by Melvin Perry-Los Angeles, CA
Reprinted from American Neighborhood, newsletter of the Unification Community of Northern California.
The first thing I can say about being at New Hope East Garden is that it’s both Heaven and hell. When we left Los Angeles we had the pleasure of traveling with Thomas Hwang, the Korean National Messiah to China. Arriving at New Hope East Garden, we saw huge buildings all lit up like Las Vegas. Two years ago Kevin Thompson was here; the only building at the time was True Parents’ house. Now it dwarfs compared to the size of the buildings there now.
Our personal room we stayed in was similar to a Motel 6 room. Father really wanted couples, especially three generations of a family, to attend. Three generations of a Blessed family is a complete four position foundation. Attending the 40-day workshop in Jardim is equal to attending True Parents for three years.
The first three workshops are set up as a family: Korea as the Father Nation, Japan as the Mother Nation and America as the Elder Son Nation. The workshop has two primary functions, one being the registration for the Kingdom of Heaven. Only families can enter the Kingdom of Heaven. That is why people are asked to come as couples and/or families. By completing the course, taking a test, making a monetary offering and taking a picture with True Parents, a couple can receive the True Parents Blessing, which is the Clan-level Blessing, meaning to be able to Bless your children and relatives, to be in the Fourth Adam position, to be recognized by God and spirit world as part of True Parents’ family, and to enter the Kingdom of Heaven (or "green card").
The second part of the workshop is for helping Japan. True Father has given the Japanese members a deadline by which to fulfill their responsibilities as an Eve nation or True Father will have no choice but to destroy the island. These workshops are set up to help educate the Japanese members how to fulfill that responsibility. Even Japanese members not living in Japan are asked to attend these workshops. By setting up enough conditions True Father wants to avoid the consequences if they fail.
True Father did say that America is close to accepting True Parents. But if Japan is destroyed, then according to Principle the sins of the parents would go to the children. America will have to indemnify all the sins and grudges that Japan left unfulfilled. Korea is also going through tough times as well. Many of the church businesses are facing financial difficulties.
The reason True Parents went to South America is really a sad story. In 1994, True Father wanted to start a new cultural movement in Korea. But all the Korean leaders turned against True Father. This is True Parents’ third attempt to offer a nation to God so True Father went to Brazil and made the Sao Paulo Declaration in 1995. Very simply, True Father made the members responsible for following the traditions of True Parents by having absolute faith, absolute love and absolute obedience towards God, True Parents, mankind, creation and the world. True Father also declared that he will build a nation for God by the year 2002.
Since 1995, True Father has been working nonstop in building that nation. Centering on Jardim, True Father drew a circle going out 200 kilometers. From one end of the circle to the other is 400 kilometers. It is about the size of Korea. Then True Father has been buying all the land within that circle. True Father appointed families to be messiahs to one of the 33 cities inside the circle. They have to pre-bless and educate 5,000 couples, and build a church center. True Father is going to develop agriculture, forestry, industry and marine biology. In the near future True Father is going to move all church businesses to areas within the circle. He is also going to have Unification church families come live there forever.
When True Father declared New Hope East Garden, the new Garden of Eden, he took off his shoes and socks and walked around the entire campsite. Two Korean leaders are responsible for the building of the new nation: Pres. Kim and Dr. Yeon. True Father is the main lecturer there while Dr. Oyamada explains more clearly to the members what True Father is saying.
While True Father is lecturing, he can be both entertaining and at times dead serious to all the members-especially to the Japanese members. At the first two workshops Japanese and Koreans were brought to tears as True Father lectured to them about the importance of fulfilling their responsibility. In many cases True Father would be face to face with Japanese brothers shedding tears.
The workshop schedule is set up to allow lots of free time for families to be together. During the 40 days there, there are different tours to go on. All of them clearly show how True Father is preparing the new nation for members and for God. True Father is also building a hospital and an international airport. The school is almost ready to open soon. True Father is letting the members decide whether to come to New Hope East Garden. After 40 days I can honestly say that someday I want to go back and live there. Members really get a chance to live the lifestyle that True Parents live, a lifestyle which makes 40 days at Chungpyung look like a vacation.
Everyone there is totally convinced that True Father is the messiah. With all that is happening in the True Family, members who went to New Hope East Garden are uniting with True Parents 100%. Even after I heard what Nan Sook Nim, Un Jin Nim and others stated, I have never doubted True Father being the Messiah. Right now the only person who is totally united with True Father is True Mother- both as an object partner and as someone representing Eve. And True Father is really looking for families who can not only follow True Parents but become True Parents themselves.
True Father is almost 80 years old. When he turns 80, True Father will no longer give public speeches to members. If anyone wants to hear True Father speak, going to Brazil is the only way now to hear him. True Father also made it clear that he is going to go to spirit world soon. There are many timetables True Father is finishing up, all mostly by the year 2002. True Father stated that if the Feb. 7, 1999 Blessing is a victory, then the age of the Kingdom of Heaven will be here.
I hope everyone can go and attend the 40-day workshop. The experiences that Mika and I had down there are a lifetime treasure.