MOTHER of PEACE CHAPTER 10. The Challenge Of Realizing A Heavenly World 8. Sao Tome and Principe, the model for national restoration
Following the inaugural Africa Summit held in January 2018, various nations throughout the African continent expressed a desire to host Summits and Blessings.
After nearly four decades of mission work and on the foundation of the previous year's activities and World Summit 2019, the government of Sao Tome and Principe expressed a strong desire to host initiatives throughout the country, including a Summit, a Blessing Festival and a Youth and Students for Peace Festival.
I sent my representative to Sao Tome in the Spring of 2019 and, after he met the President, His Excellency Evaristo Carvalho, the Prime Minister, His Excellency Jorge Bom Jesus, and the President of the National Assembly, His Excellency Delfim Neves, a memorandum of understanding between UPF and the government of Sao Tome was signed.
Hearing about Sao Tome's willingness to work together on several key initiatives, I was determined to bless it and lay the foundation for a Heavenly nation there, and I announced that I would hold the 2019 Africa Summit and the Hyojeong Family Blessing Festival in Sao Tome and Principe.
This is a beautiful equatorial island nation in the Gulf of Guinea off the coast of Central Africa. It gained its independence from Portugal in 1975. After we had traveled for more than 40 hours, including two layovers, the government of Sao Tome offered an extraordinary welcome.
Cabinet ministers welcomed me warmly at the airport, and the next day His Excellency, President Evaristo Carvalho welcomed me at the Presidential Palace for a private meeting. Following our cordial meeting, the Presidential honor guard escorted me to the National Assembly building to open the Summit. More than 800 leaders from Sao Tome and throughout Africa were in attendance. The National Assembly had generously offered the use of its premises for the Summit and Blessing; and by 9:00 a.m. the main hall and surrounding overflow rooms were full.
In addition to His Excellencies President Carvalho, Prime Minister Jorge Bom Jesus and President of the National Assembly Delfim Neves, there were hundreds of parliamentarians, dozens of government ministers, hundreds of religious leaders and leaders of civil society, as well as several former Heads of State from throughout Africa in attendance.
The Summit, Blessing and USP festivals were all broadcast live on national television and the feedback from the viewers was overwhelmingly positive.
The Summit began, and after inspiring addresses by current and former heads of state, His Excellency Goodluck Jonathan, former president of Nigeria and the Africa chair of the International Summit Council for Peace (ISCP), introduced me.
During my keynote address, I proposed that Sao Tome and Principe work together with me in realizing the model of a heavenly nation. I blessed Sao Tome and Principe as "Heavenly Sao Tome," a nation blessed by God. Hearing this, the audience cheered.
Following my address, President Carvalho expressed his gratitude; sharing his profound appreciation for the various initiatives undertaken in the nation as well as the vision I had laid out during my address. President Carvalho also expressed a strong desire to forge an even stronger relationship and continue our work over the long term. He was particularly happy to hear the term "Heavenly Sao Tome" and even referred to me as "Mother Moon."
That evening, President Carvalho invited me and other heads of state to a State Dinner in a beautiful seaside restaurant reserved for state functions. The gentlemanly President Carvalho guided me as we made our way along the sumptuous buffet, recommending delicious local dishes. I was moved by the sincere desire of the Sao Tome government to develop their nation in a polite and principled manner.
The following day, all government officers, including the President, the Prime Minister and the President of the National Assembly, as well as the former heads of state, gathered for the Blessing festival.
It was a beautiful sight to behold. Six hundred couples, most of them governmental leaders, religious leaders, and leaders of civil society from throughout Sao Tome and neighboring Principe, gathered for the Blessing.
More than 10,000 couples had participated in a preliminary Blessing Ceremony and representatives were selected to attend this Blessing. I was moved by accounts of couples on the verge of divorce healing their differences and pledging to become ideal families through the Blessing.
It was a magnificent family festival, and the eagerness of the families could be seen when at 8:00 a.m. the venue was full even though the Blessing was scheduled for 5:00 p.m. Several couples had come before dawn. The festive mood in the National Assembly was indeed magic. As the time for the Blessing drew closer, the anticipation and eagerness of the couples could be felt.
Fifteen current and former heads of state from throughout Africa were seated on the podium and I sprinkled holy water on all couples representing the realms of government, religion and civil society. It was a beautiful, solemn occasion.
The enthusiastic participation of all three branches of the Sao Tome government as well as the people mean that this was truly a national Blessing Ceremony. During my Blessing prayer, I stated that Sao Tome and Principe had earned the qualification of the first nation to be a model for national restoration.
One particularly moving part of the Blessing program was the purity pledge by representatives of Sao Tome's youth.
As we prepared for the various initiatives in the nation, several challenges arose. One Catholic priest issued a letter profoundly critical of the Unification Church, the Blessing Ceremony and the Universal Peace Federation.
Nonetheless, the relationships we forged with the Sao Tome government and people proved strong enough to bridge any theological differences. The government was firm in its commitment and the people were overjoyed to participate in the many programs that we held.
The day after the Blessing, IAYSP held what some said was the largest youth festival ever held in the nation.
As I was about to leave the country, the president of Sao Tome and Principe bade me a sincere farewell with the kindest words, "Sao Tome is your home and your country, so please come whenever you can." |