Have you ever wanted to have an experience that could help you come a little closer to feeling Father’s heart? Have you ever wondered what it must have been like to be in Father’s first shack church which he built out of ration cartons? Have you ever had to walk many miles on foot wondering where you were going to sleep that night? Obviously there is no way we can duplicate the path that our True Father has walked or really understand all the suffering he has endured. But we can try to understand by doing things similar to that which Father has done. Which is exactly what the members of CARP / STF (Special Task Force) have done to start off their new year.

Mission D.F.G. is what we called it. It stands for "Desperate for God". The mission was to get from their designated city to the Washington Monument within a three day period while fulfilling a series of "Heavenly Tasks". With nothing but a sleeping bag and a back pack full of windchimes, five teams of five members set off. The purpose was to symbolically fulfill Father’s course in order to lay a foundation for their victory in 2001. It all began at UTS during their end of the year God’s Day Workshop.

Signs were found all along the hallways of UTS making members of the STF and the Second Generation workshops wonder what "Mission D.F.G." was. No one knew what the mystery mission entailed. With only a few hints given by the organizer, when it came time for the STF members to receive their new missions, they were asked to sign a pledge that they would "persevere through the next mission without complaint". The decision was up to them. The sheet was passed around and without hesitation each participant signed their name.

They set off on the road the next morning, still unaware of what they what they were about to do. The temperature was below zero in the wind. "During the whole car ride I was so nervous. I had no idea what our new mission was. So I didn’t know how to prepare myself internally. But then I thought about Father and how he never knew what was going to happen. All he could do is trust in God. So that is what I tried to do," stated one participant in a testimony after completing the mission. As soon as the team arrived in their designated cities, they had 10 minutes to only take with them their Divine Principle, Holy Salt, a picture of True Parents, a disposable camera, some windchimes and their sleeping bags. As soon as their ten minutes was up, the van drove away leaving them with a list of tasks that they had to accomplish. No food. No van. No money. Only God. They only had God and the brothers and sisters on the team.

As a team they were asked to accomplish the following tasks and take pictures as proof:

• Build a shack church like father’s first church that all of your members can fit it. Then say a prayer inside it.

• Establish a symbolic holy ground.

• Street Preach Chapter One of the Divine Principle

• Raise money for each meal and motel rooms.

• invite 3 people in need to eat a meal with your team.

• Bring $300 dollars as an offering to the monument.

One would never be able to forget the faces of the brothers and sisters as they approached the Washington Monument. All five teams gathered and rejoiced in victory. They had pioneered and accomplished their mission! Mission D.F.G. Each brother and sisters face shone brightly knowing that they were able to do it all for God. Each person made it safely and each felt the victory in their hearts. No one gave up. Each team accomplished each task without fail and they had beautiful pictures to prove it. We even had team of brothers who took the mission a step further and shaved their hair off, looking like Father when he was released from Heung Nam. Although they knew that the mission was only symbolic, they now could come a step or two closer to our True Parents’ heart. Following are excerpts of the testimonies given by the members upon their return.

"I read about Father’s life so many times, but this was the first time I felt this great, persevering, strong love for God and our Father."

"I really felt the heart of a pioneer."

"Although True Parents were always a part of my life, in many ways he was just a vague symbol to me. But after going through the past three days of D.F.G., my heart has grown warmer towards our True Father, slowly breaking down and softening it up. I am able to see True Father more as a human being and I have more love for him."

"I know that what I’ve been through in the last three days doesn’t even compare to what Father has been through. But through this, I am able to have a better understanding of what our True Parents have been through. Through this I am able to have much more respect towards him. I’m actually starting to see him not just as one great being, but little by little, as a real parent."

"I saw a bit of Father’s course…how this movement wasn’t just given to him, but he had to go through literal hell to reach the position and the level that he’s at now."

"Basically, I feel like these past few days ere days of great laughter for God. Joyous laughter. He would just look at us and say, ‘Look at my sons and daughters!"

One could only imagine the joy Heavenly Father must have felt to watch His children persevere through such a mission. Even more, the joy that comes from hearing his children realize and voice what they have learned. Truly priceless.

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