13, about 53 South American members attended the third regional 40-day training in Mar Del Plata, Argentina.
In attendance were five members from Chile, three Brazilian members, one member from Paraguay and all the rest from Argentina.
Training should have ended on the 14th of April, but because of the war with England, all trainees and lecturers had to return to their home countries one day early. It was a poignant departure as the family separated; most of the trainees were Argentine and had to remain in their country, which was now entering into war.
The first regional 40-day training was in the Philippines, the second was held in the Central African Republic, and the third training was held in another part of the world altogether... deep in South America.
David Hose has directed all three sessions, which were each a special experience for him. Mr. Hose spoke briefly to Today's World about his feelings concerning the training:
I was very happy to be in South America, but I want to go back and learn more about the cultures there. Brazil has asked me to come and have a training there. Chile also feels the need for a training session; I heard that the Chileans memorized every morning service I gave, to use later.
The setting was idyllic. It was one of the most ideal settings I've ever seen for a training session. We used an old boys' school by the sea and all the beds were for children, so the brothers' feet were often hanging off the end of the beds. I didn't understand why I was developing a backache the first week of training; but when I realized that it was caused by the child-sized beds, I started sleeping on the floor and everything was fine.
I like South American people their hearts are warm and open. 1 found this universal among the trainees. I was frustrated by my language limitation, which I also found true in French-speaking Central African Republic, so I went away wishing that I had been able to give more.
Following are reports from the Chilean missionary and three Chilean brothers who attended the training in Argentina.
The workshop was for me a really wonderful experience, more intense and enriching than the one I attended in New York, partly because the setting in Argentina was much more conducive to spiritual blossoming than the New Yorker Hotel. We were not in an exotic jungle, but a modern seaside resort whose population looks and acts pretty much like those in any American city. Internally, members experienced things similar to what American members would experience.
With just our region represented, it was like putting five countries together into a pressure cooker for 40 days, over the very hot fire of an intense course of Divine Principle, internal guidance, Unification Thought and VOC. Believe me, I was as excited and reborn as any new member there!
Not only the members, but even I had to overcome national barriers and learn to love members from other countries. As a Chilean missionary I am so oriented to loving Chileans; now I had to go beyond that and quickly grasp the unique beauties of the other nationalities and try to love them just as much. It's amazing how much Latin American nations have in common -- the language, culture and social structure is all so similar. The human and national resources of this region are tremendous.
Just before I went out as a foreign missionary, I asked Father about the relationship between North and South America. "There is a very special relationship," he said. "They are brothers." This seminar confirmed this once again. Latins are really like our brothers; their problems and nature are very close to our own. I could feel how important it is for the two Americas to unite; we need each other more than before.
We met as brothers and sisters from different countries of South America, forming bonds based on our fighting for a common cause. God is looking for people whose hearts are united and centered on making the providence a reality, taking responsibility for each situation and restoring many historical mistakes. Only upon discovering that this world needs a model and example to imitate -- a model which is separated from evil and its principle of taking things selfishly and sacrificing others for its own benefit -- can South America be revitalized. Unificationism can be raised up as a model for the world, in this sacrificial position.
South America has had no direction or motivation to establish an ideal world; nevertheless, people search for liberty, peace and higher expressions. But if we follow our present course, it will be impossible to reach these desires. The point is then, who will take responsibility for this situation? More than ever, an example is needed to inspire people to fulfill this goal.
More than ever, we understood that God is looking for someone who can serve as an example for the world. If South America can do this, then the world will stand ready to help it, in the dame way that our Heavenly Father is closer to the poor and suffering.
The greater the sacrifice, the greater the growth. This is something very precious, something we never realized before; it is the key to forging the ideal world. As individuals, as families, as a society, etc., we grow through suffering.
With the presence of Rev. Kwak and Mr. Kim -- both from the 36 blessed couples -- Paul Perry, Rev. David Hose, Mr. and Mrs. Hanna, and Tom Field, we could see how God is working in this place. They have handed over to us all the fruits of this suffering and sacrificial life, passing on to us their most precious legacy of heart, which we can obtain by following the model course and fulfilling home church, truly loving the world and sacrificing ourselves as our True Parents have done on a grand scale.
South America is a fertile terrain for God to work. The people here have great ideals and are inclined to work to transform the social environment and improve themselves. Not having been greatly invaded by materialism, South America retains many values and traditions. What is lacking is the infrastructure or capital necessary for material development, aid which our Father wants to give developing countries such as ours. In contrast to those who try to obtain benefit for themselves whenever they lend any type of service, Father's giving is unselfish.
Many people focus on the differences among people of a region, ignoring aspects which are common to all South Americans: language, customs, traditions, physique, character, etc. During the 40-day workshop, I was able to appreciate this. For myself as for the other Chileans there, it was the first time we had traveled outside our country. We need to unite and establish the unfulfilled ideal of the great American family. In this way, we can gain force and come to occupy an important place in the worldwide concert, as one people blessed with the human spiritual and material potential of the South American countries.
In this seminar, we came to know the depth of our teaching and the heart and dedication of the people who gave the lectures; our elder brothers are an example worthy of being followed.
Through Rev. Hose we were able to feel much more than a relationship of lecturer and audience; his was a giving in which Father's heart was present. In each one of the lecturers we could feel a parent's desire for his children to learn the best the parents can offer. Through Nancy Hanna we could sense not only the great magnitude of the Principle, but a warm loving environment which made us feel that Heavenly Father was there with us. There was a special atmosphere after each of the various lectures. We valued Regis Hanna's great wisdom about Divine Principle, and Paul Perry made us see the importance of the relationship between ideology and spiritual values. Rev. Kwak was a treasure; in his talks we could see Father and how the elder brothers carry out the tradition of Divine Principle in daily life.
What is most important is how our life finds significance, a very profound reason for living; we can see how our ideals can be realized, centered on God. Another thing I realized is how Principle reinforces certain values which seemed to have been lost -- principally love for one's fellowman, without making distinctions of class, race or ideology. Divine Principle gave order to my life, a life which had been previously disordered, and wrought changes which others have noticed more than I myself had
The preoccupation which True Parents have for their children is the living example of how their love for others is what makes us love them.