Over the past 2 years, one of the people that I have been fortunate to get to know so many different people from so many different backgrounds. One person made me particularly nervous when I first met him because I was suddenly asked if I would be willing to help him eat dinner. A-san was born with cerebral palsy and relies on the use of a wheelchair for mobility. He moved to Sendai from Tokyo 20 years ago after the completion of Ari no mamasha, a group living facility that allows people like A-san to live independently. Every Friday night at the student/youth center, A-san leads a workshop for the Japan Overseas Christian Services (JOCS) non-profit group which raises money to send doctors and medical aid to countries in Africa and Southeast Asia.
Ari no mamasha is outside of Sendai city and so it’s difficult for the people who live there to travel into the downtown area; a small handful that do usually travel by bus or taxi. In Sendai city there is one bus that has a lift for wheelchairs and this bus makes one single trip a day from Ari no mamasha to Sendai and one trip back and must be reserved in advance. Taxis are available but also limited and expensive. A-san has often said that his life would be completely impossible without humility and trust. An action like taking a drink of water or using the toilet might require the assistance of a complete stranger. So, after several conversations along this theme over dinners on Friday night we decided to host a workshop about understanding life from A-san’s perspective.
During dinner, we sometimes ask students and those present to help A-san with meals. Like the first time I was asked to help, this does cause some discomfort or nervousness. Most young people have never encountered someone with cerebral palsy before and there have been students in the past who have gotten upset because they felt like they were the only ones that were willing to help every time. Of course this is not the purpose for inviting A-san and others to participate in our activities. But, we do feel that helping him and others like him is one of the small things we can do in our ministry when there are so few public resources available in the community.
Dinner featured spaghetti with tomato sauce. The catch was, no one was allowed to use their arms, each person had to ask their neighbor to help them with their meal. It’s an exercise in patience because you must wait for your partner to roll the noodles onto a fork, place those noodles on a spoon, and then serve this to you. And, because everyone was doing the same exercise, it left no room for anyone to be uncomfortable or feel left out. We were having too much fun talking and watching other people while we waited for our partner. After dinner, we used blindfolds to experience blindness, special headphones to experience deafness, and even took turns pushing and being pushed in a wheelchair.
I’ve learned so much from people like A-san about trust, optimism, and life in general over these past two years and so I really especially enjoyed sharing this time with him and other members of the student center.
Showing posts with label Sycamore. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sycamore. Show all posts
Monday, February 1, 2010
Thursday, January 7, 2010
January Sycamore Tree
In Sendai there is a Pastor who`s name is Aoki. You may not know it from looking at him, but he was once a homeless man. Looking at a homeless person on the street you may imagine any number of things, that this person lost their job and their home due to the bad economy,they became ill and were no longer able to work, or perhaps they have psychological issues. Rev. Aoki`s story is not too different from many others but he was able to pull himself out of debt and get back on his feet. What is more inspiring is that he managed to become a pastor and organize a homeless ministry in Sendai.
In the Bay Area there are any number of churches and non-profit organizations that run soup kitchens and halfway houses, but when Rev.Aoki started his organization almost 10 years ago there were none. The city provided opportunities for the homeless to receive medical care and limited job resources but there was little effort put into outreach. Now, besides the NPO that Rev. Aoki directs there is also one small Catholic group that works with them to do weekly rounds distributing fruits and hot miso soup and a monthly soup kitchen. Additionally, Rev. Aoki rents space once a week to provide showers and laundry machines and convinced the city to provide temporary janitorial work.
Over the winter holidays I invited several students from the center to join me on the Wednesday night rounds and for one of the monthly soup kitchens. This was a first time experience for all of them. It was raining the night we went on a rounds to check in all the parks and distribute bananas, instant miso soup, and toothbrush/towel sets. We passed through Kotodai Park, which I ride my bicycle through everyday on my way to work, and the parking lot of the Sendai International Center where I sometimes go to read. There was also a Christmas illumination and festival happening nearby so many of the homeless people that normally live in one of the larger parks had found other places to stay for the night. Because of the leadership of the regular volunteers we managed to finish in under 2 hours and distributed goods to about 50 people around the Sendai train station. It only takes about the same amount of time as watching a movie but can make such a big difference.
Homelessness isn`t something that a city is typically proud to show it`s visitors. But, this is one of the experiences I will remember most about the two years I`ve been here in Sendai.
In the Bay Area there are any number of churches and non-profit organizations that run soup kitchens and halfway houses, but when Rev.Aoki started his organization almost 10 years ago there were none. The city provided opportunities for the homeless to receive medical care and limited job resources but there was little effort put into outreach. Now, besides the NPO that Rev. Aoki directs there is also one small Catholic group that works with them to do weekly rounds distributing fruits and hot miso soup and a monthly soup kitchen. Additionally, Rev. Aoki rents space once a week to provide showers and laundry machines and convinced the city to provide temporary janitorial work.
Over the winter holidays I invited several students from the center to join me on the Wednesday night rounds and for one of the monthly soup kitchens. This was a first time experience for all of them. It was raining the night we went on a rounds to check in all the parks and distribute bananas, instant miso soup, and toothbrush/towel sets. We passed through Kotodai Park, which I ride my bicycle through everyday on my way to work, and the parking lot of the Sendai International Center where I sometimes go to read. There was also a Christmas illumination and festival happening nearby so many of the homeless people that normally live in one of the larger parks had found other places to stay for the night. Because of the leadership of the regular volunteers we managed to finish in under 2 hours and distributed goods to about 50 people around the Sendai train station. It only takes about the same amount of time as watching a movie but can make such a big difference.
Homelessness isn`t something that a city is typically proud to show it`s visitors. But, this is one of the experiences I will remember most about the two years I`ve been here in Sendai.
Monday, December 7, 2009
December Sycamore Tree
Recently, I walked down to a dam near my house. I was told that there was salmon swimming upstream trying to cross the dam. So, me and a couple of my neighbors got together and woke up early before work to walk to the river. We must have sat there for over 30 minutes watching the fish as they writhed and jumped out of the water. Some of the salmon fell in their attempts but they continued to struggle against the current.
Later that week, I went back to the river by myself. There was a large group of young men in rubber suits and another older man explaining how on both sides of the river there were more gradual gradations that were constructed so that the fish could go around water that was falling quickly down the dam. I walked a little bit farther down to where the JR and shinkansen tracks cross the river and found there were fish in this part of the river as well, swimming up to where other fish were trying to cross the dam. Eventually, I began to get hungry and, inspired by images of fish in their own daily efforts to survive, I decided to go home and eat something vegetarian for breakfast.
I’ve seen similar images on television of salmon being stalked and eaten by grizzly bears in the rivers of Alaska but this was the first time I had ever seen this kind of event in nature so close to where I live. I started to think about all of the other miraculous things that are probably happening around us if we only get up early in the morning and go looking for them.
Later that week, I went back to the river by myself. There was a large group of young men in rubber suits and another older man explaining how on both sides of the river there were more gradual gradations that were constructed so that the fish could go around water that was falling quickly down the dam. I walked a little bit farther down to where the JR and shinkansen tracks cross the river and found there were fish in this part of the river as well, swimming up to where other fish were trying to cross the dam. Eventually, I began to get hungry and, inspired by images of fish in their own daily efforts to survive, I decided to go home and eat something vegetarian for breakfast.
I’ve seen similar images on television of salmon being stalked and eaten by grizzly bears in the rivers of Alaska but this was the first time I had ever seen this kind of event in nature so close to where I live. I started to think about all of the other miraculous things that are probably happening around us if we only get up early in the morning and go looking for them.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
November Sycamore Tree
Dear Sycamore Family,
One of the latest bits of gossip around the Student/Youth Center these days is about the upcoming wedding of two center alums. There have been many couplings between center members is the past but one of the things that makes this pair unique is that the groom is preparing to become a Buddhist priest and the bride has recently been baptized into the Christian faith. They met at the student center while they were both college students. At the time, both of them were still discovering their own views on religion and spirituality. The Student/Youth Center was the place where both of them had encountered Christianity for the first time as it is for many of the young people who gather there today.
I met the newly engaged couple at the recent Student/Youth Center alumni reunion in Tokyo last month.I had heard a lot about them from other alumni and so I was a little bit curious. There is a lot expected of the wives of Buddhist priests in Japan, especially in the smaller temples as the one to which the groom belongs. The bride began working full-time when she graduated from college and plans to continue working after they are married. I'm sure they will face many challenges in the future but it was so encouraging to hear their story because it generated a deeper discussion on how the center has shaped the spiritual lives of so many other young people.
Our mission is not one to convert people to Christianity but to share a spiritual practice in the midst of the increasingly busy lives of Japanese youth. We hold Bible study and candlelight Taize prayer meetings and we pray before all center events. At large events we explain that prayer is a time when we can give thanks for the food before us and speak whatever is on our minds. If we ever make people uncomfortable we try to offer the space for them to express themselves. One alumna put it best when she said that, her time at the student/youth center helped her realize that accepting something doesn't mean you have to agree. Over the years so many different people have come to the student center and it's been a place for interactions between the diverse mix of people who gather. I have had my opinions and beliefs challenged on many occasions as well and am grateful that the center has been a safe place to do so.
One of the latest bits of gossip around the Student/Youth Center these days is about the upcoming wedding of two center alums. There have been many couplings between center members is the past but one of the things that makes this pair unique is that the groom is preparing to become a Buddhist priest and the bride has recently been baptized into the Christian faith. They met at the student center while they were both college students. At the time, both of them were still discovering their own views on religion and spirituality. The Student/Youth Center was the place where both of them had encountered Christianity for the first time as it is for many of the young people who gather there today.
I met the newly engaged couple at the recent Student/Youth Center alumni reunion in Tokyo last month.I had heard a lot about them from other alumni and so I was a little bit curious. There is a lot expected of the wives of Buddhist priests in Japan, especially in the smaller temples as the one to which the groom belongs. The bride began working full-time when she graduated from college and plans to continue working after they are married. I'm sure they will face many challenges in the future but it was so encouraging to hear their story because it generated a deeper discussion on how the center has shaped the spiritual lives of so many other young people.
Our mission is not one to convert people to Christianity but to share a spiritual practice in the midst of the increasingly busy lives of Japanese youth. We hold Bible study and candlelight Taize prayer meetings and we pray before all center events. At large events we explain that prayer is a time when we can give thanks for the food before us and speak whatever is on our minds. If we ever make people uncomfortable we try to offer the space for them to express themselves. One alumna put it best when she said that, her time at the student/youth center helped her realize that accepting something doesn't mean you have to agree. Over the years so many different people have come to the student center and it's been a place for interactions between the diverse mix of people who gather. I have had my opinions and beliefs challenged on many occasions as well and am grateful that the center has been a safe place to do so.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
October Sycamore Tree
シカモア教会のみんな様、
お蔭様で無事仙台に帰れました。
シカモアバザーに招待して頂き、本当にありがとうございました。
シカモア教会の皆さんは、本当にバザーを楽しみにしているのだなと感じました。私たちにはたくさんの仕事がありましたが、その分だけ、バザーに深く関わることが出来たと思います。お力になれたでしょうか？
滞在中は皆さまのお蔭で、とても快適に過ごすことが出来ました。ありがとうございます。
この有意義な経験を生かし、残りの学生生活も頑張りたいと思います。
いつかまたバザーに参加したいです。
Dear Sycamore Family,
First, we want to express our sincerest gratitude for allowing us to participate in this year's bazaar with all of you. But we would also like to thank you for sharing your homes and lives with us as well. A lot of people go sightseeing in San Francisco but very few people get the opportunity to work as a part of a community to create something so special as the Sycamore Bazaar. We also got the chance to play with the children of the Sycamore Pre-School, go bowling with the Friday Bowlers, and form new friendships with the members of Sycamore. The experience taught us all a lot about ourselves but also changed the way we think about what America and Americans look like.
We hope that we are able to help at the bazaar again someday. And, if anyone ever wants to visit Sendai we hope we can show you the hospitality that we have been shown during our time in California. Thank you so much!
M, H, K and S
お蔭様で無事仙台に帰れました。
シカモアバザーに招待して頂き、本当にありがとうございました。
シカモア教会の皆さんは、本当にバザーを楽しみにしているのだなと感じました。私たちにはたくさんの仕事がありましたが、その分だけ、バザーに深く関わることが出来たと思います。お力になれたでしょうか？
滞在中は皆さまのお蔭で、とても快適に過ごすことが出来ました。ありがとうございます。
この有意義な経験を生かし、残りの学生生活も頑張りたいと思います。
いつかまたバザーに参加したいです。
Dear Sycamore Family,
First, we want to express our sincerest gratitude for allowing us to participate in this year's bazaar with all of you. But we would also like to thank you for sharing your homes and lives with us as well. A lot of people go sightseeing in San Francisco but very few people get the opportunity to work as a part of a community to create something so special as the Sycamore Bazaar. We also got the chance to play with the children of the Sycamore Pre-School, go bowling with the Friday Bowlers, and form new friendships with the members of Sycamore. The experience taught us all a lot about ourselves but also changed the way we think about what America and Americans look like.
We hope that we are able to help at the bazaar again someday. And, if anyone ever wants to visit Sendai we hope we can show you the hospitality that we have been shown during our time in California. Thank you so much!
M, H, K and S
Saturday, August 1, 2009
August Sycamore Tree
When I first arrived I Sendai I remember that one of the first things that one student said to me was that I wasn't what they expected. When they heard that a missionary was coming from America they had immediately envisioned an older white male. Since I am none of those things I guess I hadn't quite lived up to that student's image of what an American looks like. As I've been here longer I sometimes feel like a disappointment in other ways, I look Japanese but don't speak like a native, or that I speak Japanese 'too well' for a foreigner. Recently, a student told me that I speak Japanese 'too well' and they would have to find somebody else to practice their English on.
In time I've also come to realize that perhaps this experience in Japan hasn't looked exactly the way that I had pictured it over a year and a half ago either.So then maybe it isn't that I haven't lived up to expectations but rather that, on both sides, we had to break out of preconceived ideas.
In this same spirit, a few students and I have talked about arranging a trip to Sycamore for the bazaar. After hearing me talk about Sycamore so often they've realized how different my image of the U.S. is from their version of America and are curious to see it for themselves. Probably the next time you see me I will be acting as a tour guide, so I hope that you will help me show these students what our little part of the U.S. looks like.
In regards to last month's article, I always welcome questions/comments/suggestions. Thanks for the e-mails I have received, I'll work on compiling those into future article.
SKLT
Global Missions Intern (GMI) and
Assistant to the Director
Sendai Student/Youth Center in Sendai, Japan
In time I've also come to realize that perhaps this experience in Japan hasn't looked exactly the way that I had pictured it over a year and a half ago either.So then maybe it isn't that I haven't lived up to expectations but rather that, on both sides, we had to break out of preconceived ideas.
In this same spirit, a few students and I have talked about arranging a trip to Sycamore for the bazaar. After hearing me talk about Sycamore so often they've realized how different my image of the U.S. is from their version of America and are curious to see it for themselves. Probably the next time you see me I will be acting as a tour guide, so I hope that you will help me show these students what our little part of the U.S. looks like.
In regards to last month's article, I always welcome questions/comments/suggestions. Thanks for the e-mails I have received, I'll work on compiling those into future article.
SKLT
Global Missions Intern (GMI) and
Assistant to the Director
Sendai Student/Youth Center in Sendai, Japan
Monday, June 1, 2009
June Sycamore Tree
May 17 – International Day Against Homophobia
As I’ve listened and watched the debates over same-sex marriage and gays in the military happening in the U.S. especially the case of the Arabic translator and Iraqi veteran, Lt. Dan Choi. I’ve often wondered about the LGBT community here in Japan. I’ve found that it’s an especially taboo topic here in Sendai while that does not seem to be as big of an issue in larger cities like Osaka or Sapporo. On May 17, several cities around the world as well as here in Japan held marches and events to raise public awareness about homophobia. This year’s theme was about Transphobia and gender identity.
In Sendai, we passed out flyers that explained what homophobia is and how this movement started in 2005 on the anniversary of the day that the World Health Organization (WHO) officially removed homosexuality from their list of mental disorders. We also had a 3 question survey which asked (1) if you believe that there are people in your community who struggle with their gender identity; (2) if you personally struggle with your gender identity; and (3) if you have heard of the movie Milk starring Sean Penn. Participants were asked to place stickers on a large poster board which had boxes for yes and no responses. Everyone who answered the survey got coupons for 300 yen off a ticket to see the movie Milk in theaters.
It was a difficult event because of heavy rains and the more famous Aoba Matsuri happening across town. But, everyone who came out did their best to call attention to this cause. Two participants had written a theme song for the event and sang along to their guitar. Unfortunately, very few people stopped but I was impressed by the spirit of the staff members of the event who stayed energetic despite the cold and rain. The people who did stop, though, asked intelligent questions and I think they left with a higher awareness than when they came.
http://idahomophobia.org/
Friday, May 1, 2009
May Sycamore Tree
Dear Sycamore Family,
Spring is the season of change in Japan. The fiscal year in Japan begins and ends on April 1st and companies work hard to close their books for the year and hire new employees around this time. The school year also starts in April and realtors often find themselves busiest during this time and desperately searching for work the rest of the year. It’s no different here in Sendai. At the student/youth center 2 staff retired, one person returned from maternity leave, and one temporary person finished her term. Now, we are left with 3 people, our administrative person Miho Ookoshi who manages the building during the day, Jeffrey Mensendiek and myself who take care of the student center activities in the evenings.
In March, while all the students were on spring break we were hard at work preparing for the new school and fiscal year while Jeffrey and I were traveling most of the month leading a study tour to Hokkaido and a volunteer work camp to the Asian Rural Institute in Tochigi Prefecture.
Hokkaido was the major event of the spring holiday because it was an 11-day trip stopping at various places all over Japan’s vast and northernmost island. Also, the student/youth center has not lead a study tour to Hokkaido in over 7 years. An outline and explanation of our trip’s schedule is at: http://skltsnews.blogspot.com/
Other projects I’m working on are creating an English website and providing more English materials both for English speakers in Sendai but also for our many supporters abroad. I will be sure to keep you updated on these projects as they develop.
I hope you all had a wonderful Easter!
SKLT
Global Missions Intern (GMI) and
Assistant to the Director
Sendai Student/Youth Center in Sendai, Japan
To learn more about what Sandy has been doing be sure to check out her online resources:
- Newsletter Articles (English and Japanese): http://skltsnews.blogspot.com
- Personal Reflections (English only, sorry): http://skltstravels.blogspot.
com
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
April Sycamore Tree
Dear Sycamore Family,
I am writing this article a little bit early because I will be traveling from March 9-20th in Hokkaido for the Sendai Student/Youth Center annual study tour. Every year the Sendai Student/Youth Center sponsors a study/exposure trip to Southeast Asia or other parts of Japan during the school holidays in the spring. Past trips have been to Nepal, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and India. Last year, I also participated in the study tour to Okinawa where we learned about U.S. militarization and the history of the native people of Okinawa. Okinawa is a small chain of islands off the southern coast of Japan and Hokkaido is the large island off the northern coast so I will be lucky to have visited both extremes of Japan.
In Hokkaido, our first stop will be a place called the Bethel House in Urakawa in southern Hokkaido. Many years ago, a Red Cross doctor created a counseling group for patients with psychological challenges such as schizophrenia, addiction and depression. In 1984, some members of this group gathered and decided to create a community where they would live together and share their common experiences. In 1993, members of the Bethel House (べてるの家) began to buy sea products like seaweeds and kelps to sell at church bazaars in order to support their activities.
Second, we will visit the Dohoku Center (道北センター) in Nayoro in northern Hokkaido. Like the Sendai Student/Youth Center, this center was founded by a missionary from the United Church of Canada in partnership with the United Church of Christ-Japan (UCC-J). It’s a meeting place for neighboring rural farmers. Activities frequently include work with nearby Ainu communities. While we are in Nayoro, we will also visit Ainu sites and learn about Ainu culture lead by the director of the Ainu Information Center (アイヌ情報センター).
Of course, there will also be time to eat delicious Hokkaido seafood, visit the famous Asahikawa Zoo, and spend time getting to know our fellow travel members. Students who have attended these study tours in the past have said that it had been one of the most memorable experiences of their lives. Not only did the study tour give them the opportunity to get to know their fellow student center members but also to learn about a place in a much deeper way that they would as tourists.
More when I return!
SKLT
Global Missions Intern (GMI) and
Assistant to the Director
Sendai Student/Youth Center in Sendai, Japan
I am writing this article a little bit early because I will be traveling from March 9-20th in Hokkaido for the Sendai Student/Youth Center annual study tour. Every year the Sendai Student/Youth Center sponsors a study/exposure trip to Southeast Asia or other parts of Japan during the school holidays in the spring. Past trips have been to Nepal, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and India. Last year, I also participated in the study tour to Okinawa where we learned about U.S. militarization and the history of the native people of Okinawa. Okinawa is a small chain of islands off the southern coast of Japan and Hokkaido is the large island off the northern coast so I will be lucky to have visited both extremes of Japan.
In Hokkaido, our first stop will be a place called the Bethel House in Urakawa in southern Hokkaido. Many years ago, a Red Cross doctor created a counseling group for patients with psychological challenges such as schizophrenia, addiction and depression. In 1984, some members of this group gathered and decided to create a community where they would live together and share their common experiences. In 1993, members of the Bethel House (べてるの家) began to buy sea products like seaweeds and kelps to sell at church bazaars in order to support their activities.
Second, we will visit the Dohoku Center (道北センター) in Nayoro in northern Hokkaido. Like the Sendai Student/Youth Center, this center was founded by a missionary from the United Church of Canada in partnership with the United Church of Christ-Japan (UCC-J). It’s a meeting place for neighboring rural farmers. Activities frequently include work with nearby Ainu communities. While we are in Nayoro, we will also visit Ainu sites and learn about Ainu culture lead by the director of the Ainu Information Center (アイヌ情報センター).
Of course, there will also be time to eat delicious Hokkaido seafood, visit the famous Asahikawa Zoo, and spend time getting to know our fellow travel members. Students who have attended these study tours in the past have said that it had been one of the most memorable experiences of their lives. Not only did the study tour give them the opportunity to get to know their fellow student center members but also to learn about a place in a much deeper way that they would as tourists.
More when I return!
SKLT
Global Missions Intern (GMI) and
Assistant to the Director
Sendai Student/Youth Center in Sendai, Japan
Sunday, March 1, 2009
March Sycamore Tree
Anpan-man is arguably the most famous cartoon character in Japan. After spending only a few moments with my co-worker’s 2-year-old daughter, Nonoka-chan, I learned the song and hand gestures for not only Anpan-man but also his fellow super-heroes Currypan-man, Shokupan-man, and the evil Baikin-man (a villain from the ‘germ world’). There are images of Anpan-man virtually everywhere in Japan, painted on the sides of trains and school buses and there is an entire museum dedicated to Anpan-man in Yokohama. I didn’t know what Anpan-man’s super-power was until a joint youth event that was held at the Sendai Student/Youth Center last weekend. ‘Anpan’ is a baked pastry filled with red-bean jam and Anpan-man’s face is made out of this pastry. In the original children’s book by Takashi Yanase, Anpan-man finds people who are hungry and lets them eat parts of his face. When his entire face has been eaten a kind baker, Jam Ojisan, bakes a new face which is bigger and filled with more jam so Anpan-man can continue his work. Takashi Yanase was an author of children’s books and he was inspired by his time in the military when he was often hungry. As a Christian, he imagined that feeding others from one’s own body was the ultimate embodiment of love and community service.
This year was the 2nd joint youth event for all the churches in the Sendai-area. Christians make up a very small minority in Japan and since churches are very small there are very few young people. Last year some of the college-age and recent graduates decided to start an annual youth event so that these young people could meet and share their faith with one another. The theme this year was "What does it mean to work?" and was centered on the Anpan-man picture book. In total, there were 23 people including high school and college students as well as pastors and recent college graduates. After we read the Anpan-man story we broke into smaller groups with 2 students and 2 people who were working.
In my group, our discussion boiled down to the question of who it is that you’re working for, whether it be for your company, your family, or yourself. Often students have dreams of finding a job where they can help the most people by becoming doctors, politicians, or teachers. Just as many people use tissues as go to a doctor but society values the job of the doctor more. After the event, the students had very positive comments and felt that they had a better perspective on finding meaning in work or community service.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
February Sycamore Tree
Aisatsu / Being Present
One of the conversations I had this winter regarding my experience living in Japan was about the importance of aisatsu (挨拶 = あいさつ) in Japanese culture. Basically, aisatsu is a greeting when you meet someone or a short speech made at an event. If you look up aisatsu in a Japanese-English dictionary it will give you various greetings you might use when you pay aisatsu to someone (i.e. Good Morning! / おはようございます/ Ohayo Gozaimasu!). But, the literal meaning is closer to the act of being present or making an appearance in social situations. I feel like the importance of aisatsu has taken an especially long time to register with me since this ethos is not as strong in the U.S.
Aisatsu is about showing respect and humbling yourself before others. When you first arrive as a guest, for example, it’s extremely important to say a few words to your host. There are standard words of greeting and thanks but what you say isn’t nearly as important as the fact that you have shown respect to someone who has helped you. When I first arrived in Japan because students and pastors in Sendai would come up to me and introduce themselves, present me with their business card (名刺 / meishi), and ask me very formally to help them and the student center during my time here. I was surprised by the formality of this exchange and sometimes frustrated because my relationship with the people that I met never seemed to go beyond this one conversation.
I think that one of the strengths in American culture is the space for informal expression of ideas and opinions once that initial introduction is over. As a student, public speaking made me extremely nervous and I would avoid it whenever possible. Even introducing myself in front of a class or club meeting would make me tense and so I would rush through it as quickly as possible. Because my self-introduction was done so quickly, the others in the room wouldn’t hear me and so it made it a lot harder participate in the discussion later. Once I learned how to get over my fears and to get to know the people around me it was much easier to express my ideas. Companies like Google and Pixar have been extremely successful because their employees are given a lot of creative freedom in their work.
Recently, the staff members at the student center have been discussing how to create a more informal environment where students feel comfortable expressing themselves openly because we feel that our relationship often ends once they’ve introduced themselves. I suppose that’s something to learn from both cultures, how to make that initial introduction to get things started and how to continue that relationship in order to share ideas.
SKLT
Assistant Director of the Sendai Student/Youth Center
Global Missions Intern
http://www.globalministries.org/eap/countries/japan
One of the conversations I had this winter regarding my experience living in Japan was about the importance of aisatsu (挨拶 = あいさつ) in Japanese culture. Basically, aisatsu is a greeting when you meet someone or a short speech made at an event. If you look up aisatsu in a Japanese-English dictionary it will give you various greetings you might use when you pay aisatsu to someone (i.e. Good Morning! / おはようございます/ Ohayo Gozaimasu!). But, the literal meaning is closer to the act of being present or making an appearance in social situations. I feel like the importance of aisatsu has taken an especially long time to register with me since this ethos is not as strong in the U.S.
Aisatsu is about showing respect and humbling yourself before others. When you first arrive as a guest, for example, it’s extremely important to say a few words to your host. There are standard words of greeting and thanks but what you say isn’t nearly as important as the fact that you have shown respect to someone who has helped you. When I first arrived in Japan because students and pastors in Sendai would come up to me and introduce themselves, present me with their business card (名刺 / meishi), and ask me very formally to help them and the student center during my time here. I was surprised by the formality of this exchange and sometimes frustrated because my relationship with the people that I met never seemed to go beyond this one conversation.
I think that one of the strengths in American culture is the space for informal expression of ideas and opinions once that initial introduction is over. As a student, public speaking made me extremely nervous and I would avoid it whenever possible. Even introducing myself in front of a class or club meeting would make me tense and so I would rush through it as quickly as possible. Because my self-introduction was done so quickly, the others in the room wouldn’t hear me and so it made it a lot harder participate in the discussion later. Once I learned how to get over my fears and to get to know the people around me it was much easier to express my ideas. Companies like Google and Pixar have been extremely successful because their employees are given a lot of creative freedom in their work.
Recently, the staff members at the student center have been discussing how to create a more informal environment where students feel comfortable expressing themselves openly because we feel that our relationship often ends once they’ve introduced themselves. I suppose that’s something to learn from both cultures, how to make that initial introduction to get things started and how to continue that relationship in order to share ideas.
SKLT
Assistant Director of the Sendai Student/Youth Center
Global Missions Intern
http://www.globalministries.org/eap/countries/japan
Monday, December 1, 2008
December Sycamore Tree
Every year around the Advent season I am always overwhelmed by the concept of peace because it seems to me as something so large that there is nothing I can do as an individual to help achieve it. Since this year was also an election year and I’ve been living abroad, the idea of world peace has been on my mind a lot because the result of our election impacts the entire world. As one of the most historic presidential races the U.S. has ever seen, it was especially captivating to watch from afar.
On Election Day, I had been asked to share some of my experiences from the Student Center’s spring Study Tour to Okinawa with Tohoku Committee on Okinawa Relations. Okinawa was one of the main battlegrounds during WWII and later annexed by the U.S. before it was returned to Japan. Today, 75% of the U.S. military bases in Japan are located in Okinawa even though these islands make up less than 1% of the total land area entire country. Because of Okinawa’s strategic location in Asia and the fact that Japanese government has continued to support these U.S. military bases financially since WWII, Okinawa provides the ideal base for soldiers before their deployment to Iraq and the Middle East.
Among the countless other environmental and economic effects of the US military presence, the most prominent news from Okinawa is the rape of a 16-year-old girl by a U.S. Marine in February of this year. But this was one reported event from the thousands of such cases on record since Okinawa was returned to Japan in 1972. As a result of strong opposition to U.S. military presence in Okinawa by the its residents, a plan was formulated to redistribute some of the military facilities to other parts of Japan like Sendai and other Pacific islands like Guam, both of which already have a strong U.S. military presence.
From the Okinawa study tour this spring I realized that few Japanese and even fewer Americans have seen the impacts of the war in Iraq on countries like Japan that have no direct military interest in the Middle East. If we all were a little more educated on how war affects not just our enemies but our allies as well we might see the urgency in finding a more peaceful solution. So, as Advent is approaching and we try to envision a world full of hope, peace, joy, and love, I’m starting to feel less overwhelmed and a little more hopeful because there are other people in this world who are thinking about how achieve peace too.
SKLT
Global Missions Intern (GMI) and
Assistant to the Director
Sendai Student/Youth Center in Sendai, Japan
On Election Day, I had been asked to share some of my experiences from the Student Center’s spring Study Tour to Okinawa with Tohoku Committee on Okinawa Relations. Okinawa was one of the main battlegrounds during WWII and later annexed by the U.S. before it was returned to Japan. Today, 75% of the U.S. military bases in Japan are located in Okinawa even though these islands make up less than 1% of the total land area entire country. Because of Okinawa’s strategic location in Asia and the fact that Japanese government has continued to support these U.S. military bases financially since WWII, Okinawa provides the ideal base for soldiers before their deployment to Iraq and the Middle East.
Among the countless other environmental and economic effects of the US military presence, the most prominent news from Okinawa is the rape of a 16-year-old girl by a U.S. Marine in February of this year. But this was one reported event from the thousands of such cases on record since Okinawa was returned to Japan in 1972. As a result of strong opposition to U.S. military presence in Okinawa by the its residents, a plan was formulated to redistribute some of the military facilities to other parts of Japan like Sendai and other Pacific islands like Guam, both of which already have a strong U.S. military presence.
From the Okinawa study tour this spring I realized that few Japanese and even fewer Americans have seen the impacts of the war in Iraq on countries like Japan that have no direct military interest in the Middle East. If we all were a little more educated on how war affects not just our enemies but our allies as well we might see the urgency in finding a more peaceful solution. So, as Advent is approaching and we try to envision a world full of hope, peace, joy, and love, I’m starting to feel less overwhelmed and a little more hopeful because there are other people in this world who are thinking about how achieve peace too.
SKLT
Global Missions Intern (GMI) and
Assistant to the Director
Sendai Student/Youth Center in Sendai, Japan
Saturday, November 1, 2008
November Sycamore Tree
Dear Sycamore Family,
Life in Sendai is starting to settle down a little bit now that I’ve had time to calm down from my visit home. I had so much fun catching up with friends, meeting new people, and visiting all of my favorite hang out spots. Since returning to Japan, I’ve been unpacking all the new culture shock I experienced going back to the bay area. I thought back to when I first arrived in Sendai and all of the expectations I had and how they changed the longer I spent here.
Perhaps one of the biggest misconceptions I had was that Japanese culture and thinking was very homogeneous. I had always thought that Japan lacked cultural diversity because it hasn’t experienced as much immigration or colonization as the US. However, from travels to places like Kyoto, Okinawa, and the Sendai area I found I couldn’t have been more wrong. One government official in Japan has recently received a lot of criticism for stating publicly that Japan is a monoculture, angering several groups including representatives of Ainu communities in Hokkaido and Ryukyu in Okinawa. Only recently has the Japanese government recognized the existence of these indigenous peoples and their struggle for recognition has been a very long, hard process. So, for a high-level government official to say this in a public statement means they still have a long way to go in terms of raising awareness.
This is only one example of culture shock that ranged from the cleanliness of public transportation to sleeping on a spring mattress instead of a Japanese futon. I’m sure many more experiences will continue to surprise me and some realizations may take years. But, the experience has been an incredible one and I hope that I can make you all proud.
My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone in the Sycamore family who is in the hospital, feeling ill, or recovering from the loss of a loved one. The longer I’m away from home the more I realize how much I miss it and my mind often wanders back to all of you.
With Love,
SKLT
Global Missions Intern and
Assistant Director
Sendai Student/Youth Center in Sendai, Japan
Life in Sendai is starting to settle down a little bit now that I’ve had time to calm down from my visit home. I had so much fun catching up with friends, meeting new people, and visiting all of my favorite hang out spots. Since returning to Japan, I’ve been unpacking all the new culture shock I experienced going back to the bay area. I thought back to when I first arrived in Sendai and all of the expectations I had and how they changed the longer I spent here.
Perhaps one of the biggest misconceptions I had was that Japanese culture and thinking was very homogeneous. I had always thought that Japan lacked cultural diversity because it hasn’t experienced as much immigration or colonization as the US. However, from travels to places like Kyoto, Okinawa, and the Sendai area I found I couldn’t have been more wrong. One government official in Japan has recently received a lot of criticism for stating publicly that Japan is a monoculture, angering several groups including representatives of Ainu communities in Hokkaido and Ryukyu in Okinawa. Only recently has the Japanese government recognized the existence of these indigenous peoples and their struggle for recognition has been a very long, hard process. So, for a high-level government official to say this in a public statement means they still have a long way to go in terms of raising awareness.
This is only one example of culture shock that ranged from the cleanliness of public transportation to sleeping on a spring mattress instead of a Japanese futon. I’m sure many more experiences will continue to surprise me and some realizations may take years. But, the experience has been an incredible one and I hope that I can make you all proud.
My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone in the Sycamore family who is in the hospital, feeling ill, or recovering from the loss of a loved one. The longer I’m away from home the more I realize how much I miss it and my mind often wanders back to all of you.
With Love,
SKLT
Global Missions Intern and
Assistant Director
Sendai Student/Youth Center in Sendai, Japan
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
October Sycamore Tree
Dear Sycamore Family,
I was so happy I was able to come ho me for the Bazaar this year. It meant a lot to me to be able to share in this annual tradition with family and friends. Like bazaars in the past there were a lot of familiar faces but this year there were also a lot of new ones. Seeing those faces and introducing new friends was a wonderful reminder of the strength in the Sycamore community and the family I represent in Japan.
Thank you all so much!
SKLT
Global Missions Intern and
Assistant Director of the Sendai Student/Youth Center in Sendai, Japan
I was so happy I was able to come ho me for the Bazaar this year. It meant a lot to me to be able to share in this annual tradition with family and friends. Like bazaars in the past there were a lot of familiar faces but this year there were also a lot of new ones. Seeing those faces and introducing new friends was a wonderful reminder of the strength in the Sycamore community and the family I represent in Japan.
Thank you all so much!
SKLT
Global Missions Intern and
Assistant Director of the Sendai Student/Youth Center in Sendai, Japan
Monday, September 1, 2008
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.
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.
Friday, August 1, 2008
August Sycamore Tree
Dear Sycamore Family,
Recently, I was asked to give a lecture at Miyagi Gakuin for a class of first and second year college students on topics in contemporary issues. Miyagi Gakuin is the women's university in Sendai that was founded in 1886 by missionaries from the United Church of Christ. At the time it was one of the few schools for women in Japan. Today the campus includes a pre-school/kindergarten, junior high school, high school, and university and has a variety of departments including English, Japanese Literature, Food and Nutritional Science, and psychology. Their music department is world famous and many students in this department are regular members of the student center.
Professor Tominaga is a friend of Jeffrey and a long time supporter of the student center. Her research interests include women's issues in Muslim communities as well as issues in ethnic minority communities around the world. Professor Tominaga also leads a study tour of university students to Tanzania every year. I met her in February and have had the opportunity to sit in on a few of her classes while I've been in Sendai. She was very interested to have me come give a presentation in her class because she thought it would benefit young women to hear the perspective of another young person.
As I've spent more time with Japanese college students and gotten a little better at speaking Japanese, I've come to appreciate the major differences in the lives of Japanese college students from American college students. For example, each semester a student in Japan might take anywhere from 15 to 20 different classes while a student in the U.S. might only take 4 to 8 classes. This kind of schedule makes it very difficult to focus very deeply on specific topics but does give students very broad overviews of many different subjects. However, the Ministry of Education and Science in Japan requires each class to give written final exams, term papers, or projects for grading purposes so the end of July and March are very busy months for students as they study for each of their prospective classes.
In my PowerPoint presentation I discussed ethnic diversity in San Francisco. I knew it was important to use a lot of graphics to enrich the information I was presenting and to keep it very simple. I began my presentation by talking about scale and distance in the U.S. and used a lot of maps (i.e. California is about the same size as Honshu, the main island of Japan). I also talked about the history of various neighborhoods in San Francisco like Chinatown or the Mission District. We had an interesting discussion about Japanese interment camps during WWII and they had many questions about that as well because it's not a topic that's typically discussed in school. But, as I suspected most of the students questions were about me personally and my life in California.
In any case, it was a fun and enlightening experience for me. There were about 100 students in the class and Professor Tominaga translated for me through a bulk of the presentation. I don't know if my talk made any impact on these students but I guess that is the reality of being a teacher. I'll have to practice a little more for next time.
For now, I'm off for summer vacation. I will a little time to travel around Japan for fun and with the student center summer work camps. I will also join Pastor Sharon and Morita Sensei at the PAAM conference in Honolulu, HI in August so I'm sure I will have plenty more experiences to share with you next month.
Until next time! Matta ne~
SKLT
Global Missions Intern (GMI) and
Assistant to the Director of the Sendai Student/Youth Center in Sendai, Japan
Recently, I was asked to give a lecture at Miyagi Gakuin for a class of first and second year college students on topics in contemporary issues. Miyagi Gakuin is the women's university in Sendai that was founded in 1886 by missionaries from the United Church of Christ. At the time it was one of the few schools for women in Japan. Today the campus includes a pre-school/kindergarten, junior high school, high school, and university and has a variety of departments including English, Japanese Literature, Food and Nutritional Science, and psychology. Their music department is world famous and many students in this department are regular members of the student center.
Professor Tominaga is a friend of Jeffrey and a long time supporter of the student center. Her research interests include women's issues in Muslim communities as well as issues in ethnic minority communities around the world. Professor Tominaga also leads a study tour of university students to Tanzania every year. I met her in February and have had the opportunity to sit in on a few of her classes while I've been in Sendai. She was very interested to have me come give a presentation in her class because she thought it would benefit young women to hear the perspective of another young person.
As I've spent more time with Japanese college students and gotten a little better at speaking Japanese, I've come to appreciate the major differences in the lives of Japanese college students from American college students. For example, each semester a student in Japan might take anywhere from 15 to 20 different classes while a student in the U.S. might only take 4 to 8 classes. This kind of schedule makes it very difficult to focus very deeply on specific topics but does give students very broad overviews of many different subjects. However, the Ministry of Education and Science in Japan requires each class to give written final exams, term papers, or projects for grading purposes so the end of July and March are very busy months for students as they study for each of their prospective classes.
In my PowerPoint presentation I discussed ethnic diversity in San Francisco. I knew it was important to use a lot of graphics to enrich the information I was presenting and to keep it very simple. I began my presentation by talking about scale and distance in the U.S. and used a lot of maps (i.e. California is about the same size as Honshu, the main island of Japan). I also talked about the history of various neighborhoods in San Francisco like Chinatown or the Mission District. We had an interesting discussion about Japanese interment camps during WWII and they had many questions about that as well because it's not a topic that's typically discussed in school. But, as I suspected most of the students questions were about me personally and my life in California.
In any case, it was a fun and enlightening experience for me. There were about 100 students in the class and Professor Tominaga translated for me through a bulk of the presentation. I don't know if my talk made any impact on these students but I guess that is the reality of being a teacher. I'll have to practice a little more for next time.
For now, I'm off for summer vacation. I will a little time to travel around Japan for fun and with the student center summer work camps. I will also join Pastor Sharon and Morita Sensei at the PAAM conference in Honolulu, HI in August so I'm sure I will have plenty more experiences to share with you next month.
Until next time! Matta ne~
SKLT
Global Missions Intern (GMI) and
Assistant to the Director of the Sendai Student/Youth Center in Sendai, Japan
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
July Sycamore Tree
Dear Sycamore Family,
Working in a cross-cultural setting or living in a foreign country can be filled with frustrations around language and culture. Even if you have a decent sized vocabulary in a foreign language you still have to now how to use those words in the context of the culture.
I have learned about this a lot lately in the Pop Culture workshop that I lead on Tuesday evenings at the Student Center. In this workshop we discuss various aspects of pop culture and compare our perceptions and actual experience in Japanese and American culture. For the first class I had the students help me to bake chocolate chip cookies and while they were in the oven we talked about the power and meaning of symbols and tradition. I showed them the kanji for love or ai (愛) and then a picture of a heart. I also showed them the kanji for peace/heiwa (平和) and many different symbols of peace like the 'peace sign' and a picture of a dove. We talked about how these symbols are fairly universal and commonly understood across cultures.
Then, I showed them the kanji for home/ie (家) and garden/niwa (庭) and asked them to draw a picture of what these words mean to them while I took the cookies out of the oven. The smell of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies is often a hard one to ignore and all of the other classes paused for a few minutes to see what I was doing. I had the cookies cooling on a dish while the students showed me what they had drawn and described each thing. Almost all of the students had drawn a small house surrounded by a small garden. One girl had drawn children and a small dog playing in the front yard. I noticed that most of their houses had tatami floors and one student had even added a kotatsu table.
While we ate the cookies, I showed them photographs that remind me of home. They included photographs of my family, our house, my apartment in Berkeley and my college friends, and some pictures from Sycamore's Day Camp. I told the students that, in America, the chocolate chip cookie is also often seen as a symbol of home because mothers will bake with their children and the smell is very comforting. So, 'home' can mean many things depending on who you're talking to. It was an interesting conversation and a good beginning to the class.
Now, we're working on a survey to distribute to young people in Japan and in the U.S. on favorite movies, books, music, etc as well their opinions on various topics. The process has taken a lot longer than I originally thought it would but has been an educational one for everyone involved. I've learned that there are some questions that you just can't ask in Japanese directly or that some words are more polite than others. Hopefully, I'll be able to share the completed survey with you soon and you'll help us by completing one and sending it back. More on that soon!
Thinking of home constantly,
SKLT
Global Missions Intern (GMI) and
Assistant to the Director of the Sendai Student/Youth Center in Sendai, Japan
Working in a cross-cultural setting or living in a foreign country can be filled with frustrations around language and culture. Even if you have a decent sized vocabulary in a foreign language you still have to now how to use those words in the context of the culture.
I have learned about this a lot lately in the Pop Culture workshop that I lead on Tuesday evenings at the Student Center. In this workshop we discuss various aspects of pop culture and compare our perceptions and actual experience in Japanese and American culture. For the first class I had the students help me to bake chocolate chip cookies and while they were in the oven we talked about the power and meaning of symbols and tradition. I showed them the kanji for love or ai (愛) and then a picture of a heart. I also showed them the kanji for peace/heiwa (平和) and many different symbols of peace like the 'peace sign' and a picture of a dove. We talked about how these symbols are fairly universal and commonly understood across cultures.
Then, I showed them the kanji for home/ie (家) and garden/niwa (庭) and asked them to draw a picture of what these words mean to them while I took the cookies out of the oven. The smell of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies is often a hard one to ignore and all of the other classes paused for a few minutes to see what I was doing. I had the cookies cooling on a dish while the students showed me what they had drawn and described each thing. Almost all of the students had drawn a small house surrounded by a small garden. One girl had drawn children and a small dog playing in the front yard. I noticed that most of their houses had tatami floors and one student had even added a kotatsu table.
While we ate the cookies, I showed them photographs that remind me of home. They included photographs of my family, our house, my apartment in Berkeley and my college friends, and some pictures from Sycamore's Day Camp. I told the students that, in America, the chocolate chip cookie is also often seen as a symbol of home because mothers will bake with their children and the smell is very comforting. So, 'home' can mean many things depending on who you're talking to. It was an interesting conversation and a good beginning to the class.
Now, we're working on a survey to distribute to young people in Japan and in the U.S. on favorite movies, books, music, etc as well their opinions on various topics. The process has taken a lot longer than I originally thought it would but has been an educational one for everyone involved. I've learned that there are some questions that you just can't ask in Japanese directly or that some words are more polite than others. Hopefully, I'll be able to share the completed survey with you soon and you'll help us by completing one and sending it back. More on that soon!
Thinking of home constantly,
SKLT
Global Missions Intern (GMI) and
Assistant to the Director of the Sendai Student/Youth Center in Sendai, Japan
Sunday, June 1, 2008
June Sycamore Tree
Dear Sycamore Family,
May has been a very busy month for the Emmaus Center, where I spend most of my time here in Sendai. The Emmaus Center was completed in 2001 but it had been a concept for many years before that. The idea was that there would be a central meeting place for the churches of the Tohoku Conference of the United Church of Christ-Japan (UCC-J/Nihon Kirisuto Kyodan). When the building was completed the Sendai Student Center moved into the ground floor of the new Emmaus Center from their old location. I think it’s their presence that creates such a welcoming environment for the center’s activities.
This month the Sendai Student/Youth Center Student Council (TEAM-ACT) has begun to meet regularly and plan events for the year like the Welcome Day Hike & Barbeque on Showa Day (a school holiday). I’m happy to report that we had about 20 new faces join the barbeque, even helping to make the yakisoba over our small teppan. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves very much.
Also, the Emmaus Center will also be hosting their annual bazaar and festival (matsuri) on May 31st. Alumni of the student center, members of neighboring churches, and other supporters stop by daily to contribute items to the bazaar sale. Every year, some of the college students cook yakisoba on the bazaar day to sell for lunch so now they are eagerly perfecting their seasoning sauce and cooking skills. It’s heart-warming to see that people have been a part of this tradition for so long and it reminds me of how Sycamore members come from wherever they are in September to be a part of our bazaar.
I’m sure there will be much more to share as the month winds down…and September is only another 4 months away. More soon!
SKLT
Global Missions Intern (GMI) and
Assistant to the Director of the Sendei Student/Youth Center in Sendai, Japan
May has been a very busy month for the Emmaus Center, where I spend most of my time here in Sendai. The Emmaus Center was completed in 2001 but it had been a concept for many years before that. The idea was that there would be a central meeting place for the churches of the Tohoku Conference of the United Church of Christ-Japan (UCC-J/Nihon Kirisuto Kyodan). When the building was completed the Sendai Student Center moved into the ground floor of the new Emmaus Center from their old location. I think it’s their presence that creates such a welcoming environment for the center’s activities.
This month the Sendai Student/Youth Center Student Council (TEAM-ACT) has begun to meet regularly and plan events for the year like the Welcome Day Hike & Barbeque on Showa Day (a school holiday). I’m happy to report that we had about 20 new faces join the barbeque, even helping to make the yakisoba over our small teppan. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves very much.
Also, the Emmaus Center will also be hosting their annual bazaar and festival (matsuri) on May 31st. Alumni of the student center, members of neighboring churches, and other supporters stop by daily to contribute items to the bazaar sale. Every year, some of the college students cook yakisoba on the bazaar day to sell for lunch so now they are eagerly perfecting their seasoning sauce and cooking skills. It’s heart-warming to see that people have been a part of this tradition for so long and it reminds me of how Sycamore members come from wherever they are in September to be a part of our bazaar.
I’m sure there will be much more to share as the month winds down…and September is only another 4 months away. More soon!
SKLT
Global Missions Intern (GMI) and
Assistant to the Director of the Sendei Student/Youth Center in Sendai, Japan
Thursday, May 1, 2008
May Sycamore Tree
Dear Sycamore Family,
As I’ve been away for over 3 months now, something that’s been heavy on my mind is the meaning of mission work and then my role as a missionary. The word carries a lot of historical baggage and perhaps negative associations with some of the horrible atrocities done in the name of God. I didn’t really know what to expect before coming to Japan to work at the Sendai Student/Youth Center. I knew that I would be asked to fulfill the responsibilities of a missionary but there really is no concrete definition for what a missionary is. I’ve had many conversations about this with other missionaries and friends outside the mission field as well.
Missionaries do many different things all over the world. Many of them are teachers of music, language, mathematics, or theology. Others are staff for faith-based or community development organizations. Of course, there are also missionaries that serve their communities as ministers in local churches. These people come from all many different parts of Japan and the world to share in fellowship with other members of an inter-faith community. There is no one definition for what a missionary is or the work that a missionary does. One thing that I really appreciate about Global Ministries and the work of the Kyodon (United Church of Christ, Japan) is their dedication to social justice issues and standing up for the Burakumin people or protecting Article 9 in Japan’s constitution.
Last month, I gave the message at Sunday worship at Shuri Church in Okinawa. I talked about redefining what it means to be a young person, American, Christian, and a missionary through my words and actions. However, it it wasn’t as if I had any grand ideas that I would be the one to do this. The most important factor in my decision to come to Sendai was that I felt I was needed. The staff here at the Sendai Student/Youth Center asked for a Global Missions Intern to come because they needed a young person to help coordinate events for other young people; they’ve needed a young staff person for a very long time. To me, the most important aspect of the work of Global Ministries missionaries is the concept of critical presence. Critical presence means that a missionary is called to serve when and where they are most needed. Also, this has been a wonderful opportunity to strengthen the ties between Sycamore in Japan.
This conversation about mission work and missionaries is a very big topic. One that probably requires a longer discussion than I’ve started here so please don’t hesitate to write me questions, I’m still thinking through these issues myself.
With Love,
SKLT
Global Missions Intern (GMI) and
Assistant to the Director of the Sendei Student/Youth Center in Sendai, Japan
Read more at: What is Critical Presence?
As I’ve been away for over 3 months now, something that’s been heavy on my mind is the meaning of mission work and then my role as a missionary. The word carries a lot of historical baggage and perhaps negative associations with some of the horrible atrocities done in the name of God. I didn’t really know what to expect before coming to Japan to work at the Sendai Student/Youth Center. I knew that I would be asked to fulfill the responsibilities of a missionary but there really is no concrete definition for what a missionary is. I’ve had many conversations about this with other missionaries and friends outside the mission field as well.
Missionaries do many different things all over the world. Many of them are teachers of music, language, mathematics, or theology. Others are staff for faith-based or community development organizations. Of course, there are also missionaries that serve their communities as ministers in local churches. These people come from all many different parts of Japan and the world to share in fellowship with other members of an inter-faith community. There is no one definition for what a missionary is or the work that a missionary does. One thing that I really appreciate about Global Ministries and the work of the Kyodon (United Church of Christ, Japan) is their dedication to social justice issues and standing up for the Burakumin people or protecting Article 9 in Japan’s constitution.
Last month, I gave the message at Sunday worship at Shuri Church in Okinawa. I talked about redefining what it means to be a young person, American, Christian, and a missionary through my words and actions. However, it it wasn’t as if I had any grand ideas that I would be the one to do this. The most important factor in my decision to come to Sendai was that I felt I was needed. The staff here at the Sendai Student/Youth Center asked for a Global Missions Intern to come because they needed a young person to help coordinate events for other young people; they’ve needed a young staff person for a very long time. To me, the most important aspect of the work of Global Ministries missionaries is the concept of critical presence. Critical presence means that a missionary is called to serve when and where they are most needed. Also, this has been a wonderful opportunity to strengthen the ties between Sycamore in Japan.
This conversation about mission work and missionaries is a very big topic. One that probably requires a longer discussion than I’ve started here so please don’t hesitate to write me questions, I’m still thinking through these issues myself.
With Love,
SKLT
Global Missions Intern (GMI) and
Assistant to the Director of the Sendei Student/Youth Center in Sendai, Japan
Read more at: What is Critical Presence?
Saturday, March 1, 2008
March Sycamore Tree
Dear Sycamore Family,
I have been in Japan now for over a month and so far it has been an amazing experience. I have been settling in to the house in which I will be living in for the next year and acclimating to the weather. Everyone at the Sendai Student Youth Center has been incredibly patient and kind while I’m learning the language and and getting used to life in Japan. Jeffrey and Kako Mensendiek have been especially helpful, showing me where to buy groceries and how to navigate downtown Sendai. The students have been my biggest resource with getting internet set up in my house and taking me to all the best places to eat.
As the school year is winding down for university students I’ve been attending classes held at the Student Center in the evenings and participating in their student council meetings as they’re preparing for the various end-of-school and graduation celebrations. I’ve also been visiting some of the local churches with center staff in order to get a better sense for the Christian community in Japan.
Both the local congregations and students have been interested in learning more about the Japanese-American community back in the U.S and I’ve had many opportunities to give presentations on Sycamore. I’ve been in contact with youth back at Sycamore and students here at the Student Center about a possible cultural exchange through video or e-mail so hopefully this dialogue will continue. If you or someone you know is interested in participating please contact me (Sandra K L T at yahoo dot com) or Minister-in-Training Corbin Davis (hip hop corbin at hotmail dot com).
I am learning a lot about Japanese history and culture as I am preparing to accompany a small group of students to Okinawa early this month to learn about issues of US militarization and sovereignty. I’m sure this will be a very educational experience since these are timely and somewhat sensitive topics.
I am excited to be representing Sycamore here in the Japan and I will continue to keep you updated. Thank you so much for your e-mails, for reading my blog, and continuing to support me in all of my activities.
SKLT
I have been in Japan now for over a month and so far it has been an amazing experience. I have been settling in to the house in which I will be living in for the next year and acclimating to the weather. Everyone at the Sendai Student Youth Center has been incredibly patient and kind while I’m learning the language and and getting used to life in Japan. Jeffrey and Kako Mensendiek have been especially helpful, showing me where to buy groceries and how to navigate downtown Sendai. The students have been my biggest resource with getting internet set up in my house and taking me to all the best places to eat.
As the school year is winding down for university students I’ve been attending classes held at the Student Center in the evenings and participating in their student council meetings as they’re preparing for the various end-of-school and graduation celebrations. I’ve also been visiting some of the local churches with center staff in order to get a better sense for the Christian community in Japan.
Both the local congregations and students have been interested in learning more about the Japanese-American community back in the U.S and I’ve had many opportunities to give presentations on Sycamore. I’ve been in contact with youth back at Sycamore and students here at the Student Center about a possible cultural exchange through video or e-mail so hopefully this dialogue will continue. If you or someone you know is interested in participating please contact me (Sandra K L T at yahoo dot com) or Minister-in-Training Corbin Davis (hip hop corbin at hotmail dot com).
I am learning a lot about Japanese history and culture as I am preparing to accompany a small group of students to Okinawa early this month to learn about issues of US militarization and sovereignty. I’m sure this will be a very educational experience since these are timely and somewhat sensitive topics.
I am excited to be representing Sycamore here in the Japan and I will continue to keep you updated. Thank you so much for your e-mails, for reading my blog, and continuing to support me in all of my activities.
SKLT
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