The proclamation of the foundation day

The providence of True Parents

1988 Olympic games and the proclamation of the foundation day for the nation of the unified world

After the 40 years extension of the providence from 1948, the 1988 Olympic Games were held in Seoul.

From external point of view, the 1988 Seoul Olympics helped show to the world the strength of Korea as a nation. From an internal view, God’s providence was embedded within the Olympics. The government was officially established in Korea in 1948. But after 40 years of extension in the providence, Father Proclaimed, ‘The nation of the Unified World’ and brought the level of Korea to the level of the nation that unified the world. (This level has now been extended to that of the Nation of the Unified Cosmos).

Athletes participated from 160 nations, the largest number in the history of the Games. There were 13,000 participants and there were even 514 participants from Soviet Union. It was something we could only dream about at the time.

When I was n New York, a member who used to work as a teller at a branch of a Japanese bank told me that many Japanese people in America send money for the successful event. Our country was short on budget, too, but many people around the world sent money to Korea.

In Osaka, Japan, there was a meeting hall for Korean who lived in Japan. They made and put up a plaque on a side of the walls and there was a list of who gave 1 million yen, 2 million yen and 3 million yen. Korean in Japan donated a lot of money at the time. Our government put this money in good use.

160 nation participated in the Olympic but many of them were small Island nations with few tens of thousands of population. Such nation could not send their participants. So we invited these participants and paid for their cost. You see, they could be counted as one nation as long as they have at least three participants including the flag-bearer. A large nation such as America would be counted as one nation and small nation with only three participants could also be calculated as one nation. It is said that Korea invited these small nations’ participants with the money they received as a donation from their people living abroad.

North Korea was watching attentively as how well South Korea would host the ’88 Olympics. So we had to put a good show. We also had to show to the world our true self. So Korea invited even the smallest nations and the number of participant countries became 160. The most number of nations in history participated in this Olympic.

Father invited the participants and their staff members who came for the Olympic to Little Angels Art hall. Father gave them good food, showed them Little Angel’s performance. He gave suits to the men and silk clothing to the women. Father also gave ties and cravats. Father close assistant, Mr. Pak Bo Hi and Rev. Kwak Chung Hwan, welcomed these participants, and they were greatly moved when they introduced to them about Father’s worldwide providence.

The participants from Soviet Union did not come at first. The festival continued for three days and the participants from Soviet Union ended up coming for the event on the last days after hearing so good stories from the participants of satellite nations. On this day, Father‘s assistants, who were there to act as Father representative, worked hard to explain about Father’s providence. They told them “Rev. Moon does not have enemies, he hate none. He is also working very hard to save this world. He also has done a lot of work through unending services and sacrifices.”

The participants were greatly moved and one of the participant who won a gold medal offered his newly won medal to Father through the head of the team. He said that they received so much from Rev. Moon and they could not leave the nation without returning something to Father.

Rev. Kwak at the time came to Father’s house in Hannam Dong and reported this. Father was very happy. Father was satisfied and said “Ok. As the children of the enemy nation come to me bearing substantial gifts, the path will now open.”

Then Father said that in the Seoul Olympics, Father represented Jacob and the second generation children represented Esau. Even though they came to Korea to participate in a tournament, from Father’s providential point of view, these second generation Esau’s become one with Father who was in the position of Jacob. Father said that the important even of the Unification of Esau and Jacob happened through the ’88 Olympics. So Father made sure he watched as many sporting events as possible during the ’88 Olympics. Father turned on three television in order to catch all of the events.

Seoul did not have enough stadiums so the Olympics used stadium in other cities such as Busan, Daegu; Gwangiu; and Jeonju. Most of the games were shown on TV and Father watched them without sleeping. Father watched the games until 2 or 3 in the morning. Trying to stay awake but dozing off from time to time. So those who were attending Father wanted to make Father go to bed, and even though the TV was showing the sport events 24 hours a day, they told Father “Father! It’s over now.” Then Father said “Yeah? It is over?” then he retired. Father however slept only about 2 hours and said he wants to watch the games again.

Father paid that much attention to the ’88 Olympics. No one was able to follow the level of Father’s devotion. Father said he had to offer the most amount of Jeonseong: more than anyone in the world since the ’88 Olympics had a providential significance.

Korean players won more medals than any other sports in wrestling during the ’88 Olympics. Do you know what Father said about wrestling?

Father gleefully explained, “Western players have broad shoulders and they lack endurance because their buttock are not as wide. They try to bring down Korean players like gorillas but it does not work so well. Koreans are small in height but their buttock are big. They refuse to go down and they suck all the strength out of foreign players. Then they bring the chests to their opponent who are so exhausted and take them down.”

We realized Mother’s power during those times. When Father was watching a game at its final round, when the color of medal is about to be determined in 2 or 3 minutes, Father began clapping and called Mother to come in a loud voice. Mother was of course watching the game in her one room with others attendants, but Father still called her out. Then he said, “Mother has to be next to me.”

Father kept insisting on Mother to come out so Mother hastily went to Father’s side. She cheered and clapped together with Father. That must have given him a lot of spiritual strength. Even Mother would be sleepy or previously preoccupied with something else. Father said the heavenly fortune comes to work when Mother as next to him. Father says that Mother needed to be there for victory.

Truly, our losing players would reverse the situation and win in the end when Mother came. I truly realized the power of Mother had at the time.

Many missionaries who were working abroad came back to Korea upon Father’s command. Each nation’s church leaders and core members from about 20 nations came to Korea with the Korean Missionaries. So those national leaders and the core members gave truckloads of McCols to the players from their own nation for free. I thought at the time if Ihwa’s McCol was invented just for this time alone.

Olympics games would be held late in the summer night. So those McCols and water bottles must have been very refreshing for the players. Our church members even gave them free interpretation service.

Those participants from each nation did not even know that their nation had the Unification Church. There would have been participants who event hated the Unification Church but they could not help but to fall in love with Unification Church at the time. They were just glad to see their own countrymen.

Our Church gained a lot both internally and externally through the ’88 Olympics events. It was a chance for us to let others know about ourselves on the external level. In addition, by proclaiming ‘the Nation of the Unified World’ after making sisterhood relationship with many different national leaders around the world. We accomplished the things we had not fulfilled during the previous 40 years.

Father told us the ’88 Olympics events had an important providential meanings that would decide the fate of Korea. Father said this was the reason he had to watch all the games while offering more Jeong Seong than anyone else in the world, and said that the heavenly fortune will now be with Korea.