Kenya

Mombasa, Kenya
November, 2006

The event was held in the same venue, the Summerlink Hotel, that we used for Peace Tour III. A strikingly diverse inter-religious audience included the leadership of the Hindu council, Islamic leaders (Imams and Sheikhs) as well as Bishops ,Pastors and Government representatives.

MC Moses Ouko introducing UPF activities and the World Tours from the first to the fourth. The invocation was offered by an Islamic leader, Sheikh Suleiman.

Chairman Kwak’s address was read by the UPF regional leader, Fred Rangala, after which a short video presentation on UPF was shown. There was a standing ovation to welcome our principal speaker, Rev. Marilyn Kotulek, an American pastor and Ambassador for Peace from Oklahoma city in the USA.

Bishop Maisha and his wife with their AFP certificate

New Ambassadors For Peace with Marilyn Kotulek (third from left)

She began by giving a moving testimony of how she was introduced to Father and Mother Moon’s work through the efforts of Japanese women volunteers several years ago. Then she read the keynote address with heart as the audience read along with repeated applause. At the end of the reading the audience was really moved and gave a round of applause as she was presented with a bouquet of flowers.

Twenty new Ambassadors for Peace (AFP) were appointed, and seven gave remarks and testimonies. Sheikh Suleiman Thabit explained how he had received inspiration from his wife, who recently passed on to ht spirit world .She was a woman of peace who had worked with UPF- affiliated Women’s Federation for World Peace. “Peace must be integrated into our whole way of life,” he concluded.

Another Muslim cleric Sheikh Sineno who had been appointed AFP during Peace tour III gave a testimony of how he had mobilized 22 elders to the peace gathering. He has been preaching peace around the towns in Kenya and even Uganda (neighboring country) since his appointment. He has even been appointed to the peace committee of one of the local churches as the vice-chairman.

"This has been a wonderful gathering and the only solution to religious indifference,” said Archbishop Dr. Assphy Darra of Soul Harvest Church. “UPF should keep up the good work and create more forums like this”.