I was raised in the Buddhist religion in the Kochi prefecture of Japan. In 1966, when I was 16 years old, I was introduced to the Divine Principle by my parents. My younger sister, then 14, saw a young college student street preaching. He was passing out a flyer asking: "Does God really exist?" She knew right away that she should bring the flyer to our mother, because our mother was crazy for God. She was always looking for a higher truth and answers for the mysteries of universe.
After my parents attended the first Divine Principle lecture, my mother was so inspired that she told me, "This is the one I have been looking for such a long time." She then introduced True Parents to my elder sister, my cousin, and me. We went to study Divine Principle every day.
During high school, I started to bring my friends to attend funcircle gatherings. We helped with activities such as haihin-kaishu (collecting and recycling newspapers, etc.) and street witnessing. Our lunches consisted of su udon (thick white-noodle soup) and mimi pan (only the crust of white bread). It was a humble meal, but the college students who came for 40 days of pioneering were afire with deep love and dedication to True Parents and God. They were constantly talking about how to restore the evil world and build a world of true love. I was completely drawn by their bright eyes and the smiles on their faces. They seemed so happy, bursting with hope and ambition. I wanted stay at the church center more than I wanted to stay at home
After I graduated from high school in 1968, I enrolled in a four-year technical college to be a knitting designer. After finishing one semester, I was encouraged to attend a seven-day workshop. That workshop was a life-changing experience. I decided to join and become a fulltime member. After another 40-day workshop under Rev. Ken Sudo's guidance, I was assigned to the Nagoya Church under Rev. Takeru Kamiyama and Mr. Motoo Furuta. My training began with selling flowers and witnessing. Every day I wrote a letter to my parents to tell them how happy I was. I told them of the joy of meeting new people every day and being surrounded by wonderful brothers and sisters. I invited my parents to come to the Nagoya church to greet Rev. Kamiyama and Mr. Furuta.
My parents felt gratitude towards the church leaders for taking such good care of their daughter. They saw many devoted fathers and mothers coming to help the young members, cooking delicious meals for them, and cleaning the center, just as if it was their own home. My parents were so moved they decided to become full-time members. They inspired my elder sister and younger sister to join full-time also. Our whole family joined in 1970.
From Tribute, 118-19.