Here in Lobos ("wolves"), Argentina, an hour southwest of Buenos Aires, in the place the locals call the castle. Imported piece by piece from Spain, replete with fantastic endless carvings, tapestries, paintings, scenes of the conquistadores and coats of arms in gold and leather from corner to corner, floor to ceiling and through the ceiling to the next ceiling. Here I found myself in a northern California-style countryside, flat and sliced by stands of eucalyptus trees, except that here it goes on for 1,000 miles or more betwixt Atlantic and Andes. And outside of the Buenos Aires province, there are only 15 million people ranging across a territory a third the size of the United States.
The castle grounds present the other-worldly aural environment of perfect silence (no industry; no motor vehicles) and the singing of birds and mooing of cows. At night, the stars showed brightly in the dark sky, and all the earth was quiet like it hasn't been in New York for a century. Trees of many kinds scattered across the parklands of the estate, which was and will once again be the finest polo field in Argentina. I can't figure it out; it just looks like a flat field to me. But then again, I don't play polo.
On the grounds is a church, a simple structure housing an enormous crucifix, the oaken Jesus weeping upon the empty pews. True Parents were happy to be here, as the leaders and members gathered at 7 a.m. for the opening prayer of the Holy Day.
And as usual, one is a little lost arriving in a new world, wherein the universe collapses into one's suitcase and where to put it and where to place one's body tonight and is there a blanket and towel for me?, and feeling thus a little disoriented, but anxious to quickly settle in and greet our True Parents. And the re-assurances that the universe is still friendly: an eager-to-please brother arrives with car to get to the castle from the servants' quarters, and once inside- well, they are eating, but here is a familiar face-an East Garden sister! motioning me to come to a side room to sit and she brings incredible silverware and good ol' curry rice, and even a cup of strong coffee. Yes, the universe is good.
From Bottom to Top
As UNews readers are aware, Rev. and Mrs. Moon did not continue meeting with DC's movers and shakers on the heels of the Sisterhood Ceremonies, as the religio/politically-minded do, but instead went with a few of their family and staff camping out in the jungle of Brazil. For weeks, fishing for golden dorado, fighting flies and eating fruit in a three room hut attended by a local farmer with no phone. There, government leaders found them and they talked, but Rev. Moon was interested mostly in fishing. Why did you come? Okay, you came, so sit down and I'll tell you what I want: I want to create the ideal world in your country.
He emerged from the jungle, this septagenarian, and dropped in on the president of Paraguay, Mr. Wasmosy, of Uruguay, Mr. Sanguinetti, and of Argentina, Mr. Menem. He talked with them of their countries' problems, identified as poverty, environmental pollution and youth corruption. President Menem added, terrorism and atheism, and Rev. Moon said he could solve the latter within a few hours, given the proper media. Each meeting concluded with a bear hug in which Rev. Moon lifted the president off the floor. Serious and stressed-out men, finally liberated, for a moment, in affectionate laughter.
With the commander-in-chief of one nation's military forces, fishing together on a military boat entirely unsuited for fishing, which continually broke down, singing songs and making friends with the man and his soldiers. "You do not have your mind and body united," Rev. Moon challenged him. "Yes, I do, sir," the chief replied, and his wife seconded him. "Then, can you forgive your enemies?", responded Rev. Moon. The man looked down. "Jesus had mind and body united, and he forgave his enemies. You must learn to do the same," the teacher continued, and later Rev. Moon invited him to fish together in Alaska. Finally the chief, too, smiled as Rev. Moon attempted to lift him- unsuccessfully, as his weight is very great.
In one country, the president invited the Unification Church to educate its youth in morality, because the Catholic Church has dropped the ball. In a second country, the president is a former journalist who persecuted the Unification Church very much. Rev. Moon scolded him, the report goes, and he accepted it. All the presidents were very open to the Unification view of religions working together to achieve the restoration of the family. Mr. Menem compared his country to a pillar of sand, which, without God and strong families, will disintegrate into nothing.
Indeed, on my free afternoon in Buenos Aires, there was a most wistful sight: crowds of youthful, long-haired demonstrators, waving flags with Che Guevara's picture, flanked by soldiers and tanks. All the gaps of the sixties revisited; all the misguided idealism and misguided governance. Everywhere about the capitol building was graffiti; Buenos Aires is filled with graffiti, not just in the slums but on their equivalent of Fifth Avenue.
We often reflect on the unfortunate circumstances which prevented True Parents from coming to America during the sixties' window of idealism; well, today the same window is open in South America.
Resurrecting All Things
Father spoke a little over three hours to an enthusiastic crowd at the Castle on the morning of the Day of All True Things. He taught them of the meaning of wives in biblical history, and the restoration of Eve. He taught of the beginning of the second forty year course, which can be completed in four years based upon our effort and faith. God Himself began with nothing, having only absolute love, absolute faith and absolute obedience to the principle of true love. We, however, who may think we have nothing, actually have everything: the foundation of the first forty years.
As did Father and Mother, who went to zero in the wilderness of Brazil, and emerged to embrace the top of the society, so too do we have the power to move from zero to the top. Insodoing, we turn the nation upside-down and right side-up, centering on true love and Tribal Messiahship.
In each country, after the presidential meeting, Father hosted a banquet for 300 to 450 guests-and I mean, guests! At the Alvear Palace Hotel in Buenos Aires were the glitterati of the Pampas; at my table were two senators (one male, one female) and a professor. One of our brothers was there from Africa; this brother-a German with his family recipe-founded and manages a successful sausage company. He's expanding to South America, now, and one senator immediately hooked him up to visit his province and look at factory space there. The amazing thing is, these people are receiving the Principle! They are recognizing and respecting True Parents! Not one person left the room during Father's speech.
And at the close came Gloria of Paraguay, singing her heart out, and I saw socialites with spectacular gowns and tears in their eyes, singing along with the mournful songs of the heart. Then, as the program drew to a close at midnight, out came the coffee and pastries!
Upstairs in True Parents' suite came all the members, and with them an internationally-known Argentinian surgeon and his wife. They listened to Father until 2:30 a.m., I tell you, and Father's heart-which he teaches us-that this may be my only chance to teach them, was expressed. I can't understand Korean or Spanish, but I understood this speech: it was all about true love between husband and wife. Like a bright son, the surgeon answered Father's 2 a.m. query with a resounding "Si!". It took Father a little longer, but he finally got the wife to agree that her husband is subject! (After all, she is the president of the WFWP Argentina, and had herself brought 280 guests to the banquet.)
Axial Shift
The Day of All True Things afternoon was spent watching soccer matches on television. No ordinary ones; these featured a team founded by - you guessed it - Rev. and Mrs. Moon; the Il Hwa Pharmeceuticals team, called the "Heavenly Horses". As I understand it, they, a young team, are one of the top teams in Korea, and have done well internationally as well. I was moved by Parents' heart-they know how South Americans love soccer, and so shared themselves just like anyone's parents that afternoon-in front of the tube, watching a game!
Not being a soccer afficianado yet, I wandered outside into the world of the wolves and birds, and was drawn by the smell of roasting beef and a sight I'd never seen: a side of beef on a rack above a smoky wood fire. One of our elder members had offered up a cow the night before, Antonio Betancourt explained to me. This simple older brother- "we have no one like him in the United States" (I don't know if Antonio has spent a lot of time with our members out in Montana, or he may not have said that); he is blessed and his children are blessed, and this elder brother cut us a big slice of dazzling steak, and we sprinked salt on it and it was ze best! Soon Rev. Kamiyama and Hyung Tae Kim and a host of others were out, sampling these hefty hors d'ouvres.
Later that night, Father announced new leaders coming to South America, from Korea and from Japan. Later, I heard, he will appoint leaders from North America. It is time to move. South America may seem far away from here, but once you get there, it's right at home.