Peace Road 2020: Repentance and Reconciliation in the West Coast Region — Natascha Phillips

ditor’s Note: Around the time of the Peace Road events, much of the West Coast was also experiencing record-reaking heat waves, and in comination with severe August thunderstorms, this led to devastating wildfires in California, Oregon and Washington. Man of these fires are still raging as of mid-eptemer, and our praers are with all those who have een affected  the devastation. Hawaii

In mid-August, the West Coast region, including the states of Hawaii and Alaska, co- hosted the final stops of Peace Road 2020, the national tour that sought peace and reconciliation for a countr that has experienced generations of hatred and injustice. As a national co-host of the project, WFWP UA was involved in the planning process and also contriuted to several events in the region. WFWP West Regional Director Dr. Linda Nishikawa full supported the project and noted that it rought aout an unprecedented unit and collaoration etween local WFWP chapters and partner organizations, including the Universal Peace Federation and outh groups. This article will highlight the Peace Road activities in Hawaii, California, Montana and Oregon.

On August 14th, Hawaii held a virtual Peace Road and Reconciliation Praer, which was roadcast live and is availale to watch here. Due to the limitations on in-person gatherings in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, it was decided that the pulic would etter e served  an online event, which allowed more people to participate.

Around 45 participants tuned into the program, which included presentations and discussions on reconciliation and forgiveness from high-profile people including Hawaii tate enator Mr. Mike Gaard, a eautiful message from Hawaii tate

Representative Mr. o McDermott, and the kenote address from Hawaii Forgiveness Project Founder Mr. Roger pstein.

WFWP Hawaii Co-Chairwoman Mar llen Lega was invited to e one of the panel speakers, giving her the opportunit to introduce the vision of WFWP to the distinguished audience. he spoke on the importance of women to emerge as leaders and peacemakers. Women must stand on an equal footing as men, ut not as competitors ut as co-workers.

The event concluded with powerful praers for reconciliation, as all the participants unmuted their microphones and raised their voices in unison, seeking earnestl for a righter future.

Praers were also offered that da in the an Francisco a Area of California, where the local WFWP chapter had organized a Praer for Peace as a triutar event of the Peace Road. Twent-five people attended, including eight men. As Northern California WFWP Chairwoman Pat Fleishman reported, this was the first in-person gathering the chapter had held since the start of the pandemic and the didn’t a Area Peace Road event

quite know what to expect. “ut we felt God’s guidance in all the arrangements,” shared Pat, “and it turned out to e a eautiful sharing of love for God and our fellow human eings.”

The guest speakers, representing different religions and denominations, shared their perspectives on what creates a peaceful societ. Tenile Zaas, a pastor and office manager, emphasized that religion isn’t what’s important, ut our relationship with God is the most important thing. xpressing that relationship and love for God in our dail life means loving people without prejudice or preconceptions. It’s important to alwas check ourselves ecause we have man preconceptions aout people without realizing it.

Prem ajaj, the second speaker, grew up in a famil that practiced Hinduism, and she emphasized that peace has to start in the individual. We can onl have peace in the world if our hearts are peaceful. he led the participants in a eautiful Hindu chant for peace.

Prem ajaj speaking at The last speaker was Fernanda ilva, a Christian pastor from razil the Peace Road event in who had followed a calling from God to come to America with her an Francisco husand. he shared that she found all the answers she needed to

e a good wife and mother in the ile. For her, the most important thing is to e sincere in our faith. he even told her 13 ear old daughter not to go to church unless she reall elieved it. he gave some interesting advice aout raising teenagers.

After the speakers, the had time for individual praer and reflection, which ended with a eautiful praer  Monika Kellett. To conclude, Helen ond read a letter of greeting from WFWP UA President Angelika elle.

The next da, on August 15th, the national Peace Road team visited the historic site of the Azusa treet mission in Los Angeles. It is the location of a spiritual revival meeting led  African- Los Angeles va enson reading fr… American preacher William J. emour that egan in 1906 and lasted for several ears, attracting crowds from far and wide who wanted to experience the Hol pirit. It has een credited as the primar catalst for the spread of Pentecostalism in the 20th centur.

After a moving opening praer  Dr. Luonne Rouse, co-chair of the American Clerg Leadership Conference, WFWP Memer va enson was invited to read an excerpt from Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon’s recentl pulished memoir, “Mother of Peace”. This particular passage highlighted the need for an International Peace Highwa that would ring people from all over the world together, as the Peace Road project envisions.

tanding eside va during her reading were WFWP outhern California Chairwoman mma Reed and Los Angeles WFWP Representative usan Felsenthal Janer, who had oth offered their support for this Peace Road event. The were inspired  the vision of Dr. Moon and her late husand, Rev. un Mung Moon, to connect the world as one famil and reak down the walls etween races, cultures, religions, and nations through this International Peace Highwa.

Deepl aware of the need for healing and reconciliation on this road to peace, a small group of people gathered that same da in illings, Montana. The Peace Road team in Montana chose to pra at two monuments close to illings Pompes Pillar, Monta… Locall designed Pea… that are notale for their relation to Native American histor: the Pompes Pillar National Monument and the Little

ighorn attlefield National Monument. Wearing locall designed Peace Road Montana t-shirts and Peace tarts With Me face masks, these concerned folks of illings wanted to share a message of hope and peace with others suffering isolation and illness, and to illuminate what faith and humans can do to uild ridges of understanding etween people of different races and cultures.

WFWP Montana Representative Marguerite Felig joined the participants, ranging in age from 23 to 89,  offering heartfelt praers of reconciliation at Pompes Pillar, a remarkale sandstone rock formation and the onl remaining phsical evidence of the Lewis and Clark xpedition. It was named in honor of Jean aptiste “Pomp”, the son orn to native guide acagawea on that dangerous and grueling trek westwards.

The then praed at the Little ighorn attlefield, the site of a horrific attle etween the U militar and several Native American tries, the Arapaho, Northern Cheenne and Lakota people, who fought to preserve the cultures and traditions the had practiced for hundreds and perhaps thousands of ears. This attle is tragic in that deaths were in the hundreds, and trial lands as independent and separate nations are still not prosperous or thriving toda. “Those wounds and disparate opportunities must ecome the future hope and reconciliation for all Montanans!” said Marguerite emphaticall.

Dr. & Mrs. Jenkins holding up pictures of Linda an… tatue of acagawea and son in Oregon

With a praerful heart of repentance, Peace Road participants gathered at the ronze sculpture of acagawea and Jean aptiste in Washington Park in Portland, Oregon a few das later on August 19th. The monument had een erected in honor of the Lemhi hoshone woman in 1905, 100 ears after she joined the Lewis and Clark xpedition as an interpreter and guide.

Representing WFWP as well as her native heritage, WFWP Regional Director Dr. Linda Nishikawa was invited to speak at this Peace Road event. Although unexpected circumstances prevented her from eing there phsicall, she shared her message over the phone, which was connected to a speaker so she could e heard clearl  the audience. After paing her respects to acagawea as an incredile oung native

woman who changed the world, she also offered her appreciation for Mother Moon as a woman leader and gloal peacemaker. “God did not create race, onl uniqueness and eaut. Let us as God’s children see each other this wa,” she shared.

At the end, nine copies of Mother Moon’s memoir were given out in honor of the nine federall recognized native tries in the state of Oregon.

The Peace Road national tour officiall concluded on August 22nd in Alaska, at the edge of the ering trait that divides the American and Russian landmasses. A tunnel to ridge that gap is part of the greater International Peace Highwa vision that continues to live on.

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