Colombia: Restore the Dignity of Your Nation

Dr. Thomas G. Walsh, UPF Secretary General
Bogota, Colombia
August 2, 2006

Mother Moon and Jeong Jin Moon arrived in Bogota late morning on August 1. After saying goodbye to Yeon Jin who had to travel back to the USA, Dr. Moon was joined by another couple from her large family, daughter Sun Jin and her husband In Sup, together with staff from the UPF in Washington DC including Antonio Betancourt, Tomiko Duggan and others.

At the main program, with about 700 seated at banquet tables, Jeong Jin, the Moon’s youngest daughter presented the Founder’s Address. This was her second opportunity to read, the first having been in Sao Paolo. She read with great emotion, and paused on a couple of occasions to wipe away tears. The reading set a very good tone for Mother Moon’s presentation that followed.

Speaking at the celebration the next morning, Mother Moon said, “The world is always hearing about the problems of this country and this region. There is AIDS, family breakdown, drugs, etc. You have to restore the dignity of your country.

“I don’t want applause; I want practice,” she said, “I want you to practice what I am saying. The only solution to the problems of this region and all nations are the movement of pure love, campaigns for pure love, AIDS prevention, against drugs, and other efforts aimed to restore the dignity of the nation. You know so much more than other people. So, please pledge, by showing your hands if you will do this”