As If It Were Yesterday
by Yoshiko de Lauriers
I still remember as if it were yesterday, the day I left Japan the first time, for America, in June 1982, to receive the Blessing. That day the entire Kobe group departed from Japan. We members were divided into teams all over Japan and worked hard to restore the economy before the Blessing. We were called Kobe group because our location was Kobe in Hyogo Prefecture. Since we were the first to arrive in America from overseas, the matchings began with our arrival. I think there were about 80 people in the Kobe group in total. I could really see the excitement in everyone's eyes as they first saw us. Father was waiting for us in the ballroom of the New Yorker. That's when the matching began, and Father asked us, the sisters of the Kobe group, to raise our hands if we had been in the Unification Movement for seven years or more. I had been hearing the Divine Principle since I was 15 years old, in my first year of high school, so I raised my hand. Next, Father asked, that group of sisters, to raise their hands if they had spiritual children. So, we did that. Father looked behind us and said, โThat fat woman, please come to the front.'' In my heart, I thought, โIf True Father ever called me โfat womanโ I would never forget.โ When I looked back, no one had raised their hand, and I realized he was talking to me. (I wasn't that fat at that time, but later our members consoled me and told me to understand that this meant that Father was saying that I was a woman who was fat at heart.)
From there, 12 people from each country lined up and the matching began, starting with those who were standing in front first. When it was my turn, Father asked, โWhoever wants to be matched to this Japanese sister, raise their hand.โ The sight of many brothers who were lined up behind, raising their hands, is still etched in my mind. My husband was selected from among those many members. When the decision was made, I didn't know what I would be facing in the future. But I remember being filled with gratitude, and I determined that I must live in the United States since I had received the blessing I had longed for. However, my husband was Canadian and had no status in the US. So, I went to Canada and then re-entered the US after about three months, using a tourist visa. For my first mission, I was assigned by Reverend Kamiyama to Boston.
I was born in Shikoku, a southern island of Japan, I was quite surprised at how cold Boston was. I remember witnessing, trying to find someone to speak to at the Boston Commons, even though I couldn't speak English very well. I also participated in fundraising. We formed a team of five people and took a van to Pittsburgh where I started selling flowers. Our captain's name was Alan. The other sisters who came from Japan were on a fiancรฉ visa that permitted them to work. I was the only one on a tourist visa, so when a policeman stopped me, he gave me a warning. That first time he stopped me, I made the excuse that I was fundraising as a volunteer and promised not to do it again, but then continued fundraising in a different location. However, the same police officer (also named Alan) caught me again. So, I went straight to prison, for the first time in my life! I remember being stripped naked, having my photo taken, and spending seven days in a women's prison.
My fundraising captain came to see me in prison because he was worried about me, but I boasted to him that I was on โspecial leaveโ from fundraising so as not to worry him or others. On Sundays in prison, a Christian pastor came and preached to us, telling us to repent and that our sins would be forgiven. I felt it was a bit phony. Living in prison, one is not really free to go anywhere. I think people looked at me believing that, since I was an Asian woman who came to the US and spoke broken English, nothing bad would happen to me. I was relieved that I was able to get out of prison within a week. But there was still some fundraising left to do, so the captain gave me a new area, and while I was selling flowers this time, another police officer, also named Alan, came to grab me as if he were waiting for me. I ended up back in prison again. When I entered the prison, I remember all the female prisoners greeting me in unison saying, "Welcome back!" I was put in a double room with an older woman. I remember her telling me to go back to my country. When I got out after four days, I thought I was going to be released, but officer Alan, who was waiting for me, took me straight to the immigration office, where I went through deportation procedures and ended up in prison again for a third time. This imprisonment, however, was to prevent me from running away before getting on the plane to go back to Japan the next day.
Since then, I have never forgotten the name Alan. Whenever I meet someone with that name I am reminded of these Alans and I pay attention. Because I know that person will be beneficial to me. Presently, in my small group, there is a brother named Alan who helped me with my American Clergy Leadership Conference work, and who also brought the uncle of President Obama to our meeting. That was a very precious memory.
About four months after returning to Japan, I got a new passport, studied accounting, got a chef's license, and returned to the United States. At that time, Rev. Kamiyama asked me to take charge of personnel at a restaurant. Though my time at the official church was short-lived, I have nothing but fond memories of it. After that, I was able to obtain permanent residency through the Restaurant Providence because I had a chef's license.
From there, I worked in restaurants, in the Fish Business, and Seil Travel. Once I started a family, the providence of an independent economy awaited me, and I started working outside the church for the first time in my life. Since then, I have been blessed with three children. All three of them have been blessed by TP. I now have four grandchildren. Although my husband was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease when he was young, he raised our children dutifully. He came to America from Canada because he wanted to become a singer. I have been saved in many ways by the depth and purity of his heart as an artist. I am grateful to True Parents for giving me the perfect partner. Now, I am working hard as a matching supporter so that as many second-generation as possible can receive blessings and I can return my gratitude to God.
Thank you very much.
๏ผ๏ผ๏ผ๏ผๅนด๏ผๆ็ฅ็ฆใๅใใ็บใซๆฅๆฌใใๅใใฆใขใกใชใซใฎๅฐใซๆ
็ซใฃใๆฅใฎใใจใใใพใใงๆจๆฅใฎใใใซไปใงใ่ฆใใฆใใใพใใๆฅๆฌใใๅบ็บใใใ็ง้็ฅๆธ้๏ผๆฅๆฌไธญใง้ใซใใใใ็ฅ็ฆๅใฎ็ตๆธๅพฉๅธฐใซๅฑใใงใใพใใใใใใฎๅฐใๅ
ตๅบซ็ใฎ็ฅๆธใงใใใฎใงใใใฎใใใซๅผใใงใใใพใใ๏ผใไธ็ชๅงใใซใขใกใชใซใซๅฐ็ใใพใใใฎใงใใใใใ็ฅ็ฆใๅงใพใใพใใใ๏ผ็ฅๆธ้ใฏใฟใใชใง๏ผ๏ผๅใใใใใใใจๆใใพใ๏ผใฟใใชใฎ็ง้ใ่ฆใ็ฎใๆๅพ
ใซ่จใใใงใใใใใฎใใฒใใฒใใจๆใใพใใใNew Yorkerใฎใใผใซใผใ ใงใฏใ็ถๆงใ็ง้ใๅพ
ใฃใฆใใใใพใใใใใใใ็ฅ็ฆใๅงใพใฃใใใใงใใใใ็ถๆงใฏ็ง้็ฅๆธ้ใฎๅงๅฆน้ใซๅใใฃใฆใไฟกไปฐๆญดใฎ๏ผๅนดไปฅไธใใใใฎใฏๆใๆใใชใใใจใใฃใใใใใพใใใ็งใฏ้ซๆ กไธๅนดใฎ๏ผ๏ผๆญณใฎๆใใใฟ่จ่ใ่ใใฆใใใฎใงไธๅฟๆใๆใใพใใใใใฎไธญใง้ใฎๅญใใใใใฎใฏๆใๆใใฆใใชใใใจ่จใใใพใใใฎใงใใใฎใพใพๆใๆใใฆใใใพใใใใ็ถๆงใ็ง้ใฎๅพใใฎๆนใ่ฆใชใใใใใใใฎๅคชใฃใฆใใๅฅณใๅใซๅบใฆใใชใใใใใจใใฃใใใใใพใใใ็งใฏๅ
ๅฟใ็ถๆงใซๅคชใฃใฆใใๅฅณใ ใชใใง่จใใใฆใใใใใใใซไธ็ๅฟใใใใชใใงใใใใจๆใ
ๅพใใๆฏใ่ฟใฃใใ่ชฐใๆใๆใใฆใใใใ็งใฎใใจใ ใจๆใใพใใใ๏ผใใฎๆใฏใใใชใซใพใ ็งใฏๅคชใฃใฆใใใพใใใงใใใใใใใจใงใใฟใใชใซใ็ถๆงใๅฟๆ ใๅคชใฃใฆใใๅฅณใ ใจใใฃใใใใใใฎใ ใจ่งฃ้ใใชใใใจๆ ฐใใใใพใใใ๏ผ
ใใใใๅๅฝใฎ๏ผ๏ผๅใไธฆใณ็ฅ็ฆใๅงใพใใพใใใใๆๅใซๅใซ็ซใฃใฆใใไบบใใกใใๅงใพใใพใใใใใฎไธญใง็งใฎ็ชใซใชใฃใๆใใ็ถๆงใใใฎๆฅๆฌใฎๅฅณใใใใใฎๆใไธใใชใใใจใใฃใใใใใๅพใใซไธฆใใงใใใใใใใฎใกใณใใผใๆใไธใใใใๅ ๆฏใฏไปใ่ณ่ฃใซ็ผใไปใใฆใใใพใใใใฎไธญใใไปใฎ็ธๅฏพ่ ใ้ธใฐใใฆใใพใใใๆฑบใพใฃใๆใฏไฝใใใใใชใ็ถๆณใงใใใใใใใใใขใกใชใซใซไฝใใฎใ ใจใใๆฑบๆใจๅฟต้กใฎ็ฅ็ฆใๅใใใใฆใใใ ใใใจใใๆ่ฌใง่ธใใใฃใฑใใงใใฃใใฎใ่ฆใใฆใใใพใใ
ใใใฆไธปไบบใใซใใไบบใงไฝใฎใขใกใชใซใงใฎStatusใใชใใฃใใฎใงใ็งใใใฎใพใพ่ฆณๅ VISAใงไธใๆใใใใใฆใขใกใชใซใฎๅฐใซๅๅ ฅๅฝใใใใพใใใใใใฆๆๅใซ็ฅๅฑฑ้้ทใใใใใ ใใไปปๅฐใใในใใณใงใใใ
ๅใฎๅฝๅๅฝ็ใพใใงใใใฎใงใใในใใณใฎๅฏใใซใฏ้ฉใใพใใใใงใไธๆใใใในใใใใชใ่ฑ่ชใไฝฟใใชใใBoston Commonใไธ็ๆธๅฝ่ฉฑใใใใไบบใๆขใใฆใใใฎใ่ฆใใฆใใใพใใใใใฆFunderazingใซใๅๅ ใใพใใใTeamใ5ไบบใง็ตใใงPittsburgใซใญใฃใฉใใณใซไนใฃใฆใใใพใใใCapitainใฎๅๅใฏใขใฉใณใใใงใใใใใใง่ฑๅฃฒใใๅงใใใฎใงใใใไปใฎๆฅๆฌใใๆฅใใใๅงๅฆนใฏใใฃใขใณใปใใถใงใๅใใVISAใใใฃใใฎใงใใใ็งใ ใ่ฆณๅ ใใถใงใใใฎใงใ่ญฆๅฏใซๆณจๆใใใฆใใพใใพใใใไธๅ็ฎใฏใใใงใฏVolunteerใงใใฃใฆใใใฎใงใจ่จใ่จณใใใชใใไปๅพใฏใใชใใใใจ็ดๆใใใฎใงใใใ้ใๅ ดๆใงใใๅงใใใใๅใ่ญฆๅฏๅฎใใใใใขใฉใณใจใใๅๅใงใใฃใใฎใใใใใพใใใใๆใพใฃใฆใใพใใพใใใใใใงใใฎใพใพ็ขๅฑใซ็ใพใใฆๅใใฆๅ ฅใใพใใใ่ฃธใซใใใฆๅ็ใๆฎใใใฆๅฅณๆงใฎ็ขๅฑใซ๏ผๆฅ้ๅ ฅใฃใใฎใ่ฆใใฆใใพใใ
Capitainใๅฟ้ ใใใฆ้ขๆฅใซใใใใพใใใใ็นๅฅไผๆใ ใจ่ฑช่ชใใฆๅใใฆใฎ็ต้จใๅๅใใซๅฟ้ ใใใชใใใใซ่ฉฑใใใฎใ่ฆใใฆใใใพใใ็ขๅฑใงใฎๆฅๆๆฅใฏใญใชในใๆใฎ็งๅธซใใใใใๆใๆนใใใใใชใใฎ็ฝชใฏ่จฑใใใใจใไธ็ๆธๅฝ่ชฌๆใใใฆใใใใใงใใใใกใใฃใจๅฝๅ็ใซใๆใใพใใใใ็ขๅฑใงใฎ็ๆดปใฏๆฌๅฝใซใฉใใซ่กใใซใ่ช็ฑใงใฏใใใพใใใๆฑๆดไบบใใใใซๅ ฅใฃใฆใใฆBrokenใฎ่ฑ่ชใ่ฉฑใใจใใ้ขจใซ่ฆใใใฆใใใจๆใใพใใๆชใใใจใฏใใใพใใใงใใใใจใซใใไธ้ฑ้ใง็ขๅฑใใงใฆใใใใฎใงไธๅฎๅฟใใฆใใใพใใใใพใ Funderazingใฎๆ้ใๆฎใฃใฆใใใฎใงใCapitainใๆณจๆใใชใใใจใชใคใ้ธใใงใใพใ่ฑๅฃฒใใใใฆใใใพใใใ็งใๆขใใฆใใใใฎใใใซใใใไธไบบใฎใขใฉใณใใใ็งใๆใพใใซใใพใใใใพใ็ขๅฑใซ้ๆปใใงใใ็ขๅฑใซๅ ฅใฃใ้ใซใฏๅฅณๆงใฎๅไบบใใไธๆใซWelcome Backใจใใฃใฆใใใใฎใ่ฆใใฆใใพใใใพใๅใ็ขๅฑใฎไบไบบ้จๅฑใงใๆญณใฎใใใใๅฅณๆงใจไธ็ทใงใใใใใใฎๆนใใใ่ชๅฝใซๅธฐใใชใใใจ่ชฌๆใใฆใใใใฎใ่ฆใใฆใใใพใใ4ๆฅๅพใซใงใใใใฎใงใใใใง่งฃๆพใใจใใใฃใฆใใใใ็ขๅฑใใๅบใใฎใๅพ ใฃใฆใใๅฅใฎใขใฉใณใใใซใใฎใพใพ็งปๆฐๅฑใซ้ฃใใฆใใใใๅผทๅถ้้ใฎๆ็ถใใใใใใใฎใพใพใพใ3ๅ็ฎใฎ็ขๅฑใซๅ ฅใใพใใใใใใฏๆฌกใฎๆฅใซ้ฃ่กๆฉใซไนใฃใฆๆฅๆฌใซๅธฐใใใใซ้ใใชใใใใซใจใใใใใฎใใฎใงใใใ
ใจใซใใไบไบบใฎใขใฉใณใใใซๆใใใใใใงใใขใฉใณใใใฎๅๅใฏไธ็ๅฟใใใใชใๅๅใซใชใใพใใใๆใ้ใใไปใใกใณใใผใฎใขใฉใณใใใจใใๆนใซSmall GroupใACLCใงใไธ่ฉฑใซใชใฃใฆใใใพใใ็งใซใจใฃใฆใฏๅคงๅใชใๅๅใงใใไปใฎใขใฉใณใใใฎใฒในใใงไปฅๅใฎObamaๅคง็ตฑ้ ใฎใ็ถใใใฎไธ็ชไธใฎๅผใใใๆใๅฎถใฎSmall Groupใฎไผๅใซๆฅใฆใใใใใจใๆฌๅฝใซ่ฒด้ใชๆใๅบใงใใ๏ผๆทปไปใๅ็ งใใขใฉใณใใใChibuishiใใใฎใๅญใใใใพใ ๅฐใใๆใงใใใ๏ผ
ๅธฐๅฝๅพ๏ผใๆใใใใใกๆฐใใใในใใผใใไฝๆใใใฎ้ใซไผ่จใฎๅๅผทใ่ชฟ็ๅธซใฎๅ ่จฑใๅใใใฆใใใ ใใใขใกใชใซใซใพใๅธฐใฃใฆใใพใใใใใฎ้ใซใฏ็ฅๅฑฑ้้ทใใใฌในใใฉใณใฎไบบไบใๆฟใใพใใใๆไผไบบไบใฏ็ญใ้ใงใใใใๆฅฝใใๆใๅบใใๆฎใฃใฆใใพใใใใใฎๅพใฌในใใฉใณๆ็ใงใ่ชฟ็ๅธซใฎๅ ่จฑใใใฃใฆใใใ้ฐใงๆฐธไฝๆจฉใๅใใพใใใ
ใใใใใฌในใใฉใณใ๏ผฆ๏ฝ๏ฝ๏ฝใใธใในใไธไธ่ฆณๅ ใจไบๆฅญ็ใงๅใใใฆใใใ ใใๅฎถๅบญใใใฃใฆๅญไพใ3ไบบใงใใพใใใ่ช็ซ็ตๆธๆ็ใๅพ ใฃใฆใใใไปๅบฆใฏ็ใพใใฆๅใใฆๅคใฎไธ็ใงใฎไปไบใๅงใพใใพใใใใใใใไปใซ่ณใฃใฆใใใพใใใ3ไบบใฎๅญไพใซๆตใพใใ3ไบบใจใ็ฅ็ฆใๅใใฆใใใพใใใไป4ๅใฎๅญซใใใใพใใไธปไบบใฏ่ฅใๆใซใใผใญใณใฝใณๆฐ็ ใซใใใฃใฆใใพใใพใใใใๅญไพ้ใ็ด ็ดใซ่ฒใฆใฆใใใพใใใๆญๆใซใชใใใใฆใซใใใใใขใกใชใซใซใใฆๅพฉๅธฐใใใพใใใใ่ธ่กๅฎถใฎๆใคใใฎๅฟๆ ใฎๆทฑใใจๆธ ใใฎใ้ฐใง็งใๆใใใฆใใใจใใใใใใใใใใพใใ็งใซใใใฟใชใชๆ้ซใฎ็ธๅฏพ่ ใไธใใฆใใ ใใฃใใใจใซใ็ถๆฏๆงใซๆ่ฌใใฆใใใพใใไปใฏใใฎๆ่ฌใ็ฅๆงใซใ่ฟใใงใใใใใซไธไบบใงใๅคใใฎ2ไธ้ใซ็ฅ็ฆใๅใใฆใใใใใใใใใใใณใฐใตใใผใฟใผใจใใฆๅฅฎ้ใใฆใใๆฅใ ใงใใ
ใใใใจใใใใใพใใใ
all photos are from yoshiko de lauriers