In Jin Nim’s message at the one-year anniversary of Father’s release from Danbury on August 20, 1986
I am very honored to be in a position to speak on behalf of my family and on behalf of this day, which commemorates the first anniversary of Father’s release from Danbury. Yet I cannot come out here and pretend that I am very happy about this anniversary. To be honest with you, I am very sad and my heart is stricken with grief because our True Father had to suffer in prison. I believe Danbury was truly a time of testing for everyone, including my family and all of you, and I believe that all of us have matured to some extent through this experience. If there is one thing that we have learned from our True Father and True Mother, it is the meaning of restoring while being stricken.
Heung Jin’s accident was a surprise to all of us, and in that time of fear and desperation we grew weak and unsure of each other. At that time Satan felt that he finally had the True Family in his grip; but through the Seung Hwa ceremony Father was able to restore what Satan had tried to take away. Father restored Heung Jin’s life and was able to connect the spirit world and physical world through the Blessing of Heung Jin and Hoon Sook. Then Father was able to proclaim to the world that Heung Jin was qualified to stand in the position of king of the spirit world.
When Father entered prison all of us wondered what would become of the Unification Church. Right after we accompanied Father to Danbury there was a meeting at East Garden with all the leaders and True Mother. I felt desperate and fearful of what was to come, and I am sure that all the leaders, the 36 Couples, and even True Mother felt the same. Each leader stood up and slowly and deliberately spoke about what the problems were with the church that ultimately led to Father’s imprisonment. That evening I was surprised when I realized how disunited the leaders, members, and all of us actually were!
While all of this was going on, I and my brothers and sisters felt very sad. I knew that Satan was right there-witnessing this event at East Garden. I asked myself, How could this be? When Satan strikes and tries to take some-thing from us, we should be more unified and harmonious, thinking only of True Parents. How could such disunity have arisen among us? I realized tearfully that Father and Mother had actually done everything by themselves. They were completely alone. This lovely Belvedere estate, the worldwide movement established in 127 countries-everything-has been Father’s doing. Father walked the path of restoration all alone.
Now once again Father was living out his words that we must restore while being stricken. That was accomplished through the religious freedom rallies and Father’s work of uniting all the Christian ministers into one. Only because Father and Mother truly love mankind and want to restore this world back to God could they sustain the course Father had to go during the year he was in Danbury.
As I stand here before you I cannot begin to tell you of all the emotions that I and my family have felt, but I really believe that whatever suffering True Father and my family have gone through, it is not in vain if we can reflect on our lives and realize once again that Father is the Messiah and that he is on the earth with us right now. I sincerely hope that each one of you can feel grateful to be sitting here in front of Father. Behind each one of you is a whole line of ancestors and before you is a whole line of future genera-tions. Whatever you are doing for Heavenly Father and True Parents, you are not alone! All your work will help build the Kingdom of Heaven on earth.
Father told us many times that if we can conceive, and if we can believe, then we can achieve. We are in a position to conceive of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth; so if we can believe in the Kingdom of Heaven on earth, we can achieve the Kingdom of Heaven on earth.
I pray that today can be a day to reflect and offer our gratitude to True Father once again for his time in Danbury prison. Thank you very much.