In search of True Love

Autobiography

of Elio D'Alberti

Copyright © 2025 Elio D'Alberti - Milano

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Autobiography of Elio D’Alberti

In this year of 2025 I am celebrating my 90th birthday; this anniversary makes me feel I should write down some of my memories as a sign of gratitude towards God, my family and all the people who have inspired me, helped me overcome my limitations, and who have given me the opportunity to open my heart and love them.

On my 50th anniversary of being a member of the Unification Movement I wrote a letter to our beloved True Mother, Holy Mother Han, which in a way is a summary of what I am going to share with you on the following pages. It is my “love story”, which I hope may be interesting for all readers who might understand that God’s history is the history of parents searching for the original heart of their children. The letter goes as follows:

My deeply respected and beloved True Mother,

please accept my heartfelt greetings from Italy. Fifty years ago in this autumn season, I accepted True Parents as the Messiah and found incredible joy in my heart to hear the words: “The Messiah is on earth”. This news - without any doubt - transformed my life completely and made me ask, “Who am I to receive the incredible privilege to be living in this time?”.

Now I am a grandfather of 84 years. Looking back, I cannot help but feel waves of gratitude towards you, my beloved True Parents, for having taken me under your wings so that I might grow and have a blessed family.

Many memories of amazing happenings come back to my mind, too many in numbers to be shared in a letter. It all started with True Father who appeared to me in a dream, even before I ever had heard anything about the Divine Principle. I cannot forget it: He told me that I was leading a life without value. Three times he said it. It touched me. It was true, and I started to reflect upon what was missing: I wanted to know what God was thinking about marriage. I contacted a medium, Mrs. Iolanda, a lady who was quite well-known. The first time I met her, I received the answer: no marriage is recognized by God. The second time it was different. She said, “No marriage is recognized by God, except the marriage of that one couple here”, and she pointed to Mr. Martin Porter and his wife. They had taken part in the first European blessing in 1969. The meeting with them opened the door for me to receive Divine Principle lectures by Mrs. Barbara Burrow and to be able to identify that the person appearing in my dream was True Father.

A few words about my mother: she was a healer and a spiritual sensitive; so, I got True Father’s photo and showed it to her. Being spiritually open, while taking the photo in her hands, she got the vision that from True Father’s head a great light, like sunshine, came out and covered the world. She also started to cry feeling True Father’s incredible suffering. She said that it was beyond imagination. Both my mother and I joined the Unification Church.

In 1972, I was able see you in person for the first time, and was amazed by True Father’s vision and energy and by your beauty, True Mother. After having been in Germany and Austria, you came to visit us in Rome, and again I felt so privileged to be in the same apartment and breathe the same air.

My mission in Italy was to pioneer our Ginseng business. There were challenges and wonderful experiences as well. There were days when I had the feeling that True Father was on my right side and True Mother on the left. The results were very good. At the time of the big campaigns in America, like Yankee Stadium and Washington Monument, 43 years ago, a lot of money was needed. At this time with a deep desire in my heart I promised to double the results, spirit world supported us in an incredible way and we reached our goal with great joy.

My blessing in London in 1978 with a German sister, Brunhilde Heimühle (she was a missionary in Spain and, before that, an underground missionary in Czechoslovakia), was full of deep spiritual experiences and brought a big change in my life. True Father suggested that I should leave Italy and serve in Spain, first in developing the Ginseng business and later becoming its national leader. Again, I first felt challenged in faith and love, but step by step I realized that I had the opportunity to be part of something greater, like international meetings or international projects. Various times our group of European leaders was invited either to America or to Korea and had the chance to be with you, our beloved True Parents.

Unforgettable was the time of our first Korean language course in Chonnan. Several times, you came to visit us at the university, and we listened to True Father speaking about the future. On Holy Days, we were invited by you to celebrate together. You took great care of us, and we felt part of your family. On a personal level, I remember one incident: One day, at the breakfast table in the Waikiki Hotel, to my surprise I saw that my seat was next to yours. Seeing me eat a continental breakfast, you asked me if I did not like Korean soup. I answered, “Yes, I do” and you passed your own soup over to me. I ate it with great appetite; you ordered a second one for me, which I enjoyed as well. Years later, we again had the privilege to have lunch together. This time we were quite a few, and my place was far away. Nevertheless, Mrs. Kim (the wife of Rev. Young Whi Kim) came to me with a bowl of soup, telling me “This is from True Mother for you”. I could not believe it: it was the same soup. Can you imagine how amazed I was? How could you remember me?

I wished for my younger brothers and sisters to have the same opportunity to get to know your generosity, your sense of humour, but also your serious heart in bringing salvation to all. Externally it did not matter if it was on a fishing boat, in the Brazilian environment with many mosquitoes, or in a top hotel: you made people feel that we are God’s children; you looked at our original value, you trusted us and were giving us a chance. You woke up the desire in me to become a bridge of heart for our Spanish family and made me forget about national differences.

For many years, I stayed in Spain, thus being able to say that I love Spain; but Heavenly Parent had more in mind for me and my family. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, True Father decided that the Western European nations should take care of the Eastern ones. Our nation was the Czech Republic. We sent Spanish and Portuguese brothers and sisters over there, and amazingly, later on we - together with others - were given important responsibilities for the Czech Republic.

The challenge to become a bridge of heart was much greater there. There were historical and cultural gaps, language barriers etc. To my regret, my desire to develop a successful Ginseng business could not be fulfilled. But we could help our younger brothers and sisters to believe in family values and build up their lives accordingly. We went to the Czech Republic with all our family, including our 88-year-old grandmother, and stayed there for 14 years. At least our son learned the language well and studied there.

After 33 years of serving in other countries, we returned to Italy and reconnected with our relatives and former friends, thus being on the way to fulfil our mission in our original nation. On this occasion of my 50th anniversary in the church, I want to express my gratitude for giving value to my life.

Soon in October, I will have the chance to see you again in Albania and - like in the old times - I have the desire to feel close to you in heart.

With deep respect and love,

Elio D’Alberti

Mozzo, Bergamo, September 2019

My life before meeting the Unification Movement

Those who know Reverend Moon, our True Father, read his autobiography or had the possibility to watch videos about his life, are aware that at the age of 16, when the young Rev. Moon on Easter morning prayed on a mountain, Jesus Christ appeared to him. Jesus asked him to continue the work that he had begun on the earth 2000 years ago: to complete the task of establishing God’s kingdom on earth and to bring His peace to mankind. This happened in 1935.

I was born in 1935 in Milan, and believe that in the following years, while True Father prepared himself for taking upon himself a gigantic universal mission, Heaven was preparing people - not only in Korea, but also in other parts of the world - who in the future might be ready to acknowledge him as the Second Coming of the Lord. Also in Italy, especially after the Second World War, there were people who were not satisfied with a life of only working for their own existence or well-being. They wanted to be useful for other people. They could not believe that the God of love had created mankind in order for them to suffer. One of those people was me, but I had that feeling not because of myself only. It was because I was born in a family where both parents had experienced injustice and suffering, but also had felt protection and love from God.

My father, Manlio D’Alberti, was born in Parma and had had a difficult life, since his mother had died when he was only six years old. His father married again because there were five children, four boys and a girl, to be taken care of. My father lived at first with different relatives, then he was sent to a boarding school. He did not feel accepted and developed rebellious feelings. In the end he served as a volunteer in the army and was sent to Libya, had some difficult experiences in the desert, and was also taken as a prisoner. Afterwards, he went to Milan and when he was 26 years old, met my mother, who was 23 years old, and they married.

Physically, my father was strong and athletic. As a boy, I was fascinated to watch him doing jump hoops. When we played together, he was completely involved, like an elder brother. He liked books and reading. I was fond of listening to his stories from Africa. Again and again I asked him to tell the stories once more, because he transmitted a lot of excitement. He was my father, but also a friend, a person who stimulated my heart, so I wanted to give him something. Later, I offered him rides, first on my motorcycle, later in my car, being surprised that even though he had lost his sight in one eye, he had never lost his sense of orientation. Since during the time of his upbringing he could not receive a lot of love, he did not practice a religious life, but at the same time he did not deny God. He just was satisfied by receiving the most basic elements as feelings of acceptance.

My mother, Amelia Della Bernardina, was very different. She was born in Bardolino, a charming village on the Lake of Garda with beautiful views on the surrounding hills and mountains. She was the eighth and last child of Giovanni and Maria, a family of honest workers with farming as an origin. Amelia being still very young, feeling the limitations of a small village, wanted to live in a wider world, looking for new horizons. When she became 13 years old, she left Bardolino for a big city, Turin, where she worked in different households, taking care of babies or small children. When she moved to Milan, she got to know my father, they married, and between 1933 and 1942 they had three children: Sergio, Bruno and me.

Precious Memories

The area where we lived in Milano was full of social housings, inhabited by families whose ideal was just to make their living in an honest way. Nevertheless, their monthly incomes sometimes were not sufficient. The courtyards were filled with kids, excited with their football matches as their only entertainment, and people who used bicycles as their means of transportation, which later were changed to motorcycles or, for those who could afford them, even cars.

My brothers and I used to spend our holidays with our relatives at the Lake of Garda. It was there where I felt free and at home.

The lake… I always considered it as my lake because of my love for nature, the hills and mountains around it, the cultivation of the fields with vineyards and fruit trees, which came from my ancestors. But not only the love for nature and simple life, but also my love for the Catholic church, Jesus and Mother Mary. This was something I had inherited from my mother’s family. My grandfather had healing power in his hands, and only later in her life my mother discovered that also she had that gift.

My mother had a strong personality, was intelligent and active; it seemed that for her nothing was impossible in life. Especially during the war time, she looked for all possible legal means to get enough food for her children, helped her neighbours, in dangerous moments calmed down the people around her, had a strong sense of justice. With us she was kind, good and severe at the same time, and she desired for us to become responsible in life. She gave us the example to believe in God, Jesus and Mother Mary. Sometimes she had dreams with Jesus.

Jesus was close to her, I believe, because she had a deep desire to help suffering people. Day and night, she was ready to go out, to administer injections to sick people in the neighbourhood, offering help and taking care of whoever she could. It was like a passion, similar to that she felt for babies or small children. In the Bible, we read about Jesus helping the blind to see and the lame to walk. Of course, Jesus’ mission was on a different dimension (not being understood in his time), but this aspect of getting others out of their physical suffering was something my mother felt in her heart. On the other hand, doing this for others, even being unaware of the law of paying a price for the advancement of something good, she herself had to endure sicknesses and also suffered when she saw me - while growing up - getting one sickness after the other.

I remember that living through these difficult situations I learned many things, and I want to share some of my memories. The first one goes back to being nine or ten years old. According to our Catholic tradition, the month of May is dedicated to Mother Mary. For us children, it meant to visit nuns in order to recite the rosary. Afterwards we children used to play together. My mother had a back problem and couldn’t move one arm; she needed help. I said to her: “Mama, I’m going to see the nuns in order to recite the rosary. It is important for me.” She answered: “Elio, when you renounce something important in order to help a suffering person, Mother Mary accepts your offering and you will be happy of this good deed.” Later on, as I became older, I understood the significance and importance of serving and loving others, instead of only concentrating on my own family.

The second event refers to a day, when coming home from school, I saw an ambulance in front of our home. I thought: “Maybe it is my mother being taken to the hospital”, so I started to run, and I arrived just in time to see her taken away. She smiled, wanting to assure me that everything was going to be ok. But I felt like becoming a stone statue and could not move; I felt almost like I had lost my identity. I asked myself: “Who am I without her?”. With her I felt sure being loved and protected. What will happen to me in case she dies? But suddenly within me a second question came up: “In case she dies, what did I do for her in the nine or ten years I have been living with her? How much love have I given to her? Did I appreciate the life and love she had given me?”. I felt like having lost something beautiful and great and having not used the time well enough to discover the value of Mama. I prayed: “My God, please let her not die, give me the time to express my heart, my love, my gratitude towards her”.

Miracles

When she was 35 years old, my mother had a dream of her nephew Paolo Della Bernardina who during the Second World War had died in France. In the dream he took her hand and said to her: “Aunt, you have to come with me.” My mother felt that this was not a physical hand and answered: “Paolo, I cannot come with you. I have three small children.” He answered: “Aunt, it is too late. But in any case, go to the doctor as soon as possible and we will see what we can do for you.” She went to the doctor who found out that she had cancer and sent her to a specialized hospital. The doctors did not want to operate her, because the cancer was too much advanced. My mother went to the chapel to pray. She asked Mother Mary for healing, for time to grow her children. She offered to endure the suffering without complaining, without painkillers. After that, with faith and determination, she convinced the doctors to operate her, and they did it.

The following five years were a battle between pain and suffering, on one hand and on the other hand, prayers and the desire to live. With a lot of support by my father, she made it, overcoming the cancer completely. The doctors said that it was a miracle. But in fact, even in those circumstances, she had looked for a way to help people in need.

Looking back, I can only confirm that my mother winning this battle and being alive was vital for me. From my birth until the age of about 20 years, I too had to fight with many illnesses. My parents, especially my mother, were always near to me, more than to my brothers Sergio and Bruno. For me, going to school was irregular. Being together with other kids was interrupted by sicknesses, but in spite of all I was loved not only by my parents, but also by my relatives. Also, the nuns always wanted to give me something special. Yes, indeed, it was a time of difficult moments, but also a time of great discoveries. I discovered the power of faith, and Mother Mary helped me to accept and overcome without becoming resentful. Furthermore, in some concrete cases, the spirit world intervened directly.

I’ll write here two examples:

One night, in a dream, I saw myself on an operating table. It was an urgent matter in order to save one of my eyes. The next morning, I felt a slight burning in that eye, but the only visible thing was a red point. The big surprise came later when my mother found a piece of syringe needle on my cushion. She was very moved in finding that piece of needle, because she remembered that when I was a baby, while I was receiving one of the necessary injections, the needle had broken. Since that time, for 17 years, the needle had been circulating in my body. My mother, who was really surprised, went to ask a medium about it. She confirmed that the operation I “dreamt” about was a real one, done by the spirit world. Even the name of the doctor was given: it was a German one.

The second, more important and determining experience came about a year later. With some friends, when I was 18, we were celebrating the end of the year, when suddenly I got so much pain in my belly that I had to be taken to the hospital for an appendicitis operation. The operation went well, but my intestine was blocked. The doctors did not know what else to do with me and recommended that my mother should take me home. My mother was really desperate and went to a medium to ask if there was a way for me to be saved. The medium told her that the healing power needed was in the same hands of my mother. However, the spirit world gave her a condition: If she had used her power to heal me, she had to promise to use it for other people as well. Secondly, she should not do it for money; she could only accept donations. She accepted and using her hands, she healed me within 24 hours. The doctor in the hospital later talked about it as a miracle. I had been given a new life.

Between ideals and conflicts

At the emotional level, during those formative years, I was very shy. Feeling inferior made it difficult for me to study well at school. I remember moments of fear, when my face would turn red and I would sweat, and I had to use willpower to keep going. My mother’s help was crucial. She supported me wholeheartedly, trusting that I could overcome any difficulty.

Having experienced this spiritual healing and my mother becoming a healer, there was a lot of change in our family. Our small apartment became a centre for people wanting to be healed. My mother could not stop the people from coming. But for my father, brothers, relatives, not understanding what was happening, it was very difficult to accept that situation. I found myself in a position to balance the various expectations regarding my mother. In this way, I started to ask myself where I was in life and which my values were, regarding, in particular, my own future family. Being in contact with my mother’s spiritual guide, I also learnt something about the spiritual world.

Then I started my military service; at that time my continuous sicknesses came to an end. But internal conflicts came up in relationships with others. In the past, my faith in Mother Mary had made me put all the women on a pedestal. For me, they all were wrapped in a cloud of pure love. But what happened was that due to my desire for friends and against my conscience I was confronted with false love. Some of the girls I met used black magic against me to weaken my willpower. I believed in the value of having a family and remembered having seen in my mind the image of my future spouse. At that time, she was without a face and I took this fact as a sign that true love should first start with a relationship of heart, and afterwards a physical relationship should be the culmination. But, in reality, what I found in the society were things being upside down. People wanted to have physical relationships first, which caused a lot of conflict and disappointment.

Where I could find my value more was in hard work. I was successful in my job, I prayed and had a vertical relationship. Other people appreciated me because of our good relationship. We worked well together. It is interesting that the jobs available for me were not of the kind I originally had been looking for. Because of my shyness I saw myself doing technical things, but God had a different plan for me. The jobs I got all had to do with people. In the beginning I learned how to serve in a drugstore. Later, in a supermarket, I became a sales supervisor. But the great challenge came when I changed the company and worked selling printing machines without any experience in that field. I had to go out, look for customers and inspire them to buy, whereas in the shops people enter already prepared to buy. In the beginning I struggled, was afraid of the price, afraid of making mistakes, always being aware that I had to offer something better than the competition. With time, the work in that company allowed me to overcome my fears and I could advance as a salesman, ending up as a sales inspector in a territory covering half of Italy. In all those years I believed that prayer was important for my work, and many times I went to pray in chapels or churches. Another factor that I considered very important was to be kind to people and do my best to serve them well.

Guided by a dream

“When will you get married?” people used to ask me. I did not know what to answer. Perhaps within 10 years? Jesus did not marry – why? Such questions pushed me to find answers outside the Catholic church. I started to attend meetings where Mother Mary was speaking through a medium. In one of these meetings, I was called to receive a special message from Mother Mary. She told me that I was going to become a priest, a status which I could not imagine for me. Secondly, she said that by shaking hands with others I could transmit her blessing. Attending these meetings, I also got to know Iolanda Pizzi, a medium. Internally, I still had many unanswered questions. Many times, I could not sleep at night, and partly I worked hard in order to avoid sleepless nights.

One night, I got a message through a dream. An oriental man appeared (I found out later this was True Father), calling me by name: “Elio”, he said, “you are leading a life without value”. I woke up having a very clear mind and had to admit that my life did not have the value I would have liked it to have. Naturally, my activities as a seller of printing machines supported my life, but I could not say it filled me with satisfaction. I wanted to be useful for more people, having a great and extended family. I felt pushed to receive the answer at least to two questions I had in my heart. First, in the Bible it is written that man should not separate what God had united. How is it possible that so many marriages got broken? Second, what does God think about marriage?

With more determination than before, I wanted to resolve these questions and asked for an appointment with Iolanda and her spiritual guide, Mr. Horward. At the meeting, I asked what does God think about marriage. The answer I received was: “No marriage has value in front of God”. And then continued: “You cannot understand now, but ask Iolanda to invite you again when she has a bigger meeting”.

Iolanda Pizzi and Martin Porter

My mother and I knew Iolanda. She loved Jesus very much. In her own words: “The Lord wanted me to give testimony based upon my faith. I should explain that I have been in direct communication with Jesus for many years.”

The next bigger meeting took place at the beginning of summer 1969. There were really a lot of people, also many couples. Among them there were Mr. Martin Porter and his wife Dawn, a couple I did not know yet. At that time, Martin lived in Rome and did not know Iolanda. It turned out that he had decided to visit Milan on the same day that Iolanda had invited me to a larger meeting. A lady, Carmen, who was a lawyer, and who had been invited, kindly offered her invitation to Martin so that his couple could participate in her place.

When it was my turn to put a question, I asked the same one as before. The answer, at first, seemed to be the same. But there was a big difference. Horward, the spirit, pointed to Martin and his wife, saying that they were the only married couple that was accepted by Heaven. Everyone was surprised to hear that only Martin’s marriage was recognized by God. Nobody knew him, it was the first time he had come. In the meeting there were many senior citizens with well-established marriages. Horward spoke to Martin very humbly. It seemed to me that he was very inspired by the questions that Martin asked him. He told Martin: “Your spirit is in the light.” Once the session finished, I contacted Martin, wanting to know who they were.

Martin was born and raised in England. He had lived and worked in Italy as a film maker. At the end of 1965 in Rome on one evening, during a showing of a preview of a new film, he had met Mrs. Doris Orme and Marion Dougherty in the audience. Mrs. Orme had been sent to Italy as a missionary in May 1965. She was very eager to talk to Martin about the Divine Principle. After studying and reflecting on the Divine Principle, Martin accepted this new teaching. He became Mrs. Orme’s assistant, doing a lot of translations for her. In March 1969, True Parents had come to Europe and had given the Blessing to the first eight couples in Europe. Among them, Martin Porter and his wife Dawn.

Now, some remarks about Iolanda: On the advice of Martin Porter, she was introduced to the Divine Principle by Barbara Burrows and later gave the following declaration:

“When I came to know the Divine Principle, it was not difficult for me to accept it, because for many years, from time to time I had been receiving revelations about such a content. After reading the whole book, overjoyed for what I had come to know, still enraptured in that feeling of beatitude induced by the reading, the presence of Jesus wanted me to write down what was happening to me and which I now report. Jesus said: “I’m here with you, my gentle instrument and dear sister. Do not be afraid and go to spread the Divine Truth. I will pave the way for you. My being near to you will help you greatly. Be bold. Your preparation is good and people will listen to you. Sow well, for the harvest will be satisfactory. I wish that all people encountering the Divine Principle may have such proof as to dispel any fear or doubt and may accept with a peaceful and hopeful ear this last dispensation from God as the only salvation for us and the whole creation.”

A major revelation and first reactions

Three months after the session with Iolanda and the meeting with Martin, Iolanda called me, saying that she had an important message for me. I went to her house on a Saturday in September 1969 at 3 o’clock in the afternoon. When I arrived, with a solemn voice Iolanda told me to sit down. Then she gave me the following words: “The Messiah is on the earth.” For a moment I was speechless. A wave of feelings overcame me. If this was true, then there shouldn’t be anything more precious and greater in the world.

She suggested to me that I participate in an exposition of the Divine Principle, to be given by the missionary Barbara on the following Monday. When Barbara started to explain the ideal of creation, all my senses opened wide. Her words were for me like water of life, purifying my mind. My heart and body started to vibrate with joy because I could see that all my dreams concerning an ideal family were not my own fantasy, but the ideal which God wanted to establish by the Messiah. At the end of a tormented and conflicting history, God had planted the Tree of Life here on the earth and expanded it throughout the world. Never had I imagined becoming part of the 144.000 chosen ones, as mentioned in the Bible.

I took True Father’s photo to show it to my mother. While taking it into her hand, she had a vision that from True Father’s head a great light like sunshine expanded and covered the whole world. Also, she started to cry, feeling True Father’s incredible suffering, beyond imagination, she said. Both my mother and I decided to join the Unification Church. Earlier in my life, I had been thinking from time to time how it would have been wonderful to be one of Jesus’ disciples. Now, I got this great chance to become a follower of Rev. Moon who had been called by Jesus to complete his mission. I want to express gratitude to my mother, Martin Porter and Iolanda who had had internal experiences with Jesus and had been a bridge for me to understand that Jesus and Rev. Moon had the same heart and vision of God’s work. Only that the providence had advanced to bring salvation on the family level.

I felt great joy and enthusiasm. My mother, as a healer, knew Mario and Luciana Ferrario, a couple with two children, and one Sunday afternoon she invited them for coffee in our home. I could not control my desire to transmit to them all that I had come to know: “The Messiah is on the earth! We are living in a new era. The Kingdom is near.”

Out of my mouth came a waterfall of words, surely too confusing for them. But they were patient and also knew that my mother was a serious person. So they waited until the following Sunday, when Barbara explained to them the main points of the Principle. I continued to participate in the lectures. Mario and Luciana, as well, were also part of the study group. We met at Iolanda’s house once a week. It was not enough for me, and I asked to participate in a second study group with Barbara at a residence for university students, the “Casa della Laureata”. There I got to know Franco Ravaglioli, Vittorio Patanella and others.

On the last day of this important year, on the 31st of December 1969, we gathered in a room at the residence Casa della Laureata, where Barbara lived. We were a group of 13, Barbara and 12 new members. During the midnight prayer, great energy came down. It felt like a strong wind, a whirlwind, circling and involving us. My head became dizzy, as if I would not be able to withstand that power, but I made it. I cannot forget that. For me this experience had been like a baptism, a spiritual rebirth. I chose that day, God’s Day of 1970, as my spiritual birthday. We were at a threshold, a big change in our life of faith.

First steps in my new life

During the first months of 1970, we opened a centre in Milan, Via Bronzetti. Barbara went to live there and later in June I also had the privilege to move in. There was another lady, Rosina, with us. During the week, we were occupied by our jobs, but on the weekends Barbara sent us out to witness, with funny experiences in the beginning. One Sunday all the group went out, walking to the square in front of the cathedral. There she showed us how to approach people, what to say and how to invite them to our presentations in the centre. Many people came, even to the point that the centre was too small. Sometimes we even had to use the bathroom for teaching. Barbara, indeed, was our master and we learnt how to teach, how to sing etc.

Our Sunday Services were held in the afternoon at 4 o’clock and it was arranged to give it in turns. When it was my turn, I started to struggle a lot within myself. Feelings I had had before came back – feelings of inferiority, shyness, sweating, blushing. Those feelings made me doubt if I could do it or not. I felt helpless. I took my car and went to Boario, a town famous for its spa, to see my parents, especially my mother, who were there for a few days. My struggles continued during the night until Sunday lunch time: shall I or shall I not go? But finally, I drove back, praying hard while driving. I wanted to be useful, but felt unprepared. “Heavenly Father, help me to become your instrument. It is not my Sunday service, it is yours. Please give me the power to overcome my limitations.”

It was ten minutes to 4 o’clock when I arrived at the centre, full with about 30 people. On the table, I saw a copy of True Father’s speech “My mission is great” and read a few sentences. Then, I had to stand up, getting the feeling that I should be honest and confess that just by myself I would not stand here, I would not have come. It was only because of the Messiah being on the earth which had given me this chance to change. By having opened my heart, the words I spoke afterwards did not come from me. I just transmitted words of love which came from a different source than me. I do not remember the content, but I remember that I saw some people even crying. Afterwards, some of these ladies who were spiritually open came to me saying that they saw True Father standing behind me. It had become an amazing experience for me, an important one. From that point on, I got more confidence in myself. I was no more dependent on the support of others; instead, I learned that my support comes from God.

Barbara had in mind to let us have an experience of a more developed Family Centre in the Netherlands. So, we made a trip to Amsterdam, where we stayed for one week. It was nice to go out with the members there to witness or give out invitations. It was nice to participate in their evening talks, but what impressed me the most was to see that some brothers and sisters were fasting for seven days. They were preparing for an upcoming wedding ceremony in Korea. They were very serious, and they had taken up evening jobs in order to raise money for the ticket. They had promised, in doing a seven day fast, to go with a purified mind. I understood that for them to move from an individual level to the family level, even accepting an international partner, was very important. We felt inspired and thankful for this trip.

First tests of faith

On the other hand, first tests of faith came up and had to be faced. Without my being aware of it, the ladies who were spiritually open received their personal revelations and insights and started to quarrel. Disunity crept in. At the end of 1970, Martin arrived in Milan and told us to close the centre. But not only that: he advised us not to meet each other, not to study the Divine Principle, not to pray. What he said was not understandable for me, and it felt like being stabbed in my heart. His explanation was short. He said Satan had invaded the foundation in Milan. I went back to live with my parents at home, but in spite of it I met with the other members from time to time. Barbara was called to the USA at the end of the year. Before she left, she gave me her last piece of advice: “Elio, always follow Martin Porter, don’t listen to others.” It was to remind me that I had joined the church because of True Parents, and it was Martin who was in contact with them, being the national leader in Italy. Barbara had helped me a lot; I am grateful to her. She had been the first member in Italy. After her departure, the Milan group became dispersed. As I said before, only a small group met sometimes in order to keep the relationship alive.

Later on, after about nine months, in 1971, a second test of faith was waiting for us. Martin, who had been visiting True Parents in Korea, came to tell us about this visit. But he also came to tell us that True Father had suggested to gather us Milan members and ask us one by one to leave Milan and go to Rome. It meant we should leave our jobs, families and our lives in Milan behind. It was not an easy decision. Mario and Luciana, Giorgio Re, Marisa and I answered in a positive way to this call. Franco Ravaglioli stayed back in Milan for a while.

His mission was to take care of those who could not go to Rome. At that time, our group in Milan was composed of thirty members. In the end, only the family of Mario and Luciana and three single members put their future into God’s hands. The hardest part was on the shoulders of Mario and Luciana with their small children. It took time for Mario to find a new job. So, Luciana and the children, Giorgio Re and Marisa left first.

As for me, I was lucky that I could stay in the same company, being transferred to a different position in Rome at the end of the year. Mario Ferrario and I arrived in Rome at the end of December 1971 and we could celebrate God’s Day all together.

A new beginning in Rome

Obviously, Rome was a new chapter – not only in our life of faith, but also in our practical life. I became part of the Gestetner company in Rome and had to adapt to a new boss and new colleagues. My job as a sales inspector of printing machines was the same, but evidently the mentality of the customers in the South was different compared to the North, especially when it came to punctuality and keeping promises. But I had a good income, which meant I could give an economic support to our church.

The spiritual foundation in Rome had been built up by devoted people like Doris Orme who had come as a missionary in May 1965, Marion Dougherty, Martin Porter, Barbara Burrowes who all had come from other countries and spoke English. Carlo Zaccarelli was the first Italian brother and Dawn Faroni the first Italian sister. Mrs. Orme left Italy in 1967 for Holland, Marion Dougherty went to pioneer England around the same time. About four years before our small Milan group moved to Rome, Martin Porter had become the national leader of Italy in 1967.

The early church members in Rome, Martin explained, all looked at the Divine Principle from the viewpoint of the Bible prophecy. Indeed, they lived a very sacrificial life, with a lot of fasting and prayer, and had incredible spiritual experiences, feeling the presence and support of God or Jesus. They were in the position of the early disciples in Rome, the very city where Christianity had its roots. They even experienced parallel situations, for example, in Christianity it is known that Peter was heavily persecuted. On his way out of Rome, Jesus appeared and asked him the famous question: “Quo vadis?”. Jesus gave Peter strength to go back. In the early times, in 1969, Martin Porter was in a similar situation. He felt that it would be better to leave Rome and to go to Milan. They had already found a place to stay when True Father called and convinced him to give up this plan and return to Rome. All of us understood that this important capital city with an extended history and the capacity to embrace different cultures and people was important to Heaven. Martin said: “It was difficult to talk about a new truth in Rome. People would say “What is new? Jesus came 2000 years ago, this city has been here for thousands of years. What could possibly be new?” In the midst of this Roman pessimism, continuous spiritual experiences gave them strength and kept them high. Martin and Dawn’s Blessing in 1969 was meant to be a blessing not only for themselves as a couple, but also a blessing for Italy.

Our arrival in Rome turned out to be a revival. We inherited the tradition of prayer and fasting for three, sometimes seven days at a time. We were filled with energy to give our best. Living together with other people in the centre is a training in different ways. There were positions to be respected. In the subject position, we should learn to lead others and keep the vision of the whole (“my turn came later”). In the object position, we learned to follow, which sometimes caused difficulties because of feelings of not being taken into consideration. In our Unification centre, we could learn about character development, not to mix up fraternal love with other types of love – especially fallen love. It was a valid preparation for our future families which should become a cornerstone for a change in the society. When we started to live in that way, we were immature to understand its value. It was a challenge, and to live for others was not yet a conquered standard. It was an ideal we were hoping to achieve. This pure and ideal standard of love for others was certainly lived by our True Parents. We saw it when they came to visit us in Rome in the beginning of April in 1972, after having been in England, Germany, Holland and France.

Direct experiences with True Parent

Before welcoming True Parents in Rome, we participated in a three-days’ event in Essen, Germany. We had travelled by bus with a lot of expectations in our hearts. How would it be to see True Parents for the first time in our lives? True Father’s first question was: “Who is seeing me for the first time?” Many hands were raised. Next: “Is it better than seeing me on a photo?” He smiled and by talking gave out a lot of love. Early in the morning, either one of the accompanying elder members spoke or Rev. Young Whi Kim gave a lecture. Then we went out in the street, distributing invitations for the public evening conferences given by True Father. Our lunch was a sandwich and an apple, to substitute a normal one, since we wanted to make a small condition for the evenings’ success. True Father spoke on three evenings with an audience of about 400 people. He spoke with a lot of energy to the German people. We Italians could not understand the words, but felt his conviction and his heart. Lateron, we got to know that he had explained the life of biblical figures, like Noah and Abraham, in such a vivid way that it seemed that these figures had just lived yesterday and were an example of faith. The audience was impressed to hear such revelations.

As for me, I was very inspired to see Father and Mother for the first time. True Mother was very young and very beautiful. True Father used many gestures while speaking to make us understand and gave us warm smiles to make us feel near. However, one morning, it was Dr. Lady Kim who made me feel anxious, speaking about the Korean situation. At that time, the people in the South were afraid of a very possible invasion from the North. At that dangerous time, our church members made a lot of conditions, like prayer and fasting, in order to avoid that the North Korean tanks might cross the Han River. When she described the conditions they were making, I felt I couldn’t do the same – it was too much. Could I withstand such challenges? I began to feel distant and only recovered the openness of my heart when I went to pray. In the prayer, I came to feel that I should not worry.

It was also the first time that I met Brunhilde. She played the guitar, looked very busy and I remember seeing her speak from the podium. At one point, a flash came to my mind: “Is this the sister prepared for me?” Of course, I wasn’t supposed to think those things and put the idea aside. I did not know yet what would happen six years later…

When True Parents later on visited Italy, it was a completely different setting. They and the group, altogether nine people, chose to live in the centre. True Parents treated us as a part of their family, visiting Rome, Napoli and Pompeii all together. We went to the cinema and watched the famous movie about Saint Francis, which they liked a lot. We also had a movie presentation at home, this time about Jesus Christ, by the director Pasolini. But they could not approve the atmosphere of that movie very much and pretty soon retired to their room. On a more intimate level, since they lived in the centre, Luciana when cleaning their room found True Mother’s hair on the pillow and kept it as a treasure. Some of it she shared with me, and I still have it.

Another episode happened when we had problems in the bathroom. The tubes were old, so sometimes - especially when the toilet was used by many - there was not enough running water. This happened one day also to True Father. He needed more water. He, like any other brother, was in his undershirt. Coming out, he asked for a bucket of water. Instead of offering to clean up the bathroom, we just stuck to the words and gave him the bucket of water. But all of this made us understand a very human aspect: True Father and True Mother are like us. They were near to us and we received a lot of love.

All this was very different when True Father spoke, talking about God, the Divine Principle and the world situation. It seemed to us like he was up on a high mountain, explaining things we never thought about. We had a public meeting at a hotel and another one in our centre. True Father mentioned that before doing this third world tour, he had never spoken in public, but seeing the advance of Communism, he felt he had to do it. Speaking about God in public was important.

Our centre meeting was on a Sunday morning, with about 40 people in the audience. The translation was from Korean into English and then into Italian. True Mother, being so beautiful, was an attraction to look at. She took notes and from time to time lifted her eyes, watching us and reassuring us with a smile that everything would be okay. In the beginning, what True Father said to us sounded familiar, explaining the origin of evil. But then, explaining that Italy and Europe are on the way to be conquered by Communism was like a blow. We had never been aware of this. He even explained the system Communism was using in order to destroy the values held in democratic countries. We were fascinated that Father knew all these things in detail. He went on, explaining how much it was needed in America to start a One World Crusade. He asked if we wanted to be included or left out. Naturally, we wanted to be included. How many members could we send? In France, they had made a promise of a hundred people. We said a hundred-one, proclaiming it in a loud voice. In our hearts, though, we were not completely convinced we could do it. True Father continued by explaining how to gain new members and suggested we use Divine Principle books. Each member could buy thirty books, rent them out and then go and ask about the feedback.

Witnessing

When True Parents left for Syria the following day, our view for the time to come had completely changed. We were part of God’s plan to rescue America and Europe. We felt loved, but also highly challenged. Although even before True Parents’ coming some new members, like Giorgio Gasperoni, Elena Ballestrazzi and Antonio Ciacciarelli had joined (later that year, also Guido Lombardi and Francesco Santelli), but with faith and love True Parents hoped that we could get more. We mainly witnessed at the university, wanting to contact young people. But in those years, as True Father already had described, the Communist Party wanted to conquer the world and was especially eager to gain territory in the universities where people prepared for the future. It was not a quiet place to witness, since there were a lot of debates going on, sometimes even physical fights. The general spirit was that young people were looking for ways to make a better world. Blind belief was no longer satisfying for them. Since True Father had warned us that strong persecution by the Leftists may come up and that in such a case we should escape, Martin made a rule in our centre to never leave the cars without gasoline and have a food reserve in the basement.

We publicly invited people to lectures. Our centre had become a public place, which was enough to attract the attention of the secret police. They came undercover, pretending to be interested guests. The same happened with an investigator from the Vatican. But we did not see them as our enemies; before we had even given a Divine Principle book to all the cardinals.

Since our economic support was needed, Mario Ferrario and I were still working. We participated in the witnessing activities on the weekends or in our other free time. We helped with teaching or taking care of guests. I remember one young student, Francesco, who already lived in the centre but still struggled a lot to accept True Father. We had tried to offer him explanations from different points of view, but it was obviously not enough for him because he said he would leave. I felt sad and desperate. This student was on his way to become God’s newborn child; he shouldn’t fall behind. During my driving hours, I prayed a lot for him, to the point to shed tears. I could not help him – what should I do? But Heavenly Father could. When I returned to the centre after work, with a smile on his face Francesco opened the door and said: “I can understand. I will stay.”

Giorgio Re had been the centre leader in Rome in the first months, but after he was sent back to Milan to open a new centre. Martin Porter asked me to take over the position. I was happy that Martin trusted me, but I still had to manage my job, meaning that my activities were not the same as everyone else. In the morning, we prayed together, I gave some advice, but then I had to go to work. It was a halfway solution. Nevertheless, feeling the responsibility to keep our small family together, I prayed and had two personal spiritual experiences. Without becoming aware, I had become a nervous person, always running around. In my prayer, suddenly I heard a quite strong voice, saying: “You have a lot of zeal, but you are not illuminated.” On another occasion, the same voice said: “Cain and Abel!” Never before and never after did I have such an experience. It made me ask myself what was wrong. I realized that I had to take time to reflect and pray. I also realized I should take better care of the brothers and sisters. When I could, I invited one or the other to accompany me during my working hours or to go out for lunch.

Our publications

In the beginning, we used a Divine Principle book written by Young Oon Kim. This book had its own story. It was translated into Italian by Carlo Zaccarelli. The first edition was lost and the second one was destroyed by a fire in the printing shop. But finally, the third edition could be printed in Naples in 1968. Later, when a new edition came out on an international level, we translated it into Italian. In August 1972, Luciana Ferrario, the only sister who was a typist, decided to type out the new translation of the Divine Principle at Montecompatri, on one of the hills surrounding Rome, where we had a small piece of land which was owned by Dawn’s father. There was a small wooden hut with some land around it. We called it “Garden of Eden”; at least we worked to transform it into such a garden. In really awkward circumstances, since there was no office table or suitable chair, she had to persevere, but in the end she did it. Later that year, we installed a small printing machine in the basement in our centre in Rome. Martin himself went down to do the printing. I was impressed by his determination. He set himself a goal each day and stayed downstairs, even eating his meals near the printing machine, until the goal was reached. Day by day, no matter what, the only exception to come up was to use the bathroom. This became a great example for me, because I also became involved in printing. I could not do it fulltime, so I was happy when step by step Nando Chianura took over.

Fund raising

I am aware that there are many brothers and sisters who were involved in fundraising activities over the years. Consequently, they have more experience in this field and could write a book of their own about their investment into the people on the street. With patience and perseverance, they have been building the economic foundation for our future expansion, and I want to thank them.

My first and main experience began in August 1973 when during my vacation having time off from my job, I took the chance to be part of a fundraising team which travelled from Rome to Salerno and then along the coastline up to Genova. We were a group of five, four brothers and a sister, and had many packages of Divine Principle chapters as our fundraising material, plus our tents to sleep in during the night. All of us, all the packages and tents fitted in my car.

In the beginning, fundraising is not easy, especially for people like me who already had a job or for students who were capable to study in the university. They were aware that their parents had a lot of expectations for them and their future. What would they say if they saw their child in the street, asking other people to give them money? Some had to overcome feelings of pride or maybe shame. But we were missionaries and our fundraising was not motivated by personal needs. We raised funds to expand religious work. When people believed us and gave their donation, we felt a lot of joy, understanding that God gave us blessings through them. On the other hand, we also believed that our material (the Divine Principle chapters) could become a blessing for them as well. The joy we felt was motivated by this atmosphere of having faith in God and trusting even unknown people. Some of the people testified that they felt attracted by the smile that we had on our faces. It was important to set a goal in the morning and to stick to it because during the day we had ups and downs, related either to our own mind or negative reactions by people who felt disturbed by us. Yes, we had to deal with being rejected, getting angry answers, sometimes being threatened etc. It was like changing weather. Physically, it was the same. We were out under sunshine, rain and windy weather.

When we met again in the evening, it was really nice to feel a family atmosphere and to be able to share our daily experiences. What counted was not only the collected money, but more the feeling of togetherness. During the trips, we were singing songs or learning new ones. We prayed or studied God’s word together, enjoyed our meals together, similar to the Christian missionaries who were happy that people were moved to support.

Nature was another source of inspiration. To be near to the sea, having the possibility to take a swim, sleeping in a tent, seeing the stars or a beautiful panorama while travelling between cities transmitted a sense of summer freedom, which in a city like Rome would have been difficult to have.

Surely, a lot of money was needed and we were not the only team. The first fifteen members were preparing to go to America together with Martin in the following month of September. I want to add the following reflection about fundraising:

There are many people who get desperate when they are jobless and in need of funds. After a certain time of fundraising, being physically fit, in ourselves we reach a level of confidence that even in desperate circumstances we would not starve. Later on in my life, when I was in Spain pioneering the city of Mataro, near to Barcelona, I had proof of this and believe that in many aspects fundraising was a valuable activity also internally in our spiritual growth.

My relationship with Martin and Dawn

At that time, we had centres in Rome, Bergamo, Milan, Turin and Genova. When Martin and 15 brothers and sisters left, we felt a hole. Martin had two missions: one in America leading an international team where he was under True Father’s direct command. Secondly the mission of the national leader in Italy was still on his shoulders. Martin was a respected and capable leader and I learnt many things from him. I felt sad that I had not used the time well enough to learn even more, but from time to time he came back. When he gave instructions, they were always clear. What I, indeed, appreciated was that he lectured the Divine Principle with a lot of insight. From True Father he had gotten a deeper understanding about the original mission of Jesus Christ, but even before that he already had a lot of faith in Jesus. He witnessed that when he was growing up, he had frequently felt the presence of Jesus. With a lot of heart, he taught us Jesus’ intention to build God’s kingdom on the earth, the obstacles he had to face and his victory of showing the way of unconditional love.

On a personal level, thanks to my background of having a mother who was a spiritual healer, I did not have difficulty accepting his spiritual openness. Even in small practical matters, for instance when finding a parking place, he prayed and relied on the guidance of the spirit world. It worked. The same had been true when at the time of calling us to Rome, he had advised me to just ask for a change of location instead of changing in the company. It had worked out.

Martin sometimes took me to places where I would never have gone by myself. I remember an open-air cinema where we watched a movie while sitting in the car. I remember a restaurant near the seaside where he showed me that fish can be a delicious meal. For me it was the first time to appreciate fish. Later on, when in America True Father put a lot of emphasis on going fishing, Martin brought this spirit back to Italy. In order to give an experience of fishing, at least to some brothers and sisters, he rented a boat with its fisherman. Step by step we got a lot of fish to distribute to the centres, even to the point that we had to get extra freezers for all the centres.

On one hand, I am grateful that we could live together with Martin and his family. When True Parents came, he took us with them to visit Rome, Naples and Pompeii. On the other hand, I also experienced Martin’s tendency of feeling a lot of urgency and becoming impatient and pushy. “Quickly, quickly” were words I heard quite often.

As for Dawn, she was very different. When I first met her, I was surprised by her young age. But since in the meeting with Iolanda in 1969 Martin and Dawn were recognized by God as a married couple, I felt a lot of respect towards her. As the central figure in Rome, I gave a formal report, but struggled on how to relate to her. The others seemed to be free in this point, which made me reflect. I prayed about this, doing a 40-day condition. When the time went by, one day, Mauro asked me to pick her up at the station and I found that the barrier had gone. She had a good heart and gave us advice, also regarding our relationship to God. One piece of advice I kept in my heart was: “For God our Father it’s better to become a nuisance, asking question after question rather than giving up and fading away”. She, too, was spiritually open and believed a lot in inspiration, rather than practical thinking. As to us and our witnessing, she preferred that we were in a good mood, rather than just go out and contact people. She wanted to inspire us and lift us up, but Martin’s priority was to take action.

She had a Catholic background and spoke about Catholic saints, like St. Francis and St. Chiara. Martin came from England and had a Protestant background, with direct experiences with Jesus Christ. They had to overcome barriers as a couple, like different concepts, priorities, different upbringing… But we could not help. Our understanding about a blessed couple or a blessed family were unrealistic, even believing that they were perfect. When Martin was called to America, they had a small boy, Timothy, and later a little daughter called Hanida. Dawn stayed in Italy, probably because of America seeming too big for her with small children. But in the end, this physical distance did not make things better.

A new atmosphere in the Movement

When Martin was called to the USA, Mauro Sarasso became the acting assistant of Martin as a national leader, while Dawn and their children lived in an apartment by themselves and had a supervising role. Mauro was younger than me physically and spiritually, but he was a good lecturer and his great talent was organisation and being very active. Martin gave him this chance to learn, bringing forward our fundraising and witnessing activities, with the goal of holding many workshops.

Our workshop places were loved by many brothers and sisters. Especially the lecturers and new guests will never forget those locations, because there they found a new or deeper relationship to God. For everybody there were precious moments, either by having conversations, working or relaxing together. The first one, in Montecompatri, remains in my heart because I loved Martin’s lectures. Also to transform this piece of land into a garden gave us a lot of joy. For us, it was our garden of Eden.

The next workshop centre, this time on a national level, was in Calusco, near Bergamo. Externally, it was a nice and quiet place. Unfortunately, however, what we only found out later, was that this building had an incredible history. We wondered why our guests had difficulties to listen or to accept our teachings, until we asked a medium, a lady whose name was Gina, to come and see what had happened. She found out that during the Second World War the fascists had been using this building to keep prisoners inside. There was a church nearby and when the bells were ringing, this precise time had been used to torture the prisoners. There were resentful spirits still living there and the sound of the bells made them nervous. Gina could convince them to go out. From that moment things became much better and our movement began to develop.

Later, the next workshop places were Limonta, by the lake of Como, and Maggio in Valsassina. But Martin had the plan to buy a piece of land and to construct a building by ourselves.

Turning back to autumn 1974 a special fundraising with special goals was initiated. Our brothers and sisters were very inspired and happy by the idea of having a property as a training centre. But things turned out differently, and I’ll talk more about it a little later.

Still, I want to mention that in November 1974 True Father sent fourteen important Korean leaders on a tour in Europe. Among them was True Father’s first son. They came to Rome and stayed for three days. Like True Parents before them, they visited Rome, Naples and Pompeii. They were all True Father’s early disciples, and each one of them could have given long speeches. But a lot of translation would have been necessary, so they did not do it. I got the idea that, to commemorate their visit in Rome, it would be nice to let them sign our Divine Principle book.

They did it with joy. When I asked True Father’s son, instead of a name, he just put a point. Wondering why, I asked him a second time. But again, more than a point did not appear. Lateron, in Spain, I had the chance to meet him again. This time, he was not in a group, but just accompanied by Mr. Cho, a Korean brother. There I was surprised, too, but not by his self-denial, but by his great knowledge of Spanish culture and painters and his love for flamenco dance. At the end, he even went shopping with us, with Sebastian Badosa as the translator and me. He bought a suit for both of us and a toy for my son. Both, the signed book from Rome and the suit from Spain, I still keep in his memory.

Another point to mention is that the year 1975 started in a very stimulating way for us. We heard that True Parents were going to prepare a big blessing of 1800 couples in Korea. We were all excited, but in the end it was Franco and Giannina Ravaglioli who had the necessary conditions and who could participate in this Blessing, opening the way for many more to come.

The origins of our Company

Martin had the chance to meet True Father in America. He took his plans to build a workshop centre in Italy asking for approval. True Father appreciated the idea and the effort made, but had a different vision, not only for Italy, but for the whole of Europe. He suggested that we start the import and sale of ginseng tea and assured Martin that it would bring a lot of good results and even enough money to build more than one training centre. With all his heart, Martin believed in True Father. Equally important was the belief of our fundraising members and those who were directly asked to work full time for a new company. To form a company was a mission, a matter of belief and unity, because this product, ginseng tea, was not yet known in Europe. We considered the tea a blessing from Heaven. For us it was the Messiah’s tea.

Mario Ferrario was asked to take care of the administration, I became responsible for the sales and Sandro Calidi, later on, for the development of new products. My first step into this new direction was to leave the Gestetner company where I had served for ten years. They trusted me and had recognized me as a stable employee. They had even not long before, offered me a large area to supervise, which I had refused, because it meant to travel through half of Italy. When I told them that I wanted to leave the company, it came as a shock that they had not expected. They asked for a written explanation and a statement that I would not go to work for the competitors. Also for me, it was not an easy step, but in my heart I felt it was the right thing to do. Still, it took three months to get free. Furthermore, they offered me the opportunity to come back in case my other plans would not work out.

The second step was Martin’s invitation for me to go together to Germany where they already had started the Ginseng business. Martin gave me a hard time, calling me at the last minute, saying “Tomorrow morning we go.” I was in Rome and had to drive the whole night to be in Bergamo the next morning. Not only that, I needed a shower and wanted to change clothes, but in Martin’s mind we were already on our way. He knocked at the door when I had not even started my shower. So, I put on my clothes again from the night before and off we went. This time, Martin was driving the car. In Germany, it was again a hard time for me, because I could not understand English. When a sister gave a report on her sales activities, Martin translated and I understood. What I understood well was that her report was a description of one obstacle to be overcome after another. Obstacles within herself, with her car, obstacles of missing this or that… My goodness, it sounded like a big battle. Surely that was the reality, but not really encouraging. I could not see myself giving this report in Italy, but I had learnt my lesson: not to take it easy. We needed conditions and much love for our new mission.

Introducing Ginseng products in the Italian market

The ginseng root has been considered a treasure in Korea, and in ancient times it was used as a selected gift for kings. The cultivation, collection, production and commercialisation started only in the last century. The Ilhwa company has its own plantation which ensures a high-quality standard from the seed until the final product. It takes six years for the root to mature, and it is very beneficial in terms of balancing out the various systems (circulation, respiration, digestion, nerves etc.) in the human body.

To heal people was an aspect of my mother’s family. My grandfather had healing power in his hands. My mother, too. And now I was called to become a channel to a much wider range of people to be cured by ginseng. Only later I became aware how much God knows each one of us and knows our background.

We had to build the business up from scratch, step by step. We imported the ginseng products from the German company Werner & Winkler. We needed a storage room and since the products arrived with the original labels in Korean, we had to provide new labels in Italian. Fortunately, Mario Ferrario could rent some space in a company (Loose) in Almè, the owner of which was a good friend. On the weekends, when the company was closed, we went there to do the necessary job, i.e. putting on Italian labels by hand. Another important preparation was done by Luciano Tomasini who was very creative in preparing folders for sales, which in fact were very useful. Martin Porter was the soul of the company and inspired other brothers to become the first group of salesmen. Being all members of the Unification Church, we took it as a mission to build up a great company.

We were volunteers. When we started the sales in September 1975, we did it in cities where we had a centre. I was the only one among them who had experiences in selling, which is different from fundraising. In our first meeting, I mentioned the experience in Germany. It did not mean that we would be having the same obstacles in Italy, but that in any case a certain standard of behaviour would be adequate: In the morning to be at the pharmacy 10 minutes before it opened to have time to pray, in the evening to work until the closing time and not to stop before, not to appear in casual clothes, but be formally dressed. Furthermore, it would be important to make effort to remember the names of customers, so they might have a positive impression on the following visits. Our salesmen were the living business cards of the company and represented the best, but also the most expensive ginseng. To gain and maintain the trust of the pharmacies meant an ongoing effort in offering kindness and good service. When it came to a sale, the order was immediately delivered, because we had the products in the car. Adapting to the new job as salesmen, with time our brothers learnt to enter the pharmacies with the following mindset: “I come here to sell, not just present the product. We are selling quality. Quality does not have a low price.”

In reality, at the time the amazing effects of ginseng were not yet generally known. The pharmacies - and later on herbalists - were opening the market and did pioneering work in convincing the customers. There was one Swiss company launching Thai ginseng: a drink with little ginseng and a good portion of alcohol. They did a lot of ambiguous publicity, presenting their product as a stimulator in the area of sex. The only way to protect our ginseng from a bad image was to participate in trade fairs, in particular the Milan trade fair, then in Verona, Bologna and Levante fairs. We let the visitors taste the ginseng and gave many explanations about its good effects. Again, Luciano Tomasini helped a lot to develop sales promotion.

As to the herbalists, not all, but a good part of them, were inclined to believe in spiritual power. Presenting our ginseng, they had the desire to control by themselves if our ginseng was as good as we told them. They took out a pendulum to compare the power. Immediately, they could see that our ginseng made the pendulum swing in big circles, while the others were weak.

With the help of God and each one of us, it was a good and fast start. We started to sell boxes. In 1976, the first ginseng house was created in the very central via Dante in Milano. It was an unusual shop, nicely decorated with Korean products, like dresses, marble vases, dolls, etc. There was an oriental sofa to sit down where people felt a warm, welcoming atmosphere. Our sister Rosa Malinverni was very good at selling marble vases for incredible amounts of money. They came from a sacred mountain where Buddhist monks had been praying for centuries. It was believed that these vases were imbued with their spirituality.

Personal experiences

As far as I’m concerned, I started to feel that the pioneering of our Ilhwa ginseng products in Italy was my main mission. Realistically, I felt a lot of help coming from the spirit world. Even the desire to not only cover the northern part, but also go south, as well came from spirit world, I believe. For more protection, we had to go in twos, because we could not risk leaving the van alone with all the products inside. One important experience is connected with Catania in Sicily. When I went there for the first time, I felt completely rejected. There was not even one pharmacy that wanted to buy. After trying for several days, I could not break through. On Sunday morning, I went to the beach in order to pray. Sitting in a boat, I started to read the Divine Principle aloud. Then, it happened that I saw more and more spirits gathering around me. My voice became stronger. They seemed to have expectations, so I started to talk to them and ended up promising them to convince our national leader to open a centre, on the condition that they prepare the herbalists and pharmacies to accept our ginseng products.

The next time I came to Catania, the atmosphere had completely changed. For the first time, I felt like I was walking hand in hand with True Father and True Mother as their child. We were going out together. Was it them, was it me? The sales went very well, without hesitation. I was impressed, very happy and talked to our national leader about this experience. He was moved and in fact opened the promised centre. It did not take long before the first members from Sicily began to join.

In one of True Father’s speeches, I had read that for each and every one it is important to find happiness, independent of living in low or high circumstances. I wanted to apply this and to find gratitude as a pioneer I did not choose normal guest houses or restaurants for sleeping or eating. Our van provided space to sleep on top of the boxes. Food to eat was available in shops. In the morning, at a local train or bus station or in a park, I found water to wash myself. Some people were surprised by my singing early in the morning. I enjoyed a great feeling of freedom.

Later on, especially in Sicily, the parents of members welcomed me, since they are people with a great sense of hospitality. Naturally, they wanted to know about their children’s situation and I tried my best to understand their heart. It gave me a lot of satisfaction. Externally, I lead a very simple life, but internally, I was rewarded by the relationship with the customers, by the sales and also by meeting our members’ parents. It was a happy time for me.

On one of those trips south, I met with Dawn at the centre in Rome. On this occasion, she talked to me about Martin in a critical way and finally asked me to follow her and open a centre in Ancona. It disturbed me a lot. At the same time I remembered Barbara and her words: “As long as Martin is connected with True Parents, don’t listen to what other people are telling you.” I declined her offer, answering that I had joined wanting to follow True Parents and not some saints like St. Francis or Sta. Clara. It was a test of loyalty for me, and I continued to feel responsible for the ginseng sales. By the way, the centre in Ancona was established with other brothers and sisters, but it only lasted for a short time.

Doubling the sales

The year of 1976 was an important year for True Parents in America, with two big rallies: one at Yankee Stadium in June and one at the Washington Monument in September. Especially the Washington Monument rally required a lot of effort, since there were only three months of preparation, with a huge amount of money to supply. Help in terms of members and money from Europe was required. As a consequence, Martin asked me to double the sales. I remembered True Father’s request in Rome, in 1972, when he spoke about faith and sacrifice and finally asked how many members we could send. Our answer at the time was half-hearted. This time we wanted to give our whole heart and promised to double up. The circumstances were not too favourable because of the summer holiday time. But, again, we experienced a lot of help from the spiritual world, based on the conditions we laid. On the best days, there were no obstacles – not the high price, not the quantity; our customers just ordered the double. Sometimes, even while we were still being in the shop, people came in and asked for more. They believed that the products had a lot of healing power. When we saw that we could reach the established goal, our hearts were filled with a lot of joy. We had to give thanks to Heaven, because this was a victory of unity. The channel was ginseng, but most important was that indirectly people, our customers, had contributed to the success of the Washington Monument rally - a rally for peace and freedom in the world. When it took place in September, I was invited to be a participant. For me, it was the first time to go to America and became a great experience.

Verona responds with generosity

For people like my relatives, living around Lake Garda, Verona is a great and famous city. The Arena is the centre of opera. The love story of Romeo and Juliet is known all over the world. But also the herbal market has its value. When my relatives talked, it seemed that Verona was like a queen. For this reason, when I first started to sell there, I had quite high expectations, believing in the generosity of this city. The reality, however, was quite different, at least in the beginning. I could not sell even a single bottle. I had to reflect and to pray. The conclusion was that it was not right to have expectations, but rather I had to be ready to go to the most difficult place. On purpose I chose a pharmacy situated on the outskirts of the city, looking nearly like it was abandoned. I wanted to serve there with kindness and explanations. To my surprise, they made quite a substantial order, which gave me a lot of power. On that day and on the following ones, I had a similar experience to the one in Catania, the feeling I had gone out and having True Parents with me. Again, was it me or them who interacted with the herbalists and the pharmacies? The results were wonderful. In my heart, I still feel Verona is a queen with a generous mind.

I am thankful to my mother, as well. Even in her limited way, she took her own small stock of ginseng products and did her sales, not only to support me, but because she was convinced of the healing power. Her heart was still to help, especially the suffering people.

A change of leadership in the Italian movement

A big change in our movement came, when True Father asked Martin to take responsibility for our movement in Canada. For Italy True Father appointed Franco Ravaglioli who was less than 30 years old, supported by his wife Giannina Figus. This change came on the 1st of June, 1977. Martin, after many years and much effort invested into Italy left with many memories in his heart.

Franco and Giannina hoped for a new beginning. Their first meeting was with us, the elder members. Given that they already had been involved in many important activities, we did not feel any difficulty in promising our support. Being both of them Italians, they easily understood the Italian heart to live in a family atmosphere and made a lot of effort to create this kind of spirit rather than that of a movement. Concerning me I want to appreciate their generosity. When I left Italy the following year, the Italian family gave me the car which I had used as a gift. On a family level we have a bond for eternity.

With the arrival of our True Parents the following year in England, our European movement, as well, underwent a big change. Franco and Giannina could not always stay in Italy. Just like other leaders, for longer periods of time they worked in England and Germany connecting Italy to our European movement.

A greater mission for me

A big change in my life came in the year of 1978, when I received the Blessing as one of the 118 couples. Afterwards, True Father suggested that I should go to Spain where I had new experiences. About that part in my life I have written in the booklet “My Life in Spain”. Reflecting about the beginnings in Italy, I want to express gratitude to all who helped me to grow up, to get a deeper relationship to God and True Parents. I took my memories of good experiences to Spain where they helped me to support and build up our ginseng company there. Our Spanish colleagues are still grateful for the support they got from Italy. As to the heartistic relationships with our brothers and sisters, they are not lost. Love is something we build up on the earth and take with us beyond time and space.

A letter to Barbara

My dearest Barbara, I’m Elio D’Alberti.

The reason why we are here together is important, it’s to celebrate your 91° birthday.

I would like to join everyone here who love you, and would like to wish you Happy Birthday! Wishing that God will bless you, protect you and give you health and a long life. I wish to express eternal gratitude to God and True Parents for having met you one Monday evening in September 1969.

On that occasion, in Jolanda’s house Giorgio Re, his parents and Miriam were present.

The Saturday before, Jolanda (a medium from Milan), had invited me to her home at 3 pm. She had accompanied me to a room and asked me to sit down, with a very serious expression. Then she said: Elio, the Messiah is here on the earth!

A great wave of emotion penetrated deep into me. If it were true, there was nothing more important, wonderful and incredible in my life than this!

Jolanda told me that the following Monday a missionary named Barbara Burrowes, would be giving an Exposition of the Divine Principle at 9 pm, and she invited me to the meeting.

Dear Barbara, when you began to explain the Ideal of Creation, all my senses opened up. The words that came out of your mouth were like the water of life, that penetrated, purifying my mind, and my heart and my body vibrated with happiness. All of my dreams about an ideal family, were finally becoming a reality through the Messiah!

Barbara, on the 31s December 1969, you invited us to the Casa della Laureata in Milan where you lived. We were about 13 brothers and sisters, and we met in a room and sat all together around a rectangular table. I remember sitting in front of you, and this was the first time that we were participating in a midnight prayer to celebrate God’s Day 1970. It was the year of great changes in our life of faith.

We opened a center in Via Bronzetti, and you began living there. Later Rosina and 1 had the privilege to join you. We all loved the good food you prepared.

You taught us how to witness, and one Sunday all the group left together from the center. When we arrived in Piazza Duomo, you showed us how to stop people, what to say to them, and how to invite them to our conferences at the center. Many people participated, and sometimes the center was so full that we even had to teach in the bathroom.

You were our teacher, we learned how to teach the Divine Principle, give sermons, sing etc. Later we visited Amsterdam in Holland to have an experience with the family movement there. At the end of December, or maybe it was the beginning of January you left for the United States, invited by Young Oon Kim. Before leaving the center in Via Bronzetti you gave me some last advice: Elio you must always follow Martin Porter and not listen to anyone else!

This advice helped me in many difficult moments. I joined our movement for True Parents, and I will always be faithful and loyal until I’m alive on this earth. As you are doing!

To conclude, I would like to thank you in the name of everyone that you educated and loved, in Milan and in all of Italy.

I was the first member in Italy to accept True Parents, but after you left Italy the group in Milano dispersed. Only a small group continued meeting to keep our relationship alive, until Martin Porter returned from Korea, where True Father had asked him to reunite the group in Milan and ask each one individually if we wanted to follow the Messiah. If the answer was positive, then we should leave Milan and go to live in the center in Rome.

Mario and Luciana, Giorgio Re, Marisa and I said yes, while Franco Ravaglioli remained in Milan to take care of those who could not go to Rome.

Mario Ferrario and I left Milan for Rome on 11th December 1971 by train, and we could celebrate God’s Day 1972 all together with Martin, his wife and his son.

From that moment on, the Italian movement began to expand to a national level, under the guidance of Martin Porter.

Barbara, you will always be remembered as the first member who joined our movement in Italy in 1965, may be in June or July, after meeting Doris Orme, who was the first missionary of the Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity in Italy. You are one of the roots of our movement, that has permitted all Italian members of the past, present and future to realise the dream of God and True Parents, and permit us to become citizens of Cheon Il Guk and to become Cheonbo victors.

Thank you, Barbara, and a huge hug from those who love you.

Elio D’Alberti.

Center of Via Bronzetti, Milan, 1970. At the center: Martin Porter with Timothy, and Dawn

A letter to Mario and Luciana

Hi Mario, hi Luciana,

with my mind I relive the scene of our first meeting, at our home in Milan. I had learned already from Jolanda that the Messiah was on this earth and Barbara had explained to me the contents of the Divine Principle. I felt great joy and enthusiasm. My mother, who already knew you, invited you at our home in Ciriè street. It was a Sunday afternoon, long time ago, in 1969.

I couldn’t control my strong desire to convey everything I had learned. "The Messiah is alive on this earth" "We are living in a new era", "The Kingdom of Heaven is near", etc. My mouth flooded you with a waterfall of words, too confused and messed up.

You have been patient enough to wait, the next Sunday, the missionary Barbara and her explanation of the Principle. That’s how you determined yourselves to follow the Messiah. It was the starting point of the path we took together. Sometimes together, sometimes separated because of different missions, though always united in heart.

Of the many experiences we shared, I am going to point out just one of them. 1970 was a very important year. We established a centre in Bronzetti street and started witnessing, travelled to Amsterdam to know the Dutch movement and took care of other activities. All of this was very stimulating.

We also met our early faith trials. In the end of December 1970, Martin came to Milan to close down the centre. Not only that: he advised us neither meeting with each other, nor studying the Principle, not even praying to God. His meaning was impossible to figure out and we felt heartbroken. Then he explained that because of the disunity among the spiritualists "Satan had invaded the foundation in Milan".

Six months later, in 1971, our faith was tested once again. Martin, on his way back from Korea, gathered the members of Milan and reported the directions received from True Father. Every one of us had to move from Milan to Rome. It was a leap in the dark. We had to leave everybody and everything. There were approximately thirty people in our group in Milan. In the end, only three single members and one family responded positively. Mario and Luciana had to face the biggest challenge. They had to leave behind job, home, children’s school, relatives, friends, and entrust everything in God’s hands. And they made it! Thank you.

In Rome, the new centre was located in Treviso street, where we all dwelt together. If we take a look at the history of our movement, we can discern how since that time the Unification Church developed in Rome at a national level, due especially to the sacrificial spirit of the first missionaries. Therefore, True Father’s decision was a wise one.

As you all know, Martin sent Mario to Bergamo as a pioneer. He went first, Luciana, Sara and Marzia followed him later. I am sure you are well aware of their course in Bergamo. Mario and Luciana are soon leaving for the United States and God is bidding them farewell, wishing them "Have a nice flight and see you again soon". When they land in America, God himself will welcome them there.

As their new mission, as happy grandparents, they shall establish three generations living together as one family, for the sake of their descendants.

Dear Mario and Luciana, in some future - who knows - a monument will be built in Bergamo to celebrate an exemplary family that brought honour and glory to Heavenly Parent and True Parents in Italy, in Romania and wherever they’ve been.

Thank you!

Bergamo, September 17, 2017

Elio D’Alberti

Mario, Luciana and Donata

Appendix

When we received important guests in our centers (as, for example, elder members of the Church, especially from Korea), I used to ask them to put their signatures in a page of my Divine Principle book.

The following ten pages are the reproduction of the pages containing those signatures.

Elio with some international guests, in the ‘70s

Elio and President Yoon, on an island in the Yellow Sea, September, 1990

Crown of Glory

When I doubt people, I feel pain.

When I judge people, it is unbearable.

When I hate people, there is no value to my existence.

Yet if I believe, I am deceived.

If I love, I am betrayed.

Suffering and grieving tonight, my head in my hands.

Am I wrong?

Yes I am wrong.

Even though we are deceived, still believe.

Though we are betrayed, still forgive.

Love completely, even those who hate you.

Wipe your tears away and welcome with a smile

Those who know nothing but deceit,

and those who betray without regret.

O, Master, the pain of loving.

Look at my hands.

Place your hand on my chest.

My heart is bursting, such agony.

But when I loved those who acted against me,

I brought victory

If you have done the same things,

I will give you the Crown of Glory

Poetry written by Rev. Moon when he was 16