Otosan

by R. Bruce Clarke

We were descending rather hastily, both of us thinking of a cup of coffee, I'm sure. When Otosan motioned suddenly to the granite ojisosan on the slope I didn't understand at first what he meant. He stepped up and rubbed its bald head, saying "good luck" in English. He brushed his rubbing hand on his shirt, smiled, and spontaneously beckoned me to share in the blessings. My hand found the granite statue smooth-evidence that it gave its blessings away often.

We moved down the steps from where we had earlier ascended. The top of the mountain was home to a priest's small dwelling and a large traditional Shinto bell. Otosan told me it was rung every morning at six o'clock by the priest. As we stepped down the stone stairway the stillness of everything sucked the thoughts out from between my ears. No one was awake at six-thirty on Saturday morning except ojisosans whose heads get rubbed-and the priest. Old men who take smoking walks to mountain shrines with sons-in-law are the only other exception that I could see.

My Otosan-which means "father" in Japanese-likes his cigarettes, sumo, sake, and companions. He has hordes of friends whom he's chummed with since schooldays. His timely comments and passed gas commentary sends them into hours of chuckles. his large pointed ears protrude like a bat's, and his skin is dark, hiding a reddish complexion gained from drinking. He had his short hair permed before I came this visit, which gave him a kind of slick pixie look, a la Peter Pan.

Otosan is definitely generous. He insists on buying his daughter and me things, and when we fall short of his anticipated level of greed, he just hands over an embroidered envelope with a silver and gold tie, some crisp yen bills tucked inside. My wife happens to be his first child, daddy's girl, and since there are no boys, by Asian custom, primary inheritor. These blessings we are grateful for, but they too require the rub that only loyal children can give their parents. As I found, there are special rubs only foreign children can give.

It is a humbling kind of communication my Otosan and I share. My Japanese is "skoshi" or small, and requires generous rehearsal to grow at all. Otosan's English is somewhat larger, if only because the English language is plastered everywhere in advertisement in Japan, and the borrowing of baseball terminology helps even the most homebound codger gain a foothold into the world of spoken Americana. I ask, "Doko Shinichi Dragons deska?" and he, pointing to a gray stadium at a great distance, says something in Japanese: "Are-wa baseballu jo des."

Overlooking his hometown and pointing down, I say: "Kore-wa oki des" or "This is big." He asks incredulously, "Honto? Big?" and I say, "Hai, Otosan." He asks, "Wonderful?" and I reply, "Ee des"-"It's good." I'm grateful he is so gregarious and informal. It leads to boyish grins on both faces.

The other night we were eating a dinner of fish, rice and seaweed, prepared by Okasan, my mother-in-law, and as is typical, Otosan finished first. He then passed wind in his usual way. Grinning, he hoisted up a large green bottle of sake from the table into the pinkish light of the kitchen's fluorescent doughnut hanging above. Glittering in the clear fluid were the irregular micron-thin specks of gold that a particular brewer has added to its sake, thereby establishing its trademark in the industry. This is Otosan's favorite brand. Otosan pushed the bottle at me. "Gold," he said in English, looking wide-eyed at me. I affirmed it: "Gold," and taking the bottle in order to appreciate his acclamation, I put my nose up to the green glass and watched for a moment the sparkles dancing in the light.

Otosan grabbed the bottle back (with liquor, the Japanese can lose some of that famed etiquette) and poured himself a glass. I saw his eyes glitter like the gold with sheer fondness. He drank it all. A moment later, he let go a long fart (in such moments, there's no other fitting word for it). Instinctively, I slipped my hand behind his seated bottom, and then looked at my cupped palm with feigned surprise, proclaiming: "Otosan! Gold! Gold!"

Otosan and Okasan just laughed and laughed. My dear wife did too, when she was the joike went over so well. We laughed for a couple of minutes. We laughed at each other laughing; we couldn't stop. My quiet Okasan, who's been listening to this after-dinner concert for the better part of thirty-five years, had eyes of true mirth.

It is talks like these that surpass in durable memory all the serious discussions we have had through wifely translation. After all, every communication relies on the true comprehension of a few key words. "Gold," "wonderful," "ee des," and "strikeoutu" are examples. What we experience in intercultural dialogue is not only the communication of internal mental environments, but the expansion and evolution of language itself. We are making it happen. We are potters, poets, weavers. We are culture artists. Moreover, what we are weaving is a splayed world together. Bodily gestures count with every weave when words are wanting. My own language limitations made such a moment not only possible, but funny and endearing. My experience here is not unlike rubbing the ojisosan's head. We are certainly here to mobilize heavenly fortune and transmit heaven's blessings to others. Well placed, even schoolboy humor can knock down walls, heightening our sense of common functions, common purposes, common destinies. This heightened sense is the antenna for the transmission of blessing.

I sometimes wonder what his world would be like if Otosan had only another Japanese son-in-law to talk to. Certainly, it would not be nearly so challenging for him, so wonderfully mind-stretching, and perhaps not so funny. I believe this one man's world would be considerably smaller and more isolated. That goes ditto for the son- in-law. Thank you, Otosan. Thank you very much, Father.

Montessori in the Home: 15 Minutes With Your Child

by Shirley Miho-NYC

If you look around a Montessori classroom, you will see many different trays containing bowls and glasses and different kinds of tools used in physical work around the home. And you might wonder: "Is this all Montessori is about-work?" The materials are not what makes the Montessori method. The real essence of the Montessori method is the attitude and heart toward the child. Montessori is not about teaching a curriculum or a series of activities; it's not about the teachers or their personalities but about learning and the needs of the child. The focus in Montessori is not the adult but the child.

Dr. Montessori observed the child as a pure being containing man's spiritual essence and each a spark of the Divine image. She wanted to help the child to express his potential by removing any obstacles to his learning-which included obstacles within herself as an adult-and to meet any needs that the child might have. If this could be done for all children, she felt that the world would be changed.

Montessori believed that dramatic changes can take place in the child and as a result of their whole personality being engaged in work. She called this process "Normalization", believing that it was the normal state for the child to be in: full of joy and in harmony. The Normalized child loves order and work and is attached to reality rather than the fantasy world we so often associate with children. Montessori discovered in her observations of the child that such children love silence and are able to work alone for long periods of time. They quickly develop a deep respect for others and seem to lose the possessiveness which is so often a characterization of childhood. Obedient, full of initiative, self-controlled and self-disciplined, it is no wonder that those who first observed the effect of her environment on children thought that they had had a conversion experience and spoke of "converted children" and "the discovery of the human soul." Even the Communist Party acknowledged her achievement at the Congress of Geneva in 1912, stating that education by the Montessori method was a basic human right!

This evening, we will concentrate on just one area of the Montessori environment, the first area the child should work with and the most important: the area of Practical Life or activities of Everyday Living, as they are called. These activities focus on the refinement of what we do every day-from washing our hands, to pouring a glass of water, to squeezing a sponge. Everything can be turned into an exercise. But the important thing is that the child must do it himself.

Children want to know about the world and be exposed to it. Our responsibility is to allow them access to it and to make it available to them. We need to touch the vision and imagination of the child if we are to help them realize their potential and become all that they should be. To make themselves into the person they are to be is their task alone: no one else can do it for them. The question is how to create the right environment and atmosphere for that unfolding to happen. And children do tell us: don't we hear all the time, "I want to do it by myself." Do we listen? We need to learn to guide the child without letting them feel our presence too much; we need to give help when and where needed but never to the extent that we become an obstacle between the child and their experience. It is a hard lesson to learn, for we think it love to help the child. In fact, we are robbing them of the dominion over themselves. No wonder they scream and yell when we interfere too much-it's the only means they have left to express their displeasure! Children need to complete the full cycle of activity involved in each work, from thinking about what they are going to do, to choose a work, execute the task, return the work and contemplate the next work....

Our primary goals as adults is to observe the child and prepare the environment based on our observations. With the materials we have prepared and our guidance and understanding, the child can do what they need to do. Too little and the child cannot act meaningfully-too much and their creativity is extinguished.

Take time to observe and the child will reveal themselves to you. They will tell you what you need to do. Just help them to experience success and model success. When you present materials to them, take time: go slowly, carefully and precisely-present simply and clearly- and trust the child. God will be revealed through him.

Practically we need to break down movement for the child. For example, opening a door has three steps: grasping the knob, turning, and then pulling. Present with as few words as possible in order for the child to concentrate on what you are doing.

Make sure that the materials are child-sized and that they are real- not make-believe-use glass as much as possible and good quality materials, emphasizing aesthetics through the variety in size, color and texture of the materials. Everything should be in working order with nothing defective or missing; the materials should call out to the child to be used.... In the home I would suggest a separate shelf or cupboard that the child has easy access to and can take responsibility for. Remember, the materials are devices and inventions to stimulate the natural desire of the child to act and learn through activity. They should only be used for the purpose that they were intended. Children are different from adults. When children work, they are more concerned with the process than with the product. They seek to fulfill an inner need by doing the work over and over again. Adults want to get the job done as quickly as possible and often use shortcuts to accomplish the goal. Children wash dishes, for example, in order to wash dishes. Adults, on the other hand, seek to improve their environment.

Practical Life activities appeal to sensitive periods in the development of the child, which appear between the ages of two and four years of age and peak around the third year. These sensitive periods are times when special sensitivities are acquired but which disappear when the trait becomes set. Dr. Montessori was specially interested in the sensitive period for movement, which of course begins at birth, and she believed that children must move and choose their own activities for their understanding to be engaged. The Practical Life activities also appeal to the sensitivity to order, routine and schedule, the materials being very orderly and composed of a sequence of steps. Children like to know what comes next and during this time period are very sensitive to any changes in the environment. There should be a place for everything and everything should have its place. It is this experience of external order which allows internal order to develop.

Sensitivity to small objects is another important factor for the young child. We have all walked with a child and had to stop short suddenly as they observe an ant, which we in our hurry have missed. Small details are extremely fascinating to the young child and so we use attractive objects, small beads, interesting colors, shapes and textures to draw the child closer. The key is the ability to engage the child fully so that the internal will can be developed, for Montessori believed that "before anyone can assume responsibility...he must be convinced that he is master of his own actions and have confidence in them." Based on this foundation of obeying his own will, the child has a better chance of obeying another's will, which we call obedience or discipline, for how can a child obey another when he has difficulty even obeying his own? That, like everything else, has to be guided. The Montessori environment and materials do just that.

Ultimately, the activities give the child an approach to life and work which are appropriate and worthy of their attention. Because they are appropriate, repetition is a natural response and helps consolidate learning. I am sure that you have observed your own child repeating actions over and over again when they are involved in what they are doing. One reason television can be such a danger during the pre- school years is that it totally absorbs the child without involving him actively, at a time in his life when he learns best through doing.

Through such work, ownership is established and the child comes to realize their own responsibilities. The child begins to know when something isn't right around them and learns how to fix it, taking dominion over their environment.

As you can see, the teacher or directress is vitally important to the Montessori method but in a very different way from traditional teaching. Dr. Montessori has much to say about the nature and development of the teacher, always in the sense of internal development and loss of self, the teacher having to be a humble servant of the child in order to be able to stand before them.

I do hope that you will read and meditate more on what the Montessori method means to you and your family and how it can be utilized in the home.

Dr. Montessori touched on something universal in her method. Especially today, as we witness a crumbling educational and family system and a dark hole where once values had a place, her understanding of norms and values shines like a beacon through the darkness. It is a sad reflection of our society, too, that we have even torn down God, for we have nothing to put in His place except our struggling human condition and relative values.

Montessori asked us to "Follow the Child," to invest time and energy into unlocking the Divine potential trapped inside each child. My prayer for each of you is that you will do that, each in your own way, and that you will have gained hope and inspiration from our presentation of Dr. Montessori's work and method-and that it will prompt you to study further and implement her thinking in your own homes. Let's educate our children in heart and norm, and establish the value and dignity of each child, creating a world of harmony and order based on God's absolute love. Thank you.

Martians and Venusians in (Sun) Light of the Principle

by Richard Ramras - Brooklyn, NY

The recent bestseller, Dr. John Gray's "Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus," strikes me as very much an inspired, prophetic "revelation" even though it rarely uses Christian, biblical or religious terminology to make its points. (Towards the end, reference is made to writing a "Love Letter" not only to one's spouse or parent or boss but even to "God or one's Higher Power"; this is, however, the exception to what is basically a book written in humanistic, psychological or "horizontal" terms about how to overcome the inevitable problems, crises and even disasters of spousal-and other- relationships.) His book has the feel of an "earthshaking" milestone in the field of relationship-and- communications self-help works, really capturing the flavor of the day-to-day realities of "intergalactic warfare" which seemingly pedestrian married life can often simulate.

In the International Healing Foundation's recent seminars held at the World Mission Center over the past months here in New York, Richard Cohen had quoted some "Mars/Venus" excerpts, recommending this book and including it on his "Suggested Reading" booklist. I was very impressed by the quotes, but until recently never read the book. Casually leafing through a page or two didn't motivate or inspire me enough to make the plunge-but somehow, I got started and found it was "really something else"!

Somehow, through whatever magic inspires the author of a "special book," Dr. Gray seems to have caught the essence of "why things go wrong" so far from the intentions of either husband or wife, at least on the verbal level. Although, without the Principle, there is definitely no way to attack the roots of the problems of all men and women, "Mars/Venus" definitely provides a unique analysis of a critical aspect of one of the "buds" or "fruits" husbands and wives contend with every hour: the words we speak to each other in conjunction with the manner and tone of our give and take-and the effort we make to understand, to deal with and responsibly to control or discipline the expression of our emotions for the sake of, and by means of, calm and sincere sharing of loving, honest truth in service to our spouse, our family and our own individual being.

We can look at Dr. Gray's basic point as an elaboration of the deep principled truth that there is a basic difference between the male and female aspects of God, mankind and all creation: in his book he employs a metaphor stating that men and women are different species of being-coming from two entirely different cultures-and that unless this is acknowledged as basically a fundamental ground axiom of relating to one's spouse, there is little hope for getting beyond the otherwise inevitable fireworks of married miscommunication. From this axiomatic premise, some incredible insights are possible into "what goes wrong" in the hassles of daily life. Dr. Gray also provides methods to deal with these problems, involving concrete steps to apply consistent formulas of response to the challenges of getting along with, serving and loving one's significant-and beloved-other.

Beyond the practical value of Dr. Gray's work is the philosophical implications of a volume such as this appearing and remaining on the bestseller list for a considerable time. It seems to be in keeping with the millennial specialness of our Completed Testament brand-new day that millions should be inspired by a book proclaiming men and women as embodying fundamentally different natures beyond the reductionist unisex viewpoint and the discredited, politically correct, simplistic humanism of the radical egalitarian social-engineering advocates. These aspects alone make Dr. Gray's "Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus" worth circulating among our nearest and dearest. One more among the rapidly increasing number of axial ideas whose time has come?

IRFF - Bulgarian Hospital Consultants Visit - London on a Bridge-Building Exchange Visit

June 25 to July 5, 1994
by Chris D. Hays-London

On the strength of a British government grant allocating money, IRFF U.K. invited three senior medical consultants from Sofia, Bulgaria, to London, for bridge building with health care professionals in similar fields of practice.

This is the context in the West, they arrived in, as follows:

On a British Airlines flight out of Sofia, Bulgaria, the late morning of June 25, 1994 our three IRFF contacts, the senior medical consultants from two of the bigger hospitals in Sofia, looked on, in amazement, as the air hostess passed out English-language newspapers; no, it wasn't the language that shocked them. It was the headlines that screamed at them.

The inference by the Bulgarian doctors was that in America wild and crazy things go on that are mostly centered on their domestic situation. Notice, they said to me, all the headlines with little international coverage!

Deboarding the plane at Heathrow International Airport just outside London, the doctors' media-instilled perceptions fly in the face of the reality in Bulgaria; like many nations of eastern Europe, one cannot comprehend the real goings on there unless one visits these places.

As we packed the doctors' bags into the taxi en route to the IRFF head office, one of the consultants desired to take a "gut check" of the real-time happenings in Bulgaria; for the reader of this report I summarize it:

The youth of Bulgaria between 15 and 30 years of age are adrift, having few goals in life, not knowing what they want nor how to get there. The economic decline has been very severe. Back in 1989 when reform was sweeping through central and eastern Europe, optimism ruled the land. That has long since dissipated!

Political leaders fight one another in the Parliament daily. Demonstrations by the masses in their tens of thousands, once a thing of the early days of change in 1989 and 1990, are now three times a week. The crowds are the same people more or less who voted in a democratic reform government two years ago. In these two years only one single piece of legislation has passed on the government's privatization bills!

Inflation not indexed to wages has jumped 50% this year alone. The World Bank, the IMF and the PHARE program have promised lots and delivered hardly a thing; more reason for Bulgarians to vote socialist, as they have in the June '94 Parliament elections. Economic blackmail, in the form of the growing Mafia, rules free enterprise now. Yes, there are few rocks of certitude.

GDP is down year-on-year from '89; last year's was -5.0% and so far this year it's -7.7%.

Day two of the consultant doctors' stay in London is taken up by a training and education course, entitled "Developing a Sponsorship Proposal," held on June 27 at an inner London 4-star hotel with 25 other delegates. An all-day seminar focusing on intermediate-level education for Bulgarian medical administrators on how to win resources for their hospitals. The training course also provided a good networking opportunity for our team.

An informative time is had by all, enlightening, some say. It is really so important to create positions of opportunity for others- that's one of the most valuable lessons that True Father gives to us- using opportunities as leverage to do needed things and to meet important people.

Sponsorship is one of the many Western methods that has not caught on in the East; instilling this training in others, especially of Balkan origin, is of a high priority.

Days three, four and five, falling on June 28, 29 and 30, were bridge- building visits to the following:

1) Cancer and Leukemia in childhood unit, Oncologist Hospital, Bristol.

2) Lymphoma and Leukemia Unit, The General Infirmary, Leeds.

3) Great Ormond Street Hospital, sick children's unit, London.

4) Save the Children Fund, East Europe Division, London.

5) Charities Aid Foundation, Tonbridge, Kent.

6) London School of Economics, Center for Voluntary Organization, London.

7) St. Thomas's Hospital, hematology unit, London.

But for all the kudos and bravado these visits create-and they do open up supply lines, that's for sure-omnipresent danger lurks around every corner. While international contact-making is a vital part of bridge- building, the ills of many a society in these regions are so great that one only scratches the surface.

In the central and eastern regions, death rates soar while birthrates plummet, creating an unprecedented crisis. Hospital care and aftercare is so rudimentary in Sofia, Plovdiv and Bougas that given the massive capacity these wards in hospitals carry, doctors and nurses play God. Have you ever played God? It's interesting.... First, one gets to see "who" is seen, "when" and "where". Then with "whatever" equipment is on hand, on the given day; sometimes it's so old and dirty, nurses must search high and low in the huge hospitals to clean instruments. That usually takes 30 minutes.

Air quality around the capital is so bad-so thick!-children in orphanages must wear masks when they are outside playing! Toxic waste is so bad that chemical fills lie open for teenagers to rummage through.

The drop in population and the average life span for men and women is catastrophic. It's like a war! Life expectancy in the U.S. for men is now rated at 75.7 years while in both Bulgaria and Romania men can look forward to living a mere 64.4 years. Public decay rules the land and popular culture, mostly from America, converts many.

July 1 and 2 were taken up by another training session, Supervisory and Managerial Skills-Building for Senior Professionals. You see, Britain is preponderantly individualist, rather than communitarian. An individualism that applauds self-expression and self-display. Nevertheless, skills honed and know-how acquired as an advanced nation can serve east European administrators well.

The summary of the two-day Supervisory and Management course is as follows:

With the downsizing of voluntary-sector and national health organizations, globally, new paradigms have been forced to the front. Information technology and the coming of the age of the information highway provided possibilities to contract out service, traditionally run by health care providers and/or charities. This then frees up staff, resources and time. But it's also a matter of bringing people up to speed in both skills-set and knowledge base creating shared values among staffers of various firms.

There is a need for supervision of junior doctors to refine the measurable aims: walk-the-walk and talk-the-talk of coherence. But there are managerial problems as a result of this downsizing over the last five to six years. What's soft? What's hard? How does one quantify things? Where is the verifiable data?

In the administration of supervision and management, one needs to compete with the good things. Strategic philanthropy is part of the answer-but is it a one-way street? What about companies? Shareholders of corporations?

The final days of July 3 and 4 were spent as a wandering, nomadic tourist, soaking in the sights of London, Windsor, Canterbury and Nottingham.

It was an historic visit, from the point of view of Bulgarian senior medical practitioners. Just to travel internationally, to greet, meet and have hard dialogue with one's counterparts in the West was reason enough to declare a holiday.

But many a chilling tale was spun by the doctors, informing their Western colleagues of the illnesses that ravage the spirit in the East. These problems have been piling up for the last 45 to 50 years and foretell a grim scenario of real-time life; so far removed from the O.J. Simpson mania in the States!

Unemployment runs at between 22% and 31% in Bulgaria. Imagine that. It's just 9.7 in Britain and 6.7 in the States. Vague aches and pains, to depression, panic attacks, accidental trauma, suicide. Heart attacks and strokes and rising each year in every central and eastern European country.

Nevertheless, there is hope so long as government agencies in Britain, America and the rest of western Europe seize the day and win resources for the poor institutions and poor folk of the East. That's what this particular bridge-building exchange visit was all about: creating positions of opportunities.

Using that as leverage to do needed work, today-that's what it's all about. And IRFF U.K. will continue to progress and partner with others to solve the ills whereof we have here spoken. Together, the human condition of each of us, as global citizens, really can change.

Chris D. Hays is the director of IRFF U.K.

Home Church, Hometown... Homeschool!

by Leslie Holliday-Newton, MA

It seems that many brothers and sisters have heard something, directly or indirectly, about recent events in Newton, MA. Please know that it is impossible to describe concisely--or in words, even--what has happened here. Just imagine that God threw a lightning bolt at my hometown, and that I suddenly found myself in the direct path of about 60,000 volts. Conducting that amount of energy, and trying constructively to utilize all the spiritual information that was carried in the electrical current, was a challenging and odd experience, to say the least. It permanently and radically altered my consciousness. (I can just hear some of you, who know me well, laughing--that I was nuts to begin with--and at a loss for words?-- HA!)

Just a word about Newton, to place it on the geographic and spiritual map. Newton is a suburb located on the Charles River about ten miles west of Boston. It was the first place in America where the Native Americans converted to Christianity. Rev. John Eliot actually lived with the Massachusetts Indians, and preached to them in their native language of Algonquian. He had an abiding friendship with Waban, the sachem of the tribe, and they came to be known as the "Praying Indians." Newton is special because not one drop of blood was shed in the settlers' acquisition of land: the native people and the settlers abided with each other in peace. I believe that God loves Newton soil for this reason.

Later, in the 1900s, Newton came to be known as the "Garden City," and it represented all the very best of America. It was the perfect suburb--conservative but generous, prosperous, religiously and culturally alive, with a large population of professional people and strong families. Its public school system was just about the best in the nation, and it was traditionally considered a mecca for excellence and innovation in education.

In recent decades, the city was increasingly infiltrated in its politics and institutions by far-left-wing ideologues. Gradually it became a stronghold of knee-jerk liberalism and a pro-diversity policy mill. It continues to support financially and re-elect into office its openly homosexual Congressman, Barney Frank. The atmosphere here had become so flattened, one-sided, and intolerant of divergent opinion that our inventor friend, Dr. Dae Sik Kim, said with a wry grin, "Welcome to the People's Republic of Newton." And there you have it.

Subsequently, the effort to battle condom availability, comprehensive sex education, mastery learning (OBE--Outcomes-Based Education), social engineering agendas and all their concomitant propaganda artistry on the local level raised an international leviathan from the deeps of unbelievable proportion. Absolutely everyone came after me and my co-workers with their jaws wide open and their tongues lashing- -Planned Parenthood, SIECUS (Sex Information and Education Council of the US), the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union), the ADL (Anti- Defamation League--talk about irony), the League of Women Voters, the MA Board of Education, the MA Department of Public Health, the Fenway Community Health Center (representing the entire gay community of Boston), Temple Israel (representing the reformed Jewish community of Boston), and the local PTAs. These organizations united through local left-wing activists and rolled into the neighborhood with big tanks, guns, and lots of money (for conferences, advertising, and candidates) to counter a perceived--and real--threat to their ideological framework. One of my best friends--a sweet Jewish girl, married to an Italian--was called a "mean-spirited white Christian supremacist." The League of Women Voters dubbed me the "hobgoblin of HIV education" after I discussed the sexual politics of Margaret Sanger in a local newspaper article.

During the campaign, I helped to organize conferences, symposia, TV and radio talk shows, and wrote many newspaper articles and letters to the editor. Although useful and exciting, this was not the most important aspect of my experience. What was most breathtaking was the infusion of all events with providential meaning, and the assistance of noble and historic personages from the spirit world. They hovered like a cloud, guided with unseen hands, whispered ingenious directions, and offered deepest comfort as my heart passed through the straits of public torture. For the first time, with a gasp of surprise, I felt my spiritual lungs breathing with love, in unison with the rhythm of the spirit world. My spiritual eyes really opened and began to work in unison with my physical eyes. Right-left, up- down, and back-front were wobbly and uncoordinated much of the time, but with practice, I realized that I had been reborn as a person of new dimension. Understanding, inheriting and restoring the missions of the providential figures of history is our blessing and privilege, in home church and in hometown, and draws us to the bosom of True Parents. May God bless them. I cannot adequately express my gratitude.

On March 31, 1993, 500 people attended the symposium, "What's Wrong with Sex Education, Anyway?" at the Brown Middle School, featuring three very well known public speakers. Never in its history had Newton witnessed such an electrifying, mind-bending, public challenge to its policies. One activist subsequently wrote a letter of support describing it as "the shot heard 'round the world." I stayed up all that night at a local hotel, talking to Dr. Judith Riesman, one of the speakers, who is an expert on child pornography, and Dr. Sam Blumenfeld, a well-known author and educator. They told me stories about happenings in the higher echelons of government, business and bureaucracy that made my hair stand up. Sam urged me, very strongly, to take my eldest daughter, Gracie, out of public kindergarten. Inwardly I groaned, pleading to God, "Really? Do I have to do this, really?" One of the only friends I had made among the mothers at my children's private preschool was a woman who was homeschooling her older children, and she often shared her experiences with me. I reflected that God must have been preparing me.

On the very next day, I was fifteen minutes late to pick Gracie up from school. Children whose parents are late are supposed to be escorted to the principal's office to wait, but Gracie wasn't there. I asked the secretary where she was, and she said--get this: "I don't know where Gracie is. She went home with somebody." "WHAT?!?" I said (as quietly as I could). Well, I found Gracie--she had gone home with a friend's German aupair--but that was her last day in public school. She had been dismissed by a trained assistant who was the wife of the school committee representative from my ward. How could she not have known that it was a city-wide policy not to release children to anyone except the parent without a written note? This public school system, which is paying thousands of dollars for child abuse prevention programs and fancy experts, completely failed even basic common sense. I had to take it as an unmistakable sign from God.

Gracie got a couple of months of respite from formal schooling while I tried to deal with some of the fallout from the symposium explosion. Her little spirit had gotten badly pretzled up, and even a little nasty, from dealing with the heavy, negative elements in the spiritual atmosphere at school. It took her a little time to decompress, but by summer, she was relaxed and radiant--her old self again. As I watched this dramatic transformation, I knew that Gracie had to be educated in a Completed Testament Age atmosphere--one of freedom and light. Talk about pioneering--I rolled up my sleeves, and let God take me by the seat of the pants for yet another astonishing flight of providence.

Inevitably, September came. We opened each day with songs, prayer, point 5 of "My Pledge," and the Pledge of Allegiance. Then we read the Children's Bible, read a story about Father's life, or used one of the storybooks or coloring books created by church members. After this, we studied Korean, using Hee Seo Park's series, Hangul, The Korean Language.

I purchased an advanced kindergarten curriculum package from A Beka Book, a Christian ministry out of Pensacola, FL, and taught Gracie, age six and my son, Chosun, age five, phonics, reading, writing and arithmetic together. Each day we learned simple phonics rules, practiced writing, and had reading circles--which were mostly held in Mom's lap. We made up games to make some of the drills and exercises more fun. We also used some very colorful grade 1 Math Unlimited workbooks by Harcourt, Brace, Janovich, which were donated to us by a friend. And, I purchased some useful manipulatives from a catalogue published by Cuisenaire.

For science, we used the A Beka materials, and a bunch of other books by publishers like Usborne, Merrill and Holt. These were also donated to us by friends. We did many little hands-on experiments--like making electromagnets, growing crystals, and sculpting models of cells. For social studies, we used an interactive workbook by A Beka called Community Helpers, and did special units on the history of Newton and Native Americans. We also read two standard grade 1 textbooks on families and neighborhoods. Chosun was unable to keep up with most of what Gracie and I did with science and social studies, but from time to time he would join in and learn something.

We did other, additional units. In Environment & Health, we learned about calling 911, fire safety, pollution and recycling, made chore charts, studied the food groups, took long walks, and practiced yoga. In Home Economics, we learned about doing laundry, vacuuming, cleaning toilets, baking and sewing--very useful. In one sewing project, Gracie made a beautiful purse (with a little help). We did Community Service projects--everything from picking up trash to visiting sick friends and donating to GoodWill; and, we did Art projects--everything from collage to playdough and watercolor. We used the Bastien Series to study piano at home; Gracie studied at Boston Ballet Company, while Chosun attended the Charles River Gymnastics Academy. Last but not least, we took seventeen field trips in all. I'll never forget Chosun sitting in the cockpit of a 747 at Logan Airport, with his little hand on full throttle, nor will I ever forget Gracie's wide-eyed fascination when we attended a Native American Pow-Wow. Never a dull moment. Mom nearly departed this earth when June came--but, we had fun.

In order to understand the legal framework for homeschooling, and to get information and support, our family joined the Home School Legal Defense Association, which is based in Virginia. In return for a $100 annual fee, HSLDA will defend your family in case of any legal challenge; but more, HSLDA sends your family a bi-monthly newsletter, which is filled with information about what is happening legally in the homeschooling community in your state and throughout America. HSLDA has done some very important work in protecting the right to homeschool.

Also, in the spring our family joined a local group--the Rev. John Eliot Home School Support Group. You can imagine that I love the name.

We have gone on a number of outings and get-togethers with parents and children from this group.

Finally, I thought it might be a good idea to create a "Homeschool Page" in the Unification News, so that homeschooling members can share resources. I know that many parents have been doing it much longer than I have, and probably have many good experiences and helpful, tried-and-true ideas to write about. It would be great if members who are teaching at church schools could contribute their expertise on curriculum development, and impart some of their wisdom about the shimjung aspects of education. Thank you for sharing my story. Next time I hope to hear yours.

History of the Founding of the Youth Federation for World Peace

by Larry Moffitt-Washington, DC

As it states in the organization's State of Purpose, adopted July 26, 1994 at the first general meeting in the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, DC, the Youth Federation for World Peace (YFWP) is a worldwide educational and service organization and forum for the discussion of youth-related issues and a practical agenda for youth development, including scholarship programs, values education and training in leadership and conflict resolution. One program will merge existing university facilities with telecommunications technology to create an ambitious education project which will allow students anywhere in the world, from any social or income class, to receive accredited academic training. The Youth Federation will emphasize love of God, the nation and world, and will work in many capacities to help young people contribute to society. Membership will be open to individuals from 18 to 48 years old. The YFWP is headquartered in Washington, DC and has branch organizations in 164 countries.

The YFWP was founded by the Reverend and Mrs. Sun Myung Moon, who have founded other organizations dedicated to working toward world peace. Sharing a common desire to work toward solutions to war and all forms of human conflict, the previously established groups include the Collegiate Association for the Research of Principles (CARP), the Federation for World Peace (FWP), the Summit Council for World Peace (WFWP), the Inter-Religious Federation for World Peace (IRFWP), the Professors World Peace Academy (PWPA) and the International Conference on the Unity of the Sciences (ICUS).

This meeting, which formally inaugurates the world organization, is the result of a decision by the 170 assembled delegates from 20 countries who gathered at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China in June for the Second International Collegiate Seminar for World Peace, sponsored by CARP. Meeting under the theme "The Role of Youth in the Changing World," delegates called for the formal creation of an international youth federation. An historical footnote is that this Beijing meeting was the first opportunity ever for students from the DPRK (North Korea) and the ROK (South Korea) to meet for the discussion of issues important to both sides.

Mobilization

In spite of the inauguration being held in the middle of a business day afternoon during the vacation season when Washingtonians traditionally abandon the city to the tourists-the Washington-based organizing committee found the YFWP to be an idea waiting to be discovered by many. In particular there was an immediate warm response from New York, centering on the Rev. Chung Hwan Kwak and the World Mission Department; North American Continental Leader Rev. Joong Hyun Park; Rev. Do Hee Park; CARP's Dr. Joon Ho Seuk and Dr. James Baughman and Dr. Tyler Hendricks of the U.S. Headquarters, teamed up with Rev. Chung Jik Woo, the Regional Director in Washington. Coordinating under Rev. Woo were Mr. Tom McDevitt, Rev. Kevin McCarthy and Mr. John Robbins.

Meanwhile, at the World Mission Department in New York, Mr. Shunichiro Yoshida and Mr. Patrick Kirkbride and their small staff were trying to communicate with, get responses from and visas for, representatives in each of 164 countries. Suddenly it dawned on everyone: this would be a global mobilization. We had three weeks to move the earth.

It was a mobilization effort characterized by having too little time to bring too many people It was too ambitious, too geographically spread out. Only unity could save us now.

In Washington, in order to get 500 people, we aimed for 720 confirmations. Rev. Woo put into gear, once again, the community and district leadership system that has served so well in previous campaigns. He organized several area wide leadership meetings to get each district to realistically commit to bringing 80 guests.

Although there was a lot of concern about being able to fill the room with the best quality people, the genuine effort of everyone involved brought a standing-room-only crowd to this inaugural event. Beginning with a base of 1300 chairs, several hundred more were added as the room began to fill, until there was no more room for chairs and the overflow crowd stood in the aisles and out in the hall during the afternoon session. By every measure, the event was already a big success.

Founding Session of the General Assembly

The session was called to order at 10:30 a.m. on July 26 by Mr. Larry Moffitt, Coordinator of the Organizing Committee of the YFWP. As this was primarily a business session, a roll call of the countries and delegates present was followed by brief remarks by Mr. Moffitt, who explained some of the recent events and motivating background behind the founding of the YFWP.

A proposed statement of purpose and Articles of Association were read and ratified by the General Assembly.

A vote was called for and Mr. Dong Moon Joo was elected President of the YFWP by the General Assembly. Mr. Joo made brief acceptance remarks, during which he elaborated on True Parents' vision for the YFWP and pledged the complete support of himself and the world headquarters toward the realization of that vision.

The meeting adjourned at 11:30 a.m. and the delegates enjoyed a few moments of free time and lunch with brothers and sisters, some of whom they hadn't seen in more than ten years.

Inaugural Ceremony

The inaugural meeting was the highest-level meeting with such great diversity of participants-Christian, Muslim and Jewish; Democrat and Republican; liberal and conservative; men and women; military and civilian; white, black and Asian-all centering on our True Parents. We have had meetings in the past which included more eminent participants, but usually only from one narrow spectrum, such as politics, academics or media. What was demonstrated to the more than 1600 people who filled the hall was the power of the True Parents' heart and love to bridge all these gaps and make among all the different interest groups.

Mr. Neil Salonen was asked by the Organizing Committee to be the master of ceremonies, and he called the meeting to order at 2:00 p.m., beginning with an introduction of the head table guests. The head table included such eminent personages as Gen. Alexander M. Haig, Jr., Hon. Walter Fauntroy, Amb. Douglas MacArthur II, Dr. Jerry Falwell, Rt. Hon. Sir Edward Heath, Hon. Maureen Reagan, H.E. Stoyan Ganev, and H.E. Aziz Sidky. Next to the content of Father's and Mother's addresses, the most inspiring parts of the inaugural ceremony for many were former Costa Rican President Rodrigo Carazo's introduction of True Father and Ms. Maureen Reagan's introduction of True Mother. Their words were respectful, dignified and heartfelt.

An addition to the proceedings, made only hours before the program, was the announcement by True Father of his determination to raise $1 million as "seed money" to establish a permanent scholarship fund. Entertainment, as diverse and varied as the composition of the head table, followed the event. Mr. Moffitt, as master of ceremonies for the entertainment program, introduced Hyo Jin Nim's band, Ancestors, whom Hyo Jin Nim had sent from New York to perform. Their heavy metal sound immediately took control of the atmosphere and took the audience to a state of high energy. Following Ancestors, the students of the Kirov Academy of Ballet performed a wonderfully moving series of classical ballet vignettes as well as modern jazz numbers.

The final act was the band of Ms. Torhild Nigar backed up by Ben and Stian Lorentzen and Mr. Alistair Farrant on the keyboards. Torhild's original songs enchanted and further uplifted an already inspired audience.

VIP Dinner

Because so many distinguished world leaders had changed previously- made plans and traveled such great distances in order to attend this inaugural event, Father and Mother wanted to host a special dinner for about 50 of them, to show their appreciation. Attending from the True Family were In Jin Nim, Jin Sung Nim and Hoon Sook Nim.

The Right Honorable Sir Edward Heath was presented the Grand Cross of the Order of Unity and Liberty by the Association for the Unity of Latin America (AULA). True Father made the presentation in his capacity as Founder of AULA and was joined in the ceremony by AULA President, Ambassador Jose Chaves.

Father closed the evening by speaking informally to the delegates on a number of themes he has been concerned with throughout his ministry. Father said that people must first solve the contradiction that exists within themselves-the disunity of mind and body within the individual. We have a war within ourselves as individuals, he said, and that is why we still have wars between nations. A nation made up of individual people who have resolved the war within themselves will be a peaceful nation.

At this time, however, no person and no country can say they are good. And in fact they are evil, because they are not living according to God's expectations. God has needed individuals and then a couple he could depend on. From there a family would arise that God could call His own. These God-approved families would be the beginning of a nation and world which belongs to God. In connecting the mission of the YFWP to this process, Father said the youth of the world need to be educated as to their purpose in life. In knowing the reason for their creation, they can get victory on the level of mind and body and then form God-approved families.

One woman, an employee of the hotel who was in charge of our entire event, observed Father speaking to the guests at the VIP dinner and remarked, "Rev. Moon is the most powerful person I have ever heard in my life. Anytime he is going to be speaking anywhere near Washington, no matter when it is, please tell me because I want to go hear him." She compared the spirit she felt at the inaugural ceremony and the VIP dinner with that of a Youth for Jesus conference that was in the hotel at the same time as we were. "The Youth for Jesus meeting has no energy at all compared with yours," she said.

One Christian leader who has worked with us for many years said that the speed with which Father mobilized his worldwide movement, involving 164 countries in less than a month, was simply unbelievable. He said our name should be "The Church of the Last Minute." The same waiters and other hotel personnel have worked with us on Father's and Mother's speaking tours and also on the True Children's tour, and they often remark that we put events together in three or four weeks that are much more organized than events other people spend a year-and-a- half just planning.

And although those who know us are accustomed to witnessing Father and Mother's intensity toward their missions, even they were shocked when the dinner concluded and, instead of going to their rooms to rest after a long day of celebration, they went to another room down the hall to deliver a similar message-for another hour-and-a-half-to the international delegates and families who would be hosting them during their stay in Washington.

Sir Edward Heath commented afterward on Father's stamina and was shocked to learn that Father is only three years younger than he.

Afterward

Father's words to our members during this time were deeply moving and serious. He mentioned several projects that are developing momentum. He addressed the great project of providing educational opportunities to those around the world who otherwise could not afford top-level schools. Our primary purpose is to educate the Second Generation throughout the world centered on True Parents in order that they can help build the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth. Father asked us, "Who is capable to educate the Second Generation? Only the Unification Church."

Father described the four main organizations of IRFWP, FWP, WFWP and YFWP as representing the unity of the mind (IRFWP) and body (FWP), unity between mother and children (WFWP) and the unity of brothers and sisters (YFWP). At this time, each nation is only looking after its own interests. Through the YFWP and our other projects, we can foster a new era of unity among nations.

Going Beyond Culture Wars re: Love and Sex

by Richard Panzer

Those of us with strong convictions often tend to view the world through "ideological lenses." It is easy to become angry at those who promote antithetical (secular) values, particularly when it involves the education of our children. Because of this, religious conservatives often talk of a "culture war." While there may be quite a bit of truth to this analogy, how successful is one likely to be if you are viewing many in your potential audience as your "enemy"? Not very. How do you effectively promote your values in a way that can be received by many, if not all?

Several years ago, my thinking went through a profound change. I began to ask myself, "Where are people at now? How can I relate to where they are at in a meaningful way and move them even one inch in a good direction?" Sometimes we become rigid and think people should accept everything we believe, but I think half a loaf is better than no loaf, and if someone has bought your half-loaf, then at least they're talking to you!

I have some background in documentary film making in which one is forced to ask (if one wants to make an effective documentary) what kind of statements are credible because they come from a person's own experience versus statements by a narrator that reflect a bias or a belief that has many unquestioned assumptions. The more you base the documentary in real events as reported through people's personal experiences in their own words, the more believable and effective the documentary is likely to be.

The other question I ask myself is: Richard, what are your strengths? What do you know? (Like many brothers and sisters, I am used to reflecting on my personal failures and lack of perfection, but I have come to the conclusion that wallowing in guilt and regret doesn't help anyone, much less yourself.) While I may never be able to achieve perfection in all areas, if I can practice even one microscopic "postage stamp" of truth and pursue it with as much fervor as a dog fighting for a favorite bone, I will probably be a very successful person and have a lot of impact.

I have found this approach to be very fruitful in my efforts at communicating about the tragic consequences of the misuse of love through several educational programs. Surviving the Sexual Revolution is a program aimed at a wide audience and at college students which discusses the assumptions of what is often called the "Sexual Revolution" that took place in the '60s and '70s in the U.S. and around the world. The results of this shift in attitudes and behaviors are examined not just in terms of AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, but also in reference to the trend towards breakdown of the two-parent family because of out-of-wedlock births and divorce.

When the media reports on the problems of crime, poverty and declining educational standards, they often imply that these problems exist because of a lack of social spending by government, and that more spending would solve these problems. The media seldom reports that social science research shows that almost every major social problem- violence, crime, poverty, declining academic performance, declining physical and mental health-is strongly and clearly linked to the lack of parental involvement (usually, absence of the father) in the life of a child. Government programs are unlikely to be successful unless they take this into account. Since 28% of all U.S. births are out of wedlock (and increasing), whether we can reestablish the connection between sex and love and commitment is a life-and-death issue for our country. Cross-cultural studies by John and Beatrice Whiting show that boys who grow up without a father often become involved in violence as a way to "prove" their masculinity. Boys who do grow up with a father who is involved in their lives don't have to "prove" their masculinity in antisocial ways (sex, drugs and/or violence). They grow up seeking a living example of nonviolent, responsible manhood and don't have to gravitate towards the extreme, hate-filled models in the movies and music videos.

Girls who grow up with both parents are much less likely to become sexually involved. Instead of looking for the missing love they never received from a father in the arms of a boyfriend, they can approach life with confidence, knowing they are loved and have value as more than just a sex object.

Unfortunately, much of AIDS and "Family Life" (sex) education completely fails to honestly discuss these deeper issues as if sex were just an issue of preventing disease or pregnancy. Some programs even teach that teens have a "right" to have sex and teach teens various sexual practices.

An overview of the different (sometimes shocking) approaches to AIDS and Sex ("Family Life") Education is given in a booklet and slide presentation I developed called "Love, Sex and AIDS: Teaching Our Children in the Age of AIDS." Their underlying assumptions are discussed, as are the track records of effectiveness in reducing teen pregnancies and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases including AIDS.

People are often surprised to hear how effective abstinence-based programs have been, whereas programs which try to persuade teens to use condoms or contraceptives have had little success in bringing about the desired behavior change and zero impact in reducing teen pregnancies (or, for that matter, the spread of AIDS). At the end of this presentation, suggestions are given on what parents can do to guide their teens.

The key theme in both presentations is the importance of vertical love relationships, personally and for society. Unless we can rediscover our capacity to give and receive unselfish parental love, our country can never be healed. Ironically, as discussed in Surviving the Sexual Revolution, monogamous married men and especially women are more sexually fulfilled than those who are promiscuous, something you would never know if you based your understanding of reality on the movies!

It is my hope to correct many of these misunderstandings, particularly among college students and parents, who might otherwise make poor decisions based on faulty information from the popular culture. Anyone interested in ordering either presentation (Surviving the Sexual Revolution or Love, Sex and AIDS: Teaching Our Children in the Age of AIDS), or just desiring more information, can call the Center for Educational Media at (201)358-9013, or write to C.E.M., P.O. Box 37, Emerson, NJ 07630.

Richard Panzer is the president of the Center for Educational Media

First National Parents' Day

By congressional decree, the first annual National Parents' Day was held on July 28, 1994. We were blessed to celebrate its inception at a special joint service held at Bowen Memorial United Methodist Church last Sunday, July 24. At least 50 members attended with their families. It was a very beautiful intercultural experience for their congregation as well as ours. Jack Ashworth gave a moving talk on the meaning of Parents' Day and Judy Heary, representing the Women's Federation for World Peace, passed out awards to some of the parents who were recognized as outstanding parents in their communities. The pastor, Rev. Alvin Hawkins, gave a sermon entitled "God's Design for True Parents." He spoke about how wonderful it felt that all God's children of all different colors could be gathered under one roof to celebrate Parents' Day together. Hopefully we will be able to do more with Rev. Hawkins and his congregation in the future.