“Marriage is the path by which a man and woman become as one, create new life, and establish true love. Through marriage, a new future is created: Societies are formed; nations are built. God’s world of peace is realized with married families at the center. It is in the family that God’s Kingdom of Heaven is brought about.”
— Rev. Sun Myung Moon, As a Peave-Loving Global Citizen, p.207-8
CARP co-founders Father and Mother Moon have established the tradition of the Marriage Blessing, by which a couple commits not only to each other, but to centering their relationship on God. The vision of the Blessing is to contribute to world peace by cultivating true love in our couples and establishing ideal families. Couples who commit to the ideals of the Blessing participate in the Blessing ceremony, in which they commit to God and each other along with thousands of other couples. It is a festival celebrating the highest ideals of love and humanity.
On May 7, 2023, Mother Moon hosted the Marriage Blessing in Gapyeong, South Korea. Several CARP student leaders and alumni participated in the ceremony along with hundreds of other couples, and thousands more participating in satellite programs worldwide. It was a joyous occasion, marking one of the most important days of each participant’s life. Check out the testimonies of our CARP members who particpated!
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Augustine was a part of CARP Las Vegas for three semesters in 2020 and 2021, and was part of the founding team of CARP Seattle in Fall 2021.
When I graduated from college, I was first confronted with the question of how to organize and live my own life moving forward. My career and my future marriage were two important areas of life that I struggled to find answers to. At some point, the idea of joining CARP was presented to me, which, directly, offered answers to neither of these questions. And yet, during my one and a half years in CARP Las Vegas, I received so much love and support that I found new inspiration, and new clarity, about the purpose behind my own life.
Without a connection to a greater community, without a higher purpose to strive for, my own life would always lack fulfillment. Even if I had pursued a marriage relationship on my own, and even if we had been genuinely loving to each other, it would not have been enough. If we’re not motivated to serve our community and the world, ultimately it falls short of bringing joy and healing to God’s heart. I realized that I truly want my life to serve more than just myself, and that is one of the greatest lessons that CARP taught me.
I am now beginning my course of Blessed life together with my wife, and it is due in no small part to the growth of character I received serving with CARP. I am eternally grateful for the opportunity I was given, and I certainly expect to continue working with CARP long into the future. Thank you!
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Eunmi has been a part of CARP New Jersey since 2021.
The million dollar questions to me have always been, “What is Love?”, and “Why is Love the core of the Universe?” I always felt like Love was limited to the family alone and I have been searching to experience Love outside of my family as well.
When I joined CARP in New Jersey, I felt “attacked” by the Love I received from people. I found it difficult to let my defense down and embrace it. Over the years, I realized God was teaching me the meaning of Love. My experience with CARP members taught me that Love is embracing, especially when you feel unworthy, Love is giving to the people around you. Love goes beyond race or religion. The Love I felt in CARP was God expressing his Love for me through the people around me saying, “I am WORTH IT!” This unknowingly prepared me in my journey towards the Blessing and I developed a strong feeling in my heart of wanting to give and express God's Love to others like He did me.
I’m still on my journey of discovering what Love is as a newly Blessed woman, but CARP has saved me half a million dollars ;)
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Kevin was part of CARP Las Vegas in 2021, and has led CARP Florida in Miami since Fall 2022.
I’ve recently received the Marriage blessing with my wife, and I couldn’t be more grateful to God for giving us such a blessing. I can honestly say that getting married is something that I’ve for the most part always wanted. I grew up with parents that truly loved me and always emphasized the importance of family. I’ve always wanted to inherit all their good teachings and values they’ve taught me in my life, based on the Divine Principle and apply it to my own family. I can say that I consider myself a more traditional person, so I've always tried to prioritize God, Family, and Nation, something that is even ingrained into the foundation of the United States. Though it has been a long up and down journey to get to where I am today, something that I feel truly guided me was my life of faith and sharing and experiencing life of faith with others. Being in college and practicing faith on your own can feel a bit lonely because a lot of my friends and peers weren’t people who really practiced any faith, this is truly where CARP comes in. While in college CARP truly helped me develop a strong relationship not just with God, but many others around me. Though my parents have always been really strict and faithful, it’s different when you step out of your family bubble and others are leading completely different lives. CARP truly helped me develop and build a strong foundation of faith, outside of my own home. CARP was somewhere where I could really practice and understand how to balance both my spiritual life, and my material life. Having to meet and work with all sorts of people on all sorts of levels (Including my now wife) helped me understand how to manage and deal with all sorts of relationships because though we are all God’s children we are also all a bit different. I’ve dedicated my time and efforts in CARP for over 2 years now, and I would encourage anyone in college to give CARP a try! I am very grateful to God for guiding me in my life up to this point, and I wouldn’t have it any other way!
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Kai has been the president of the CARP club at the University of Minnesota since Spring 2021.
In my adolescence, I believed that marriage is so much more than what our current society says about it. So when I was learning more about the Marriage Blessing, I could tell right away that it is what I truly was looking for. I have met and connected with a few couples that received the Marriage Blessing and I see that they display so much hope, integrity, courage, and real love with deep values and God as their center. Throughout my journey, I had my hesitations and doubts whether or not I could find a suitable mate with similar values but along the way, I noticed that God was ultimately guiding me to the man I’m meant to be with. I love that parents are encouraged to be a part of the process and at first, it was hard to trust my parents. However, with support and engaging in CARP, I could develop more trust in my parents and have clear communication with them, especially my dad. Also, CARP really encouraged me to develop the right attitude, become more self-less, and helped me strengthen my faith. CARP guided me towards applying the Principle in my life. Meeting with peers of faith and students also reading and studying the Divine Principle was inspiring. We covered content about the Marriage Blessing and the importance of a wholesome marriage under God with core values. We also practiced taking care of others like creating a safe environment when discussing deeply about life. Caring for other people requires a bigger heart, and so it was and still is great practice. CARP workshops also helped me create solid life of faith habits both introspective and action-based. With patience, trust, humility and vulnerability in my process to find my husband, we can start our marriage with depth and conviction. I would encourage everyone to at least participate in CARP to help with the journey towards a meaningful marriage!
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“Are you the person the person you’re looking for is looking for?”
― Andy Stanley
This quote still echoes in my mind, and is one of the many points that Akira (former Director of CARP Las Vegas) and his wife, Makiko Watanabe, whom I consider my spiritual parents and mentors, emphasized to me during my time in CARP.
The Blessing was definitely intriguing when I first heard about it, and it became one of the main reasons to join CARP as a full-time member during my undergraduate studies. I wanted to receive the Blessing because it was one of the best ways to bring peace and create a world without enmity or resentment. Since I am originally from Africa, I felt strongly that the Blessing was a way to solve tribal, interracial, and national conflicts, and that it can break down the barriers that block people from loving and trusting each other.
Looking back, my experience in CARP is so precious to me. It was a time when I had to unlearn everything I knew and make space to learn something new. It was a REBIRTH EXPERIENCE. I went through the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, but it was when I truly started living. My Dad always told me that nothing good in life comes easily, and my time in CARP embodied that phrase.
Through CARP, I came to value the importance of including God in everything I do; even the most mundane activity should be done with God. CARP instilled in me a desire to maintain my faith and a thirst for growth. It enabled me to digest my challenges and face my fears head-on. I learned to see myself and others from God’s viewpoint, and I developed the capacity to love others, which, in turn, allowed me to love my parents and siblings more. The culmination of these experiences helped me to know myself better and led me to understand what I was looking for in my future partner. Since I came to deeply understand God’s heart and situation, I grew an unwavering commitment to preparing myself for the Blessing. It was important for me that my future spouse had a similar profound relationship with God. I strongly believe that it was God who guided me to meet my wife, Adelina.
I owe a lot to Rev. and Mrs. Moon, who founded CARP to raise young people to love God, love humanity, and become peace-loving global citizens. Thanks to their teachings, I can say that I became the person the person I was looking for was looking for. (She confirmed it!)
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“Do you want to only talk about true love or would you like to put it into action?” was the question one of my mentors asked me at the conclusion of my first CARP workshop, more than a decade ago. The values of peace and true love that the founders of CARP stand for are universally desired and longed for. And yet, the world we live in today is far from reflecting these values. I understood early on during my venture with CARP that this is because there are too many of us that would rather talk about it than muster up the courage to take responsibility and become the forerunners in building such an environment.
CARP painted a bigger picture and allowed me to connect my life to a purpose that goes beyond myself. Moreover, by constantly confronting my concepts and motivating me to get out of my comfort zone, it gave me the tools to unravel my true potential and empowered me to contribute to this higher purpose.
The Blessing was always part of this bigger picture because it challenges the popular understanding of marriage and brings it into the world arena, where couples are coming together not for the fulfillment of their desires but for the sake of the world.
The Blessing is the shortcut to achieving the values of peace and true love because it builds bridges and connects the different nationalities, cultures, and races and brings true healing and resolution.
Father Moon said that “No matter how good your partner is, you will not find his or her value unless you have within yourself the quality to do so.” It was through my experience in CARP that I could dig deeper into my sense of value and find my identity first as a daughter of God. On that foundation, I was able to recognize, respect, and appreciate how God’s nature is reflected in my partner.
On May 7th, 2023, as I stood in a stadium filled with brides and grooms from all over the world receiving Mother Moon’s benediction prayer, my heart welled up with gratitude, and my eyes were filled with tears. I looked back at my journey and could only see God’s footsteps along mine, guiding me to this point in my life. The Blessing comes with even greater responsibility and the commitment to live for the sake of each other and for the sake of the world. I am happy and excited to take this next step with Kwasi. Our journey has just begun.
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Mia was a part of CARP Las Vegas for three and a half years from Fall 2018 until Fall 2021, serving as an officer of the CARP club at the College of Southern Nevada.
I remember being thirteen years old at a faith-based summer camp and being asked the question: "what are your three greatest aspirations in life?" At the time, I was shocked to find that most people my age aspired to get married and have a family someday; It was simply never something that crossed my mind. Back then, I always pictured myself in the future as single and independent, happy to live my life alone. It's crazy to think back to that now, over a decade later, married and happier than I've ever been, and imagine my life otherwise.
I learned in CARP that God's plan is always far better than my own. It takes more effort and patience to get there, but it is far more worth pursuing than anything I could have ever imagined for myself. I owe CARP and the people in it for helping me to get to this point in my life of being able to receive the Marriage Blessing. When I first joined CARP, I was passionate for change and a better world, but I was also bitter and cynical and had a hard time believing that happiness was something promised in life. The ideals we talked about in CARP all sounded great, but how did I know they were real and something I could experience myself someday?
It took a lot of time and a lot of support from my CARP parents, Akira and Makiko Watanabe, and a lot of support from my CARP brothers and sisters, to help me to realize that God always promises the best things in life - it's just up to us to keep believing in it and fighting for it. God, more than anyone else, knows what we are worth and what will bring us the greatest joy. I've learned that true faith is found in believing in the goodness of God's love and God's plan, no matter how hard life gets. It's hard to put into words the joy and love that I've experienced being on this journey with my husband and seeing the happiness my relationship with him has brought to my family and his family. I owe it to Rev. and Mrs. Moon for the vision they've created for marriage and family that is beyond just the happiness of one couple and one family, but encapsulates the happiness of those around us too. It felt fitting that the day of the Marriage Blessing also happened to be my father's birthday, the one who perhaps was the happiest of us all that day.
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Yuya has been part of Dallas CARP for four years since Fall 2019, and helped establish the CARP club at the University of Texas, Arlington, serving as its first president.
I am extremely happy to go to Korea to receive the blessing this year. This is what I have been preparing for all my life, and seeing it finally coming true is just unbelievable. There were thousands of people from all around the world for the same purpose – to receive the eternal blessing which is recognized by God. The blessing serves to honor couples that determined to center their marriage on God and serve nations and the world based on true family values. For me, seeing everyone committing to each other and proclaiming to fulfill their purpose was also truly inspirational.
Aside from my family members and mentors, I think CARP has really helped me to prepare for the blessing. For instance, I cultivated my God-centered relationship with other people and learned the way to take care of one another through CARP activities and lectures. It gave me excellent guidance in life on which I can build my family and relationship value.
CARP taught me that creating harmony in the relationship not only results in each individual’s happiness in the family but also in the community and the nation, and it has an extraordinary impact!
I truly would like to thank all the CARP activities, staff and the brilliant people I have met through this organization, which helped me to go to the blessing to commit to my eternal spouse.
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Yoshika helped to establish and was president of the CARP club at IUPUI from Fall 2018 until her graduation in Spring 2020, and she continues to support CARP Indiana.
Chungbom & I first met as participants of Generation Peace Academy back in 2013, and for the both of us, that’s also where we started digging deeper into our faith & our relationship with God. We had our individual journeys and many challenges came up in both of our lives. Although it was at different times, we both came to a breaking point. We questioned our faith, and the values that we were taught to live with since childhood. We questioned if a faithful life was worth living and if the Blessing was worth pursuing.
The great thing about CARP is that it gave us both the space to confront ourselves and face these challenging questions. The pursuit for these answers led us to the Blessing, and it’s been worth it. The Blessing itself opened up a different realm of God’s heart and His love for us. In the process of exploring our relationship with God and each other, our lives have become more intertwined.
One point that’s become more integrated is our support system. Through CARP, Chungbom has created relationships with several parental figures that we both reach out to from time to time. In preparing for the Blessing, I also developed a stronger relationship with my family & community and that’s now also become a strong source of support for him.
We hold a lot of gratitude for the experiences of being challenged, and in the process growing our faith and relationships. We also wouldn’t be where we are at now without the support of our family, friends, parental figures, and community members who pushed us to understand our identity and our value. Through the blessing, God has given me a spouse who’s also equally my best friend & accountability partner in this pursuit of a more joyful life.
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Gabby was a part of CARP Bay Area from Fall 2017 until her graduation from Cal State East Bay in 2020.
Father and Mother Moon started the Blessing movement as a true love movement to create world peace through families. My parents took part in the Blessing in 1989, joining many other families from around the world to pledge their marriage to God. After 28 years of my life, I too got to take part in the beautiful Holy Marriage Blessing Ceremony on May 7th, 2023, with Kenji Horibe.
Everyone’s journey is unique and different in finding their future eternal spouse. My dad would always tell me, “Focus on your studies, CARP, and growing in your life of faith. That’s the best preparation you can do and in time God will guide you to the Blessing.” And so that is what I did.
My journey in college, work, extracurricular activities and CARP was a time for me to dig deeper into my faith and who I am. Being in CARP was part of that journey of discovery. School doesn’t teach us what CARP teaches and practices. Aristotle said, “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all”. CARP was that education of the heart.
It was a great community of support to grow and receive mentoring while going to school. It pushed me to get more out of my comfort zone, challenge my limitations, become more social, grow my heart in loving and caring for others, build my relationship with God, and develop friends of faith and a good support system. And it gave me an opportunity to meet Mother Moon.
Each step of my life from taking a gap year after high school joining Generation Peace Academy, to college, to CARP, to working professionally and more, I feel were all stepping stones in my growth and journey. It was about discovering and owning who I am, my faith and recognizing God's unconditional love for me.
Receiving the Blessing was an accumulation of all those steps, conditions and prayer and growth through the ups and downs in my journey.
The day of the Blessing was many things. I was filled with tears of joy and gratitude. It was very serial. It was amazing to be a part of alongside 1500 other couples in Korea and 6500 other couples joining live online in other countries. Several of my friends were also with us in Korea receiving the Blessing, including my brother. It was special to be a part of it and to commit ourselves and our marriage to God together.
I’m overjoyed and excited for this new adventure of eternity with my husband, Kenji!
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Younng-Joo has been a part of CARP Bay Area since Fall 2020, and currently is president of the club at Cal State East Bay.
Earlier this spring, as I stood in the packed stadium in Korea, I looked around at all the couples that surrounded me and my soon-to-be husband and felt an immense feeling of gratitude and pride blossom inside of me.
As I am sure every one of the couples that participated in the Marriage Blessing ceremony facilitated by Mother Moon can attest, preparing for the Blessing is no easy task. Thankfully, my experiences through CARP gave me the foundational experiences and lessons I needed to navigate the sensitive emotions, important conversations, and relationship building that needed to surface between me and my partner in our preparation for the blessing.
If I were to summarize my experience with CARP in two words it would be these: relationship building. But not just any relationship building, but learning and practicing (over and over and over again) how to build God-centered relationships. What does it mean to love my classmates like God does? How about my roommate? What about when I meet strangers on campus? Even when I feel hurt by somebody? Can I still love then?
CARP’s basic principle of living in service to others brought many meaningful moments of growth for me throughout my time in CARP. It constantly challenged me to question my ability and depth of care for the people around me.
There is no better way to prepare for the Blessing, in my mind, than to learn how to love God and to love people better. CARP gave me the environment, the people, and the principles to practice that. And I know that my blessing will be better for it.