Wives of Tongil Group Members Visit American Landmarks
The wives of 45 Tongil Group leaders and Tongil Foundation staff arrived in New York on September 27 to learn more about True Parents’ activities and legacy in America. This trip was the second organized by the Tongil Foundation to introduce wives of their staff members to True Parents’ vision for America, as well as their work here. The first visit was held in May.
On September 28, Dr. Kim invited the group to gather for breakfast in the Crystal Ballroom of the New Yorker Hotel, where he gave a special presentation regarding True Parents’ activities in the United States. Many among the group were not Unificationists and so were able to learn about the history of the True Parents’ work in America for the first time.
At the conclusion of Dr. Kim’s presentation, the group then toured the New Yorker Hotel and the Manhattan Center.
On the following day, the group visited East Garden, where they attended a Divine Principle seminar facilitated by Rev. Ki Yeal Lee, KEA pastor of New Jersey. Many of the wives of the Tongil Group leaders were inspired by the content of lectures and were glad to learn more about the peace activities organized by True Parents over the years.
Mike McDevitt, a veteran security guard of True Parents and caretaker of the East Garden grounds, greeted the group and gave a tour of East Garden before the seminar began. Taj Hamad, Secretary General of Universal Peace Federation (UPF) International also gave a presentation about True Parents’ United Nations initiatives.
Many in the group had heard of East Garden, the New Yorker Hotel, and the Manhattan Center before arriving in New York, but by actually visiting these sites and learning more about True Parents’ heart and hope for the world, they expressed a genuine feeling of being loved by True Parents.
The kitchen staff at East Garden also prepared delicious Korean food for the group in order to offer them a comforting taste of their homeland despite being abroad.
Before returning to Korea in the next week or so, the wives of the Tongil Group and Tongil Foundation leaders will stop by Niagara Falls and the Washington Times’s offices in Washington, D.C. We thank them for their visit and wish them safe travels!