Got Local? The 2020 Providence Begins in a Backyard

| October 22 2013

The following is a report from a new Family Federation church in the United States, which wishes to remain anonymous, about its contribution to the Vision 2020 Providence by financially supporting a mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

A new Unificationist church in the Northeast region of the United States just made an elder-son impact overseas.

This July, “Hazel,” an English sister blessed in marriage to a Congolese brother in 1982, visited some of her spiritual children who are Unificationists here in the United States. Her heart was so sweet and her vision so inspiring that the spiritual children’s church was moved to donate $800 to the educational work of Hazel’s church in Lubumbashi, the second largest Unificationist church in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. What began as a backyard conversation ended up with the education of more than 100 guests and new members.

The banner for the seven-day workshop at the Lubumbashi Family Federation Church in the Democratic Republic of the Congo held with the donations from a new church plant in the Northeast United States.

Some of the participants of the seven-day workshop gathered for a group photo.

Participation grew each day at the seven-day workshop at the Lubumbashi Family Federation Church.

Participants listen to a lecture during the workshop.

A participant receives a certificate of completion for finishing the seven-day Divine Principle workshop.

We are happy to share with our American brothers and sisters the results that came. Here is Hazel’s report, followed by some statistics and a closing note.
“It was wonderful to meet you all when I was over, and I have collected beautiful memories that will last forever.
“When I arrived home on the Saturday evening of August 10, 2013, after crossing three continents, I was very tired as you can imagine, and I didn’t go to our church center until the Sunday evening on the 11th. I found our Provincial Pastor there in his office, head in hands. When I asked him what the problem was, he said there was a seven-day workshop starting, and the members had only been able to contribute $40. So, when I presented him with your much appreciated donations, he said, “God is Great, He heard my prayer,” and he was so happy. When he announced the arrival of your contributions to the church the next Sunday, the ceiling almost fell down with applause and cries of joy. They were singing and dancing, thanking Heavenly Father from the bottom of their hearts.
“In fact, as you will see from the attached report, your donations helped to educate 172 people, and we still have $197 left for our next seven-day workshop planned for early October.
“We only used your money, plus our own contributions, for food and transport, and really only basic food, bread and tea in the mornings, boiled rice with peanut butter at lunch and then an evening meal of maize meal, vegetables and either fish or chicken. For your information, here chicken is cheaper than fish.
“So, this is how we could maintain our guests while they were studying the Divine Principle, they were all presented with the seven-day workshop certificates, and many are coming to Sunday Service and Advanced Divine Principle education classes on Saturdays.
“The goal for the Democratic Republic of Congo is to bring 30,000 people to the Blessing next February [2014], and we have already reached 28,000 people who have gone through one-day,  two-day and seven-day workshops, so our programme is still on-going, and here in Lubumbashi we are planning two seven-day workshops per month until the end of the year.
“Many greetings and much gratitude from all our members here in Katanga Province and may God Bless you for helping us to reach our goal! May God give you abundant blessings for America through those gifts!
“We embrace you all in True Parents’ love.
“Your sister, Hazel.”
Now let’s do the numbers:
With the help of our new church’s financial contribution, the Lubumbashi Church held three Divine Principle workshops in August, plus a one-day YFWP (Youth Federation for World Peace) conference. First was a seven-day workshop, August 11-18, with 10 participants. Of the total expenses, $223, $40 came from local members, the remainder from the U.S. members. This was followed by a six-day, afternoon-only Divine Principle workshop, August 19-24, with 62 participants. The cost was $160, with $50 contributed locally and $110 from the United States. Next came a seven-day workshop, August 25-September 1, with 12 participants. The total cost was $250, with $50 contributed locally and $200 from the U.S. members. The YFWP conference was held on August 31, with 88 participants, of which 65 were university students. The cost was $160, with $50 contributed locally and $110 from the US.
The U.S. church that Hazel visited, which wishes to remain anonymous, shares this report in hopes that it will inspire our fellow churches in America, small and large, to find ways to fulfill our True Parents’ 2020 vision. The power of just seven or eight Unificationist families that worship as a church together, to have this impact, is humbling, and it is a power that our True Mother wants to unleash for this world’s salvation.
Edited by Krista Moon for the FFWPU News Team.