Happy Prosperous New Year 2007 to All!
ND Families gathered as we usually do for a midnight prayer. Because we were to rise early and drive to Minneapolis, we celebrated with those a few time zones ahead of us. We miss the Immels, Turconi's, and Ormans who have moved in recent years. Our major New Years resolution will be to reach out to others in anticipation of our growing universal family.
ND Families headed to MPLS for the district wide God's Day Celebration. Over 150 gathered at the Shoreview Community Center for Entertainment, Sports and Games. Larry made a great contribution to our community by organizing performances from around the District and also by serving as MC (John helped with the mics!!). Cindy and Judy added their families great musical talent to the performance. Sorry, we were all performing and there was no one to take the picture.
Judy was given an award for her faithful young adulthood. She is the first 2nd generation from ND to receive the Blessing. She was also the first to participate in STF. She is headed off to live with her husband in France. She is always a part of our hearts no matter where in the world she goes.
Bernatte Ehlers and Marlene Trenbeath were awarded 2006 Appreciation Award exemplified by their efforts this summer. They drove across country to the Blessed Wives Workshop at the UTS from there remote location in "northern" North Dakota. We know it is difficult to main a faithful life at such a distance from faith brother's and sister's. We want to do all we can to support their Tribal Messiah work.
Roshan gave a most heart-felt presentation. She explained how her faith is becoming hers, being transformed from doing religious things mainly to please her parents, to discovering her own beliefs and convictions. She is determined to take responsibility for her faith and responsibility to discover who she really is (her true identity).
During high school and living in an area with just a few blessed children, she had enjoyed her Christian fellowship and school friends. She felt more "normal" with them and struggled with the feeling that she wasn't a true BC. God is testing her to make decisions about what truly believes. Now, while fundraising, she experiences persecution by Christians who accuse her of being manipulated and brainwashed. She now discerns that their arguments are both limited in understanding and many times said without true love. They speak with repetitive jargon. "Maybe they are brainwashed" she asked herself.
She has realized that she depends on love and guidance from others to much. Having so much support in life, she never really turned to God. She is now determined to go to God for love and guidance. She realized that there is no where but STF to have such experiences.
She is experiencing things in some of the same ways as the first generation, and understands more deeply the course her own parents and True Parents traveled. Her most moving statement was that she is determined not lose the foundation laid down by True Parent and built upon by her parents. She is determined to carry on "Heaven's Tradition" of True Love, Faith and Obedience. She now has more confidence. She sees herself as a bridge to carry the spirit of her parent's for generations to come. She has a passion to discover what her parents found for herself. She doesn't want all the sacrifices made by her parents to be lost. She is inspired to find the value of True Parents by looking from God's point of view, the perspective of His Providence.
Where at first she was hesitant in her involvement in STF, she is now eager to return and help with Hyunjin nim's speaking tour, do more hard work and continue her adventure.
"Go Girl. LFSO" (STF jargon for Live For The Sake of Others)
Our Special Thoughts & Prayers are with Keiko's Father, Tokushige Hamada. He morns the loss of his wife Dec. 16, 2006. Rev. Swearson writes of Keiko's Mother:
God’s Day, 2007, was not only the 40th True God’s Day, it also marked the 40th spiritual birthday of Misao Hamada, spiritual and physical mother of Keiko Foss of North Dakota. In the early days of our movement, five members of the Hamada family signed membership together in Nagoya, Japan on God’s Day 1967. She and her husband were later blessed at the Seoul, Korea Yoido Rally in 1975.
Mrs. Hamada had been suffering with Alzheimer’s over the past 10 years. During that time, she was largely cared for by her loving husband of 60 years. Mrs. Hamada ascended a few days before God’s Day 2007.
Mrs. Keiko Foss has been sacrificing in America since the early 1970’s. She wrote this of her mother, “My Mother was a pillar of firm faith for the Hamada Clan. She was a pioneer woman. She kept faith in God & True Parents for 40 years.”
God bless the Hamada Family! We are all indebted to you for your love and sacrifice!
