Juan Manuel Sanchis

Born in Valencia, Spain, on December 19, 1948, Juan was the youngest of seven children. He grew up in Valencia, a city blessed by the Mediterranean Sea. His love for Spain—its language of Cervantes and the warmth of its people—instilled in him a lifelong appreciation for faith, family, and meaningful friendships.

He graduated from the University of Valencia in 1976 with a master’s degree in business administration. A promising career opportunity brought him to America—but God had another plan. Just forty days before beginning his new job, a Japanese missionary stopped him on 43rd Street in New York City and shared the message of the Divine Principle. That encounter changed the course of his life. At 28 years old, Juan responded to Heaven’s call with a newly awakened heart and joined the workshop teaching staff as a Spanish lecturer.

In 1979, Juan entered the Unification Theological Seminary in

Barrytown, New York. After completing a two-year course of study, he graduated in 1981 with a Master of Religious Education degree. The previous year, he had been selected as a founding member of CAUSA International, an organization established by Rev. and Mrs. Sun Myung Moon to promote a God-centered worldview as an alternative to communism. Under the direction of Dr. Bo Hi Pak, Juan and the team traveled throughout Central and South America, teaching high-level government officials, educators, students, and military cadets—the future leaders of their nations.

In the mid-1980s, he taught the Principle to Spanish guests in Miami, served as state leader in Arkansas, and supported the International Conferences for Clergy (ICC), where he played an active role in bringing Spanish-speaking ministers to Korea.

In March 1987, Juan was matched by True Parents to Jung Hee Kang, a devoted sister from Korea. They received the Blessing together at the 1,275 Couple International Blessing Ceremony in Yongin, Korea, on January 12, 1989. Juan and Jung Hee remained in Korea—first serving in Pusan, where they carried out Home Church activities and delivered the Segye Ilbo daily newspaper, and later in Seoul, where they settled and began their family life. They welcomed their first son, ChoongSun, in 1990, and their second

son, Choongwon, in 1992.

Juan’s professional career reflected a spirit of service and excellence. He taught Spanish and English to workers at Hyundai Motors and later served for many years in the finance department of the Embassy of Spain in Seoul.

In August 2003, the family relocated to Stafford, Virginia, where Juan worked as a tax advisor, hotel manager, and later in the finance department of The Washington Times.

In 2006, the family moved to Burke, Virginia, where their sons attended public school. Juan was a loving husband and proud father, deeply grateful for his family’s faith and accomplishments.

In 2015, they returned to Stafford, where he continued to live quietly and gratefully, cherishing each day as a gift from Heaven.

In 2021, Juan was diagnosed with a progressive neurological condition with symptoms similar to Parkinson’s. Even as he faced a long and difficult illness, he remained steady and gracious—his faith unwavering. Those who visited him in his final years witnessed a man refined by love—a soul at peace, anchored in gratitude and trust in God.

Throughout his nearly 50 years in the church, Juan was always active in the Spanish community. In February 2022, with love and devotion, he gave his final Divine Principle lecture— “The Parallels of History”—from a wheelchair.

Juan was proud of his Spanish heritage and always carried within him the warmth of the Mediterranean. He loved the sea, the poetry of language, and the beauty of heartfelt conversation. He was an avid soccer fan who never missed a European match.

He is lovingly remembered by his wife, Jung Hee Kang; his sons,

ChoongSun (Sebastian) and his wife, Yusun, and Choongwon; and

countless friends and spiritual brothers and sisters around the world, especially the Spanish communities in New York, New Jersey, and Maryland, who will always cherish his gentle smile, steadfast faith, and loving heart.