🇩🇪Christel Werner

This historic day in February 1975 is forever engraved in our hearts and minds, as it was the time we received instructions from our True Parents, to send missionaries from Germany to 120 nations within six weeks. The given number of 120 is symbolic, as explained in detail in the Divine Principle. All missionaries were supposed to be in their respective countries on 1st May 1975, which seemed totally impossible, given each nation's different situations and legal requirements. But the word "impossible" did not exist for our True Father.

One missionary from each of the former enemy nations of Japan, the United States, and Germany, were to form a trinity, and work together as a team. Since True Parents were living in the United States at that time, True Father addressed the American missionaries.

His words were meant for the Japanese and German missionaries as well: "As I send you to many nations, our message and our way of life will be spread to every corner of the earth. You are to serve the people of your nation. What has been done for others will remain, and always be remembered by future generations." He urged them: "If you succeed to unite as Japanese, American, and Germans, your work will be blessed by God, and crowned with success. If the three of you are totally united, God will absolutely help you, and your nation will develop. If you don't, you will never make progress." These young missionaries were the representatives of True Parents.

Their focus was on the principle of true love and service, thus achieving the unification of all people as children of God — regardless of skin color, nationality, and religion. True Father emphasized: "God wishes to visit every corner of the world He created. He especially wants to visit those places where His children are sincerely preparing the foundation of loyalty. As God's children, therefore, you must pioneer the end of the world, and invite Him." At that time, my husband Paul and I were stationed in Pasadena, California, supporting the IOWC activities in the United States.

Completely unexpected, we received the call from our True Parents, entrusting us with this historic undertaking — to send German missionaries to all corners of the world. My immediate reaction was a sense of concern, and a tremendous responsibility for the lives of these brothers and sisters. They lacked life experience, were so young in age, and young in our movement. As we have worked in different nations around the world ourselves, we knew what was awaiting them, and wanted to prepare them as much as possible. However, this was God's call through our True Parents, and prayed that He would grant our precious brothers and sisters the protection they so desperately needed, and only He could provide.

When Paul and I arrived at our seminar center, Neumühle, our young missionaries to be were already assembled, and my feelings for each of them were overwhelming. We spent these few days with unforgettable meetings — as a group, and personally with brothers and sisters.

We are deeply grateful to Rita and her team, who reliably and tirelessly took care of all necessary preparations — a monumental effort in all respects. To the missionaries, we stressed the importance of immediately communicating their arrival, staying in regular contact with us, never exposing themselves to dangerous situations alone, and turning to the respective German Embassy for help, if necessary.

Father's instructions for the missionaries to arrive in their countries by 1st May 1975 were taken very seriously by Paul — as always.

Therefore, we are grateful that all German missionaries were on their way by the end of April, and were the first to arrive in their mission countries.

For them to feel connected with True Parents and our worldwide activities, we sent monthly letters and photos by airmail. Our prayers and love have always accompanied each one of them.

Unfortunately, it was not possible for Paul and myself to personally send off the missionaries, as we were entrusted with another important responsibility in the United States, and had to leave earlier. The last gathering in our training center was a moving farewell. Many tears were shed. While singing the song we knew so well, it took on a much deeper meaning for all of us.

"The heart of my country beckons to me, to fill its emptiness. My Father long has spoken to me, His desire this land to bless. He sends me on to life unknown, to work in a far-off place. He loves that land before I come, and through me, He'll give it grace…"

Once in their countries, the missionaries persevered bravely despite many hardships and dangers, embraced the different cultures and languages, and laid a solid foundation for their country's future. We could only accompany them with innumerable, tearful prayers.

Their guardian angels have certainly had to work overtime to protect their lives. After their Marriage Blessing in 1982 — either in Madison Square Garden, New York, or Korea — the missionaries returned to their mission countries, and eventually started their family life.

They gave birth to children, sometimes under challenging conditions — be it in Africa, the Middle East, Central and South America, or Asia. Our courageous missionaries are, and always will be, dear to our hearts. We tried to keep in touch with them, even when we were officially no longer responsible for them.

Paul and I are eternally grateful to our brave missionaries — for answering the call of our Heavenly Parent and our True Parents, for their tireless commitment, their deep faith, devotion, sacrifice, and their life of selfless love in service to God's children worldwide.

We especially thank our Heavenly Parent for all His protection and blessings. To this day, we pray for the missionaries and their families. May their unique examples of service and dedication inspire future generations, to participate in building a peaceful world.