Taeko Duckworth

Taeko was born on 31st May 1955 in Fuji City, Shizuoka to her loving parents Minoru & Yoshie Komori. After her schooldays, she entered Tsuda Women's College, Tokyo and studied English Literature. It was during that period that she met and joined the Japanese CARP movement in 1975 at the age of 20. She quickly gained the capacity to teach Victory over Communism lectures and face communists in street rallies. By the late 1970s she was pioneering in Kagoshima and witnessing to Catholic students amongst others. During this period, she gained several spiritual children before she was called for the 1980 matching and the subsequent 6000 couple Blessing in 1982.

She came over to England in May 1981 with other Japanese sisters and joined the Leeds CARP centre. After spells on mobile fundraising teams, she came to work with the ginseng team, selling ginseng in London. After a few years she was able to join Ken at the Unification Theological Seminary in Upstate New York to study on the 2-year Master's course in Religious Education, from which she graduated in 1988.

On returning to England she worked as the personal assistant to the then National Leader Mr Masatoshi Abe, before she and Ken took the mission as Aberdeen centre leaders during 1990 & 1991. This was followed by regional leadership of Scotland in Edinburgh in 1992 & 1993. During that time Taeko was called to give lectures on the significant roles of women in Biblical history. Ken & Taeko were very honoured to be able to receive True Mother for her speech in Edinburgh in 1992.

1993 saw the birth of a wonderful daughter Kaori Angeline who was so graciously offered to them for adoption by Don & Yuriko Trubshaw. Taeko & Ken attended the 1996 National Messiah's workshop and were given the mission to Bahamas. They moved over there and stayed for six months before returning to the UK after their visas could not be renewed.

Taeko supported the Women's Federation for World Peace activities for a number of years and could participate in some Middle East Peace Initiative conferences in Jerusalem as an interpreter for the Japanese delegates. She was involved in one project to set up micro-businesses in Jordan for bereaved women. She pioneered the holding of an annual UK Young Women's Speech Contest on behalf of the Women's Federation for World Peace.

Taeko was involved in the British Clergy Leadership Conference and took the initiative to hold 'Prayers for Peace' meetings in North London at various church venues. As a result it was possible for pastors Charlotte Kwateng & Theresa Ayertey to attend Mother's speech and an International Leadership Conference in Korea. They were also able to hold an Ambassadors for Peace awards ceremony for 13 Christian ministers & council leaders including the Mayor of Haringey.

Taeko encouraged her daughter to study well and attend & graduate from Kings College, London. Angie was able to receive True Parents' Blessing in Korea in 2013.

Taeko was always a creative inspiration in her dedication & loyalty to True Parents and in 2020 she could register her family as a Cheonbo Family by the grace of True Parents and Heavenly Parent.