Report on 15 Day Divine Principle Seminar in Albania

We are very happy to report on the 15 day Divine Principle Seminar which took place from 13 th – 28th of July 2013. Brothers and sisters were working very hard during the year to prepare their guests for this WS. The main reason is that we have just one time per year the chance and opportunity to bring our guests and members to study in depth the Divine Principle and its practical application in daily life.

This WS was taking place during the 120 day condition before the 1st anniversary of our True Father’s ascension and we wanted to make it a pure and acceptable offering in front of Heaven.

The title of the WS was “LET’S INHERIT VISSON 2020!” and that has been the guiding light throughout the whole WS.

Usually each year we started the 15 day WS on July 10th, but this year we started on 13th. The Training Center in Mullet, Tirana became a heavenly place where many brothers and sisters looked like came back to their home.

Around 90 guests and members gathered together on July 13th to start a beautiful journey in discovering the Principle and the Heart of Heavenly Parent and our True Parents. The schedule of the WS is quite demanding and the weather was very hot, however everybody was very much focused and had a clear goal for being there.

The MCs of the WS were very determined and united to bring great victory and worked really hard every day. Team leaders and the whole staff really united altogether and invested totally themselves to show the standard of a person who knows that is living at the Era after Foundation Day when CIG has already started to be built substantially. It was very inspiring to see each staff member trying to show all the time a parental heart. All 10 teams strived everyday to build a small family within the big family of WS participants. Through their logos and mottos you could see the power of the principle working within them and the presence of spirit world & their ancestors.

During the first week of the WS, 28 lectures were presented on Divine Principle, followed by 5 lectures on True Parents life course. All lecturers tried to give their best to pass the word of God in the best possible way to participants. We are very grateful to Rev. David Hanna – the European Educational Department Director and Blessing Department who came from United Kingdom to teach for three days on our WS.

The second week of the WS started with lecture practice by participants who had to study and give lectures within their team and then select one of team members to give a lecture in front of everybody. They were very serious and tried to study all night long in order to present the Principle well. After the lecture competition, everybody had to go through the DP test. We were amazed to see some very young participants who really understood the principle and did very well in the DP test.

After the DP test, the practical aspect of the Principle had to be tested. Two lectures were given of Formula Course followed by one day of FR in different cities. Even though it was so hot, that became the best day for all of them.

At this time we were really blessed to have so great lecturers coming to support this WS. From 24th – 26th of July, the European Vice President of our movement Rev. Timothy Miller contributed greatly to our WS and presented 8 lectures on Completed Testament Age and Vision 2020. It was a very deep and moving content for everybody. We are just grateful to our elders who have been following True Parents over 30 years already and are so happy to share their heart with us. The WS continued with other presentations on True Parents Tradition, Prayer, Testimony from Elders, CIG providence and Life of Dedication (JeongSeong). Also the chairman of UPF, Mr. Bajram Ibraj gave his own testimony how he came to believe in True Parents. We hold also special sessions on meditation, reflection and prayer evenings where brothers and sisters had deep realizations and profound experiences with Heavenly Parent, True Parents and spirit world.

Community leaders, Ambassadors for Peace and other experienced brothers and sisters contributed enormously through their messages during morning inspiration sessions from 07.00 – 07.30, which took place every day after 30 minutes of morning exercises led tirelessly by two precious brothers.

At the end, according to the evaluation process which took place throughout the whole WS based on responsibilities teams had to fulfill, SCANDEBEGS got the first place, SHINE WITH LOVE the second and CHERRY BLOSSOMS the third.

The closing remarks of the WS were given by Rev. Gi Young Shin – the Special Envoy of True Parents for Albania. Rev. Shin shared with brothers and sisters how his life was changed by the Divine Principle and how he could find make Heavenly Parents dream his own since he was 23 years old and still he is keeping the very same dream. He said that Heavenly Parents and True Parents have chosen Albania as one of 20 strategic countries who can be restored until 2020 and if True Parents have declared it, it CAN BE DONE. I am determined to make it and altogether WE CAN DO!!!

Below are some of the reflections from WS participants: Agron Pacolli, Prishtina Community “Is this the way God chose for me? Should I follow it or abandon it? These were the questions I was asking myself every day. I thought: Why Heavenly father when I didn’t want to go to the FFWPU center I found myself exactly there. Why I can’t stay away from these people, away from that place? Why when I am away from there I continuously think about the center to the point I found myself there (in the center). In the meantime I had everyone opposing me… “don’t lose your time going there”. They even called me a fool. Those words coming from people I truly loved, hurt me a lot. I had no idea how the 15 Day WS would be like, but I decided to go because I wanted to answer these questions. I had my goals all the time. I understood the heart of God and the prophets, the purpose of my existence, and why God created me. I understood how the relations with the others should be. I thought my way would be easy after I found the answers to those questions, but once it was clear I said to myself” “Why me Heavenly Father?! I could understand how difficult this course would be. I understood the heart of True Parents, as they put their life in danger for the sake of humanity. I understood they did not fear for themselves; in their mind was only God and humanity. This workshop will be the new beginning for my life. I understood it was God who brought me here and he is expecting me to do my part. And in this workshop I promised to God – YES, I will follow this course no matter how difficult. I understood that not only I need God but also God needs me. I WILL MAKE IT! Arnold Grami, Elbasan Community (Team Leader) ..Everything started upon receiving a new responsibility, but later it was an investment of heart and in the end it turned out to be a parental feeling not only for my small family but for every single person that was in Mullet training center. I know I am not very modest now, but these days I could understand what does it mean to live for the sake of the others. I saw myself falling into pieces that things would go well. Now, in the end I say: WOW if we could invest every day with this kind of heart we wouldn’t need 7 years but far more less to make things right. If it would be so…!!!!!!…

Eglantina Hoxha, Tiranë … I feel different, ready to conquer the world because Heavenly Parent is inside me and He needs me. Yesterday I made a promise to God, a promise that I strongly felt and that I was eagerly waiting to make. I infinitely thank Him for choosing me exactly now when my heart and mind is more open than ever. I am infinitely grateful for I now know my purpose of life. I know that I am fallen but more importantly that I know how to get back to God, my heavenly Parent. This is simply amazing!!! Erion Meniku, Shkodra Community Before coming to this workshop I knew and felt that it would be beautiful, but I never imagined it would be so amazing. The reason I came to the WS was to know better the heart of God. Mr. Miller was speaking about the moment that the Word of God is touching our hearts and the moment that really moved my heart was when Robert (lecturer) was sharing about what Israel should have offered. It should have offered the most precious thing – love. If Abraham had to offer his son, we should offer our family and all what we have in our heart… Ermelinda Cufo, Durrës Community … This was the best workshop where I could feel OK with everything. Something in my heart has changed and I feel very good here. I truly felt God and True Parents. I want to do many things. I received so much inspiration during the workshop that I don’t want to go back home although I love my family. This surprises me since I was never away from home. Here I begun to love these brothers and sisters more. I am eagerly waiting for the mobilization time which I am convinced ti will be a great time. Whatever we do for Heavenly Parent and True Parents it’s beautiful, special, a life full of accomplishments. I want to continue this way till the end of my life, walking with True Parents. The way of my life will be always centered on God because it is truly a beautiful life in which you feel complete. Brisilda Azizi, Vlora Community … This WS was very necessary for me and it helped me immensely to reflect and go deep in my heart, to God and True Parents. This made possible for me to feel the greatest love that ever existed which I was missing and that I was waiting for the day when I wouldn’t feel that emptiness inside. Thank you!!! Kristina Ahmetlli, Korça Community … The first days seemed difficult since we had to adapt to a different daily schedule from before coming here. The lectures seemed longer than in reality and not to fall asleep I did have short conversations with my team members during lectures. I am sorry for that. By the rolling of days we became friendly to each other. I admit \i had unpleasant moments, but we are fallen people and we might hurt each other without being aware or without intention. However these are tests that serve us to have the determination and understand what we truly want to do. There were moments when I asked myself: ‘what am I doing here?’, ‘Should I stay or should I go?’ Yet unreasonably I felt I should stay… Irida Shkoza, Tirana Community This was the first workshop for me. I still don’t know what was the main thing that pushed me to come to this place and receive the first lectures. From the first day I came into contact with the (FFWPU) center, an internal power was pushing me to go there every day to receive lectures. When I received the Second Coming lecture I was confused but by each day passing I felt God close to me. These last days I could answer all the why-s I had before. Now I truly understand why I needed such a community. Yes!!! That emptiness I felt before, even though my life was not so troubled; with a nice and loving family, something was missing and I felt this emptiness inside of me. That emptiness is being filled here. Prior to getting in touch with FFWPU I was praying that I can be close to God so He heard my prayers and I will make my best to make Him feel proud of me!!! Iva Nasufi, Kosova Community .. Before (this WS) I was practicing without having a clear idea what I was doing, but now that I learned more about True Parents, their suffering life, I think we are very selfish. I personally was not aware how lucky and blessed I was since I have everything. After this workshop I know clearly where I will be. Only one thing is occupying my mind and heart. Until now I enjoyed whatever God gave me, I received every ounce of love from Him and He has never abandoned me. He was beside me when I needed Him; but now He needs me – I will offer my heart to Him. No doubt these were the best days of my life!!!

One August 3rd we expect most of those who attended the WS to join a 33 day witnessing campaign until Sept. 6th. May Heavenly Parent and True Parents’ Vision 2020 become substantial through all of us!!!! Reported by Albanian FFWPU HQ!