After wrapping up our joint workshop with Generation Peace Academy (GPA) in Barrytown, NY, twenty-eight missionaries shifted gears at the arrival of their next mission, witnessing across the United States on college campuses. The recent change of seasons brought a big change in training for the CIG missionaries. With burgundy leaves of a New York autumn behind them, the CIG missionaries split into five teams over four cities and spent a week traveling and preparing to step onto school grounds equipped with God’s truth and love. It has been two weeks already and the collective efforts have made an impact far beyond that small span of time.
Overlooking the Bay Area and its Pacific waters, there are two teams on the campus of University of California Berkeley, led by Sean Warden and Semoon Nakama. The cooperative work of both of these teams at one of the top-ranked schools in the nation will expectantly leave an impression on the scores of high achieving students. “I hope that we can take even a small step in establishing the culture of hyojeong in Berkeley,” shares Chris Baac, a second-year missionary. Chris spent the last spring mission at UC Berkeley alongside Sean; the two of them part of a larger team that wholeheartedly devoted themselves to the efforts to start the CARP chapter at Berkeley. The term ‘hyojeong’ that Chris shares is a term that Father and Mother Moon coined. Mother Moon describes that ‘hyojeong’ can be rendered as ‘filial heart’, a deep longing of a child to fulfill their parent’s desire. “When we convey filial devotion to all people, and everyone lives for the sake of others and looks after each other, that will be the kingdom of heaven…That is why the spirit of hyojeong is great; it seeks to serve others and not oneself.” -Mother of Peace, Mother Moon
Bay Area missionaries from left to right: Tazue Nakaza, Alex Szawlowski, Preston Grodner, Toshio Barber, Semoon Nakama (team leader), Christopher Baac, Sean Warden (team leader), Keanu Wright, Nathan Im
In the southwest a team of eight brothers and sisters led by Reimy Ishikawa is taking on the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV). They’re jumping straight into it— service work, campus outreach are just a couple of activities they’ve already participated in. CARP Las Vegas has built a strong reputation on campus over the past eight years and it has been a consistent stop in a CIG missionary’s yearly pilgrimage. The dynamic leadership of Akira and Makiko Watanabe will surely train them to become great leaders on and off campus, especially in preparation for the spring mission. No doubt the the Watanabe’s leadership will push the missionaries to uplift not only the UNLV campus but the overall culture of Las Vegas.
Las Vegas Missionaries from left to right: (Lisa Regidor-CARP member), Lisa Sergeeva, Reimy Ishikawa (team leader), Kanna Takahashi, Sunhwa Schlaepfer, Tetsukuni Nakamura, Isaac Nitro, Geoffrey Quilates, (Kevin Reyes-CARP member)
Our smallest team is diving right into the mix at CARP Dallas. Miae Iwasaki heads a team of four bright-eyed first year missionaries-- their presence blessing the campuses of Dallas College Northlake and University of Texas Arlington. These four are under the direct leadership of national CARP president Jinil Fleischman, giving them a chance to inherit from the best. There is an air of novelty and excitement in seeing what ways these four will creatively express their love for God and for their brothers and sisters in Dallas.
Dallas Missionaries from left to right: Ben Buergi, Hyun-hee ‘Aki’ Kudo, Miae Iwasaki (team leader)
Closer to home, a team of seven passionate brothers and sisters join the ranks of CARP DMV, witnessing on the campus of University of Maryland College Park. Mika Uokawa, having spent her spring mission in CARP DMV, leads the team in one of the newest American CARP hubs, having only been established in the Fall of 2020. With history in the state of Maryland there is no doubt this group of CIG missionaries will have a strong and lasting impact on the students in College Park.
DMV Missionaries from top to bottom: Joseph a’Beckett, Yuuki Homma, Eugene Yoonkook, Akifumi Takami, Piero Balbin, Ohana Santos, Mika Uokawa (team leader)
In the coming weeks we’ll dive deeper into the experience at each of the CARP centers across the United States. Highlights of each team's experience will be shared alongside the challenges and growth in realizing the dream of God and our founders, Father and Mother Moon.
