Happy in Heaven, Lucky on Earth
Under blue skies and the hot early morning sunshine of Sunday, July 13, forty participants of the God’s Hope for America Holy Ground pilgrimage made a special stop to pray at the Unification National Wonjeon (cemetery). Located in a quiet corner of the Fort Lincoln National Cemetery in Northeast Washington, D.C., this sacred site was indeed at one time a fort, built in 1861 during the Civil War to protect the city from a possible flanking attack from the Northeast.
The pilgrim group was joined by several Unificationists from Washington, D.C., including Mr. Thomas McDevitt and Rev. Greg Carter. Both men have spouses at rest in the National Wonjeon, and on behalf of all the families, Mr. McDevitt, who serves as president of The Washington Times located just a mile away, offered a heartfelt prayer to open the proceedings.
Dr. William Selig, who serves the National Seonghwa (funeral/memorial) Ministry, explained the decision to establish this beautiful place of rest for the members and family of Unificationists who served side by side with True Parents and ascended to join True Father in the heavenly spirit world.
The first Unificationist buried there, Mr. Tom Wojcik, lapsed into a coma on September 11, 2001, at the very moment and hour that terrorist attacks were shaking the nation to its core. He passed a week later. Since then, more than 35 others have joined him at rest in this peaceful corner of Washington, D.C. Dr. Selig observed that there is room for hundreds more when the day comes, as it must, for each of us to make that transition.
Before the unison prayer, the circle of pilgrims opened up into a U-shape, so that all the spirits of the ascended might enter the area freely and join the prayers. After a moment of absolute silence, a recording of “Taps,” played by a bugler from the U.S. Marine Corps Band, was played. The simple, pure notes brought a sense of peace and readied everyone for a deep prayer of appreciation and gratitude.
Family and friends of other ascended Unificationists around the nation had been invited to send the names of their loved ones to be included in the prayers, and approximately 200 names were read aloud by Dr. Michael Balcomb, president of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU USA). “Those who were not able to be included this time will be remembered in future ceremonies,” he said. “It is never too late.”
“We are the luckiest, happiest people in the world,” said FFWPU Continental Director Dr. Ki Hoon Kim, “because we know and worked with True Parents. Whether we are standing in the sunshine or at rest in the cool earth beneath our feet is not nearly as important as having had the immeasurable blessing of knowing and joining our beloved True Father and Mother.”
A name list of those honored in prayer can be found here.