By FFWPU Togo
On the morning of Saturday, March 16, 2024, the nation of Togo in West Africa received the amazing grace of inaugurating its first Cheon Shim Won prayer hall. Our Sub-regional Director of the sub-region, Rev. Ogurie representing the Regional President of Africa led the ceremony.
Blessed families, members, and 2nd gen gathered at 8 am in an attitude of devotion to dedicate all together the holy place. They first proceeded to the ribbon cutting by the officials (Sub-regional Director: Rev. Ogurie, National Leader’s couple: Rev and Mrs. Koussougbo, 1975 missionary: Mrs. Annerose Adams, the former National Leader and a 2nd Gen representative).
Flowers were offered to True Parents by the officiator Rev. Ogurie. Our National Leader offered the opening prayer in which he expressed the deep gratitude of the entire nation to True Parents and prayed for unity and alignment with True Mother to work for national restoration. The HJ Cheonbo West Africa Branch Director Rev. Sakuwa delivered the opening remarks centering on True Mother’s words, he gave a bit of background of Cheon Shim Won and emphasized its importance and value.
The special ceremony to establish and bequeath the Cheon Shim Won Hall then began. The program consisted of an opening prayer, installation of the holy items including HyoJeong Won, lighting of the holy candles, and benediction prayer by the officiator. A congratulatory song was presented to True Parents and the congregation by Mrs. Angèle Barboza. Congratulatory and exhortation messages were given by:
- Mrs. Annerose Adams
- Rev. George Ogurie
- Rev. Jean Pierre Kadima (via Zoom)
All participants then offered a full bow to True Parents and cheers of Eok Mansei.
The program gathered 67 participants on-site and over 20 online from Africa and overseas.
Participants’ reactions
Members were highly inspired and expressed joy and gratitude. A blessed family member reported a vision. He declared to have seen spiritually, a crowd of people descending in the hall during the unison prayer, he couldn’t see all of their faces nor their full body but he could identify only one person among them who was a former Vice National Leader who is in the spiritual world.
