 Colombia: Sharing the Blessing
By UPF-Colombia
Bogota, Colombia
August 2, 2006
The first day of August was the day that our nation was greatly blessed with the visit of our True Mother and the True Family, during the 120-Nation World Tour. The plane touched Colombian ground at 10:44 am coming from the sister republic of Bolivia.
It was gratifying to see the plane descend from the cloudy sky of Bogotá, at 2600 meters above the sea level. We followed the plane with our eyes while it was preparing to stop at the FBO terminal of the El Dorado Airport.
True Mother appeared, coming down radiantly to meet her daughter Sun Jin Nim, who was waiting for her with her husband, In Sup Nim. They were joining tour group in Latin America.
After some brief minutes in the VIP room, they were formally received by Rev. Yoo Bong Sang, Executive Secretary of UPF-Colombia. The True Family reunited in this moment and exchanged words of greeting. After that they all got into the vehicles prepared to take them to the Tequendama Hotel, located in a commercial and administrative complex known as the International Center. At the hotel, the group immediately moved to their rooms, where a brief welcoming reception was prepared.
The event in Colombia was scheduled for 5:40 pm, and the main program began at 6:15, led by Mr. Antonio Betancourt.
The Red Hall of the Tequendama Hotel was set up for a banquet, and over 600 guests and Ambassadors for Peace from various walks of life participated. The hall was filled right before the main speech began.
After the blessing, Dr. Walsh read the Welcoming Speech. Mr. Betancourt introduced Jeong Jin Nim, and she came up the stage to read her Father’s speech, which was very well accepted for she expressed its content with tears and strong feeling. Following a magnificent video announcing the meaning of this World Tour, True Mother presented her speech, which was very well received and interspersed by many ovations.
Twelve couples came on stage to receive holy water from True Mother and her daughter, Jeong Jin Nim; these couples affirmed the wedding vows read by True Mother and Jeong Jin Nim.
Mrs. Maria Dolores Pardo, an Ambassador for Peace, gave True Mother a recognition plate in the name of all the Ambassadors for Peace, and then a commemorative photo was taken.
The following morning, True Mother invited all the children to have some celebration cake. Then she expressed to the adults her appreciation to Colombia for participating in the Korean War, during which True Father was freed from a North Korean prison with the aid of the United Nation Forces of Peace.
She also said:
The words we listened to this morning are a compass that marks the course of our lives everyday. This is a truth that will never ever change. The more you read these speeches, the more you’ll experience, depending on the spiritual level each one of you has.
It’s been two years that I’ve been reading these words, and I will continue doing it in the future, because until God can embrace the entire mankind and see the ideal kingdom established on earth, these words must be lived and practiced.
Father has already taught us all that he knows, and he has shown us though his own life everything we should do. True Parents have done everything they could have done, and they have given you everything they could have given, so it’s time for you to mature as children and do what you have to do in place of the parents. Cheon Il Guk has been established, but the task of registration remains. Which country will be the first to transcend the barriers of race, nationality and religion? It depends on you.
Are you happy? Happiness has the characteristic that the more we share it, the more it grows and the more it returns to us. The more you spread the word about True Parents, the better the people will feel. This is the time of divine protection.
At 8:00 am, in an environment of joy and good wishes for the success of the tour, they departed for the Dominican Republic, leaving their blessing in Colombia, for which we will remain eternally grateful.
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