The Words of the Kim Family
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The Words of the Kim Family |
Respected and distinguished religious leaders, Ambassadors for Peace, leadership of the Unification movement, brothers and sisters, ladies and gentlemen.
I am really overwhelmed by your warm welcome in this important, providential nation of America, especially here in the capital, Washington, DC.
In all honesty I do not feel worthy or qualified to receive this deep and warm welcome. I feel that I am nothing, but your appreciation and congratulations have warmed my heart. I was also really overwhelmed by this beautiful, historical chapel given by our beloved True Parents. It really is an amazing place.
In Asia I have been working with young people, and young students, while here I feel the audience is quite dignified and very distinguished. Actually I wanted to start my new mission here very quietly.
Here today in Washington, DC, the capital of this great providential elder son nation, I stand humbly before you on the foundation laid by True Parents and True Family’s direct guidance over this country for 34 years. I would also like to pay tribute to my predecessor, Dr. Yang, for his 14 years of devotion for the American providence. Today as I assume the position of the continental director of North America, I want to express my sincerest gratitude and respect to all of our leaders and members who have undergone suffering through the years to support God’s providence. You are the unsung heroes and true patriots of this nation. Please give a big hand to yourselves!
In 1984 at the youthful age of 38, I was assigned to Asia and have spent the last 24 years there. Over the years I have been called by many names, such as “Thailand Kim,” “Taiwan Kim,” “Philippine Kim,” sometimes “Asia Kim,” and even “Tiger Kim.” Now I just feel like an old tiger. Actually, Dr. Yang was called a lion by True Father.
Before I arrived here, I was with True Father in the Cheon Jeong Gong Peace Palace. He said that now I can move on to bigger things and bring even greater victory to God. He told me that as I have seen much success in Asia, if I work hard again, I would carry over the success to America. However, in all honesty I feel truly sorry for my small result in the Third World mission nations such as Philippines, Thailand, Nepal, India, and others. It really pales in comparison to True Parents’ cosmic-level achievements.
I truly believe that during this era of the Pacific Rim, if we can connect America and Asia together, we can break through with unparalleled success. I have prayed long and hard about just how I can help the providence in America. There are many things that need to be done; I believe that the four major fields or pillars that carry the movement are witnessing, education, public relations, and finance. I felt that through my deep prayer my calling here was in the field of witnessing. Then I had to ask myself the question: How can we usher in a new era of evangelical renaissance to this great providential nation?
Brothers and sisters, in order to bring this to pass, we must arm each and every one with the Divine Principle. It is not just a religious doctrine; rather, it is a universal principle that can unify this whole world, transcending all barriers. In 1984 Father’s parting words to me as I left for the new mission in Asia were, “Pyung-hwa, all you need is the Divine Principle. Arm yourself with it and become a great lecturer, and then you will be able to stand on any ground.” I burned these words of Father into my heart and left for Thailand.
In 1984 our movement there started out with 12 members, but after three years 100,000 people had passed through the three-day Divine Principle workshop. On this foundation we were then able to receive and attend Hyo Jin Nim in 1988 for the Fifth World CARP Convention in Thailand. Through that witnessing boom, we were able to raise up more lecturers, which led to the overall improvement of education, public relations, and our financial foundation. Then, on the foundation of the Thailand movement, the Taiwan church was able to expand to a different level. On this foundation, supported by Thailand and Taiwan, eventually the Philippines was able to stand as the central nation in the Asia providence.
On the victorious foundation of our True Parents I have seen many miracles in Asia, especially in the model of providence. In Thailand I can say that I saw the miracle of the model of the witnessing providence; I saw the unbelievable growth and expansion of the movement’s membership. In the Philippines, I saw the miracle of the model of the blessing providence; the Philippines became the core nation for the 360,000, 3.6 million, and 36 million couple blessings. We were able to send 12,000 Filipina sisters to Korea to be blessed. I saw the providence with dignitaries in the Philippines bloom as they joined one after the other to take pride and ownership in their association with the movement. This was how we overcame national persecution there. Also in the Philippines I saw the Global Peace Festival providence centered on our beloved Hyun Jin Nim. Such amazing phenomena occurred in the Philippines in 2007.
In Nepal, God showed me the miracle of the Family Party providence, in which an Ambassador for Peace won a seat in the parliament. The renewal of the UN providence was also led by the Philippines government. And, last but not least, I saw the model of the ocean providence in Thailand through the Kowai environmental projects.
All these miracles can be traced back to one starting point. Everything came from a victorious breakthrough in witnessing. Through witnessing, we gained members, we secured a financial foundation, and we extended our movement to the public sphere. I have witnessed all these miracles in the past 24 years, and I know we can do it here in America, too.
In this most providential nation of America, what do I have to focus on? I would like to focus on witnessing to increase our membership, centered on the younger generation. The Second Generation must come to the front line. We must encourage and educate them to become the leaders of our future. Without the youth taking the lead, there is little hope for America. Asian members are very young and fresh, exciting and bright. America needs to be infused with this kind of spirit. We must become more vertical, heartistic, dynamic, fresh, determined, and adventurous. This initiative must be led by our Second Generation. Do you want this young spirit in America? I want to engraft this young spirit -- the “can-do” spirit -- from Asia to America. My brothers and sisters, we still have a way to go!
Even though True Parents and True Family have built such a tremendous foundation, we have to fulfill our own portion of responsibility to follow their model providential course. America is the most important providential nation because of its leading role in the world. This means that the most important members and the leaders in the world are also here today.
So far America has moved centered on Reverend Jenkins, who is a very loyal and heartistic brother. He is still young, and I can see he still has a burning fire. He is an exemplary leader who is passionate and patriotic. Together I will go with him and with all the leadership of America to move forward. Frankly speaking, I really do not know much about this great land of America, but I will do my best to study and learn. Deep down in our hearts, my wife and I pledge that we can become the mediator between True Parents and American leaders and members, and a sturdy bridge between True Children and American leaders.
I started out as a minister of a small, pioneering church center in Korea and have stayed out here in the front line for 40 years. The word minister is derived from Latin and means servant; I feel the same way even today except that now I am merely the head servant of this continent. I’ll serve first the True Family and the True Children, especially Hyun Jin Nim, as my central figure.
We have a limited amount of time until 2013. We have to realize that only five years remain. During these five years, we have to put our utmost effort into renewing our hearts to serve as spiritual parents. In the family the most important thing is children. In our movement what is the most important thing? The most important thing is spiritual children. We need to find more spiritual children and upgrade our leadership. Let’s work together for America to be blessed as an elder son nation, not only in name, but in bringing substantial results as the leading nation.
Distinguished leaders, brothers and sisters, I would like to leave you with the watchwords “Find and raise spiritual children, upgrade our leadership, and raise up the Second Generation!” It is time for harvest. Let us embark on this journey together and make America a great nation. I have confidence that where there is a will, there is a way -- especially if it is the will of God. In the name of True Parents, nothing is impossible. God bless America. Thank you.
(Pyung Hwa Kim has also known as Byung Wooh Kim and Christopher Kim)