Hideo Oyamada, former National Leader of Japan
Rev. Oyamada gave this testimony almost 30 years ago on October 27, I 992 in Kodiak, Alaska at the missionary workshop in the presence of True Father and many missionary brothers and sisters.
Part 8 (conclusion) (Click to read Part 1 and Part 2 and Part 3 and Part 4 and Part 5 and Part 6 and Part 7)
Finding our future
Following that time, I gave many lectures and visited America. At that time my eyes were turned mostly to Europe. My goal was first to acquire some background in English, then in French—but mostly I studied German philosophy and theology.
In 1973, Father called a group of us to be lecturers and staff for an International Leadership Seminar, to be held in the United States. When we flew into Anchorage, we could see the terrain, the city and the seashore. Suddenly the thought came to me: “This is my land.” I was reminded of the words of the famous song Exodus: “This land is mine, God gave this land to me.” Then I realized that America is my land!
After the lectures were over, we visited many places. I was so grateful. I recalled my life plan made when I was fourteen years old. I had planned to study until the age of thirty and then involve myself in real action. I wanted to go on a world tour to test whether my study had been true or not. Until that time, I hadn’t had a chance to do that. However, Father gave us a chance to make a world tour on the way back to Japan. I wanted to know the good and bad points of the United States. Then we went to England, France, Germany, Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, Israel, Iran, India, Thailand, Hong Kong, and finally Japan.
Father has said that the world could be divided into three parts. Japan along with Asia as a whole, have a common destiny and will be modernized in five or ten years. The present is represented by the United States, England, France and Germany. By observing these countries, we can know what direction Japan should go. The past is represented by Italy, Greece, Egypt and Israel, while India represents our future.
My honest feeling then was that the world had no real hope. There was only a small candlelight far, far away. That was the light of Jesus Christ. I saw the misery of people in England and many other places and the foolishness of their political leaders. Their only small hope was Jesus Christ. Then I felt, Father is, indeed, the Lord of the Second Coming.
I had sought to understand Jesus Christ, but I could not find the answer through Christian theology. However, through Father’s sermons, I could understand many things right away.
I especially remember the first time Father visited us in Japan, in 1965. The first time Father spoke to us then, I felt he was embracing the whole universe. I had never seen such tearful, serious prayers. Father would just cry, cry, cry.
On the following day, Father spoke about Jesus Christ. At that time, Father never spoke about himself. If you read Father’s sermons from that time, you’ll see that he spoke only about Jesus Christ. Every night I read some sermon by Father and I noticed that Father’s sermons from that time always centered on Jesus. Actually, the best way to come to know Jesus Christ is to know Rev. Moon. Later I realized that the incarnation of Jesus Christ is Father.
Personal meeting with Father
I learned that whenever we meet Father, he can always understand our heart. When I was selected to be acting president of Japan, I was just thirty years old. Right about that time, most of the Japanese members went to Korea for two weeks. To me, however, Mr. Kuboki said, “You will stay and wait.”
I replied to him, “I must know Father’s direction. Otherwise, how can I be responsible for Japan?”
But Mr. Kuboki said, “You will stay and wait.”
Then I thought, “One day I want to meet True Parents, and I want to know what my mission is, what attitude I should have. However, I will wait.”
At that time, I would often pray, “Heavenly Father, please give me a chance to spend one whole day alone with True Parents.”
Then I was called to Korea. We arrived in the evening at the training center at Sutaek-Ri [a village later absorbed into Guri city]. Father was so busy, but he said I could stay. The next day I was to go back alone. I woke up very early, at five o’clock. I could hear the engine of a car arriving. Father shouted, “Where is Oyamada?”
“I am here, Father.”
“Have you had breakfast yet?”
“Not yet, Father.”
“Come, let’s eat together,” Father said. “Where shall we go?” At that time Tong II Industry was still in Sutaek-Ri and just across from it there was a small sports field. Father was making air rifles. He was working all the time.
Father began to talk to me about factual things, “How old are you now?”
“I have just become thirty years old, Father.”
Then he said, “Oh, thirty is the year of Jesus Christ, culminating with the cross. So you are a Christian. Your mission is to Christianize the Japanese people. You should know the good points of Christianity and teach them to the Japanese members, so they can learn how to indemnify Jesus’ course.” Suddenly Father stopped speaking. I wanted to hear more. Father spoke only fifty percent. I wanted to know the other fifty percent, but Father stopped. Then I felt, “Ah, Satan’s listening. This is my portion of responsibility.”
After that, I knew that Father is everything. My problem is that, whenever I see Father, I am so far away. Whenever I lecture, I am representing Father and Father’s spirit, but substantially, when I see Father, I feel sorry I am so small! For me, Father is everything and I am nothing. I owe so much to him. I am so grateful to Father.
One side of my wife Noriko is too masculine; she is a self-determined person. But another side of her is so gentle, so feminine, so interesting—an amazing lady. Now I have fallen in love! [applause] Father always scolds her. However, my wife has changed so much recently. That gives me hope, and I feel like saying, “Father, not too much please. She is changing!” Father’s expectation for each of us is very high. That for me is so precious.
Now my prayer is always to fulfill my portion of responsibility. When I was a freshman at the university, sometimes I expected that I would always live in celibacy, that marriage was just sin. Sometimes, I thought I should just seek the truth, and other times I thought I should marry and have children.
Now I feel my individual salvation has been completed, my prayer of long ago has been completely fulfilled. I had actually forgotten about my prayer at the age of fourteen, but Heavenly Father and Father never forget. Heavenly Father has already given me the answers I was seeking. I have received some grace in advance; but now my mission, my portion of responsibility, still remains—that is my problem.
Future missions
I feel that I must always follow Father. So many public missions still remain, especially as a tribal messiah. In the 30,000-Couple Blessing, my elder brother was blessed, two nephews of mine were blessed, and sixteen couples from my home church area were blessed—but there are so many more yet to be reached.
Since September 1991, my position has changed. Father has assigned me to the World Mission Department. For three months I worked on that mission. This mission is actually my most fervent desire. This desire started in 1975, when Father came to Japan right after the 1800-Couple Blessing to speak at the Budokan Hall. At that time, Father chose one hundred twenty mission countries, and missionaries were selected by lottery.
At that time, I felt a lot of responsibility. Father had sent my elder brothers, or my younger brothers, to mission countries. I should have visited your countries, one by one. Wherever there was even a single missionary, I wanted to go there, and I was looking for a chance to do that.
I was so grateful to get this new mission at the World Mission Department.
Thank you very much.
Rev. and Mrs. Oyamada continue to be pillars of the movement in Japan and worldwide.