Dr. Kim’s Message at Leaders’ Meeting, Las Vegas

Dr. Ki Hoon Kim, Continental Chair of FFWPU North America, gave the following message on Monday, September 21, 2015 at the National Leaders’ Conference in Las Vegas.

I’d like to talk about the kickoff workshop for the new year of Generation Peace Academy (GPA). There are 45 young brothers and sisters in the GPA Class of 2015-2016, and their spirit is stronger than ever. That spirit is much stronger than I have ever experienced in 37 years of being in the United States. This is the foundation that True Father lay down, and three years later True Mother carried on the spirit of True Parents. One good example is the International Peace Education Center (IPEC) in Las Vegas. After True Father ascended, we stopped construction for a few months, because we were concerned about finances and also we were concerned about whether we could carry on the spirit of True Father for the sake of this IPEC building and for the sake of True Parents’ Las Vegas providence. We were thinking, we were praying, and we were checking for a few months, and then when True Mother came back to Las Vegas, she said, “Because this is True Father’s will, let us carry on and move forward.” And that day True Mother delegated the investment of $10 million in support to complete the IPEC building.

Sometimes we hear some things about True Mother, but more than anybody else in the world True Mother is the only person who is deeply and sincerely carrying on True Father’s spirit and True Father’s providence for the sake of the 7 billion people on the earth. Don’t you think so? At that time, I spoke of many personal things with True Mother, and True Mother invited me to accompany her to her private balcony on the third floor. I’d never been there before, and I had never sat there drinking coffee and talking about so many things before. But no one can talk about True Parents like True Mother. More than anything else in the last three years, I found out recently about True Mother’s confidence. “Yes! We can do it! We can carry on the spirit of True Parents in building the nation of Cheon Il Guk!” Even this video clip that we saw today shows True Mother’s commitment: “Let’s bring every single nation back to God’s side.”

For some of you it may be difficult to grasp that message into your heart, and for others you can receive True Mother’s heart fully. This is a very tough life of faith, understanding God, understanding True Parents. That’s why in our life we’re struggling, going up and down, up and down. Even when I have a tough time with so many things coming at me, and I have to prepare something before going somewhere, I think about what kind of mindset I have to prepare. I pray a lot and say, “Let me be very humble before Heavenly Parent and before True Parents, and let me show people a smiling face.” Some people say, “Oh, Dr. Kim’s still in a good spirit in the middle of a crisis.” I’m confident, like True Mother. What should we be concerned about? To be concerned only about myself would be very selfish. However, we should be concerned about our community and our family and care for one another.

True Mother said, “How can we bring about church growth?” First let us have spirit. Let us have spirit, and then let us study the truth, and let us love one another. Love. That’s what True Father said. During the Watergate crisis in 1973 and 1974, True Father urged the American people to “Forgive, love, unite.” Some communities now are struggling because of this and that. I think that these three words—“Forgive, love, unite”—are very important for us. If we don’t practice love, we cannot have unification. In True Father’s autobiography, on the first page of the first chapter, what does it say? Anybody remember? “Food is love.” The first time I read that, I said, “Wow, food is love.” We can express, we can practice love in many, many ways.

Many times in Headquarters we have presentations. Some presentations make it to the local leaders, but some of the leaders may not be very connected to the presentations. This time I really want to let us have one heart and one mind centering on True Parents. Let us be children of God and children of True Parents. Even though we called so many times, “One Family under God,” how many times did we put that slogan into our hearts? I really want to bring that spirit back into our community, and I really want to build this community, a very precious community, I really want to join this community. This is the reason that inheriting the spirit of God and True Parents’ heart is our priority.

When I come to New York, I pick up the USA Today newspaper at the New Yorker hotel, and I try to read it. There are often tips on how you can have a good journey, and travel. Many times after we return from traveling, we are burned out. “Where did I go? Why did I go to this vacation?” The newspaper article said, please be extra kind toward others. Yes. The security people can be very rude, saying such things as: “I told you to take off your shoes. I told you to take out your personal computer.” We sometimes begin our travels like that. Korean Airlines is one of the best airlines, because of the kindness and spirit of service of their employees. On some airlines I can’t even ask for a glass of water. I really like to be kind and friendly. This makes our family, our church and our community better.

Think about True Mother and True Father, how they are patient. How about Heavenly Parent waiting 6,000 years, persevering through all kinds of things? Still they try to practice kindness. The Tibetan Buddhist leader Dalai Lama once made a speech in the Manhattan Center, and he defined what religion is. He said that religion is nothing other than kindness bringing people back to God’s side. This is kindness. Being nice to people, yes, that’s also kindness, but bringing people back, this is practicing kindness.

Through our organizations, such as the American Clergy Leadership Conference (ACLC) and the Universal Peace Federation (UPF), most people love us before they hear Divine Principle. Let us build up kindness with our district pastors and community leaders, and let us think about how we can carry on the message from God and True Parents. We have so many things to do, but I really want us to have a strong spiritual foundation, so that after the third anniversary of True Father’s Seonghwa (ascension), we can have a new beginning with a revolutionary change within our self, our family and our church. Please tell Headquarters what you can do.

I really want us to practice building a great community with the spirit of true love and a kind spirit. So in these three days, I hope we can build up this spiritual foundation, doing it with True Parents’ spirit and moving forward. Thank you so much, welcome to IPEC, and God bless you. Let us have a great and wonderful gathering centering on True Parents. Thank you and God bless you.