Photo date 1965 - Sun Myung Moon's first world tour - location unknown
1975 I was blessed in Seoul, Korea as one of 1800 blessed couples and as a pioneer of couples with international marriage on a severe, cold winter day. My spouse is American and her name is Genie. After the blessing, I went back to Japan as a member of Global Team and worked with brothers and sisters, and my wife, with desire of sincere heart to unite with my central figure and contribute to the victory of God's providence.
At that time surprisingly, the Church HQ in Japan called me to be an international missionary and my mission country was Malaysia in the Southeast Asia region. It was very sudden, so I was surprised but because I had experienced "Day of Hope" campaigns with brothers and sisters from abroad, I was not so afraid. However, when I just about was leaving to my mission country, I felt I was like a soldier who had been given the mission to go to the war, leaving my loving wife or fiancé alone.
On the other hand, I felt the spirt of a missionary who is going to a foreign country with the heart of faith in God and service for the people. I felt a little nervous from being given this important mission.
During the 40-day workshop for missionaries, we researched the situation of our countries or went to the beach for all night prayer to prepare for the mission internally and externally.
On 1975 May 30th early in the morning, I departed from Haneda airport in Japan, stopped by Singapore then arrived in the capital city of Malaysia. I met the American missionary and German missionary at Kuala Lumpur. We then rented a small house in Lucky Garden and started pioneer witnessing. The three of us decided to use English for our communication. Malaysia was formerly a colony of the British Empire, so in those days, they used to speak English more than their own language of Malay. My English was broken English and the German sister Heidi also couldn't speak English so well. So, we managed to learn English during our missionary work and gradually, we could speak English for prayer, lectures and sermons little by little.
Struggle among Missionaries
From the beginning of our missionary work, there was a big problem. The American missionary Beverly was Chinese American and her parents were Chinese. Her grandmother committed suicide when the Japanese Army invaded China. Also Japan ruled Malaysia for 3 years and 8th months in the past. In those days, the Malay people didn't protest so much against the Japanese military but the Chinese people who lived in Malaysia protested a lot. So they received lot of persecution from the Japanese military. With that kind of background, we had to live together in the same house and work for the providence.
Beverly and I had many struggles with each other and our hearts were down. One day, she struggled a lot and left our house and started to live in some other place. Through those things, I experienced that to love our enemy is so difficult to practice and not simple at all.
True parents and Jesus said: "love your enemy" and they practiced and got victory over the enemy but for us fallen people, it is such a difficult thing to overcome. The German missionary Heidi was genuine and had a good conscious and I did not have so many problems with her, but with Beverly, I continuously struggled. Although we made prayer and fasting conditions and made effort to unite, we couldn't witness to people well because of the struggle between Beverly and myself.
Through this incident, I learned that even if we have people who come to us, we can't raise them up when we have disunity between the missionaries. With those struggles, my perseverance reached its limitation, but I tried to be patient as much as possible with the motto "even being disappointed, do not be disheartened."
My wife came Malaysia and started family
Five years later, we received an announcement from the World Mission Department that Beverly received permission to go back to America to start her family. Then my wife came to Malaysia from America to start our family life.
The German missionary Heidi already went to Hong Kong. In September of 1979, I welcomed my wife with a few members and had a new start.
After the 1800 blessing, my wife worked in Japan and Korea as a missionary. During those days, I wrote a letter to her once a month in English with help of a dictionary as a condition. During this separation time when I received the letters or photos from my wife, I was very happy and encouraged and got power for my mission work.
We could start family smoothly probably because we lived publicly as much as possible with those conditions. She served members as a mother figure, so the atmosphere of the church became brighter and more active.
In 1980 August, our eldest daughter was born and she was named Set Pyul, which means morning star in Korean. She was the first blessed child born in Malaysia. After my wife gave birth to our daughter, a few Chinese Malaysian members who were witnessed to in England during their study there, came back to Malaysia. They had passion to serve their country and started to work together with the local members for witnessing or fundraising. I appointed some of those excellent members as leaders of our headquarters or local churches.
Development of the Malaysia church
I focused on Sunday service, events and workshops. Near Kuala Lumpur, there is resort area called Port Dickson. I rented a bungalow there and had 3-day or 7-day workshops and strived to raise up the young people and students. In Malaysia as in Japan, many people determined to devote their life to God but I advised the students to graduate from college first.
When core members grew up, I sent them pioneering in rural areas. First, I sent them alone but later on, I sent groups of 3 to important cities in Malaysia, such as, Penang, Ipoh, Malacca and Johor Bahru. They opened witnessing centers there and registered them at the city hall as a church. In that way, church centers were established. Later on, each local church had workshops, and my wife and I went around giving lectures and sermons to guide the members. With that system, many working adults and high school students joined the church because of members' hard work.
Malaysia and Its History
Malaysia is unique country and there is a monarchy. Alternately, one of the Islamic chief Sultans becomes the King. Each state has one Sultan, and once every 5 years, they have a conference to elect the King with a secret ballot. After the King's 5-year term, a Sultan from another state becomes King.
Malaysia's ethnic groups are represented by Malay, Chinese and Indian people. The members who joined the church were mostly from Chinese background and a few were Indian. The Malay people are all Muslims so converting to another religion is almost impossible. I worked for God's providence with Chinese Malaysians, who were enemies to Japan in past history and gradually became closer in heart. They were mostly moved by True Parents life course.
Buddhists who are not Christian don't know the content of the Bible but their ancestors suffered a lot. And, as children of immigrants, Chinese people suffered, so when they studied True Parents' course, they could understand the deep shimjong of True Parents to some degree. Especially, sisters are a little more emotional, so some of them, shedding tears, were inspired by True Parents and determined to work for God.
In the beginning, many sisters joined the church, and then brothers increased. I will never forget that I was so moved and inspired when I met with the leaders and members whom I raised up during my travels around to the local churches. I was so moved when I saw young members work so hard for God's providence with sincere heart.
During my life as a missionary, it was most memorable when I went around to the local churches and workshops there.
Persecution from Media
In 1983, a former member betrayed the church and spread rumors to the local newspapers, and the Christians turned against the Unification Church. As a result, the "Malay Mail", an English daily newspaper, had editorials about us. Other newspapers came to our HQ for interviews and an under-cover detective came to investigate. The Christian churches in Malaysia were very much influenced by European churches and believed whatever they were told. At that time, we were so nervous and urgently discussed about this situation.
However, this situation calmed down very soon. After this incident, we received persecution from the media twice but we could overcome well because of unity between ourselves and the local leaders. When we received persecution from the media, I was called by the Special Investigative Officer and the person in charge harassed me in various ways, as well as our local leaders.
During that time, we made a lot of prayer and fasting conditions and worked very seriously. Even under this difficult situation, the local leaders testified about True Parents and the Divine Principle. Because of that condition and unity between the members, we could overcome that critical situation.
Even though we received this persecution, almost no one left the church. Through this persecution, we were grateful that we could experience a little part of True Parents suffering course. And also, I could understand a little of Father's words "receive persecution and gain ownership."
Assignment to Thailand, Georgia and Philippines
On 1989 January, I received a new assignment to Thailand and moved to Bangkok with my family. Thailand is the country built with 3 pillars -- the King, Buddhism and the nation. When I went there, there was already a foundation made which was pioneered by the hard work of Jack [Hart] (American), Eva (Germany) and Mr. Katsuda. On their foundation, Rev. and Mrs. Byung Wooh Kim came from Korea and set up a video center system at Ramkhamhaeng University where members greatly increased. Later, Rev. Byung Wooh Kim became Regional Leader of Southeast Asia and led the countries of ASEAN.
On 1991 June in Thailand, there was severe persecution against the Unification Church and 8 core leaders of Thailand were imprisoned for more than 2 years.
Actually, before that incident there was military coup, and the civil government changed to a government controlled by the military. Despite this difficult situation, Thai members overcame this severe persecution with strong faith. In 1992 December, I got new assignment to the CIS and I went to Moscow with other missionaries of Southeast Asia, leaving my family behind in Thailand.
After the meeting in Moscow, I got the assignment to Georgia. Georgia is the country that always suffered from invasion from other strong neighboring countries. Stalin was born there, in a quiet small town, and I couldn't believe that this dictator was born there. Georgia is the country which has beautiful mountains and agriculture with a unique tradition. The Current President was Dr. Shewarunaze who was the right hand of Mr. Gorbachev and was Foreign Minister.
In the beginning, I was with an American brother, but later I was alone and continued to pioneer. I became a Japanese language teacher at the university and continued missionary work. After 2 years, I endorsed the mission to a Korean missionary and went to the Philippines.
On 1995 November, True Parents came to Manila. Philippines members were packed into the Philippine Cultural Center and welcomed True Parents passionately. True Father went down from the stage and talked very closely to the members with gestures like parents do to their children. These were very delightful moments, truly with love and joy. The VIPs who attended the banquet enjoyed the familial atmosphere. I was very impressed that one of the lady guests took the lead to sing songs and pray together hand in hand with the audience. The atmosphere was really like one family under God.
On 1996 January 1st (God's Day) I could meet world missionaries in New York. Looking back at myself, I don't think I did make a great result, however True Parents accepted just my condition that I worked as a missionary 21 years. They gave me a commemorative plaque and watch for honorable achievement. I really appreciated it and was grateful to be able to attend this ceremony with my wife.
Looking back at 21 years of Missionary Life
The countries in Southeast Asia have a history in which Japan previously occupied their countries, and the people who opposed the Japanese sovereignty were persecuted by force. Through my 21 years of missionary work in Southeast Asia, I really came to understand that Japanese missionaries who worked in Southeast Asia were offerings to pay indemnity through service for the people who suffered in past history.