Matsuo Machida Crosses Mississippi River

Sunday, August 23, 2015 was Day 60 of Matsuo Machida’s Peace Walk across America, offered in his own words to “bring peace and unity between America and Japan and to honor True Parents 40 years of work in America.”

Mr. Machida got up early that day to begin his walk starting from five miles west of Monroe, Missouri. He was able to make up some time, and after about 20 more miles of walking, he was met in Hannibal by a group of 16 Unificationists who had made the two-hour drive from St. Louis with Dr. Michael Balcomb, President of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU) USA, and Mark Hernandez, his new driver and assistant for the rest of his journey, after Mr. Yoshimi Yamagata, who spent nine days accompanying Mr. Machida.

Mr. Machida was touched that so many brothers and sisters, including three young people under the age of 15, had come to walk with him for a while on the road. He was especially inspired by the dogged spirit of Dr. Balcomb to walk with him for 10 miles that day.

“This is a very wonderful time,” said Mr. Machida. “I am very surprised and appreciate Dr. Balcomb joining me. This is a very historical moment. God gave this nation a big hope. I’m very excited to be over halfway across the nation. I’m arriving to Illinois today. I feel a strong power again and it’s very exciting to walk with the kids and everybody. I’m very happy.”

Together the group laughed, took photographs and walked about a mile on a quiet city street up to the entrance of the highway that would take them across the Mississippi and into Illinois. That was far enough for the kids and those without proper walking shoes, so after a few more photos they said goodbye and headed back down to the big city.

“I came here today because seeing his heart, the way he loves True Parents, and that he’s walking at his age, 65—my God!” said local Unificationist Earlice Wrice. “He walks from west coast to east. God bless his heart and determination.”

A local young Unificationist said, “It’s almost the third anniversary of True Father’s Seonghwa (ascension). This is a way to prepare not only spiritually but physically.”

Another woman who joined Mr. Machida on his journey that day said, “11 years ago he came to St. Louis and I met him. I want to participate in this historical moment.”

“Matsuo Machida, seven years older than me at 65, but probably one hundred pounds lighter, is one tough cookie,” said Dr. Balcomb, who continued walking alongside him. Together they crossed the Mississippi River, and as the sun began to set, concluded the walk for Sunday amidst the ripening corn fields of Illinois near the small hamlet of Hull.

Mr. Machida was glad for the company, and was very pleased to hear that True Mother was aware of his progress. He shared his background with Dr. Balcomb, who learned that he’d lived in New York for over a dozen years, been one of Manhattan’s earliest sushi chefs, and gone back to Japan in the 1990s. Married with two children in his thirties, his wife had been a Unification missionary in Vietnam for several years and was quite confident that her husband would be protected on his 90-day hike across America. Using his cellphone, Mr. Machida is posting a daily photo blog for his followers in his hometown of Nagano.  

Once they crossed the river, they detoured onto an almost empty country road with cars only one every few minutes, skirting fields of golden corn and rich green soy on the one side and a railroad track on the other. They settled into an easy pace along the pleasant country road, with the setting sun at their backs casting long shadows on the tarmac in front of them.

“I feel new power today,” said Machida, “and I think I’m going to make it to Washington on time,” referring to his September 18th target arrival day, the 39th Anniversary of Rev. Sun Myung Moon’s historic speech at the Washington Monument.

At 7:30pm, they called it a day. Mr. Hernandez drove them to Hannibal, the birthplace of Mark Twain, for dinner together with pastor of the Missouri Family Church, Rev. Bjorn Ottosson, and his son. They wished Mr. Machida well on the rest of his journey. 1952 miles down and 874 to go!