Miss Kim's Homecoming Talk

Young Oon Kim
May 29, 1971

From notes taken by Regis Hanna (Washington Center)

I wanted to come back so many times, but Leader said, "No, we will go together." When he announced that he was not sure when he was coming, I said, "Well, then, I must go now"

A Buddhist medium said to me, If the western world is your stage. You can do much more there. Because my friends had not seen me for 12 years, their imaginations had been at work. They thought that maybe I was a bit mentally unbalanced to be following this crazy religion. So when I got to Korea, Our Leader wanted me to talk to and visit these people. I called them up and they were eager to talk over old times.

Some of these people I had made friends with 30 years ago and now many of them are in important positions in the Church or in education institutions. They came to my apartment and they were eager to see whether the stories about me and their own theories coincided with, reality. I would just ask for an hour or so, because I was so weak (The change in climate, and the water and diet all contributed to her poor health). But they would want to talk on and on, asking questions, for three or four hours! Many of them have been very opposed to our movement, and did not even want to take the time to understand it. However, they would ask me many questions about it, and some of them asked to read my book -- they begged me. While I was there I gave away over 100 books. So, seeing them blew away many of the suspicious clouds about my sanity!

Although nobody was converted through these contacts, many misunderstandings were clarified. Because of my theology background, I could answer their questions most fully, and at the same time ask piercing questions of them when it was warranted.

In Japan the Family recently fasted for 7 days. They put 2 or 3 tents in the busiest part of Tokyo to appeal to the Japanese government leaders and public because the Japanese government now has a policy of improving relations with Red China. This is very dangerous for Japan and the whole of Asia. Before this, the Japanese Family formed four teams of about 20 people each and started revival meetings in four places -- Hokkaido, Kyushu, Tokyo and one other city. This has been a very successful strategy because they had been selling flowers and doing anti-Communist work and many made contacts. People contacted before are now recognizing us and they are coming to Divine Principle lectures. As many as 200 come at one time! Thus they are doing a lot of spiritual work.

They are continuing the flower-selling in the local areas, and this continues to be very successful. Mr. Kuboki and his wife are going around the world and meeting the leaders of many nations. Before they left, they went to Nationalist China and met with Chiang Kai Shek, and had a very good talk. Mr. Kuboki’s political work is significant. If Japan should go Communist, then God would have no room to work in Asia.

While I was in Korea, there were two special week-long seminar's held for professors of universities. The purpose of these was not so much to convert them as to explain what our movement is and what we are trying to do. In this way they will be better able to help us on the campuses. In all, 60 professors came. A few of these have already written essays on how our movement and philosophy pertain to their theories. Two or three others are going to write articles.

At about the same time we also started lectures for pastors. Somewhere around 500 letters were sent out inviting them to come for 2 nights and 3 days of a seminars. Out of these, only 24 responded, however. The reason for this is that they are so afraid. Some of them even went so far as to come up to our bus and almost get on, but they were so struck by fear that they couldn’t come. The second time, about 50 pastors came. The fifth seminar is just finished. One hundred and thirty-five came for that one!

Some of the pastors say when they have heard all of the Divine Principle, "Now I know why you are heretics!" Others say, "They have a great truth." But those in the latter group are afraid to testify to us for fear of losing their jobs. Some of these who came last time were here for the second or third time, and they had brought the deacons and elders of the Church with them -- some of them brought four or five persons in addition to themselves. The reason for this is so that if the minister says that the Divine Principle is good and he gets fired, then he can take a goodly part of his church with him!

This time, time the ministers decided to listen and not to attack or ask questions. They did this because they knew that they were hearing the same lectures that the profess heard, and they respect the professors' intelligence. Some asked, "Supposing that our Church should fire us; what kind of position could you offer? “ We feed them very well, and they like this. A local. Presbytery has sent all their ministers a letter saying that if they keep coming to these meetings they will lose their jobs. However, the ministers keep coming.

Our Leader has said that he wants to continue these sessions for two more times, to make a total of seven. In these seven seminars, about 700 pastors have heard the Divine Principle. Then, Our Leader and the trainers will sit down and sift out which are negative, which are non-committal, and which are positive. Those who are positive will be invited to go on a week-long camping trip where they will hear more about the Divine Principle in depth.

This is such a change from the past. When I visited Korea last time, I met a pastor whom I knew on the street one day and said, "Hello, Mr. Pak. How are you?" He looked at me and said very brusquely, "Fine, and how are you?" and then he scurried away like I was some dirty, unwashed, smelly person! This is such a difference to see the pastors talking and discussing and even some of them becoming positive toward us.

Just before I left, Our Leader came by and sat and talked with me while I was packing. He has so many ideas, he just talked and talked. He said that so far, the focus of our movement has been the winning of Japan. We have worked hard in America and in general we have reaped very little. Now, the focus is turning to America. So I am not surprised to see new faces here and to see that the work is going more smoothly.

Our Leader does want very much to come to America. He may come in July. He is waiting for something to develop, and after he sees it he will come. I want you to feel and believe that Father is so much with us, and wants to develop His will and work through us at this time. A small amount of dedication can bring about great results. What we need to do is really empty ourselves so that He can use our efforts to fulfill all that He wants to do.

Thank you so much.