September Sycamore Tree

Dear Sycamore Family,

I’m sad that summer is almost over and somewhat relieved as well because I don’t think I have the energy to keep going on the same pace all year. This August I’ve traveled all over Japan including Hiroshima on the anniversary of the bombing, 2 summer work camps in Northern Japan, and Hawaii for the Pacific Asian American Ministries Convocation.

Jeffrey said that he and his wife, Kako were grateful that their children Hana and Tomo were able to make so many new friends at Bible Day Camp this year even though they started late. They also said they were singing A-la-la-la-la in the car all the way back to Claremont. Even though I couldn’t be at Bible Day Camp this year, Jeffrey was equally missed at the summer work camps here in Japan. Every year the student center sponsors a work camp to Okunakayama, a local small farming community in Northern Iwate Prefecture (about 3 hours north of Sendai by car).

After the war, the Japanese government encouraged people to set out on pioneer work in the rural areas of northern Japan because much of the farmland around the urban areas had been destroyed. Two of the sheep and lettuce farmers that organized to found Okunakayama in the 1950s just happened to be Christian and that had a profound effect on the development of this community. Our group were fortunate to have an evening with one of the women that was part of this group and learn a little bit about the history from her and looking through old photo albums.

Today the community is also home to the Canaan Bakery is a non-profit organization which sells handmade bread to the surrounding areas to help support the Okunakayama church and an assisted living facility for the mentally and physically disabled. One of the things that make this particular facility so amazing is the way its residents and staff members participate in every aspect of daily life. The residents help with work on the farm that grows their food, to bake bread in the Canaan Bakery, and to process wool from the sheep. After the wool is processed, some of the residents use the wool to make tapestries as part of their therapy, some of which are sold later to help support the facility. Finally, all the members of this integrated community attend church worship services on Sunday.

The name Okunakayama literally translated means “deep mountain” and one of the students pointed out that this name is a pretty accurate description both of the history, the people who live there, and the steep mountains that make up the surrounding landscape. The student center had been leading this work camp for over 10 years and everyone who has participated in the past has made a lot of fun and wonderful memories there, myself included. I have written more and posted pictures on my blog at http://skltstravels.blogspot.com

I miss you all so much and I can’t wait to see you at Bazaar!

With Love,
SKLT
Global Missions Intern and
Assistant Director of the Sendai Student/Youth Center in Sendai, Japan.