By Edy Iversen--Palm Coast, FL
My uncle was killed in the Pacific during World War II when just a young man. Even though I never personally felt any resentment towards the Japanese, when I heard about these incredible WFWP conferences in Washington, I knew for the sake of my uncle and ancestors I had to attend.
Right after the conferences started, I got very sick and was rendered physically useless for weeks. But somehow, God would not leave me alone, and Tom Cutts, by inspired central figure, and I worked together by phone and fax to successfully arrange meetings with several legislators and the sisters from Japan and America. Through our unity God was able to arrange 16 confirmations the day before one of our conferences. It was incredible! (Our first miracle.)
When I was finally well enough to travel I was determined to bring a guest from Florida. Every day I went to the ocean and cried out to God to send me the best person from Florida. I went house to house trying to bring people, asked my son's teachers, our best contacts, legislators, everybody . . . to no avail. The conference was coming up and I still could not find anyone who would come. I was heartsick.
Finally one night, knowing how sad and desperate I was to being someone to the conference, my twin sister Betsy arranged to have a cosmetic representative come over and give me a facial for my birthday. I totally resisted because I didn't want her to spend the money. Secretly my sister had arranged this whole thing from North Dakota, and just called someone from the phone book without even knowing who it was.
It just so happened that this wonderful woman was the City Commissioner of a small town next to mine who sold cosmetics. The minute she walked in the house, I knew she was the one God wanted to come to Washington D.C. with me.
We ended up talking about WFWP the whole time she gave me a facial. Her funds were limited, so finally I called our wonderful regional leader Rev. Ahn and he said he would help with her ticket as she was really special. I knew that God had really worked a miracle and had heard my tears and prayers.
The next Sunday we were headed to Washington D.C. with Marianne Theisen and her loving mother-in-law Martha Theisen who graciously let us stay overnight t her home to get an early plane. As we were waiting for the plane, we sat next to a lovely woman named "Nell Haire." Nell overheard my name at the ticket counter and asked if I was the "Edy Iversen" that wrote in the Unification News. Her son "Billy" was a three-year church member living in Belvedere and had invited her to come to the WFWP conference too.
She had even cut my name out of the paper to call me, but never did. She was coming to the conference all alone. Now here we were on the same plane together going to the conference and my sister stayed in the same room with Nell . . . another miracle.
The spirit of the conference was so beautiful, one could not help but be moved to tears. One of our Florida legislators attended the bridge ceremony and was the first to walk over. As Tom Cutts and I had contacted her office several times in the past, I was overwhelmed to see her at this ceremony and her totally positive spirit.
My Japanese sister that was given to me could barely speak English, but had such a beautiful loving heart, we almost didn't need to speak. She is a teacher in Japan and has a love for Ickibana (Japanese flower arranging) as do I. She was wonderful.
One former woman Ambassador to the UN spoke brilliantly about how small changes in a person's thinking can change the world, giving illustrious examples of her experiences with Gorbachev, De Clerk, and Margaret Thatcher. Also she spoke of the type of heart women politicians bring to office and their critical value. Having worked with politicians for the last ten years, I felt she was speaking just to me.
Shirley Jones sang the most beautiful Broadway tunes and the Kirov Ballet Academy danced their young hearts out. Just the sheer beauty of the performance brought tears to my eyes.
The next day we decided to visit the Capitol with the city commissioner who had never been to Washington, and my twin sister Betsy, a former Washingtonian.
Through the efforts of Tom Cutts and one of his contacts, we were able to meet with a very special congressman. We heart he was sick, so my friend and I brought some Florida oranges with us to give him. Together with our region, we had a wonderful meeting with him and presented him the WFWP plaque. He was totally love bombed and afterwards I ran up to him to give him a WFWP program and was able to snap a historic picture of the event just with him.
After that, the three of us met with one of our Florida legislators. She met with us in an exquisite room right off the Capitol rotunda where John Quincy Adams had died. We shared with her for over half an hour about our work with the WFWP and gave her the beautiful pin WFWP had designed which she immediately put on.
She had previously met with a delegation from Japan and my dear sister-in-law, Karen Iversen who represented the Northern Florida delegation, he husband Paul's hometown. She was totally inspired by our work.
Next we met with a gal named Darla, a beautiful Christian from another congresswoman's office. This legislator had also met with the Japanese delegation so everyone in her office was so warm and positive.
We decided to eat lunch and found ourselves lost accidentally in the Senatorial dining room. Another miracle, they seated us! After a great lunch with legislators from all over the US, we asked to use the phone at someone's table.
That someone was a former 12-year congressman from Michigan who made us sit with him and tell him all about the WFWP and the conferences. After our talk he was so inspired he volunteered to help us and decided to give us our first tour of the Capitol. We couldn't believe it.
His tour was so poignant. Even he showed us the bullet holes the Capitol endured during the war. It was like being with a historical person. He had sacrificed his life for the last 12 years serving America and now he was taking time off to take care of his four children.
He then dropped us off in the House Chambers where we listened intently to a passionate debate on the balanced budget amendment. It was so good, the three of us applauded and were quickly silenced as they don't allow applause. As we were leaving all the employees gave us the "high" sign in approval of our actions. It was a great experience.
Finally before we left the Capitol, we went to visit one of my former legislators from the midwest. Our hard working sister from his state, Mayuri Hoffman could not visit him as she was in charge of all the Japanese coming to America and couldn't get away.
We had missed seeing him twice that day, and had wanted to give him an award, but finally resigned ourselves to leaving it at his office. Saddened we walked out the door and guess who comes walking down the hall? Arms outstretched, he embraced us warmly, accepted the award, and gave us a couple of minutes for pictures . . . another miracle.
Last but not least, we took our guest on a driving taxi tour of Washington where she was able to finally see the White House and the Lincoln Memorial. In our rooms at night we could barely sleep, we had experienced such a miraculous, historical day.
The next morning I woke up at 5:30 a.m. I just felt I had to get up and I went downstairs. All the Japanese were leaving and I hadn't been able to say good-bye to my Japanese sister. There were so many, I could barely remember what she looked like. I ran back upstairs, got my picture of her and woke my sister Betsy and our guest and told them everyone was leaving.
I just prayed I could find my beautiful Japanese sister before she left and I held the little picture next to my heart walking around the huge hotel looking for her. Suddenly, I looked up, and saw her sweet smiling face call out my name. We stood with her and waited till her bus left where we shed our tearful good-byes.
As all the Americans had left the conference the day before, we were the only ones left to say good-bye to all the Japanese sisters. I felt it was so historic and somehow we represented all of America. Only later did I realize how truly special we were to be there.
Two weeks later, my sister Betsy was sent a ticket by her Japanese sister to come speak to the WFWP in Toyama, Japan. She's over there as this article goes to print . . . another miracle, but one we will save for next time.
Of all the miracles we experienced, the greatest is seeing and being part of Rev. and Mrs. Moon's vision to bring peace to this world by the historic restoration of resentment. After working with politicians for years, I realize their futile, external efforts can never change the world.
Only substantial acts of love like the ones our True Parents show us daily through their works, efforts and inspiration can melt the heart of those around the world and create a lasting peace centered on true love. They are truly the greatest miracle of all.