Two believers from Konko Churches of North America, participated in volunteer activities for recovery from the Great Earthquake disaster in Kesennuma, from April 15 to 17.  They attended the grand service of Konko Church of Kesennuma, which is the volunteers’ base, and helped clean-up an affected house and a hotel.  The hotel was preparing for a scheduled reopening for May.  The following are their impressions.  To see their entire impressions, visit our facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/KIC1993

Mr. Scott Wong, Konko Church of Vancouver:
“In the United States, most of the main stream media coverage of the earthquake and the tsunami died down a couple of weeks after the events of 3/11/11. Then, YouTube videos started popping up. These videos sensationalized the power of the earthquake and the devastation of the tsunami and fires. Once we started volunteering, the reality of the catastrophe sunk in. My transformational volunteering event was helping family move belongings from their home that was to be torn down. This drove home the scope of the human suffering in the tsunami areas. The YouTube videos showed surging water and raging fire, but didn’t show the impact on people’s lives. In this family’s home, there was nothing left on the bottom floor and the second floor had a layer of mud everywhere. Almost all the belongings had mud on them. When I think back on the impact on this one family’s life, I shudder with sadness. When I think of the impact on the thousands of family’s lives, I feel unbearable sorrow. I pray that the affected areas of Miyagi Prefecture are reborn and the shattered lives are healed.”

 Mr. Robert Giulietti, Konko Church of Seattle:
“During our stay, we were able to visit many of the damaged areas. I saw major devastation in the form of cars swept inside of buildings, protective barrier sea walls collapsing, ships isolated on land, entire neighborhoods wiped out with nothing left but the foundations of the buildings.  I witnessed that I never saw in my life.  Take away the risk of earthquakes and tsunamis, this has to be one of the most beautiful areas to live on this planet.  The views are tremendous and the proximity to the water is a great blessing.  This community has done a great deal of recovery work over the last year, but still has a long way to go before matching what was prior to the disaster.  I believe that one day, this will be a strong community of survivors and the town will revive into one much better than it has ever been.”

Reverend Eric Cherry, Director of International Office of Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregation (UUA), visited KIC today.  UUA has supported and given prayers for Konkokyo congregations in the areas affected by the Great Earthquake.  Reverend Yamada, KIC Director, expressed his appreciation for their support.  We had a great conversation and shared the desire to create world peace. KIC staff appreciates the friendship with UUA.

In Brazil there is a group named “Wakaba”, which means “young leaves” in Japanese. The group was formed in 2004 by Reverend Katsuyuki Kajiwara, Head Minister of the Konko Church of Curitiba to nurture young people.
In March 25, the 14th Contest of Japanese Drum was held and “Wakaba” won a prize!!
Please check the video below when “Wakaba” won! Enjoy Japanese drum!!

Curitiba Wakaba Performence

Between the 18th and the 24th of November, a group of staff from KIC went on a trip to North America. The group included Rev. Shinji Yamada, Director of KIC, Rev. Masafumi Kimoto an intern of KIC and Rev. Shinji Kawasaki, Deputy Director of the Outreach Department at the Konkokyo Head office.

The itinerary included visits to the Vancouver Church in Canada and churches in Seattle, Portland, and San Francisco in the USA. The group had discussions with ministers and members of the Churches as well as an administrative meeting with office staff of the KCNA was held at the San Francisco Church.

The main topics of the meetings were: “What kind of problems we are facing concerning the situation of world outreach activities?” and “How we have to improve: and what trials do we need?”.

The group also eagerly mentioned about the necessity of outreach materials and publications in English as well as the importance of the outreach vehicles such as animation and music of Konkokyo, cultivating human resources, and so forth.

At the conclusion of the meetings, we shared the common wish that all of us would do our best to promote world outreach, keep in touch more tightly with Headquarters, KIC in Japan and KCNA. Thus, the trip was very beneficial to all involved.