WFWP NJ Plans Activities for Korean Reunification

Contributed by Denneze Nelson, Chairwoman of WFWP NJ

True Parents often have said that North and South Korea must reunite before world peace can come, and they have said that Americans have a responsibility to help ensure peaceful reunification. With that in mind, the New Jersey chapter of Women’s Federation for World Peace (WFWP) held a meeting on July 23, 2016, at the Clifton Public Library in Clifton New Jersey to discuss how its members can contribute to reunification.

Over the past 20 years WFWP Korea has led numerous efforts to facilitate peace on the Korean Peninsula. Following the example of WFWP Korea, on July 11, 2015, the New Jersey chapters of WFWP, Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU), and affiliated organizations Korean Evangelical Association (KEA) and Universal Peace Federation (UPF), held a Bridge of Peace Ceremony as a contribution to Korean Peninsula reunification. At the same event, members of WFWP of New Jersey also facilitated a ceremony of flags, involving the flags of the nations that fought in the Korean War, in support of South Korea.

This year at the July 23 meeting, Western and Korean Unificationists came together to plan substantive activities here in the United States for the unity of the Korean Peninsula.

After an impassioned address and reading of True Parents’ words on North-South reunification by Rev. Denneze Nelson, the chair of WFWP NJ, Mr. Frank Bell, a concerned community member of the Clifton Family Church, talked about the practical steps needed to eliminate the barriers between North and South. Next Mr. Chung Boo Kang, a KEA representative, gave a heart-wrenching personal testimony about the two divided Korean communities living in Japan: the pro-North Chongryeon and the pro-South Mindan—from which his own family is descended—and the struggle to maintain Korean culture and unity in foreign environments.

A video presentation, courtesy of WFWP Korea, about its 20 years of activities, was both moving and inspiring because of its members’ striving to live for the sake of others. Over the past 20 years WFWP Korea has led numerous efforts to facilitate peace on the Korean Peninsula, including bringing over 700 women from around the world to North Korea in 2007.

Mr. Kwang Soo Lee of UPF made a powerful call to action by reminding the gathering about last year’s event, at which Mr. Ken Hendricks, a New Jersey member of FFWPU who since then has ascended to the spirit world, proposed creating a pilgrimage of Unificationists to North Korea to visit True Parents’ hometowns.

This call to action was the beginning of exciting discussions and resulting proposals from the final portion of the day’s meeting.

The two main directions as regards Korean reunification that WFWP NJ plans to follow in the next year are:

1.Outreach to Koreans and Americans of Korean descent via Tribal Messiahship activities, such as forums for young Korean-Americans to learn about the Korean Peninsula and important aspects of peaceful reunification. These forums can employ the latest technology and social media to be more effective in educating people about the need for reunification.

2. “Marrying for Peace,” namely extending the Marriage Blessing to Koreans in the United States as a symbolic foundation for the “marriage” of North and South Korea. A clear explanation would be made that this is a festival of Marriage Blessing that would serve both the individual purpose of giving the Marriage Blessing to couples and also the greater purpose of uniting separated nations.

Finally, these exciting proposals were also made:

• In order to make unity among ourselves, Western and Korean Unificationists should have regular meetings and discussions, monthly if possible.
• Holding cultural festivals on a quarterly basis which could raise funds for the 1% Love Share Project, an initiative of WFWP International to give aid to needy people around the world.
• A special pilgrimage fund and pilgrimage activities should be established.
• Language sharing—learn phrases and words that could establish better communication between Westerners and Koreans both within and beyond the Unification movement.

What you can do to help advance North-South reunification today:

• Participate in or invite a friend to participate in a Marriage Blessing Festival for Peace in the Peninsula.
• Donate to the WFWP 1% Love Share Project by contacting info@wfwp.us.
• Donate to the soon-to-be established WFWP NJ Pilgrimage Fund.
• Host a forum or festival in your local community.

WFWP NJ is dedicated to connecting to the heart of our True Parents and integrating our local activities to do the same. All of these activities will be completed to bring joy to the heart of our Heavenly Parent, and when the time comes, please consider joining us in these activities to promote unity on the Korean Peninsula.