European Parents Matching Convocation in Neumühle, Bad Camberg, Germany

M By Dr David Hanna ore than fifty parents gathered at the seminar centre in Camberg, Germany, for a Parents Matching Convocation (PMC) on the weekend of 7-9 October. Organised by the Blessed Family Department (BFD) with European Second Generation Department (ESGD) support, these events offer practical and spiritual support to parents who are working to find a spouse for their son or daughter. David Hanna, Lisa Janssen, Jane Toresen The tradition in our Unification Movement is one of ‘assisted marriage’, not ‘arranged marriage’ has not worked out. We are there to turn to others on their table for a group (there is an important difference here) help each other. discussion. The first evening was a ‘get and this type of gathering brings For much of the formal programme we to know you’ session, introducing together parents who are just sat seven to a table, in ‘families’ (a everybody and getting people talking. embarking on the process and also style borrowed from the Top Gun The next morning we had a study provides for those who may have a workshops). People can e asily face the session by table using the booklet child whose initial matching or blessing front to listen to a presenter and then produced for the PMC containing True Parents’ and other useful words on the matching and blessing. After breakfast, BFD Director, David Hanna , gave a talk on the background and meaning of The Blessing. That was followed by an explanation from Jane Toresen, the Matching Support Co-ordinator, about the process of parents matching: how to set about it, who to go to for help and many practical suggestions about what to do and what not to do. After lunch there was some table work in groups followed by a moving talk from Lisa Janssen where, as well as introducing her work in the ‘Treasures

On the final morning we had a morning talk from our Continental Director, Mr Jack Corley, who was attending the event as the parent of a matching candidate. He spoke very movingly about his own personal family history. After breakfast we had a panel up front to answer a number of questions that had been submitted over the weekend, closing after some more networking time with a ‘mini-service’ from David Hanna. A special feature of the convocation is the ‘profile room’, where matching profiles of candidates (more than sixty this time) are respectfully displayed. There was plenty of time in the schedule for parent to visit the profile of Heaven’ area (helping blessed couples being interviewed by Jane and room and to simply network with other children with disabilities and their Bert (Janssen) – Anja and Rafael, and parents or talk one-to-one with staff. families), she spoke movingly about Guglielmo and Azusena. To hear the If you are a parent with children of, or her own family and lessons learned young person’s perspective on things approaching, matching age, please do from handling challenging situations. was immensely helpful, and the consider coming to the next Breaking into four separate groups we interview style (adopted from the Convocation. For some parents this was held deeper discussions about a variety Blessing Information Days in the UK) their third or fourth time to attend – so of concerns. All this happened in the meant that the answers were focused first-timers or old-hands, all are beautiful environment of the and relevant. To cap off the day, Ellen welcome. To my mind, it is a Neumuhle, with excellent catering from van Kampen gave a concise summary wonderful example of our community the Camberg staff. of lessons she had learnt in the in action. In the evening we listened to matching process – all in her usual, testimonies. This involved two young entertaining way.