Hak Ja Han
June 28, 1982
To Judge Goettel:
My name is Hak Ja Han, and I am Mrs. Sun Myung Moon. My husband and I were married in 1960 and just two weeks ago we had our thirteenth child, a little girl named Jeung Jin. We have six daughters and seven sons, all of whom provide great joy for our lives.
I believe that I have had the most blessed life of any woman who has ever lived in being married to my husband. He has totally dedicated his life to the service of God and humanity. As the head of our household, he has provided an example which has inspired each of our children to live noble and virtuous lives that we can be proud of. In just the same way, as the head of our church family, he has provided an example which had led millions of people throughout the world to live good and holy lives.
From the time I was a young girl, I prayed fervently to live a pious life and to marry a pious man. God listened to every one of my prayers and blessed me more abundantly than I could have ever imagined. My husband is a man who brings great joy to God and great joy to all the many people we have worked with to expand our faith.
Throughout our life together, he has always encouraged me with his faith and his compassion. As you may know, many people have said hostile things to and about my husband. I have never once heard him say one hostile thing back to anyone, or even say one hostile thing about anyone. Many times when I believed that my husband was being unjustly persecuted, I expected that he would express some negative response. Instead, I would find that every time he would give the church members a sermon [it was] about love and forgiveness. The message that Christ taught about loving your enemy has always been a central theme which he has emphasized.
Our own children have been so moved to see their father speak and teach a message that they could also be inspired by. It has never been easy for them to know that there has been a great deal of negative publicity about their father. However, they have always moved me to tears with their own maturity in forgiving people. I am grateful to God that all of them inherited this virtuous nature from their father.
Our children have been surrounded by church members their entire lives. Our home is always filled with church members. Every single day begins with early morning prayer and then an early morning breakfast meeting with church members. In fact, the children have learned t9 expect to eat away from their father, sitting in the kitchen, so that the church members can sit with him in the dining room and share about the work of the church throughout the world. We have led this kind of totally public life since we have been married. I have talked to early church members who knew my husband even before I did, and they say that he has always lived this kind of life. It is for this reason that we all love him so deeply and feel always motivated to live similar lives of devotion and public service.
The proceedings of the recent trial were very difficult. Although I was in the final months of my pregnancy, I chose to sit by my husband's side every day.
During each break we were joined by elder members of the church in the small waiting room. We were all amazed that my husband continued to inspire us with messages of forgiveness and compassion. My husband would not allow any of us to harbor any hostility towards the government, the prosecutors or any of the witnesses. I can honestly say that, even though this is entirely what we could have expected from him, we were awe-struck by his commitment to his ideals.
Immediately after the conviction my husband gathered all the church members because he felt the need to minister to them and encourage them. He knows how sad they all feel because of this recent conviction and does not want them to be discouraged. The message which he shared on that day, and in every sermon he has given since, continues to be about love and forgiveness. During every sermon I have been moved to tears, and as I look around the room I see that all our brothers and sisters in the faith are also crying. It is a tragedy to them, and he continues to be so sensitive to them and their feelings. As the head of our church, they call him "Father," as the Catholics call the Pope "Holy Father."
Judge Goettel, I am writing you as his wife, as the mother of his thirteen children, as the grandmother of his grandson, and as the holy "Mother" of our church. I know what this conviction means to our brothers and sisters in the faith, as I know what it means to our own children and to me. I petition you to consider these things which I have described, to pray about them, and to ask God to guide you in your deliberations. Please be compassionate and lenient.
Very sincerely yours,
Mrs. Hak Ja Han Moon
June 28, 1982