Great Lakes and Great Love

The God’s Hope for America pilgrimage is halfway back across America, heading Westward with one week left to go. Beginning to cross the Midwest during the Great Lakes mini tour, we experience the heart of America and meet many people excited and intrigued about our mission and ready for this revival.

Cleveland & Columbus, Ohio

We circled together on a drizzly afternoon in the center of the park outside of the enormous Cleveland Museum of Art in Case Western Reserve University. The cold rain grew stronger as we became one umbrella with one purpose. After prayer, we drove a few hours to Columbus where over 120 people gathered. There, Naokimi Ushiroda, president of the Collegiate Association for the Research of Principles (CARP) spoke about the fact that while 100 people came on the Mayflower to the New World, only about 50 of them came seeking religious freedom as Pilgrims centered on God. In the end, it was that small group of people with that unique quality that led to the founding of our country. Similarly today, it is not in quantity, but in quality that we can achieve God’s purpose.

Despite the rain, song time was lively in Cleveland.

Youth from Cleveland and Columbus met at the Holy Ground for prayer.

Read more about the Ohio visit here.

Ohio Photo Gallery on Facebook. As with the God’s Hope for Americapage on Facebook, you can tag your friends in pictures and share the posts to help spread the word online as the bus spreads the word on the road!

Detroit, Michigan

We met at Belle Isle, an island and vast park located right between the city of Detroit (Michigan) and Canada. A true interfaith gathering, the Detroit Holy Ground event included a water ceremony, using a bowl of water collected from the river surrounding the island. Four ministers from different faiths—Jewish, Catholic, Spanish Christian and Islam—blessed the water and each shared a few words of what America means to their faith. They then poured the water onto the holy tree at which we were gathered, representing the unity between their religions.

Detroit welcomes the bus to the beautiful Belle Isle at which the Holy Ground is located.

The Holy Ground in Detroit is marked by a stone.

Read more about the Michigan visit here.

Detroit Photo Gallery on Facebook. As with the God’s Hope for Americapage on Facebook, you can tag your friends in pictures and share the posts to help spread the word online as the bus spreads the word on the road!

Hammond, Indiana

On July 25 we rose with the sun and had an early start to the day. We all drove to Washington Park Beach, a shore of Lake Michigan, one of the Great Lakes. This is the fourth and last major body of water we have encountered on this trip as we make our way back to the Pacific. After a beach prayer, we then met the community of Indiana at the Holy Ground in Hammond. In the afternoon, we drove to the great city of Chicago and had time for sightseeing and another Bike Ride for Peace.

Caren Saman and the rest of the group pray in unison on the shore of Lake Michigan.

Toby Gullery, pastor of the Indiana Family Church, led a lively and humorous introduction encouraging the young generation to step up into God’s work.

Read more about the Indiana visit here.

Hammond Photo Gallery on Facebook. As with the God’s Hope for Americapage on Facebook, you can tag your friends in pictures and share the posts to help spread the word online as the bus spreads the word on the road!

Chicago, Illinois

On July 26, we opened the day with a prayer breakfast in the Life Center, a church in Chicago; the church and the street upon which it is located are named after our host, Pastor T.L. Barrett Jr. “When we are hearing Reverend Moon, we’re hearing from the word of God. God didn’t stop speaking when the writer stopped writing,” said Pastor Barrett. “If people are ready to respond to you, they need to realize when they see you and hear you that they are hearing God as much as when they read the Bible. God is speaking through you.” Becoming the living word of God was a major focus of this breakfast meeting.

Hundreds gathered in Chicago to pray, including several ministers from various churches.

The day in Chicago opened with a prayer breakfast hosted by the American Clergy Leadership Conference at Pastor T.L. Barrett Jr.’s church, the Life Center.

Read more about the Chicago visit here.

Chicago Photo Gallery on Facebook. As with the God’s Hope for Americapage on Facebook, you can tag your friends in pictures and share the posts to help spread the word online as the bus spreads the word on the road!

Madison, Wisconsin

At Hoyt Park in Madison, a passionate speech by Mary Lafayette truly captured the heart of Father Moon. When she got up to speak, she took off her shoes and proclaimed, “I am standing on Holy Ground!” She told the story of first hearing of Reverend Moon, and the warmth she felt in his presence and the love he exuded wherever he went. “I believe that the love that Father Moon had lives inside of me. Love is so great, it can heal all. How I deal with my enemies is through love. I have taught from the knowledge of Father Moon’s books and members of my congregation have been healed, especially when it comes to marriage and family.”

We gathered around the majestic tree marking the Holy Ground in Madison.

A couple sang ‘Nothing Without You’ at the Holy Ground in Madison.

Read more about the Madison visit here.

Madison Photo Gallery on Facebook. As with the God’s Hope for America page on Facebook, you can tag your friends in pictures and share the posts to help spread the word online as the bus spreads the word on the road!