Report from West Africa

Holy Music Resounds
through West Africa

 

[Togo] Despite financial circumstances that prevent them from attending international retreats, fellow initiates in West Africa share the same longing to see Master as do fellow practitioners around the world. On New Year's Day, about a hundred initiates from Togo and Ghana gathered for a party at the Togo Center. Just before the party, they received a Christmas and New Year's gift from our beloved Master - a handwritten fax containing holiday greetings charged with love. With Master's loving blessings, the initiates enjoyed a special Chinese vegetarian meal while watching video presentations of the concerts "One World ... of peace through music" and "An Evening of Musical Performances and a Poetry Recital -Traces From the Past and Love Songs."

Because the longing to see the Master whom they had never met was so strong the initiates could not help feeling Her presence or refrain from cheering each time Her beautiful image appeared on the screen.

After the video showing, several initiates from Togo surprised us with a performance of the Chinese song, "The Little Lamb Wants to Go Home," which Master sang with fellow initiates many years ago. They had practiced in private and their melodious tones brought loud rounds of applause. The pronunciation did not matter. Their voices were so sincere and touching that they brought joy and life to the party. Initiates also sang spiritual songs, striking chords in the hearts of the Ghanaian initiates with the verse "I have been searching, searching for a long, long time."

This small group shared the same ideal and purpose in life, having searched for God along the same path from their youth till middle age. They had forsaken material needs in their quest for the Truth, and had nothing but their shabby housing and longing for God. They had devoted their precious youth and energy in volunteer service with other spiritual group, but had been uncertain if God would have mercy on them until they met Master, and their drifting souls found their real home, and their longing hearts became contented. Twenty long years of waiting and searching had come to an end. That was why they could not contain their tears upon hearing the song; their emotional state gradually affected everyone at the party.

When the Ghanaian initiates were warmly invited onto the stage, they joined in singing with the Togo practitioners. Their longing overwhelmed them all. They began to sing hymns and other spiritual songs one after another, interspersed with spontaneous performances. They sang and danced with brisk and powerful African rhythms, praising God and thanking Master in a natural way. They had mistakenly thought that they would feel separated and alienated from Master because they had never met Her before, but now they realized their deep love for Her. Thank You, Master, for giving us such a special and heartwarming New Year's gift.