The Significance Of IOWC Work In Japan

As you know, this is Japan, and soon in Korea we will have an international wedding, the largest mass wedding in history. In preparation for this blessing, I have been very, very busy.

You young people, without exception, are very interested in the wedding, and many of you are looking forward to sightseeing in Korea. Before I came to Japan, I engaged over 700 couples in Korea alone. Here in Japan yesterday -- in just one day -- we matched 900 most ideal couples.

We also have good candidates for this blessed wedding right here in this International One World Crusade team. These events are taking place according to the providence of God. This is truly the most joyful and exciting thing. I know that you also have the great hope that, after completing your mission here in Japan, you will crusade all over the Republic of Korea.

When I returned to Korea, I organized an important Day of Hope Banquet there, on January 16. It was a great banquet, and produced a sensational reaction from the people of Korea. I know that the international blessed wedding ceremony on February 8 will evoke even more excitement in Korea and throughout the whole world. After the great mass marriage, when your International One World Crusade team goes to evangelize Korea, I know it will create an unprecedented boom for the Unification Church there.

The people of Korea have been rather cool towards the Unification Church, and have not paid much attention to us. In fact, many of them have been against the Unification Church. However, the whole picture will change when we do these things. For everything, there must be an opportunity, a time element. So when an opportunity comes, we must grab it. Then extraordinary things can happen. In Korea, this historical opportunity is now at hand.

This is going to be the most providential time in the history of God.

During these next three years, we are going to be passing from the spiritual dispensation to the physical dispensation. Your activities and your work here in Japan are most crucial and important. You will be creating a boom here in Japan, then in Korea and Free China. When we create this heavenly boom in the three major countries of the East, it will be most significant.

The Global IOWC has first come to the Orient, and is now working in the center of the Orient, Japan. I am sure that by now you have already learned that there are many differences between East and West. But since we are members of the Unification Church, this is the most profitable time to learn and prove that the Unification Ideology is no different wherever we may go, in the East or West.

For the Unification movement, Japan is the ideal meeting ground between East and West. If you set a good example of unity between the Global IOWC and the Japanese IOWC, that means that the East and West are uniting. Furthermore, we are setting an example within the Unification Church itself.

By the harmony of these two IOWC's working together, we can demonstrate that we are literally creating the one world of God and Christ. I am sure that many of you have been wondering, "Can we really unite with the Japanese, the Koreans, and the Chinese?" There must be some reservations about that. I know that you will encounter gigantic physical problems here, and some social ones, but from God's point of view, there is absolutely no problem.

We must not adopt an individual, private point of view, but we must see things from God's point of view. God is watching your everyday activities, because your work is very vital to Him. He wants you to prove that you can really bring unity between East and West, so that His ideal can work. He wants to create one world, having people of all races and nationalities become citizens of His one Kingdom. There must be one people able to unite other people, races, and nationalities. This is truly the new hope and direction for mankind.

We are God's champions. He wants us to prove that His ideal can work, that this harmony and unity is possible. We are pathfinders, the ones who must bring perfect experiences to God. Otherwise, no one else will do it. For example, we have a language problem. How can we overcome this language barrier?

If we think it is impossible to break through, then we can not go on any further. You must think, "How much more interesting and wonderful life can be with different languages!" Next, you will have the problem of food. I know that Westerners will not enjoy Oriental food day after day. But you must develop a taste for it, learn to like it by giving it your attention, and eat it in a more romantic way.

Also, in the Western world everybody normally sits in a chair and sleeps in a bed, but as you can see, we do not have many chairs or beds in Japan. We have come into an entirely different mode of living. Language is the most basic and fundamental medium of communication, without which we cannot understand each other. But even with this barrier, learning how to overcome and still communicate makes life exciting and enjoyable. That is our task.

The difficulties that the IOWC will face in Japan are almost innumerable. Everything depends upon your attitude. The key to problems is how you look at them. If your mind is working entirely with an attitude of eagerness, purpose, ideals, and bubbling with joy, then all the external things will fall into place. But when that internal motivation is lacking and you are dragging, then you cannot expect any good thing to happen externally.

It is impossible. Look at the situation from a positive, interested point of view. Take it as exciting, in a positive way. Then there will be no problems. If you are thinking, "I wish the Japanese tour would end very quickly, so we can go back to the West, where we are accustomed to the way of life," you have the wrong attitude.

You should forget that you come from America, but act and think Japanese. Then everything will be interesting. You should think that even if we spend one year, two years, or three years in Japan, that it will be most exciting. If your mind is working that way, then you are going the right way. Is that the way you think. (Yes!) I really appreciate your response, because that is the very focal point.

When the commanders first reported that you had arrived in Japan, my first concern was, "How can these Western members of the Unification Church unite with the Japanese brothers and sisters?" That was my first thought. Can you now say that you are all united into one? (Yes!)

I want to say one thing especially to the Japanese brothers and sisters. You must not be critical of our Western members. You must accept them as they are, and realize the unity and harmony between East and West in this fashion.

This is the beginning of the Kingdom of Heaven here on Earth. We are now going through the gate into a new Heaven and Earth in which it is truly possible to unite into oneness throughout this world. Once we are united in God and Christ, we can never be separated. Our unity is final.

So far in history, East and West have been separated as twins who could never meet. However, Unification Church ideology must think of the entire world as one, not two. Man has been separating, but God has always been uniting. So when you really come to realize that you are the children of God, you must work for God's way of unity, not separation.

Japanese have black eyes, yellow skin and black hair, but they are the brothers and sisters with whom we have to sustain the Heavenly Kingdom for eternity. Put yourself in the position of God. When God sees these strange Westerners who have come to the Orient really loving and becoming close to their Oriental brothers and sisters, how much joy and excitement we can bring Him.

He does not want to see Westerners clinging together and only loving each other. He wants to see the two different people getting together and loving each other. God will receive more joy from the love of Westerners for our Father than from the love of the Japanese for our Father, because Western people are from a different race.

So when Occidentals demonstrate their love for the True Parents that will inspire all Orientals to come closer to the True Parents. If we can go beyond racial differences, color of skin, or language, and transcend all these difficulties united in the love of the True Parents, then we will have found the key to unification of the world.

In the future, we will not only live together, we will intermarry. This will truly bring the ideal family in the sight of God. To God, the heavenly blessed wedding is very important. And He would prefer marriage between different races, don't you think so? (Yes!)

We must make it an everyday, normal thing for us to work together, East and West, as one family, uniting with one purpose and one love for the True Parents. It must not be something unusual, but our regular routine. If you have this attitude when you go out to work, then I assure you that you cannot help but succeed.

All these Western and Oriental people here in Japan, united into one, will bring to this country a new tradition. We must present our way as the most beautiful way of life to Japan, to Asia, and to the rest of the world. We are here to create a new family of God, to re-create the nation of Japan. I want you to realize that you are bringing the most precious gift to Japan and the Japanese people.

Japan is in despair. In the future, there will be more despair; but through you, Japan will find new hope. An unhappy Japanese family will find new hope for their family through you. We are presenting to Japan the hope that there will come a most ideal and beautiful future, in which Japan will become prosperous and play a most important role.

Throughout the thousands of years of Japanese history, many visitors have come to this land from all over the world. But the Japanese have never received more precious guests than you. So a very important event in the history of God and of Japan is now taking place. You are creating that event.

You must realize that by your hands, your sweat and your tears you can recreate Japan into the Japan of hope. You must live in such a way that wherever you go, you are bringing new hope. You must always be fully aware that every word you speak is a declaration of new hope for Japan. Everything you do must be done from your heart, your mind, and your soul.

God knows why you are here. And you know. But the Japanese do not, so when you go out into the city you may meet some nasty people who will criticize you, scorn you, or even persecute you. Many Japanese Christians will look at you as their enemy, thinking, "Why are those devils of the Unification Church here?"

But they will soon know that without you Japan cannot have salvation. Leave these things to God. You have nothing to worry about. As long as God recognizes you as the most precious guests to Japan, the more persecution you receive, the more God will value you and the more important you will be to Him.

We must overcome our circumstances and go beyond to the goal. Then God will be proud of us. Last night, on the way to Sugino Auditorium, I saw one Japanese and one American member grab a Japanese person to talk to him. The American brother was showing him a brochure while the Japanese sister just kept talking. And even though that American brother did not understand Japanese, he kept nodding his head just as if he understood every word --"Right, right!"

As I passed by, I was thinking in the car that there could only be one result, that they will win that man. However, he was apparently very busy, in the middle of something. He was refusing their invitation and going away. I felt very heartbroken at that moment. In all these strange and different circumstances there may be many setbacks and things may not always work in your favor. But I want you to know that you must not be shocked, or become discouraged.

When that person said, "No, thank you," and went away, I really felt loving pity and mercy for my members. How much more will God feel that way! Every time you face difficulties or experience a setback, God is fully on your side. That is the conclusion I came to, that the more rejection you face every day -- one hundred times, or two hundred times -- the more sympathy you are winning from God. With each difficulty you face and each tribulation you experience, you are winning more of God's heart to your side.

Every day you are repeating the same thing over and over, distributing brochures, asking people to come. But each day is a brand new day. Each person you meet represents a brand new life, and you can bring him either to life or death. Every time you face difficulties and tribulation, or even persecution, I want you to know that every such experience is bringing God's help to you.

You absolutely will succeed. You are doing all these things in a strange country not being able to speak your own language. Your work here in Japan is more valuable than if you were doing the same things in your own country, where you could speak your own language. Because you are facing almost insurmountable difficulties here, your work is more valuable in the sight of God.

You will be working in Japan for only 80 days. But under the difficult situations you will encounter here the work you do will be equivalent to many years of work in your own country of America. This is a most glorious and extraordinary opportunity for all of you. You are bringing to Japan a most precious gift, by giving your sweat, your blood, and your tears. I want you to know that this is the most valuable thing in the sight of God.

This is a condition upon which God can give His blessings. When you are facing difficulty and tribulations inside and tribulations in your surroundings, you are making a great condition for God to bless you.

Should members of the Unification Church working in other countries know this very same secret and truth? I have been thinking about this. Our True Parents have always given more attention to missionaries who were working in foreign lands under adverse conditions. By the same token, God will pay more attention to those sons and daughters who are working in strange lands under adverse conditions. This is your position. You are here to present the most precious gift to the Japanese people. In what way would you like to give it to them? You want to give it to them with your heart, soul, and mind.

God must have formed a plan and set a certain Standard before the IOWC came to Japan. There are only two ways you can go. You will either go beyond the Standard of God, or you will not reach it, one or the other. As you know, the IOWC has already been abroad for one week. You have already set a Standard. How does God look at it?

I am sure that you are strongly resolved to outdo the Japanese brothers and sisters, and that you really want to be respected in Japan. I am sure that you have already set your own standards. In the beginning, your commitment and dedication are high. But what will happen in one or two weeks?

Normally your enthusiasm will go down. It is human nature for people to start with a big bang, with great determination, but this usually dwindles, becoming very mediocre in the end. Compared to this common tendency, what should the IOWC be like? Would you like to repeat that pattern, or reverse it? The responsibility is yours, each and every one of you.

From the very moment you get up in the morning, you must be determined that today is going to be better than yesterday, and tomorrow is going to be better than today. Each day you must improve and achieve more. Let's say that you are supposed to leave for a certain place at nine o'clock. Usually, people are only just beginning to move at nine. But we must be different. We must be finished with getting ourselves ready far before nine o'clock. Then if you have extra time, you can really prepare yourself internally. You must leave at nine, "on the dot."

As another example, suppose that yesterday in the streets you set a record of witnessing to one hundred people. Today you must resolve to meet 101 people, or 110 people, to do better than yesterday. Then tomorrow you will witness to 130, then 140, then 150. Your heart and body and soul must be completely mobilized, so that there is never a moment of vacuum. You are always busy, busy, going toward the goal. Is that the way you are? (Yes!)

I am sure that you were most anxious to come to Japan, that you wanted to land at Haneda International Airport right away. Is that true? (Yes!) Then never forget that very thing, that anxiousness to come to Japan quickly, quickly, quickly! Every morning I want you to be most anxious to do more each day, wanting tomorrow to come more quickly, and the day after tomorrow to come more quickly, so that we can have a quick result-quick, quick, quick!

1f you have this frame of mind, and this determination, I know your IOWC activities will be a great smashing success. This morning, before I came, I regretted setting the time for 6:30. I thought it should have been at 5:30. Then I regretted still further, thinking I should have gotten together with you at 4:30.

In conclusion, if your mind is motivated so that there is no idle moment, and you are busy, busy, busy -- if you work every day like that, then I tell you that you will bring a miracle here in Japan and in every country in which you work. Put yourselves in the position of God: to realize His ideal on Earth, what kind of soldiers and champions does He need? He needs soldiers and champions just like you, motivated and working just like you.

Many people have asked, "What is Reverend Moon's secret for bringing such a great success in America?" I don't have a secret. My method and principle is to apply myself to the goal and purpose of God with all my heart, my mind, and my soul. My determination is greater than anyone else's.

I am always in the forefront of the battle. I always think, "I want things to happen more quickly. I want the schedule to be faster, things must happen much sooner." When midnight comes, I never think it is time to sleep. I always think it is time to make a new beginning.

Last year, I spent almost the entire summer on the Atlantic Ocean. But fishing was not my purpose, nor to enjoy the sunshine or the beauty of the sea. Even though I had a fishing rod in my hands, and was catching fish, my mind was not there. I was relating all these things to God and His work.

I was most anxious to catch more fish, more and more and more, because I know God is anxious to bring more and more people to Himself. Sometimes there were no fish being caught, nothing happening, not even one little fish. But I never gave up. I always went on, on and on.

I put myself in God's position. He has always been trying to get His people, His sons and daughters. Even if none responded, still He would keep on going and working. I knew that God was most anxious to see a great success at Madison Square Garden. I knew God's standard. I wanted to surpass that standard, and go beyond it.

God works 24 hours a day, without rest. So when I think of that, and of God's position, how can I ever think that I should rest, that I should set aside a certain amount of time each day just for sleeping? Actually, because of our bodies, we have to go to bed sometimes. But when I wake up in the morning and open my eyes, I do not think, "Oh, what a glorious morning. I had a good night's rest." No, I always feel shameful in the sight of God, knowing that God never rests while I am resting.

If my mind is like that, when God looks at me He will think, "This is the man I can really trust and depend on." When God feels like that, I want you to know that through that power and through that man, great miracles and change, and the great revolution of history, will be possible.

God never thinks, "I want to finish up this job quickly so that I can go back and rest." This is not God's way of thinking. Even late at night, it is God's desire to go on and on and on. No matter how difficult the situation may be, God never thinks something may be impossible. He always thinks positively, and goes on.

If you work in Japan with that frame of mind, even though you may not bring a great deal in the way of visible results, do not worry. What you have done here in Japan will remain a great part of Japan's history, and the people of Japan will come to realize who you are.

You are not just yourselves. You are the extension of God. The power of God is acting in you. This is why God gave as His first commandment in the Bible, "Love the Lord your God with all your mind, all your heart, and all your soul." We must have no reservations.

I want you never to forget that Japan is the leading, central country in Asia. If you have many complaints here in Japan, what will happen when you go to Korea and Taiwan? If you are not grateful here in Japan, then I am very much worried for you. When you go to Korea, Taiwan, and the rest of the Asian countries, things will be worse.

If we do not bring victory to God here in Asia, then God's hope for the IOWC will be greatly diminished. Father plans to expand the IOWC many times over. If you do not set a good tradition, but instead bring setbacks and disappointment to God, what will happen to this plan? Your work in Japan is crucially significant for our future goals and plans. Japan is our springboard, from which we will take off to higher and greater goals. We must be really ready to tackle this most critical task.

We must experience going in all different directions, and gain all types of experience. I am sure, sometimes you think it's just unbearable, you can't go another step, and you cry with tears because you can't go on. But I want you to know, that is the moment of testing. That moment is most important. You must somehow have the power to go beyond it.

Unless we are successful now in bringing this great gift, and bring a great victory to the Western world, you will not have a second chance. You will never come to the Orient again. Put yourselves in the position of God: He would never want defeated soldiers to go out to the same battlefield again.

So your job in the providence of God is to bind East and West together. If you do this, then it is not your individual accomplishment, but that of the Unification Church as a whole. But if you fail, your failure is the Church's failure. Then God will come to the conclusion that the Unification Church cannot bring about the unity of the world.

I told the Japanese members who came to America these same things. I said to them, "In America, you will face many setbacks and disappointments, and encounter many difficulties. But do not fall into despair, do not be discouraged." On the other hand, I told them that if they could overcome the difficulties, and set the highest possible goals, then all the Western members would be shamed by their example and want to do better than the Japanese brothers and sisters.

What a blessing they have brought to the Western world! God wants to bless the entire world, with East and West in oneness. However, should the Westerners not fulfill God's expectation, then what will happen? They are bringing misery to the future of this world. Now the situation has been reversed. You Westerners of the IOWC have come to the Orient to do precisely the same thing the Japanese brothers and sisters did in America. You must be equipped with an iron will and determination.

I know that many nationalities are represented in this global team. God is looking to see which nationality will be superior champions. Do not imagine that God will be impressed because America has such a great population, or France, or Germany. That is not the standard God will use. God is looking at individuals.

Suppose there is someone who is the only representative of one country. If that one person sets the highest possible standard, then he will bring glory to all his countrymen, and all nations must meet that standard. Each of you on this IOWC is becoming a sacred altar for your nation. From the Japanese point of view, you are not an individual but a representative of your nation.

They will think, "This person comes from such and such a country, really wonderful, with such beautiful faith and determination." So I want you to know that you are ambassadors. I want you to realize that you have a most serious, most vital, and most blessed responsibility. You must not forget that this is your historical opportunity to bring honor and glory not to yourselves but to your people and your nation. Do you follow me? (Yes!)

Now, about the attitude of our Japanese members... Would you believe, they have twice as much work? Not only do they have their own share of witnessing, but they also have to do our international members' share, because they cannot speak Japanese. So, you Japanese brothers and sisters are most blessed.

You now have a heavier responsibility. By fulfilling this responsibility, you will certainly be inviting more blessing from God. Under these circumstances, the Japanese members must be grateful to God for giving them the opportunity to serve double duty. Members of the IOWC Global Team have brought with them an image of our Japanese members from their experience with them in New York and throughout America.

They already have a clear picture of what the Japanese brothers and sisters should be like. They thought they would see even more glorious and extraordinary members here in Tokyo. So you have a grave responsibility, you are really in hot water. That means that the Japanese members must get up earlier in the morning and wait for the IOWC Global Team to get themselves ready. Also, since you have to take care of our Western brothers and sisters, you have to go to bed later than they do.

When you go into the city to witness, you Japanese members should be demonstrating that you are champions of the forefront, taking the initiative. If you find this oppressive, and believe you are suffering, then in your heart you will say, "Oh, I wish these 80 days would be over!" Well, if you think that way, you will have really flunked the course.

Eighty days is not the time in which God can consummate His mission. These 80 days are just the beginning, the time when we are setting the standard and the model for the work that must go on. The Japanese members must not think that this is just for 80 days. You must think, "Even if it is eight months, or eight years, or 80 years, I will never let God down." If you think that way, then the restoration of Japan will be speeded up by God's help.

The record of your achievement will be shown by statistics, how many people come to lectures each day, or to workshops, and how many new members join. If the Japanese record is less than that of the Western members, you cannot give the excuse that, "We only bring fewer people because our bodies are smaller. We are the smaller people."

In America, those small Japanese members set a truly great tradition. In every goodwill competition, they won the first prize, whether it was in witnessing or fundraising. In everything they did, the Japanese members set the highest possible standard. And that tradition must not be betrayed here in Tokyo. You must not relinquish or diminish the record and tradition so beautifully set by the Japanese brothers and sisters in America.

You must exceed what they have accomplished. So I would like each one of you to be re-motivated, and to re-determine to set the highest possible standard, to achieve an even higher record of achievement. You members of the two teams are in harmony, with one common goal, in a goodwill competition. I know we are going to bring a landslide victory here in Tokyo.

In conclusion, I want you to know that every word, everything you say or do, every action you take, is a key to bringing this nation to God, and making these people into God's people. You and I are truly the frontline soldiers in the great and sacred responsibility of bringing the Kingdom of Heaven here on Earth. You are like a drill, drilling through hard wood or concrete, being pushed through to the other side.

No matter how big or strong a drill may be, unless it has a sharp point it will not work. It must have a strong, sharp point-sharp. When you drill through hardwood, you should not drill either too fast or too slow, but at just the optimum speed.

There are now two drills working together. One is the Japanese team; the other is the Western team. And behind the drills, really controlling and directing them, is our Father in Heaven. No matter how fast you drill, your teams will never separate. You will always cooperate, boring quickly toward the goal. But if one drill is weak, it will turn towards the other, not having enough power to drill straight through. I do not want to see you bending like that.

In the new hole you drill, a new breed of Japanese will come. There will be a new Japanese family, tribe, and people. New hope for Japan will come, and a new nation will be born that will expand into the entire world. Once we win great victory in Japan and the Orient, then all we have to do is expand this victorious pattern to the whole world.

Then the Western world will be no problem, as long as we follow the pattern. Let's say that the Unification Church as a whole is a giant drill, drilling through the Satanic world. You are the sharp point of that drill, of the Unification Church, and you must not become dull. No matter what obstacle you face, you must break through.

You have landed as the first wave of heavenly soldiers in Japan. Our landing operation has been successful. Now our initial heavenly assault here in Japan must be successful, in order that our subsequent battles in other nations can also be successful. This is so important. Under no circumstances can you afford to fail here in Japan.

Once the direction and goal is set, you must let nothing hamper or stop you. You must always go on. No matter what circumstances may try to choke you or stop you, you will let nothing bother you. You will still break through. You are the heavenly drill, and that is the way you must work. Do you have confidence? (Yes!) Those who have confidence, raise both hands.

As my final word, I want you to know you are the forces of re-creation; re-creating man, the family, the tribe, society, nations and the world, and liberating God. You are that force. Thank you very much.