Archbishop Emmanuel Milingo, “I found it marvelous”

It has been more than two years since I was first invited to attend the international and interreligious meetings. Slowly, I began to understand the philosophy of life of Reverend Moon. Then afterwards I followed the forty days of studying the Principle. After that, I understood a lot about the value of marriage and the dignity of marriage and it is this that moved me–and the love that is repeated in the writings of Reverend Moon.

I came here without anyone’s name. Then I was presented the first day with three ladies from Japan. But myself, I thought, since it is said that the matching depends on Reverend Moon, I would rather from the outset not take trouble that I make the choice. I’ll submit myself to whatever he is going to decide. So, I saw her only Thursday, Friday, yesterday and today. Look, I found it marvelous. Why do I consider it marvelous? I’ve seen so many fiances and so many engaged couples, but it turns out to be disastrous. But with the matching, I consider her to be a twin soul. 

So, I said to her, “I’m 71.” She’s 43, I said, “It’s up to you; I don’t want to become a burden.” 

She said, “No, no, no, I do accept.” She accepted and that is that.

From Today’s World, May 2001, p. 12.

Archbishop George Augustus Stallings, “I feel renewed; I feel whole.”

My motivation for entering into the state of marriage, as well as taking unto myself a wife and eventually children, is the direct result of the spiritual influence of Abonim, that Father Moon had upon my life, as a result of the fifty-state, fifty-two-city, We Will Stand 2001 national tour–during which Abonim spoke about the importance of rebuilding the family, restoring the community, renewing the nation and the world. And one particular aspect of Father’s teaching was the importance of blood lineage. 

Even though he spoke about life, love and lineage, he often asked us on the tour, in every city, “Which one of the three of them is most important: life, love or lineage?” A lot of people said “love.” Father would always strongly indicate blood lineage is very important because blood lineage is vertical. Love and life are horizontal. As a result of constantly hearing him teach about the importance of blood lineage, and passing on our life and our legacy to our children and our children’s children, it became very much apparent to me that the only way for me to go was to become a married man and to allow that blood lineage to be passed on to other generations …

I feel renewed; I feel whole. I am no longer a half-man. As Abonim said, “Any man unmarried is a half-man; any woman unmarried is a halfwoman.” So now, we are whole; we are one. I feel that what we have done is so right. I’m feeling renewed. We are now rededicated and recommitted to do the work that is required of us to hasten the day when the Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of Heaven, will be manifest right here on earth. 

From Today’s World, May 2001, p. 11.

Yoshiko Katayama des Lauriers, “Who would like a Japanese wife?”

In 1982, just before the 2075-couple blessing, Father was waiting for us to arrive from Japan to start matching. I was on one of the first teams that arrived at the New Yorker Hotel; Father spoke to us, and then I was picked as a representative of Japan at our matching. Father picked representatives from key nations and matched them to each other first; then there was only me and a Korean sister, so Father asked, "Who would like a Japanese wife?" At that time, there were so many Western brothers and almost all of the brothers in the ballroom raised their hand as volunteers. I'll never forget that moment in my life. At that moment, I strongly felt Father's love and sensed Japan's providential mission for the future. Therefore, even if I would have difficulties with my husband, I should never think about breaking our Blessing. That was my promise to God at that time. I was matched and blessed to Stefan des Lauriers in the 2075 Blessing ceremony. We were the 12th couple matched, and I have been in the United States since that time.

From Tribute, pp. 73-74.

Wonkil Son [Chang], “If Father says we can be matched, then please say yes”

I had been in the church only 16 months before attending the matching in 1970. 

On the third day of third session of the matching, a handsome man with curly hair, white skin and a kind face came carrying a trumpet case. His name was Choong Keun Chang. His sister, Choong Duk, asked me ifl was interested in her brother, but I said "no." That midnight, my future father-in-law showed up. When I looked up at his face, I suddenly saw my own late father's face, and I knew my father in spirit world was giving me a sign. Mr. Chang said he could see that spiritually his son and I were symbolically the same. He predicted that I would marry his son and immigrate to another country. When he left, I spoke with Choong Keun for the first time, and I was surprised to find the tone of his voice made me feel like I was reunited with a dear friend. He didn't ask me any questions; all he said was, "If Father says we can be matched, then please say yes."

I fell asleep while Father was marching. At some point, Father was bent over watching me and laughing as I slept. He must have waited a long time for me to wake, because everyone was laughing. I looked up in surprise and he whispered to me, "You have someone you like, don't you?" I started to respond, but he cut me off and said, "Don't think about it, just say it!" and I said, "How about number 169?" Father stood up and yelled out the number and Choong Keun stood up. Father said, "Oh, it's you! Did you finish the army?" He said "yes," and Father asked, "How old are you?" and he responded, "I am 30 years old." Then Father said, "This woman likes you. Go into the other room and talk." This was very special. Father had taken the rime to single us out. When we entered the small room, Choong Keun leaned up against the wall and dosed his eyes. I kicked him and said, "So, are we going to do this, or not?" At which he responded quickly, "Of course, of course! See this? I've been writing your name on my hand for five days now and praying we would get matched." I thought that was so funny. If you left the room laughing, then everyone knew the march was accepted.

Father called our couple over and addressed my husband: "Are you going to do church work or not?" He responded yes. Then he said to me, "You must create a model family." We were the last couple to be matched that session. Father prayed and held an engagement ceremony. He asked Choong Keun to play the trumpet. He played "The Garden of Eden" so beautifully. It took my breath away. I felt so proud.

From Tribute, pp. 62-63. 

T.L. Barrett, “It will happen soon”

I was like Peter Cottontail, hopping down the bunny trail going happily, happily on my merry way, traveling with True Father on the fifty-state, We Will Stand Tour. My job was to speak before Father, sort of warm the audience up. I think I did a pretty good job.  

I think we were in Dallas Texas and after the program was over, I was in my hotel room and I got a call that Father wanted me to come to his suite. When I went up there, he came into the conference area and said to me, “You know you are going along with me on this tour for the restoration of families and the building of marriages and all, but you’re not married.” Ths was because my wife and I were divorced. She divorced me after twenty-five years of marriage. So, he said, “I would like to match you. And we have chosen several one’s for you to choose from.” Normally, Father just chooses someone, but he gave me the royal opportunity to choose someone. But I told him, No. I will not choose a bride because I was still married to my children’s mother. We had seven children and I told him that I meant it when I said, “Until death do us part” and she’s not dead. 

That was shocker, because nobody refuses Father Moon. He put his head down. He did turn red. Everybody thought I had angered him but actually, the spirit of prophecy had overcome him because when he raised up he said, “It will happen soon.” I thought, he’s not a true man of God because I didn’t tell him that she had remarried and was living in another state and we had no communication. But one week later, she walked in our church while I was preaching. After services were over, I went downstairs and there all of her luggage was in my office. I said, “What is going on?” She said, “It just didn’t work out and I’m back.” 

We’ve been living in the Land of Happily Ever After ever since. And that’s because of True Father’s prediction. Amen! 

True Peace Magazine, Oct. 2017, 39

Sumiko Davis, “I never forgot his kind heart”

I was sent to MFT to take care of American brothers and sisters as a team mother and traveled all over America. It was God's blessing, because I saw many beautiful places as we traveled. One of the teams I was sent to assist was in a small center outside of the city of Philadelphia. On the first day of my arrival, a tall, bright, smiling young brother came to me and said, simply, "Hi my name is Greg, I have a Japanese spiritual mother." I was very moved by his kind heart. He was one of the team captains in the center. One day, his parents came to visit him, and I served them some melon and a drink. They were very loving and kind to me. After that, Greg was sent to another region. I never forgot his kind heart.

In 1979, I was invited to participate in the matching at the New Yorker Hotel along with hundreds of other brothers and sisters - many of whom I had worked with, since coming to America. At one point I was standing in front of Father with several other Japanese sisters, and he said to me, "You should brush your hair off your forehead; you will attract strong fortune through your ancestors." As he said that, I instinctively did just that. Soon, I was standing in from of my suggested match, to my amazement; it was Greg, the friendly brother whose parents I had served many months earlier in Philadelphia. I was comforted, because I thought, "I know this brother." It was a very powerful experience, as I felt God had selected this brother "just for me." We were blessed in the 2075-Couple Marriage Blessing in Madison Square Garden in 1982, attended by Greg's parents and aunt. A few months later, we began family life. My husband and I felt a lot of love for each other, and our family life was very happy and smooth.

From Tribute, pp. 70-71.

Reiner Vincenz, “My wife and I hold a world record”

In 1969, during our True Parents' second world tour, they came to Germany to give the Blessing to members outside of our homeland of Korea for the first time. This was the 43-Couple Blessing. This special moment has been so deeply engraved in my heart and mind that until now I could overcome any challenge and difficulty while following our True Parents for the last 46 years.

One night, True Parents called me into their room and asked me to tell my entire life story to them. This took several hours. Sometimes True Father would stop me and say, "Reiner, has this situation you are describing not been a little different?" True Father could not believe what a pure lifestyle I had led. 

Three days later, True Parents decided to hold a Marriage Blessing ceremony. I believe that my wife Barbara and I hold a world record - from the time that we found out there will be a Blessing to the time we were engaged was just 15 minutes! The engagement ceremony took place in True Parents' room one couple at a time. We both had the great honor to be blessed as part of the 43-couple Blessing.

From Tribute, p. 352-53

Pamela Stein, “Exchange Marriage”

During my teen years, as I was learning about God as my Heavenly Father, I discovered the Holocaust stories of the Jewish survivors. I told Heavenly Father that until I had suffered as they did, I could never expect Him to love me. I felt humbled by the stories I read, and strengthened that such amazing people were living in my lifetime. As I studied the faith of the Jews, I read the Bible with a different perspective and remembered that Jesus was also a Jew. I was so deeply touched when Reverend Moon matched me with the son of Holocaust survivors — Dan Stein, born of Jewish refugees from Los Angeles, California. We agreed to the exchange marriage, where for the sake of world peace, we marry the descendant of our ancestors’ e n e m i e s

Jesus was very strict with me when I married my husband Dan. We were matched by Reverend and Mrs. Moon and married in the 1800 Couple Blessing on February 8, 1975, in Korea. The week after that, we went to Japan to a huge rally at the Buddakan c e n t e r. Despite my pride in having an “exchange marriage” I was having a difficult time feeling comfortable with my Jewish husband. Although we spoke the same language, English, we had a terrible tension between us. It seemed that we couldn’t understand anything the other one said or meant; I felt rejected by him, and he felt agitated by me. We didn’t like to be together, even though we were both proud of our marriage for world peace. It was a real dilemma, and I was very unhappy. As we gathered inside the hall for the great rally, I became extremely fatigued. I went to the ladies room to splash my face, and I felt a great need to cry. I went inside one of the toilet stalls and cried very deeply. I was not a happy bride at all. I said in my prayer, “Jesus, dear Jesus! You are Jewish! My husband is your brother! Surely you must love him! Please give me your love for him!”

I became extremely drowsy, and I fell asleep right there on the toilet seat, my head against the wall. I had a very amazing dream. To this day, more than thirty years later, I can see it clearly. I saw Jesus being pushed to the ground by Romans. I saw their big sweaty back muscles, and the huge arms that held an iron hammer. I cried out, “No, no! Don’t do it! This is Jesus! Don’t hurt him!” I was hysterical in my dream, yet I couldn’t be heard by the Roman soldiers. 

Then a voice said to me, “Pamela! Look here!” I looked up and there was the hand of Jesus with the wounds of his crucifixion before me. He held his hands out to me and said, “Pamela! This was my wedding day! Do not complain about yours!” I awoke shocked. This dream had only taken a few seconds. I was deeply chastised. Jesus was to have been blessed in holy marriage; his only desire was to create a family for Heavenly Father. A blessed Family! Now I was blessed by True Parents, with God having guided them to choose my spouse, just as He had promised me! It was a great day! And I was pouting like a child, unable to feel gratitude for the great blessing I had received. I repented with tears, and then I ran upstairs to look for my Jewish husband. I found him and took his hand and said for the first time to him, “I love you. Thank you for accepting me as your spouse and the mother of our future children.”

From I Am in This Place, p. 6.