Meditation: Join By Inspiration

by Carl Redmond-Tasmania, Australia

What I would like to discuss is: What is it that makes people join our church (or any church, for that matter)? Do people join through education? Not necessarily. We educated thousands: they're out there- who knows?-it may be hundreds of thousands. That means all those people are walking around with the Principle in their heads. As Father said, when they hear it, that's the moment they are responsible for it. So what are those people going to do with the truth that they heard? In what way are they going to be responsible for it?

The point I am trying to make is that people join by inspiration. Somehow, in some dramatic way, God comes down and starts to work with the person, showing him or her His dramatic power, energy, wisdom and love. It's not something you can put your finger on, but it is real nevertheless. You cannot order God to manifest in the same way you perform a chemistry experiment and expect some specified result: spiritual things don't work that way.

When I consider those who joined the Unification Church, I am reminded that in each case they did it through God's divine presence being manifested in some way. How that is brought about, how we brought about the right foundation for God to work, is still uncharted territory: we prayed, fasted, studied, worked hard or, in some cases, did nothing.

Well I remember the sister who at would pray one hour each day at 4am for her spiritual son. He joined! As a matter of fact, he's still here! But when I observed her rigorous condition, as a relatively young member, I thought to myself "No way." I was wrong. Perhaps you, watching the valiant effort of a brother or sister next to you, have begun to doubt that any substantial result will come to pass.

I baked a cake. Now these days, I don't do that so often. If I do, it would be from a packet of instant mix. Even then, I'm not sure if it wasn't one of those instant cakes. All I remember is that it was fairly substantial, with icing on top. As our guests left the center, I walked up and said: "Here, take this." They walked out (bosom pals) as if they had won the jackpot.

Another time I baked a cake for a guest's birthday. As I got fed up with her not making up her mind as to what she wanted to do with her life, I refused to give it to her. As a matter of fact, I hid it. After she left, I pulled out the candles. I told her as she left: "Be resolved to make up your mind before you come back." It was a fairly hard thing to say, but I wanted to push her to make a "decision for God." Perhaps I would not do that these days; in fact, I am fairly sure I would not. But as it happened at that time, it had some good result.

The next day, I woke up and remembered Marta. "Let's go and visit her," I said to Tracy (her spiritual mom), "and give her the cake." On went the candles: it was on again. We arrived at her doorstep in pouring rain. She opened the door (I was in the van up on the street) and saw Tracy standing there with the birthday cake, in pouring rain. "Oh, Tracy," she said, and flung her arms around her. I am sure in that moment her heart melted. Of course, we also had our fair share of "divine interventions" on the way home (or otherwise): a concrete storm-water outlet rose up in the road due to the volume of water, and broke our tire and bent the wheel. No easy job! Somehow we made it home with the help of some fairly heavy-duty road service. I had tried hard with one sister. I had prayed, persuaded, pleaded, done everything. Late that night I was at my usual place of prayer at the local football field. It was summer, a misty night. I called out to God: "I've had enough," I said, `I can't do anymore. I give up on this person, Heavenly God." One or two days later, she devoted herself to God. What more could you ask for?

It had been a long workshop. Or so it seemed! We were in the lounge room chatting agreeably together. Suddenly from the dining room came a cry like a baby: loud peals of crying filled the air. We seemingly had done nothing to facilitate this, it just happened when we least expected it. A soul had given his life to God!

I was introduced to a guest at an evening program we frequently held. It seemed nothing special or out of the ordinary, but all of a sudden he started to cry. "What's the matter?" I asked him. "I don't know," he said. "I just feel like crying."

I just feel like crying! This is the nature of man changing, through the miracle of God's Word, the Divine Principle. He hadn't even heard it, he just felt the spirit and atmosphere which was present that evening. It was enough for him to cry. A change from what one professor said was the nature of "wild beasts" to "oh, thank you!" What kind of miracle is this? It is surely the greatest miracle of all.

Something happens: a chemistry-call it what you will. God appears and makes Himself (or Herself) known to the person. It is then that they make a decision to do something with their life: something for God.

All we can do is facilitate and look to that moment. 

Kindermusik is Back at Jin-A

Open House and Registration going on now at Jin-A Childcare Center, 77 Jay Street, Clifton, NJ 07013 - Phone 201-279- 1203 or Wendy 201-641-4460.

Are you interested in something which nurtures the total development of children? The Kindermusik curriculum uses a developmentally appropriate curriculum to promote language skills, symbolic thinking, coordination, social interaction, and to awaken your child's imagination, to name but a few. The curriculum was designed by early childhood education and music specialists for specific age groups and developmental levels. Music is used to encourage early learning and creativity in children. Music is the means, not the goal (it is not a lesson to teach a child to play a musical instrument). Kindermusik never pushes a child to learn. Instead, Kindermusik appreciates and applauds children for who they are, allowing them to learn and develop at their own pace.

The goal is to make a child more eager to learn, more awake and wholly alive in the world.

Kindermusik classes involve children in singing and movement, chanting, playing simple instruments and listening purposefully. The natural creativity of a child's mind is stimulated in a learning environment where the emphasis is on process, not performance.

Finally, I firmly believe that Kindermusik offers what young children need and want in today's world-a joyful musical experience. A mother's quote: "It gives children a love of music for their whole life."

About the teacher: Hello, my name is Wendy. I am in love with Kindermusik and will be delighted to bring the joy of learning through music to your child. I learned piano as a child and am a self-taught guitar player. I have enjoyed music and making music since I was eleven years old. I also taught the guitar. I have a happy, lively- spirited personality. I hope to see you soon.

Open Houses are on Tuesday, Jan. 21, from 7:30pm to 8:30pm; Thursday, Jan. 23, from 7:30pm to 8:30pm; and Saturday, Jan. 25, from 10:30am to 11:30am and another from 12:30pm to 1:30pm.

Anyone interested please phone Jin-A 201-279-1203 and tell us which Open House you plan to attend along with the names and birthdates of children considering the program, and your name, address and phone number. Also, everyone is welcome to attend the open house, grandparents, siblings, but they must participate. It is not viable to have observers, but children may stay in the waiting room (office) accompanied by an adult (Jin-A's policy is that no child be left alone without adult supervision). Thank you for your cooperation.

Also, let us know how many adults and children will be participating so we may not be too squashed.

During the Open House you will experience a class with your child, sitting on the carpet (child-oriented environment) so please dress comfortably. Also, your questions can be answered and Registration with a small materials deposit ($31 or $41 depending on which class) is encouraged at this time, in order for the program to begin.

There are two kinds of classes:

Kindermusik "Beginnings"-for 18 month to 4 year olds - Class of 10-12 children with one parent/caregiver;

- 15 weeks is one Semester - $100 per semester ($6.66 approx. per week) - 4 Semesters available;

- 30 minute class of singing, chanting, moving, listening and playing simple instruments. you go home inspired to keep the Kindermusik experience alive all week.

Kindermusik "Growings" - for 3-and-a-half year olds;

- 45 minute class, singing, moving, playing instruments, creating patterning, listening and exploring - simple Homework Assignments with songbook, audio-tape and props make it fun;

- 15 weeks is one Semester - $120 per Semester ($8 per week approx.)

all held in the basement of the office - enter through the office.

Classes are scheduled to begin if we have enough children:

- Kindermusik "Beginnings" class is on Saturday, Feb. 22 starting promptly at 10:15am ending 10:45am with ONE parent/caregiver participating.

- Kindermusik "Growings" class is on Tuesday (during school hours) commencing Feb. 18, starting promptly at 1:15pm until 2pm. A further "Growings" class could be given on Saturday at 11:15am ending at 12noon if necessary.

If the Open Houses are missed, please know that registration is still available until the classes are scheduled to begin. Have a great New Year.  

Contributions Welcome to Unification Archive

by Dr. Tyler Hendricks-NYC

Our brother Tom Bowers has shown remarkable energy as the UTS head librarian to develop a Unificationist archive at the Seminary. I have been impressed with his work, and send this communication with his permission.

This is an open invitation to all HSA-UWC members in North America to send any and all speeches, audio or video tapes, photos, slides, film, flyers, pertinent magazines or newspapers, diaries, letters, speech notes, personal recollections, and so forth, to our Seminary's emerging archive.

Mr. Bowers commented: "I would be delighted to receive whatever people feel they would like to send. On some things I will even pay postage." If you feel you have something in this "C.O.D." category, please contact Mr. Bowers about it in advance.

This work complements extraordinary efforts developed by the UC History Committee in Korea, which is recording the history of our True Parents' life and works and all church and related activities, using high technology (electronic storage).

Send to: Tom Bowers, Head Librarian, UTS Library, 10 Dock Road, Barrytown NY 12507.

Californians at the True Family Values Seminars

by Kevin Thompson

On May 28, Father gave direction to Continental Director Rev. Joong Hyun Park to have a series of conferences for clergy in Washington DC beginning just a few days later on June 1. When Father was asked if we could have more time to prepare, he said that the spiritual climate had changed and a great opportunity existed which should be seized upon immediately. So, with not a lot of confidence, but a faith that Father knew the providential timetable, a team was assembled to teach whichever one or two might be rustled up. The calls went out to some of our best friends in the clergy and-surprise, surprise!-100 came to the first conference on just a few days' notice, held on a weekend, their busiest time.

Dr. Tyler Hendricks had been working for some time putting together a lecture series about the Blessing, called "Creating a Faithful Christian Marriage," which was taught at this first conference as well as powerful Divine Principle lectures by Kevin McCarthy. The whole conference was met with such a resounding endorsement by the participants that the staff was very encouraged and hopeful for future prospects.

It was decided to expand the reach of the conference to include the whole country. We were invited to begin reaching out to our clergy contacts and fly them to DC. A couple of our longtime friends from the ICC days were some of the first to attend: Mother Wright and Pastor Willie Peals both attended and were lit up by what they experienced. They came back home and began to spread the word in a way that we were not able to. Pretty soon they were sending groups of people almost every week. There was really a snowball effect taking place and things seemed to be propelled by a force way beyond the amount of effort we were making to reach people.

As the conferences went on, our biggest headache became not so much how to get people to come but more so the logistics of transporting groups of people to the East Coast on short notice. For this, a huge thank-you is needed for two sisters in particular. Claudia Garcia worked day and night taking care of all the logistical issues which arose. She had a tough act to follow when Lin-An moved to L.A. to become regional secretary; however, Claudia has risen to the occasion and gone above and beyond the call of duty.

Also things worked out so smoothly for us because we had a great ally in the travel business in our dear sister Marilyn Pierre, who bent over backwards to pull off the seemingly impossible tasks we were asking of her.

Two other sisters who made success possible because of their sacrifice and diligence were Dr. Shirley Stadelhofer and Anne Carrigan. Both of them worked so hard screening people and making sure that everyone who was going was informed and prepared in so many different ways.

I must also mention Ron Pine in Sacramento, who brought many, many people to the conferences and certainly brought the most diverse groups of people. In addition to Christian clergy, he brought some very prominent Islamic leaders, influential Cambodian ministers, and to top it all off he was able to bring Chief Oliver Red Cloud of the Lakota Sioux, who came to the final conference. In a very moving ceremony, Chief Red Cloud presented a hand-stitched Indian quilt, symbolizing everlasting peace, to Rev. Park representing True Parents. Chief Red Cloud has indicated that he will attend the Blessing in November. The last TFV conference for 1996 was held Dec. 10-12 at the Washington

Hilton. Actually it was originally scheduled to be at the Sheraton National for 200 participants, but as word got out that this was the final conference the numbers grew and grew and grew. As you know, it's not easy to get hotel space in DC on short notice, and the conference organizers had a big headache finding space to accommodate so many people signing up.

Finally they were able to use the Hilton for the seminar and five different hotels for accommodations.

Despite the logistical nightmares involved in holding the conference, the Washington DC church members did a phenomenal job under Rev. Yang's leadership.

Brothers and sisters, this conference was a huge success, with over 800 participants in a rich spiritual environment. There was a wide spectrum of participants representing every religious persuasion, and the love and cooperation and sense of purpose was thick. It was without a doubt one of the great events of my church experience.

True Parents received awards and recognition from the mayor of our capital and from the United Nations, as well as from Chief Red Cloud.

We were able to bring from California an Orthodox priest, who is the American representative of Pope Shenouda III, the patriarch of Alexandria. He was so inspired that he drove all the way from Los Angeles when he heard we were having a gathering in Berkeley!

We also had a chaplain from the California prison system and some very important imams from the Muslim faith community in attendance.

The year 1997 will no doubt present many new challenges and opportunities for victories, and I know that a great providential movement is under way. However, where it will end up depends upon our faith and our commitment.

When I first joined our church I asked one brother, "Do you think Rev. Moon is the messiah?" and he told me, "I don't know but I do know that he knows God's timetable and when he says it is time for something to happen then he is right." Once again Father knew the heavenly time and because of that, 5,000 clergy were educated in True Family Values and preparations are now under way for giving the pre-Blessing in many of their churches.

Reprinted from "American Neighborhood," the newsletter of the Northern California Unification Community 

Brazilian Church Preparations for True God's Day 1997

by Michael Kiely, Redhook, NY

On December 16, two weeks before the event, the Unification Church of Brazil received word that True God's Day 1997 would be celebrated in Sao Paulo. In just 14 days, True Parents and True Family plus some 200 church elders, continental leaders and national messiahs were to need accommodation, food, transportation and security.

Also, a gala evening of entertainment would need to be prepared, the new six-story headquarters building and adjoining sanctuary and other buildings would need to be cleaned from topped to bottom, and all the details of appropriately attending True Family and caring for church elders and leaders would need to be organized. In addition, funding for all of this would have to be arranged.

Though time was quite limited, "we put our heart into it," said National Church President Samao Ferabolli. "We knew that in following the way of heart everything can become better."

He said that in particular they sought to maintain a high "standard of serving True Family and elder brothers and sisters."

To meet the challenge, 120 Japanese missionary sisters and many of the 1600 Brazilian blessed couples, 300 single full-time members and 10,000 home members were called from other Brazilian cities to help the Sao Paulo church family with the four days of events. They swept, mopped and scoured the spacious six-story headquarters building, a former medical laboratory bought in 1985 and completely renovated by Brazilian family members. They decorated the newly built marble and mahogany sanctuary with Unification Church flags and flowers and carefully constructed an offering table with towers of fruit, cookies and other food in the magnificent wood-paneled fifth floor conference room. According to Rev. Heung Tae Kim, the Korean national messiah for Brazil, there was only one Korean restaurant in Sao Paulo where members learned how to prepare kimchee and other Korean delicacies for True Family and more than 100 other Koreans who would attend the celebration, and they cooked nearly two dozen gourmet meals in two kitchens for True Family and some 200 other participants. Finally, they manned the reception desk to welcome participants and give them individually prepared name badges for security and identification and staffed the dozens of security posts around the headquarters compound.

Members even produced a twenty-minute video for True God's Day evening entertainment and sang in Korean, Brazilian, Indian, Caribbean, New Age and classical choirs for the three hour celebration. They also danced in costumes as resplendent and colorful as a peacock and, with their high spirit, inspired True Children to come down on stage and perform as well.

After the festivities and marathon meetings when True Parents had departed and buses and cars had ferried scores of national messiahs to the airport, Rev. Ferabolli said with an air of relief, "We were happy to see that True Parents and True Family appeared to feel good about the holy day when they left. They had had no trouble while they were here." In fact, True Father had expressed satisfaction with the headquarters building by recommending to national messiahs that they take ideas from the Sao Paulo headquarters building as they prepare blueprints for their own national headquarters churches.

In summing up the impact of the holy day, Rev. Kim said, "Through this True God's Day celebration we in Brazil have received a great blessing from God and True Parents. It was a significant opportunity for us." 

Book Review - Marriage and Romantic Love in the Bible What the Bible Really Says about Love, Marriage and Family.

by John Temple Bristow,
Chalice Press, 1996. 150 pages.
reviewed by John Slater-NYC

When pastors want to preach on what makes good families, the hard part is the Bible text.

As this excellent book illustrates, there's no ideal family in Scripture. With a remarkable mastery of his sources, John Temple Bristow, a Christian (Disciples) pastor, shows that what prevails instead are ancient customs, unstable marriage populations, and ideas which led to extremes in the early church.

The gritty realism, however, makes this a hopeful book. When scribes confronted Jesus about divorce and marriage, he separated Moses' law from God's law. Similarly, in his ten chapters, Bristow separates human conventions from spiritual ideals.

Old Testament marriage was about property, of which women were a part. In the harsh Levant, this at least assured physical well-being. Bristow finds in that period five models of marriage-arranged, sexual attraction, delayed attraction, rich husbands, and falling in love.

He also finds a few modern lessons. For example, he says, might not a family-involved marriage, like arranged nuptials, or marriage as a sound business pact followed by sexual attraction, help curb modern divorces?

Jacob is the sole case of romantic love. And only King David is enamored of beauty.

In the early church, Bristow sees a carryover of the Greco-Roman denigration of sex, resulting in Mary as virgin, celibacy for the pious, and marriage as a sacrament.

Jesus reverses the property idea by upholding the Genesis ideal of marriage as "one flesh." His own family was dysfunctional. He asks fairness for Judea's divorced women, a social epidemic caused by men, and for God's providence calls followers out of families.

The saving grace of marriage, then, is found in Genesis before the fall. There, Bristow seeds an egalitarian innocence which Christians may pursue under grace. He emphasizes Paul's idealism and argues that his hard sayings-"Wives, be subject to your husbands"-were, in the Greek phraseology, progressive for his day.

This book has a rare economy in recounting scores of biblical families, marital pacts in cultural context, and prominent lineages, such as Jesus' five female ancestors. It is a sermon-giver's delight.

Absolute Sex Rally

by Mark Zimmermann-Berkeley, CA

Dec. 12, 1996 was a very exciting day for Northern California CARP! We had our first Absolute Sex Rally, which was held at probably the most sexually liberal college campus in the nation: San Francisco State University. All the better, because our rally drew lots of attention today from all sides. It even drew a little heckling from someone from the "other camp." But rather than ruin the day, which is what one student sought to do by trying to discredit our perspective, by shouting obscenities at the stage, the rally turned out to be a great success! Many people today saw that at the root of the free sex movement lies great fear and anger. The spirit of God and True Parents dominated the entire atmosphere, so that by the end of the rally, many students got a chance to hear about pure love and absolute sex.

The event was emceed by Jennifer Perry, whose voice, with the help of a powerful speaker system, was heard throughout a big section of the campus. Many brothers and sisters, including Larry Krishnek and Mata Kingi, gave sincere and confident testimonies. At the peak of the rally, which was towards the end, there were about one hundred students gathered at the Malcolm X Plaza, where the stage was set.

At times, different speakers spoke from the very bottom of their hearts, which was effective with the audience. There were, however, times in which we fumbled over our words. I realized that much of the absolute sex perspective isn't quite digested yet. We have yet to clarify within ourselves just how to present the material to our campuses in a way which will be most powerful. I am confident that we will come to that point together. But at our rally, overall, the spirit and enthusiasm was very high. And the response from students, and some faculty, I believe, was very good and meaningful. Without a doubt, we will be making an impact on our campuses here in Northern California!

How exciting it is! When I think that all across the nation we are reaching an entirely new level in our outreach, I feel hope for the youth of America. This semester at my school, U.C. Berkeley, I have felt many times what a wonderful new era we are entering. May God bless your work on all of your campuses!

Reprinted from "American Neighborhood," the newsletter of the Northern California Unification Community 

A Russian In Tokyo

by Katya Puhova-St. Petersburg, Russia

Katya Puhova won the title of "Miss University." in the Mister & Miss University Pageant.

It was not until I was on the airplane flying over Siberia toward Japan that I fully realized, "I am the participant of 19th Beauty Pageant "Mister & Miss University"!" Of course I had prepared, and part of the reason that I didn't fully realize the opportunity that lay before me was because I had been so busy preparing that I was exhausted, plus it was a busy time at my university add to that all my volunteer activities and you can understand why my final readiness came to me only as my plane descended to the runway.

I exited the plane determined to be a good representative of Russia. Finally I could feel a sense of higher purpose and I felt proud to be a participant in the Mister & Miss University Pageant, which was intended by it's founders, Dr. and Mrs. Sun Myung Moon, to promote international understanding and moral values before the people of the world, most especially youth. I felt God's purpose.

On the first day all 32 participants from 16 countries gathered together in their native costumes: China, Taiwan, Croatia, Hungary, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Mongolia, Nepal, Philippines, Romania, Russia CIS, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Venezuela, and USA. It was beautiful.

I could feel that each person, not only I, was having an extraordinary experience. One of the first people I met was Erdenehorloo Jamianolory from Mongolia. Wow! What a long name! Fortunately I have a memory for long names. Russian names can also be rather long. And fortunately we have nicknames. I, "Katya" (short for Ekaterina) had a talk with "Erka". At first it wasn't easy since she was limited in her English, yet I could see that Erka is very interesting and loving person. She wanted to know as much as possible about others and was terribly frustrated by her limitation of language. Finally we realized that we both knew Russian. She was so happy. All the Russian she had studied in school (when Mongolia was part of the USSR) came back to her. We instantly became as old friends. We didn't feel that we were representatives of two nations which had almost destroyed each other. We were getting to know each other. I realized in many different relationships we had that language difference is not a problem if you really want to know a person. The is a language of heart can transcend all barriers.

I became very good friends with Lanissa Strait from USA. When people saw us together it was natural for them to joke about how the great powers came together proving the viability of world peace. By the very first evening we were talking, laughing, asking questions, looking into each other's eyes and listening intently, and each second we are simultaneously getting to know the whole national culture which existed always right with each person.

Each nation was represented by both a young man and young woman ("Mister and Miss"). Interestingly, they often had similar personalities. For example, from Venezuela, both they were very free, not at all reserved. From Kenya both were very expressive and sociable. Both Americans were open. The Chinese seemed to surpass in friendliness. (Later Ke Fei We from China won the "Mister Friendship Award"). And then I asked myself? Katya, don't you realize? Each person is looking to you to see what the true Russia is. Am I truly a good representative? One of the goals of the Pageant is to solve national resentments that still exist. That's why I felt I have to give my heart to everyone, symbolically restoring mistakes of my country and the misunderstandings we have had with nations. In the beginning of the last century Russia was not very influential, but since then we became one of the top two major powers. We didn't always use that power for goodness as we should have. As the precious days of the Pageant passed by it was easy for me to realize that each person is a whole world within their selves. Each person has their own unique way of thinking and habits, and when all those different worlds came together, that is world family. While I was having these beautiful self-realizations, I could see that the other participants were also. Shin In Choi from Korea said: "It's a wonderful we can came together, people from different parts of the world, and we feel that we are brothers and sisters, because we realize that we have one parent-our Heavenly Father as our True Parent. As a small group, 32 people representing 16 diverse nations, we could each know that peace and harmony is indeed possible on the world level, and it will be very joyful."

Soon we were competing again. This time each of us gave a two minute speech. We expressed sincerely whatever we thought was interesting, what we were thinking about, but what was actually happened was serendipitous and beyond my expectation. For example, Miss Hungary- Marianna Pavel-told us about the car accident which nearly claimed her l only a month previous. Because of that, she said, she could understand the value and meaning of life. We all started to re-think why we are here. We were competing. It was true. And yet much more than our individual desires to present ourselves before the audiences, and before each other, was a greater desire to let the audiences, and those who sat in judgment of us, to know how great we felt in our new realizations of unity of heart. Just before the final performance, before the large audience packed into the hall, I searched backstage for Miss Hungary, Marianna, to wish her my hope for her success, but before I could express my heart she said, "You know, I feel it is a great sadness, that only one of us (women) shall win. But still it's a competition, so somebody has to gain an award, but now I feel it doesn't matter who."

I know the judges had a really hard time because everybody was very talented and each had a beauty which emanated their beings from inside out. Judges said that this 1996 pageant was indicative of the trend that the pageants, year after year, has been the that artistic quality is becoming more and more "high level". One very impressive performance was given by Mister Kenya. He performs Christian rap songs with a Christian message. In represent, words are important. His music has a good influence on young people, and he makes his rap songs into population "hits" with young people so they can also contemplate the words which carry deep moral for making our lives better.

When I won, my first words were: "But, really everybody was so great!" I shared with some of the participants and they agreed that all the awards should be given to our Japanese brothers and sisters who made it all happen. We were especially grateful to our coordinator, "Sam" (Mr. Ippei Somma). The Japanese staff labored in a very intense schedule, almost without sleep, yet they always had a bright, enthusiastic attitude, and effusive sense of humor. Once it was very late and I was sewing a button on my costume. I though I was the only one awake. I went to the staff room and was surprised to find the whole staff still up and working. They were looking to sense our situations and supported each person through their personal difficulties. They helped us to feel that we are friends and one family. They showed to us the beautiful qualities of Japanese people: hospitality, diligence and warmth of heart.

I became very good friends with Atsushi Yamada. He took us sight- seeing around Tokyo. He had come to my city, St. Petersburg, in 1994, when he participated in the International Student Leadership Conference for World Peace. He said, "this pageant has been a breakthrough for world peace and the culturally understanding, just

like the St. Petersburg conference was. Then we could meet students from North Korea for the firs time." Thanks to Atsushi I could see not only the external views that a tourist enjoys, but also I could understand their national character.

I was really inspired by their sincere desire to try to fulfill God's ideal of One World Family as if we all had one set of Parents.