“I am very grateful to have participated. I got tools to help me prepare better and work on my relationship with my children and improve my relationship with my husband. I am not as afraid by the Family Matching Process as I was before this experience. I have more confidence and I believe that I will be even more confident as my family learns about the tools together” said one participant of the Parents Matching Education in Dallas, Texas.
45 parents participated in a Parents Matching Education held in the beautiful Dallas Family Church in Texas from July 10 to July 12. Participants travelled from all over Texas and surrounding States, including Oklahoma and Arkansas, to participate, network, and have a memorable learning experience. One participant even travelled internationally from Singapore to participate!
This was the first time that the new Parents Matching Education (PME) program was delivered. The PME offers more focus on the educational part of the matching process, as opposed to the Parents Matching Convocation (PMC) that displays candidate profiles. The PME curriculum empowers parents to use the online tools available and view candidate profiles online.
The program began on Friday evening with a warm welcome and orientation by Crescentia DeGoede, Director of the National Blessing and Family Ministry, who shared about the value of a parent-centered matching process. Following her welcoming remarks, Debby Gullery, an educator and counselor, presented on the practical and important ways to deepen the relationship between parent and child, which is an essential part of the Family Matching Process. One parent shared “I learned more about where I am now in my relationship with my children and where I should be even with my spouse.”
Saturday began with an in-depth explanation and discussion by Mrs. Gullery on the Family Matching Process. Parents’ fears and uncertainties were put to ease as Mrs. Gullery shared the step-by-step way to navigate through the process.
After lunch, Mrs. DeGoede introduced the Blessing and Family Ministry website’s Matching Support Resources. This session was followed by a presentation about online tools and resources, for which parents were encouraged to bring a laptop so that they could best learn and follow along. Mr. Abelseth, BFM Senior Technical Advisor, clearly and patiently walked the parents through the process of creating a Family Profile on the online candidate profile website, Matchbook. Parents and candidates who had already created a Family Profile were offered personal assistance navigating the profiles. One parent shared that “working online to looking at candidate profiles was great because it is something we can do even at home.”
On Saturday evening, young Unificationists shared their own experience with communicating with their parents though the Family Matching Process: Marten Hernandez, Andria Rogers, Jessica Garand, and Jessica Sattinger.
On Sunday morning, parents shared testimonies about their experience with communicating with their children through the process: John Abelseth, Frank and Mary-Ann Davis, Mark and Yuri Hernandez.
“It was spiritually and emotionally enriching; it was not just intellectual knowledge. The staff were incredibly patient and supportive. It was a great realization that I am not alone, renewed affirmation that God wants and can work with us despite our fears and past mistakes.”
“Thank you for the free and open atmosphere of presentations all weekend in both spiritual and practical areas! I feel True Parents’ love and presence here!”
“This PME was a great improvement from the PMC I attended two years ago. I learned how important our husband and wife relationship is and how much it affects our children.”
“Full of hope, support, and ideas which empowered us as spouses and parents, thank you!”
“I learned that each child goes through a different and unique course for the Blessing.”
