Dominican Republic: Secretary of State Welcomes Tour

Dr. Thomas G. Walsh, UPF Secretary General
Santa Domingo, Dominican Republic
August 3, 2006

Going from 2500 meters above sea level to sea level, from winter in the mountains of Bogata to palm trees, sea air, and steamy heat, from the nation named after Columbus to the place where Columbus first set foot in the hemisphere, Mother Moon arrived in Santa Domingo, Dominican Republic around noon, from Colombia, together with Sun Jin Nim and In Sup Nim, and Jeong Jin Nim. 

The Main Event was held at the Renaissance Hotel theatre. Hon. Gloria Guittierez, Secretary of State, offered the Welcome Remarks. Dr. Walsh presented the Chairman’s Address. Senora Sun Jin Moon presented the Founder’s Address; her first opportunity to present Father’s message on the 180 nation tour.

Introduced by Rev. Regalado as the 9th of True Parents’ 13 children and the 4th of their 6 daughters, currently studying psychology at Harvard University, while also managing business responsibilities in Asia (Korea and Japan), Sun Jin Nim’s presentation of Founder’s Address was bright, spirited, warm-hearted, and perfectly scored. In this land where baseball is cherished, she hit a home run.  Sun Jin Nim opened with a few words of greeting in Spanish and some personal words of introduction, expressing appreciation to the audience and commenting on the beauty of the Dominican Republic, and indicating that the speech she would present contained the essence of her Father’s lifelong teaching.

Sun Jin Nim’s warm, lively, engaging style brought the speech to life and won her audience’s full attention. As had her siblings before her, she did fight back without complete success her tears when speaking about the suffering heart of God at the loss of His original ideal of true love. When she spoke about God’s ideal of true love, it was like the Completed Testament Age expansion of  the New Testament’s oft-quoted passages on love in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians.

As she later testified, she benefited from repeatedly watching Mother presenting God’s Word, for she was masterful in taking full advantage of the dialogical or “Socratic” style of the speech, with its question and answer structure, stimulating the audience with each rhetorical question.

“Do you know what caused God the greatest grief and anguish throughout the course of history since the Fall of Adam and Eve?” she would ask, and then pause, look at the audience, and  continue. Mother Moon does this at several points in her speech, such as “What about you?” when talking about how we as humans seek God’s love just as bees seek the flowers’ nectar, and again when she asks, “Why should we get married?” pauses, looks at the audience with a Mona Lisa-like smile, drawing them in to hear the answer.

She always comes forward with so much natural, unaffected dignity, following after her children.  She doesn’t have to say a word. She needs no introduction. People already marvel at her children, the fruit of Father’s and her love, life and lineage. The children are just so nice to look at, even without their speaking.

Thus far, on the 180 nation tour there have been three sons, Hyun Jin Nim, Kook Jin Nim and Hyo Jin Nim, then three daughters, Yeon Jin Nim, Jeong Jin Nim, and Sun Jin Nim. Today, in Jamaica, we may have the first son-in-law.

Neither Moses, nor Jesus, nor Buddha, nor Mohammed could appoint their absolute partner to carry the word, much less their own children, or, in the not too distant future, grandchildren. Just seeing the family members at the podium, presenting God’s Word and preparing the way for their mother to follow, has so much power and impact. Everyone relates existentially. Everyone reflects on their own family, their own children. Everyone knows that the program is not only presenting words about God’s ideal of true love and true family, it is manifesting true love and true family.

Following the main event, there was a VIP reception for about 50 of the most distinguished AFPs. It was full of life, inspiration and words of appreciation.