Outreach: Authentic and Genuine Connection
Last week, the outreach teams in Northern Virginia and Los Angeles learned valuable lessons about the nature of outreach and the miracles that are possible when we genuinely seek to connect. Read these inspiring outreach updates below.
Northern Virginia
Day Two of the 21-day outreach initiative in Northern Virginia brought out brothers and sisters from the Northern Virginia community as well as Rev. Zagery Oliver, Pastor of the Washington Family Church, and David Phelps of Maryland.
Rev. Oliver led a prayer to begin the afternoon. Members of the outreach team passed out surveys, flyers and invitations to their sushi class invitation and Saturday Divine Principle presentations. They met 15 people at the Northern Virginia Community College Alexandria campus who were interested to hear more.
During this time, one team member had a prior guest call her with an amazing request. The guest is president of the association for her countrymen living in the United States. She asked the outreach team member if she would become the vice president of the association, even though she is not from that country and has never visited there. Her guest thinks so highly of her and of Unificationists that she trusts her to this extend. Of course this invitation came on the foundation of many visits, and it is an example of how contacts can become a close part of our tribe.
The next day, Friday, April 3, 2015, the outreach team brought 10 guests in Northern Virginia, and two in Maryland. Even though the community college had a thin population on this holiday Friday, some wonderful people were met.
In addition to invitations, several people expressed interest in knowing more about Unificationist communities and wanted to hear introductory lectures. They scheduled follow-up appointments to receive one-on-one presentations and deeper study with PowerPoint lectures and books.
Los Angeles
At the same time as the Northern Virginia outreach team was meeting people on the East Coast, Unificationists in Los Angeles shared the Divine Principle with 26 people on the West.
Mrs. Naoko Hiraki, Kodan leader in Los Angeles, shared with the outreach team that campus outreach is not gathering 20 or 30 questionnaires, but focusing on one person at a time and bring him or her to Divine Principle study. This approach of totally focusing on a person, seeking to give and connect, is working. Gradually, the Los Angeles community is seeing more students who continue to study the Divine Principle
“When we have an outreach initiative, people want to see fancy results and exciting pictures,” explained Mrs. Hiraki. “But I believe that outreach itself can never be something fancy. When you truly try to restore a person to life by God’s words, you might go through pain. By going through and overcoming all the pain and struggles, we finally can start bringing guests. They come with the clear purpose of reading and studying the Divine Principle with us. They come in seeking the truth. After we read together, discuss and make an emotional connection with them, then they return again and become regular Divine Principle studying contacts. This is the way we can revive people with the Divine Principle.”
Join an outreach team or plan ahead to participate in your own community. Every community is hosting at least one day of outreach to enable you to meet God as you befriend those who seek love, truth and hope!