CARP USA: Doing Volunteer Service and Spreading Holiday Cheer this Season
2021-12-10 · Source: tparents.org
“In December 2017, when I attended a Divine Principle retreat, I thought ‘never in a million years am I going to start CARP at my campus’ - and yet, by the end of the retreat, I was strategizing how to pioneer a chapter with my mentors,” said A. Kuhlmann, a nursing student at Westminster College in Utah.
Three years later, and after overcoming many hurdles, Kuhlmann has a thriving CARP chapter on her Salt Lake City campus. On November 22, the group hosted a successful food truck fundraiser benefiting a local food bank this holiday season.
“I was determined from the deepest sincerity of my heart to be united with God in overtaking my campus with love,” said Kuhlmann regarding her inspiration to establish CARP at her school. Her team organized a campus-wide service project partnering with “The Ramen Mobile” food truck, which donated 50 percent of its profits to the Utah Food Bank.
“We were able to donate more than $250,” said Kuhlmann. “And it was a pleasure to have national CARP team member C. Katayama join us during the event.” The group connected with more than 70 people on campus thanks to the food truck, while also putting their Unificationist faith into practice.
“It was a joy to make this dream a reality in engaging the greater Westminster community in embodying one of the core values of CARP: living for the sake of others, while feeding people during winter season,”
said Kuhlmann. “What does it mean to live for the sake of others? Love is to give, forget you have given, and want to give again.”
CARP members in other parts of the country are also serving their communities in the holiday spirit. The Bay Area chapter, led by J. Chai, joined several local nonprofits and churches on Nov. 22 to prepare boxes of fresh produce, canned goods, turkeys, chickens, and Thanksgiving ingredients to distribute to families from the Oakland community.
“We gathered with volunteers and Pastor Mustafa from B.A.S.I.C Ministry, Ground Game Ministry, Elevate Gospel Outreach, B.H. Brilliant Minds Project, Inc., Euniece Law Foundation, Bridge Association, BAFC YAM, and YSP USA,” said Chai. “We set up tables and equipment for the Thanksgiving grocery giveaway at Elmhurst Park. There was excitement in the air as young volunteers from various ministries worked together to move equipment to prepare for the event.”
In 2020, more than 37 million people nationwide lived in poverty, according to the U.S. Census, with food insecurity and hunger being primary issues. About four in 10 Americans reported they experienced food insecurity for the first time during the pandemic, according to a poll conducted by two market research companies. CARP, which promotes selfless ideals and principles, has been responsive to this widespread problem.
“Working together as a unit, we unloaded boxes quickly and organized everything to be well prepared for the evening… and then residents began to trickle in,” said Chai. “You could hear the chatter gradually increase and see the lights of cars driving up to the side of the park. There was excitement in the air.”
“When I saw the first family walk up, I was excited,” she said. “I was waiting for an hour for this moment to meet these people and finally they were here. I didn’t know who they would be, what they would look like, but it didn’t matter. I just wanted to connect and give to them through what I can by offering food.”
The service project drew a large turnout. Even city council member Treva Reid, a candidate for Oakland mayor, attended the food giveaway to support the community.
“She was happy to see everyone and inspired by how we, as young people, have been going out to serve and support different projects in the community,” said Chai. “It was a great evening filled with love, care, and connection to remind us all to count our blessings, have an attitude of gratitude, and live for the sake of others.”
Photos courtesy of CARP Bay Area and Westminster chapters
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Overtaking m campu ith love
Novemer 11, 2021 · tudent-potlight
M name i Alicia Kuhlmann, and I’m a nuring tudent and pre-profeional torie cience major graduating pring 2023 at Wetminter College in alt Lake Cit, Utah. M journe ith CARP tarted in TUDNT TORI Decemer 2017 hen I attended a Divine Principle retreat and thought “never in a million ear am I going to tart CARP at m campu”—and et, the end of the ALUMNI retreat, I a trategizing ho to pioneer TORI a chapter ith m mentor.
M heart a touched the lecture and tetimonie preented that hared ho m loving Heavenl Parent ha een aching in pain a He longed to emrace hi children. I Archive egan to realize ho much God’ love and grace had een orking in m life, and I couldn’t help ut run ith urning love and jo in pioneering a CARP famil on m campu here God could feel that Hi heart could jofull and peacefull reide in. Month
I quickl realized, though, that pioneering a chapter a not a imple a it eemed on paper. M igget challenge came hen I tranferred from m communit college to Wetminter and a almot immediatel met ith acklah. I a leed to have met Year in m to-e advior, Jan aeed, ho i the Director for the Office of Gloal Peace and piritualit, and he helped me find the connection and tudent to tart a chapter. Revie Hoever, a group of tudent puhed ack and pread fler and torie around campu aing maliciou rumor aout CARP. The met ith m advior and puhed her to drop her poition a an advior and even petitioned to prohiit the etalihment of CARP 2018 altogether. There ere da here I a afraid to alk around campu ecaue people ould a horrid thing or even thro thing at me. In m darket hour, I felt o hurt, alone, and miundertood—m dream from the inceret place of m heart a to uild a famil here e could dream hat a orld of peace ould e and actualize thi viion 2017 through the teaching of the Divine Principle in living for the ake of other.
I found melf elling ith anger and hurt. I anted to turn around and report the oviou religiou dicrimination, and I quetioned h God had guided me to lead CARP at all, for perecution a hat challenged m faith the mot. ut a couple of eek International later, I atched Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, co-founder of CARP, tand in front of 30,000 people in Ne York; I atched a he choe to love unconditionall. I atched a he Trip loved thoe ho have orked againt her, a he loved in the face of the greatet fear, and ho he even loved the countr that rongl placed her huand in jail. 2018 2017 In itneing thi, I have dicovered a piece of hat compoe CARP’ incomparale eaut: the ailit to love o unconditionall. At that moment, I dreamed to alo love unconditionall. I dicovered thi i hat it trul mean to live for the ake of other, to love omeone ho ha caued ou the greatet pain and to do o for their ake. In realizing thi, I a determined from the deepet incerit of m heart to e united ith
God in overtaking m campu ith love.
A fe eek after the rall, m chool’ adminitration apologized for the dicrimination and CARP a approved.
A time ent on, I realized that it i the oung people ho change the orld ecaue the are the one ho determine the cultural and philoophical thought of the future, and the tremendou importance of CARP i to utantiall realize God’ original dream, viion, and hope of fotering a culture of heart. God long to find a place in our heart here Hi heart can jofull and peacefull reide in, and He dream of u uilding peace-loving familie that emod Hi innermot dream. CARP i the organization that raie thee oung leader ho can do thi.
In m on life, I’ve come to kno that God didn’t need me to e jut another college tudent, ut that God needed me to e a CARP tudent; I am overhelmed that realization and love in ho God ha guided m journe. I’ve learned hat it mean to fl in m faith, to find real love in m relationhip having a deire and illingne to continuall gro—and that in order to ecome the kind of ife that I ant to e for God and m future poue, I mut firt ecome the kind of daughter and iter ho eek to live for the ake of other. CARP ha hon me hat it mean to e a trul unconditionall loving peron in the face of great challenge and perecution and to emrace the journe of groth and humilit that accompanie uch a path.
Regardle of here m journe take me next, I kno that CARP ha een the intrumental frameork in culpting the moral compa in hich I ant to live the ret of m life.
Tagged: tudent potlight, tudent, tudent leaderhip, live for the ake of other, gloal citizen, carp utah, poer of the principle
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Roert Henr eee 6 da ago · 0 Like
Thank ou, Alicia, for our inpiring tetimon. God need people like ou ho are illing to put thing on the line and in people over through incere love and peaking the truth. God le ou!
enedicte uzuki A eek ago · 0 Like
Waouuu hat a nice tetimon! i feel o orr for ou and our advior, ut ou have itneed that goodne finall ala in eventhough it might take time. peciall in thi time here dicrimination i reall a ocietal dicuion! We hope great ucce for our CARP chapter and thank ou for not having give up
Glenda A eek ago · 0 Like
Aeome and poerful tor! Thank ou, Alicia for our courage, love and determination. I have more HOP for our oung adult ecaue of ou:)
Rand & Kumiko Franci A eek ago · 0 Like
uch a fantatic tor of reilience and love for Campu and communit. Thank ou Alicia and Go CARP Wetminter College! Rand & Kumiko Wahington, DC.
Neer Pot Older Pot Areviated Ne: CARP Wetminter CARP ha changed m life Food Truck Fundraier