I had a lot of anxiety about giving this message because perhaps a lot of you have never really thought about the meaning of Christmas before or have any idea what this day is all about. In Japan, perhaps Christmas is a day when you go out and eat cake or Kentucky Fried Chicken. Or maybe Christmas is a day whenyou go out with your favorite people at see the lights at the Pageant of Starlight.
Christians have a different kind of Pageant of Starlight. In the weeks leading up to Christmas we light these 4 candles to represent our waiting and anticipation. And on Christmas day we light a fifth candle to celebrate His birth. We`ve just heard the Christmas story read by volunteers and we lit a candle for each portion of the story.
Each candle represents something that we think about during this time of the year. The first candle represents Hope. Hope comes first because unless we have hope we can`t be ready to receive all the good things that life has to offer.
The first reading we heard talked about the prediction of the birth of Jesus. Neither Mary of Joseph had any idea what this unexpected pregnancy meant for their lives or for the world. Joseph was planning to divorce Mary after the baby was born. But, their faith in God gave them hope and the will to continue with their plans despite whatever fears they had.
Maybe you can think of something in your life that scares you. Maybe you`re afraid you won`t graduate or that you won`t be able to find a job or a girlfriend. Whatever that thing is that scares you, if you don`t at least have hope that you might accomplish your goal then it becomes that much more impossible to succeed.
The second candle represents Peace. In the U.S., and perhaps other parts of the world as well, Christmas is one of the only times of year that families gather together. Growing up, I lived in Nor Ca with my mom and my dad worked in Los Angeles during theyear. And so Christmas would be the one time of year when my dad could get 2 weeks of vacation from work and we could spend the holidays together as a family. On Christmas Day we would go visit my father`s side of the family and have dinner together. My father`s family doesn`t live that far away but we never really get together during the year. There are old arguments and disagreements that were never resolved in my family, which I`m sure is true in others as well. Yet on this one day out of the year we all come from far away to share a meal together as a family.
In life there can be even greater differences that divide us. It could be the language that we speak or just the fact that we attend different universities. But this center is one of the few places where there are so many different people together in one place. Sometimes we have disagreements or differences in character but we can all pretty much agree that this is an amazing place or otherwise I don`t think you`d be here. If we didn`t all try to make an effort to be accepting of those differences then I don`t think this center could exist.
The third candle represents Joy. Christmas is a time of celebration when we eat large feasts and give one another presents. But it`s also a time when we can celebrate the things that we already have.
In our family we would take the artificial Christmas tree out of its storage space and put it up in our living room. Then, we decorate it with ornaments that we had collected over the years. Every year my mom and I would each go to the department store and choose an ornament that best represented something good that happened over the year. When Iwas in 5th grade, I played flute in the school band and so my ornament was a glass angel playing a flute. The year we bought a new car, we found a little ornament of Santa Claus driving a car. It was a chance for us to be grateful for the blessings we had received over the year.
Christians celebrate the gift that we received in the form of this little baby born to ordinary people in a tiny manger with the sheep. Shepherds and Kings from far away lands came to give gifts to this tiny baby and so every year we give Christmas presents so that we can celebrate the joy of this day. I received a Christmas present in the mail last week. The package arrived from the Women`s Fellowship of a church in Hawaii. I`ve never visited this church and I don`t know any of its members and yet they thought of me and found out my address so they could send a package halfway across the world. This reminded me of maybe the most important part of Christmas, the forth candle. It represents Love.
Of course, there are many different kinds of love but the love that we talk about at Christmas time is the love we have for people we`ve never even met. In the final passage from the Bible we hear. All of these people were coming from different places talking about this baby. What I like about this passage is that it talks about how Mary felt when she received these gifts. She knew that her baby was special but she couldn`t have possibly imagined the celebration that his birth would bring hope to so many people, or that wise men from distant lands would bring gifts to her small family in peace, or that there would be so much joy and celebration. Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
At Christmas time I always like to think about all of the blessings that I`ve received over the year. It was a blessing to me that I had this chance to be in Japan with all of you. It is a blessing that I have a family who loves and cares about me even though I`m far away. I had no idea that I would have all of the wonderful experiences I`ve had over the past (almost) two years. Or that this opportunity would be provided by church members all over the U.S. who donate money to support my activities and the work of this student center.
And maybe that`s what Christmas is all about, not the gifts that you will receive but the ones you already have.
After the offering we`ll be singing a song called Magnificat which is Mary's song where she sings about her joy for this new blessing in her life. It's a song of joy and a song of thanksgiving.
And Mary said:
My soul glorifies the Lord
And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
For he has been mindful
Of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
For the Mighty One has done great
Things for me—Holy is His name.
Showing posts with label Speeches. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Speeches. Show all posts
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Monday, May 18, 2009
Pray for Japan on Sunday, May 24, 2009
also posted on the Global Ministries website: http://globalministries.org/prayer/24may2009.html
Lectionary Text and Prayers for Japan: John 17:6-19
I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them.
Dear God, thank you for the many gifts of community and fellowship with the global Christian community brought to us through missionaries around the world. This week we pray for Japan. We ask for your light and guidance for Christians in Japan, while few, continue faithfully on their journey towards your kingdom here on earth. Help us, as missionaries, to learn to serve and walk alongside our partners in the Japanese church on this mission. We…
Global Ministries International Partners in Japan:
Lectionary Text and Prayers for Japan: John 17:6-19
I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them.
Dear God, thank you for the many gifts of community and fellowship with the global Christian community brought to us through missionaries around the world. This week we pray for Japan. We ask for your light and guidance for Christians in Japan, while few, continue faithfully on their journey towards your kingdom here on earth. Help us, as missionaries, to learn to serve and walk alongside our partners in the Japanese church on this mission. We…
- Pray for global food security and for ministries like the Asian Rural Institute in Tochigi Prefecture which help to inspire leadership in rural communities both in Japan and around the world.
- Pray for the indigenous peoples of Japan from the Ainu peoples of northern Japan and Hokkaido to Ryu Kyu peoples in Okinawa, and others as they continue their struggle for acknowledgement by the Japanese people and government.
- Pray for the Christian centers and smaller ministries like the Emmaus Center, the Douhoku Centre, the Student Christian Fellowship (SCF), Bazaar Café, and Ginowan Seminar House as they continue to serve as a vital meeting point between the church and the wider community. Help them to continue their work serving the most vulnerable and needy.
- Pray for sexual minorities, the LGBT community in both Japan and the US, that they are able to find acceptance and understanding from their families, religious institutions, and government leaders.
- Pray that awareness of Article 9 of Japan's Peace Constitution will continue to grow both here in Japan and abroad. We pray that Japan will be an example of peace in seeking non-military means for conflict resolution.
(Prayer by SKLT)
Global Ministries International Partners in Japan:
- Doshisha University: http://www.doshisha.ac.jp/english/ Martha Mensendiek is a teacher of Social Welfare at Doshisha University, Kyoto. Casilda Luzares teaches English.
- Asian Rural Institute: The mission of the Asian Rural Institute (ARI) is to build an environmentally healthy, just, and peaceful world, in which each person can live to his or her fullest potential. This mission is rooted in the love of Jesus Christ. To carry out this mission, ARI trains and nurtures rural leaders for a life of sharing. Leaders, both women and men, who live and work in grassroots rural communities primarily in Asia, Africa and the Pacific form a community of learning each year together with staff and other residents. Through community-based learning they study the best ways for rural people to share and enhance local resources and abilities for the common good.
- Emmaus Center: Rev. Jeffrey Mensendiek works as the Director of youth ministries at the Emmaus Center, Northeast Conference of United Church of Christ in Japan, based in Sendai, Japan. Ms. Sandra Lee-Takei works as a global mission Intern at the Emmaus Center as the assistant to the Director of youth ministries.
- Kobe College: http://www.kobe-c.ac.jp/ekc/index.html
- Korean Christian Church in Japan: http://www.kccj.net/
- Miyagi Gakuin Women’s University:
- National Christian Council of Japan: http://ncc-j.org/english/profile.htm
- Tohoku Gakuin University: http://www.tohoku-gakuin.ac.jp/en/index.html
- United Church of Christ in Japan:
- Sandra Lee-Takei serves as a Global Mission Intern at the Emmaus Center
- Casilda Luzares teaches English at Doshisha University and is involved in pastoral ministries to migrant workers from the Philippines, Malaysia and Thailand.
- Martha Mensendiek teaches Social Welfare at Doshisha University
- Jeffrey Mensendiek serves and the Director of youth ministries at the Emmaus Center and the Sendai Student/Youth Center in Sendai.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Emmaus Worship Introduction
Part of the vision for the Tohoku Church District Emmaus Center was that it could be a shared space for all of the churches in the Tohoku Church District. So, we hold a worship service every 2nd Sunday in the evening which is open to the public but mainly attended by pastors and church members who attend worship services or preach at their own churches in the mornings.
It's an ecumenical service open to all sorts of varieties of Christian. We've had guests from the First Presbytarian Church of Hollywood among others from outside Japan. There have also been Baptist and Catholic pastors that have come from churches outside of our denomination within Japan. However, this worship service is usually rotated between the pastors of the Tohoku District of the United Church of Christ-Japan (Nihon Kirisuto Kyodon / 日本キリスト教団). Twice there have been guests from the Asian Rural Institute that talked about their work at ARI (http://www.ari-edu.org/).
As a staff member at the Emmaus Center, I knew that I would be asked to present a message at some point during my time in Sendai. I decided to break the message into 2 parts in order to make it easier to read.
The passage I chose to read was the story of the 2 disciples on the road to Emmaus after they discover the empty tomb and the message was entitled, '誰と共に歩んでいる?' or 'Who is walking beside you?'
It's an ecumenical service open to all sorts of varieties of Christian. We've had guests from the First Presbytarian Church of Hollywood among others from outside Japan. There have also been Baptist and Catholic pastors that have come from churches outside of our denomination within Japan. However, this worship service is usually rotated between the pastors of the Tohoku District of the United Church of Christ-Japan (Nihon Kirisuto Kyodon / 日本キリスト教団). Twice there have been guests from the Asian Rural Institute that talked about their work at ARI (http://www.ari-edu.org/).
As a staff member at the Emmaus Center, I knew that I would be asked to present a message at some point during my time in Sendai. I decided to break the message into 2 parts in order to make it easier to read.
The passage I chose to read was the story of the 2 disciples on the road to Emmaus after they discover the empty tomb and the message was entitled, '誰と共に歩んでいる?' or 'Who is walking beside you?'
Luke 24:13-16
Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jeruselem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him.
Emmaus Worship Part I
I am fully aware that I don't look like the typical stereotypical missionary. When students in Sendai first heard that there was a missionary coming to work at the student center for a year they immediately pictured an older, white male. Since I am neither old nor white and I am 22-years-old I like to think I was an unexpected surprise.
As I've been here now for over a year students have started to feel comfortable enough to ask the question that's been burning in their minds since I arrived, "Why did you want to become a missionary in Japan?"
To be honest, when Pastor Sharon came up to me after service and asked me if I would be interested in such an opportunity I didn't say yes right away. I had and still have serious reservations about evengelical work in international settings because if done forcefully it can close the hearts of many people unless the missionary has a good understanding of the culture in which they minister. It meant a lot that Pastor Sharon had asked me personally. Also, I realized that this would be a great way to be useful to Sycamore Church as the first missionary to go to Japan after we've received so many ministers and Pre-School teachers from Japan in our 100-year history. But, I had absolutely no concept of how I could be useful without theological training and only basic conversational Japanese.
I needed more information before I could make that decision. So, I spoke to pastors from Japan and to people in the national church body of the U.S. about the kinds of work that United Church of Christ missionaries do. But, what convinced me was an e-mail from Jeffrey (director of the Sendai Student Center). It described Sendai and the student center activities but in the first paragraph it said, "I too believe that it is our role as Christians to walk alongside people who are in need...Evangelism is not about converting, but about enabling people to discover a source within themselves which gives them true life. True Life is what I call God. And I believe that our center has enabled many young people to be enlivened as they pass through on life's journey."
We are now standing in the Emmaus Center. I imagine that the people who were a part of creating this building were inspired by the story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus. In the process of sharing life and conversation with one another we can learn to see the presence of God in our midst even if we already have faith and belief in that presence.
As a young person, I realized that I could contribute to this community simply by being present, sharing meals and walking alongside those in need of comfort in their lives. All of my life I feel as if I've been searching for a way to be useful, a way to serve. This chance to work among you here in Sendai provided me that chance and I am extremely grateful that you've accepted me and walked alongside me for this past year.
As I've been here now for over a year students have started to feel comfortable enough to ask the question that's been burning in their minds since I arrived, "Why did you want to become a missionary in Japan?"
To be honest, when Pastor Sharon came up to me after service and asked me if I would be interested in such an opportunity I didn't say yes right away. I had and still have serious reservations about evengelical work in international settings because if done forcefully it can close the hearts of many people unless the missionary has a good understanding of the culture in which they minister. It meant a lot that Pastor Sharon had asked me personally. Also, I realized that this would be a great way to be useful to Sycamore Church as the first missionary to go to Japan after we've received so many ministers and Pre-School teachers from Japan in our 100-year history. But, I had absolutely no concept of how I could be useful without theological training and only basic conversational Japanese.
I needed more information before I could make that decision. So, I spoke to pastors from Japan and to people in the national church body of the U.S. about the kinds of work that United Church of Christ missionaries do. But, what convinced me was an e-mail from Jeffrey (director of the Sendai Student Center). It described Sendai and the student center activities but in the first paragraph it said, "I too believe that it is our role as Christians to walk alongside people who are in need...Evangelism is not about converting, but about enabling people to discover a source within themselves which gives them true life. True Life is what I call God. And I believe that our center has enabled many young people to be enlivened as they pass through on life's journey."
We are now standing in the Emmaus Center. I imagine that the people who were a part of creating this building were inspired by the story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus. In the process of sharing life and conversation with one another we can learn to see the presence of God in our midst even if we already have faith and belief in that presence.
As a young person, I realized that I could contribute to this community simply by being present, sharing meals and walking alongside those in need of comfort in their lives. All of my life I feel as if I've been searching for a way to be useful, a way to serve. This chance to work among you here in Sendai provided me that chance and I am extremely grateful that you've accepted me and walked alongside me for this past year.
Emmaus Worship Part II
I wanted to share with you a story from the meeting of the Pacific Islander and Asian American Ministries (PAAM -- http://www.paamncnc.com/) conference that I attended in Hawaii this August. I participated in the youth program of this conference which included youth from various churches around the U.S. One of the workshops focused on Identity among Asian American or minority youths. Since Asian Americans are such a small ethnic group in the U.S. and there are many even smaller groups within that main group, young people often begin to question their identity when they have trouble relating to both their ethnic heritage and mainstream culture.
This workshop focused on who Jesus was as a historical figure and how he would have been perceived by his contemporaries. We were asked to think about the human Jesus who was born into a Jewish family and grew up in Galilee. Since we recently celebrated Christmas, maybe you remember that Joseph and Mary were returning to their hometown for a census when Jesus was born in Bethlehem. We may also remember that after Jesus was born they fled into Egypt in order to escape Herod's orders to kill all the first born sons.
We were then asked to think about what language Jesus might have spoken in his time. Since his parents were Jewish we might guess that Jesus spoke Aramaic or Hebrew when he spoke to them or other Jews. But, in Galilee the dominate language in business and daily life would have been Greek since the Roman empire was so powerful. Also, the first formative years of the boy Jesus's life were spent in Egypt away from both Mary and Joseph's hometowns and this also probably had a profound effect on the way that Jesus saw himself and the people around him.
As the workshop went on we were asked to think about what color his hair might have been and what his voice might have sounded like. As we thought about the reality of this life as an ethnic minority, students participating in the workshop explored their own lives and the way that they perceive themselves and the way they may be perceived by their non-Asian American peers.
At this point one of the students in the workshop wondered aloud, "I wonder if Jesus spoke with an accent like me?" and yet another student wondered if Jesus was ever teased by other kids in school for looking or speaking differently.
The disciples on their way to Emmaus has spent a considerable amount of time learning from and sharing meals with Jesus while He was living among them and yet even they failed to recognize Him when He appeared to them on their journey. What about His contemporaries in Galilee? Even they may have found it difficult to believe that this strange looking foreigner with an accent was in fact the Savior prophets had predicted for many generations. Yet, they came to accept Him in their lives as they shared life and bread with this Son of Man.
This workshop focused on who Jesus was as a historical figure and how he would have been perceived by his contemporaries. We were asked to think about the human Jesus who was born into a Jewish family and grew up in Galilee. Since we recently celebrated Christmas, maybe you remember that Joseph and Mary were returning to their hometown for a census when Jesus was born in Bethlehem. We may also remember that after Jesus was born they fled into Egypt in order to escape Herod's orders to kill all the first born sons.
We were then asked to think about what language Jesus might have spoken in his time. Since his parents were Jewish we might guess that Jesus spoke Aramaic or Hebrew when he spoke to them or other Jews. But, in Galilee the dominate language in business and daily life would have been Greek since the Roman empire was so powerful. Also, the first formative years of the boy Jesus's life were spent in Egypt away from both Mary and Joseph's hometowns and this also probably had a profound effect on the way that Jesus saw himself and the people around him.
As the workshop went on we were asked to think about what color his hair might have been and what his voice might have sounded like. As we thought about the reality of this life as an ethnic minority, students participating in the workshop explored their own lives and the way that they perceive themselves and the way they may be perceived by their non-Asian American peers.
At this point one of the students in the workshop wondered aloud, "I wonder if Jesus spoke with an accent like me?" and yet another student wondered if Jesus was ever teased by other kids in school for looking or speaking differently.
The disciples on their way to Emmaus has spent a considerable amount of time learning from and sharing meals with Jesus while He was living among them and yet even they failed to recognize Him when He appeared to them on their journey. What about His contemporaries in Galilee? Even they may have found it difficult to believe that this strange looking foreigner with an accent was in fact the Savior prophets had predicted for many generations. Yet, they came to accept Him in their lives as they shared life and bread with this Son of Man.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Becoming Like the Teacher (その師のように)
"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure pressed down, shaken together and running over will be poured into your lap. For the measure you use, it will be measured to you. "
Luke 6:37-39
Before I begin, let me first start by saying how excited I am to be here. I am very grateful for this opportunity to come to Okinawa and learn from your congregation and our hosts. There is a long history here and it’s important that young people learn from it and pass it on to future generations.
I arrived in Japan a little over a month ago. I am fourth generation Japanese-American (Yonsei). I grew up in Berkeley, California near San Francisco and I represent a Nikkei church: Sycamore Congregational Church UCC (Kyodon US). Sycamore was founded in 1904 and my great-grandparents were among its first members. During the war all of its members were relocated to Tanforan racetrack and then to Topaz, Utah. Sycamore has had a very long history and overcome many obstacles in its 100 years but today it has a growing congregation of both Japanese-Americans and recent emigrants from Japan. The church has always received young ministers from Japan to lead our Nichigo congregation but I am the first member of our church who has ever come to Japan. Because of this connection, this opportunity is especially meaningful to me to build these connections between Sycamore and Japan.
When I first arrived from the US one of the students at the Sendai Student Center told me that when he first heard that a missionary was coming from the U.S. he immediately pictured an older white man. So, since I am neither white nor male nor old he was pleasantly surprised. I am aware that I don’t fit the image that is normally associated with the word "missionary" and, as a young person, I often feel uncomfortable in leadership roles where people might actually listen to what I have to say. I had a lot of anxiety over what message I could share with you. So I hope you’ll forgive me if I’m a bit nervous.
There is a long complicated series of events that lead to my coming to Japan, a combination of good timing and fortunate coincidences. I’ve been blessed with many rich experiences and opportunities to travel and to meet people around the world. So maybe this opportunity to speak to you this morning is another blessing in disguise that I might share some of my experiences and learn from them in the process.
I graduated from college with a degree in plant biology 2 years ago. After graduation I found out about a study tour that introduced college students and recent graduates to issues in indigenous communities around the world. Over 4 months we traveled all over the world including the state of Jharkhand in central India where indigenous communities have sometimes been in life and death struggles over their homes for recognition by the Indian government.
We visited a Jesuit retreat center that was founded by a Belgian missionary. He told us about how he had saved the poor lazy Adivassi (a word used to describe the indigenous people of India) and made them more productive by educating them and giving them jobs. While we were there we also noticed that this same missionary lived in a mansion far removed from the dormitories where all the Adivassi students and workers lived. He was profitting from their labor and spoke as though it was his right to do so because he had "saved" them. The most heart-breaking moment was when some of the Adivassi community leaders themselves told us how they had been saved from their backward ways. It was a day that I began to question my faith and I wondered if this patriarchal attitude was inherent in the Christian faith or merely a reflection of the beliefs of this one individual.
When I returned to the US I was very confused and I felt isolated because, in my mind, there wasn’t anyone else who could understand what I was going through. I was the only student in that study tour that identifies as Christian and other students had already formed a very negative image of Christianity. I stopped going to church and whenever anyone asked me how my trip was I would say very little. It wasn’t until my friends and family started to probe a little deeper and ask more questions that I was able to begin to process what I had experienced. I think that for many young people today the word "missionary" carries a lot of negative connotations and before learning more about mission work I can’t say that I was any different.
Before going to India I knew very little about India or Adivassi people. Upon further reflection I began to examine my motives for wanting to go on that study tour in the first place. Although my family is not rich by American standards, we still live a relatively comfortable life as compared to most of the people in the world. In college, my parents were fully capable of supporting me so that I didn’t have to work in order to eat or buy books. Any money that I made from part-time jobs went directly into savings. I wanted to travel to India because some part of me wanted to help those less fortunate than me. I believed that I had studied hard in school and worked hard so that I could live what I considered a very simple life independent of my parents. In my mind, I was using my own life as the standard by which I measured those less fortunate than me. So in some ways, my motives weren’t that different from this missionary.
I realized that before I am able to "help" anyone else I have to be aware of my own motives and also learn more about what it is that the people that I’m helping are fighting for. I can’t expect that everyone wants to live like my family or achieve what I consider to be a good life. But, if I am able to find some part of their struggle that connects to my own then maybe we can share in that struggle together as friends.
Here in Okinawa, our group had the opportunity to visit Henoko and Camp Schwabb. Our guide, Ashitomi-san, told us about the history of their 4-year struggle to protect the homes of those living around Camp Schwabb. I was shocked to sea the US Marine base so close and separated from us only by a single coil of barbed wire. As Ashitomi-san spoke, some of the US Marines came jogging along the beach probably on a routine morning drill. They were about 50 yards away but they were close enough that we could almost see their faces. We learned that a lot of these soldiers were as young as 18-years-old; some of them joined the military to get green cards in order to become American citizens. Seeing them so close made me realize they were real people. They were young men, around my age, and they were far away from home. Maybe they were homesick and missed their friends and family. They have also been trained to be aggressive, to shoot guns, and to kill. Through this conditioning they’ve also been taught to believe that the US is the best in the world. While I don’t defend the actions of these soldiers I understand what it’s like to be away from friends and family in a foreign country. The combination of this homesickness and military conditioning can be very dangerous. I still don’t know how we can solve these problems since they are so complex and we’re all acting under our own pressures from all directions but I think that maybe the first step towards peace is understanding that there is complexity.
It’s sad that America has so much power in the world today and that the results of our next election, for example, can have so many ripple effects all over the world. What’s even sadder perhaps is that the results of the next election may be determined by which candidate can put on a better show. In America, young people have the lowest voter turn out rate. Young people have a reputation for being apathetic caring only about fashion or entertainment. But I think that young people have the strongest voices if they only had the words and the experience to use them.
Now I have a clearer view in my mind of what my mission is as a missionary, as a Christian, as an American, and as a young person. Part of that, I believe, is to redefine what these words mean through my words and actions. Young people do care about what’s going on in the world. Not all missionaries are out to convert the world and save souls. Most missionaries aren’t even ministers. So perhaps my mission is to contribute to a world where communities and people can live together in spite of (and perhaps because of) their differences by making connections between those who I come in contact with. It’s important for young people to be exposed to the history of places like Okinawa, especially as it relates to their lives as Japanese or as Americans. Through exposing young people to the history of places like Okinawa we are teaching them to look beyond what they read in the news or see on TV. It’s complicated and there are hardly ever clear black-and-white solutions but by first raising awareness of these issues we are involving a new generation and encouraging a fresh set of young minds to think about how to achieve peace in this world.
Luke 6:37-39
Before I begin, let me first start by saying how excited I am to be here. I am very grateful for this opportunity to come to Okinawa and learn from your congregation and our hosts. There is a long history here and it’s important that young people learn from it and pass it on to future generations.
I arrived in Japan a little over a month ago. I am fourth generation Japanese-American (Yonsei). I grew up in Berkeley, California near San Francisco and I represent a Nikkei church: Sycamore Congregational Church UCC (Kyodon US). Sycamore was founded in 1904 and my great-grandparents were among its first members. During the war all of its members were relocated to Tanforan racetrack and then to Topaz, Utah. Sycamore has had a very long history and overcome many obstacles in its 100 years but today it has a growing congregation of both Japanese-Americans and recent emigrants from Japan. The church has always received young ministers from Japan to lead our Nichigo congregation but I am the first member of our church who has ever come to Japan. Because of this connection, this opportunity is especially meaningful to me to build these connections between Sycamore and Japan.
When I first arrived from the US one of the students at the Sendai Student Center told me that when he first heard that a missionary was coming from the U.S. he immediately pictured an older white man. So, since I am neither white nor male nor old he was pleasantly surprised. I am aware that I don’t fit the image that is normally associated with the word "missionary" and, as a young person, I often feel uncomfortable in leadership roles where people might actually listen to what I have to say. I had a lot of anxiety over what message I could share with you. So I hope you’ll forgive me if I’m a bit nervous.
There is a long complicated series of events that lead to my coming to Japan, a combination of good timing and fortunate coincidences. I’ve been blessed with many rich experiences and opportunities to travel and to meet people around the world. So maybe this opportunity to speak to you this morning is another blessing in disguise that I might share some of my experiences and learn from them in the process.
I graduated from college with a degree in plant biology 2 years ago. After graduation I found out about a study tour that introduced college students and recent graduates to issues in indigenous communities around the world. Over 4 months we traveled all over the world including the state of Jharkhand in central India where indigenous communities have sometimes been in life and death struggles over their homes for recognition by the Indian government.
We visited a Jesuit retreat center that was founded by a Belgian missionary. He told us about how he had saved the poor lazy Adivassi (a word used to describe the indigenous people of India) and made them more productive by educating them and giving them jobs. While we were there we also noticed that this same missionary lived in a mansion far removed from the dormitories where all the Adivassi students and workers lived. He was profitting from their labor and spoke as though it was his right to do so because he had "saved" them. The most heart-breaking moment was when some of the Adivassi community leaders themselves told us how they had been saved from their backward ways. It was a day that I began to question my faith and I wondered if this patriarchal attitude was inherent in the Christian faith or merely a reflection of the beliefs of this one individual.
When I returned to the US I was very confused and I felt isolated because, in my mind, there wasn’t anyone else who could understand what I was going through. I was the only student in that study tour that identifies as Christian and other students had already formed a very negative image of Christianity. I stopped going to church and whenever anyone asked me how my trip was I would say very little. It wasn’t until my friends and family started to probe a little deeper and ask more questions that I was able to begin to process what I had experienced. I think that for many young people today the word "missionary" carries a lot of negative connotations and before learning more about mission work I can’t say that I was any different.
Before going to India I knew very little about India or Adivassi people. Upon further reflection I began to examine my motives for wanting to go on that study tour in the first place. Although my family is not rich by American standards, we still live a relatively comfortable life as compared to most of the people in the world. In college, my parents were fully capable of supporting me so that I didn’t have to work in order to eat or buy books. Any money that I made from part-time jobs went directly into savings. I wanted to travel to India because some part of me wanted to help those less fortunate than me. I believed that I had studied hard in school and worked hard so that I could live what I considered a very simple life independent of my parents. In my mind, I was using my own life as the standard by which I measured those less fortunate than me. So in some ways, my motives weren’t that different from this missionary.
I realized that before I am able to "help" anyone else I have to be aware of my own motives and also learn more about what it is that the people that I’m helping are fighting for. I can’t expect that everyone wants to live like my family or achieve what I consider to be a good life. But, if I am able to find some part of their struggle that connects to my own then maybe we can share in that struggle together as friends.
Here in Okinawa, our group had the opportunity to visit Henoko and Camp Schwabb. Our guide, Ashitomi-san, told us about the history of their 4-year struggle to protect the homes of those living around Camp Schwabb. I was shocked to sea the US Marine base so close and separated from us only by a single coil of barbed wire. As Ashitomi-san spoke, some of the US Marines came jogging along the beach probably on a routine morning drill. They were about 50 yards away but they were close enough that we could almost see their faces. We learned that a lot of these soldiers were as young as 18-years-old; some of them joined the military to get green cards in order to become American citizens. Seeing them so close made me realize they were real people. They were young men, around my age, and they were far away from home. Maybe they were homesick and missed their friends and family. They have also been trained to be aggressive, to shoot guns, and to kill. Through this conditioning they’ve also been taught to believe that the US is the best in the world. While I don’t defend the actions of these soldiers I understand what it’s like to be away from friends and family in a foreign country. The combination of this homesickness and military conditioning can be very dangerous. I still don’t know how we can solve these problems since they are so complex and we’re all acting under our own pressures from all directions but I think that maybe the first step towards peace is understanding that there is complexity.
It’s sad that America has so much power in the world today and that the results of our next election, for example, can have so many ripple effects all over the world. What’s even sadder perhaps is that the results of the next election may be determined by which candidate can put on a better show. In America, young people have the lowest voter turn out rate. Young people have a reputation for being apathetic caring only about fashion or entertainment. But I think that young people have the strongest voices if they only had the words and the experience to use them.
Now I have a clearer view in my mind of what my mission is as a missionary, as a Christian, as an American, and as a young person. Part of that, I believe, is to redefine what these words mean through my words and actions. Young people do care about what’s going on in the world. Not all missionaries are out to convert the world and save souls. Most missionaries aren’t even ministers. So perhaps my mission is to contribute to a world where communities and people can live together in spite of (and perhaps because of) their differences by making connections between those who I come in contact with. It’s important for young people to be exposed to the history of places like Okinawa, especially as it relates to their lives as Japanese or as Americans. Through exposing young people to the history of places like Okinawa we are teaching them to look beyond what they read in the news or see on TV. It’s complicated and there are hardly ever clear black-and-white solutions but by first raising awareness of these issues we are involving a new generation and encouraging a fresh set of young minds to think about how to achieve peace in this world.
Shuri Church March 9, 2008
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