In January 1973, 120 members from Europe chartered a flight from London to the U.S. to support Father’s speaking tour. We arrived in the U.S. on about January 15, and spent some 15 days with Father, living at Belvedere, while he taught us in a most personal way. Every meal, three times a day, we would be there together with him. This was such a great time to learn and understand his vision. I went back and forth between Europe and the U.S. five times that year to confer with Father. He did everything to please and entertain us, buying us suits, ties, shoes like any parent might for their child. We could ask him freely about all sorts of things. Of those 120 European members, 20 came from Italy.
Membership in Italy flourished, and I returned in September with an additional 30 new members. This time Father asked me to stay and support his speaking tour, which started with Carnegie Hall in New York on September 18.
Father had organized the One World Crusade in February 1972, at the outset of his seven-city speaking tour. This first tour included primarily members from the U.S. Following this victory he wanted to bring a message of God’s hope to America, and further to embrace the whole world. He then invited representatives of the whole world to come to this country to help restore man back to the position of God’s children through further speaking tours -- 21 cities, 32 cities and a final eight-city tour by 1974.
During the 21-city tour, there were only three IOWC teams. My role was to be the liaison between Father and the teams. This meant that almost on a daily basis I would fly off to the next city, examine the whole situation, check on the hall where Father would speak, the banquet facilities, numbers of confirmed guests to both, Father’s accommodation, problem areas, media, etc., and return to Father with a report.
In October and November that year I took more than 44 flights! If you were wondering how I did it, I think it is better to wonder how True Parents did it; how serene, supporting and uplifting they were every day.
After working for a year as a liaison between Father and the IOWC teams, Father formed the new IOWC teams to spearhead the way for the upcoming 32-city tour. My team was the 5th team and was originally comprised of 20 Japanese, 10 Italians, 22 French, 15 Americans and one German; it was quite a challenge to establish unity, convey directions and accomplish the strategy of the campaign. I usually spoke in English and then in Italian, while the two other interpreters translated into French and Japanese! This was a great testimony to True Parents, as no other motive than to fulfill their vision and God’s Will could have brought us all to work together.
Though I was greatly challenged, I knew we had to be successful. There was no question of can we get people to the banquet and speech, or how can we get the appropriate facilities; we just had to. There was no margin for doubt! For the 32-city tour, the U.S. was divided up and each state was assigned an IOWC team. Our team was responsible for New Haven, Connecticut, February 23 and 24th; Birmingham, Alabama, March 9 and 10; Jackson, Mississippi, March 23 and 24; and Fargo, North Dakota, April 6 and 7.
These cities were very far apart and we were in the middle of the gas crisis. At that time, one could only purchase $2 worth of gas at one visit to the pump!
Can you imagine moving with 9 vehicles, traveling such distances and only being allowed to get $2 worth of gas? During the first campaign, we lived in New Haven, and only commuted one hour’s drive, or about 60 miles one way to Hartford. Thus, in the early morning our vehicles were lined up at the gas station before they opened, and we were lined up again before we reached our destination.
The Jackson, Mississippi campaign was unique. I think the city had never seen so many foreigners and certainly no Orientals! One day my secretary answered the phone, only to hear that some members had been arrested. She was Japanese and would always pretend she had misunderstood what people said so that she could say whatever she wanted them to hear; how we loved God and humanity, etc., but this time the policeman was very upset, so I took the call, and said I would come down to the station right away. When I arrived I heard singing coming from the building. On entering, I met the police chief, who said, "Get them out of here!" I went in to the main room, only to find that Kimiko Tsukamito, who had a voice like a bird, had all the policemen in a line, singing songs. The arresting officer would not hear of me taking them away, but insisted that he return them, along with their boxes of product, to the same street corners where he had arrested them!
In spite of the frustration of the gas crisis, we possessed a powerful determination. And through all difficulties we felt charged with motivation, which, we were aware, was not being generated from ourselves alone. For many of us, it was the first experience of cooperation with those in spirit world. Only this could explain the miracles that transpired to help us accomplish our mission.
One constant example was that in spite of the gas shortage, gas attendants at crucial times were moved to fill up our tanks anyway. Doors opened to meet city officials and leaders who were normally inaccessible. Our faith was constantly put to the test, and then deeply rewarded through the unforeseen events that helped us achieve our goals.
Then came the 8-city tour, beginning with Madison Square Garden, on September 18, 1974. On entering New York City, I fell in love with it. The atmosphere was so different from the last time when I had been there for the Carnegie Hall campaign. I just knew we were going to succeed. One must remember that until that time we had never brought more than 1,400 people to any of Father’s speeches, and to fill the 25,000-seat Madison Square Garden was a sheer act of faith.
From 40 Years in America, pp. 123-26.