Monday, August 31, 2009

Manami's Fifth Birthday

  Today is Manami's birthday. She became five years old. Today's service was called Family Sunday Service, at which both Japanese group and English group attend, which is held once or twice a year and we have some fun after the Service. Normally, we have three Sunday services; English and Japanese services at Matlock Center, English service at Jisso Center. After the service finished, all of the attendees sang "Happy Birthday to You" to Manami, and she was supposed to blow off all the five candles in the cake we specially ordered. However, she was too shy to do that in front of people, therefore, we, parents, did that. She was given heartfelt gifts from some of the attendees. I would like to extend my sincere gratitude for all the kind deeds they did for Manami. Thank you very much.

  By the way, Democratic Party of Japan won a landslide victory in the general election in Japan. It is the first time for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party to be away from the dominant party since its founding in 1955. I hope the next government will deal with an environment issue more sincerely and seriously and turn Japan to a right direction.



















Tetsuya Abe
 

Saturday, August 29, 2009

Mothers' Study Class and Manami's Kindergarten Life

  August Japanese Mothers' Study Class was held at Seicho-No-Ie Hawaii Matlock Center with 5 participants including my wife and myself today. A number of participants was not so big, that is why we could share what we were into lately and our impressions on material distributed and a lecture provided. We truly enjoyed our company and learned an important mindset as a mother based upon the SNI teachings. Thank you very much everyone who came and made this class so meaningful!

  Time really flies fast. It has been a year since this Mothers' Study Class started in last year's August. Outstanding is growth of children who have constantly been attending. A boy and a girl of two years old who attended today are quite different from who they were one year ago. This is not only true for the children but also for their moms. I firmly felt that we, as a parent, are also being grown through child-raring.

  By the way, it has been about three weeks since my daughter, Manami, started to go to a nearby kindergarten. She seems really to enjoy her kindergarten life with two former preschool's class mates and one Japanese boy who came from Japan just one month ago. However, she seems very tired every day; she takes a nap for a couple of hours, sometimes for FOUR hours! Nevertheless, after she wakes up, she has a dinner, does her homework with mom and dad, takes a shower, and watchs TV and has some fun for a short time, then, she goes to bed and falls asleep soon.

  To our surprise, despite the fact that she is still four years old, she already had homework to be done at home. She cannot understand what for and what she should do, however, she starts to practice to write her own name, ABC..., and numbers. More than that parents have to record a title of the books they read and how many minutes for reading with parents initials every day. It is an unbelievable thing for a Japanese! We are also fed up with so many handouts for parents to be read because, to do so, we have to take much more time than native speakers do. We need to have Manami favor doing homework, we give her chocolate after she has done the homework. So far it works well. Every time we finish a dinner, she said, "Let's start homework!"

  A Japanese boy I mentioned above is Calvin Nishihara, as same old boy as Manami, and Ian, 7 years old boy. After school hours, the kindergarten prepared an ESL class for Japanese students. However, if Manami attends the ESL class, she cannot afford to do her homework. Then, I asked the ESL teacher whether she has to attend the class. Her answer is she doesn't have to because she can communicate with teachers and friends without any problem. Therefore, Manami will attend the class once or twice a week in accord with her condition. But, to tell the truth, she wants to participant in the class because the teacher gives them some snacks in the end of class, which attracts Manami so much, and she is very looking forward to playing with those boys after the ESL class.

  A dad of the boys was born and raised in Hawaii, however, he speaks very fluent Japanese. He stayed in Japan for 9 years and taught English at a high school there. Their mom, Kazue, was born and raised in Kobe, in Kansai area, and speaks with a Kansai accent. She is kind and friendly and frequently contacts with my wife by e-mail.

Tetsuya Abe
 

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

An Impression on the Conference by a SNI HI leader

Hi everyone,

With her permission, I would like to share an impression on the Special Conference for World Peace by Irene Revilla, one of SNI Hawaii leaders. It is concisely written but I believe you would feel energy and enthusiasm through her experience.

Tetsuya Abe

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My impressions of the Brazil Special Conference
By Irene Revilla, Hawaii Missionary Area

Thank you very much. I was one of the US participants who attended the 2009 Brazil Special Conference. Rev. Tetsuya Abe and myself were the two representatives from Hawaii. I was truly blessed to be apart of this conference as it has been a wish of mine to attend a conference in Brazil. Since the first conference held there several years ago I had always hoped someday I would go. This year my wish came true. It was all that and more than I had expected. The greatest emotion that I experienced during the 2 day conference was the joy I felt when all of the attendees rose to their feet and cheered joyfully with love and admiration for Rev. Masanobu and Mrs. Junko Taniguchi as they entered the huge convention hall. All 3,000 supporters clapped and cheered for them in unison with such emotional energy that I could feel the vibrations throughout my whole body. It was an experience indescribable with words. The lectures were very informative and gave a great deal of historical background leading up to how our environment, nature and human beings have been affected by industrialization both in North America, Central and South America. The relationship of all this to our current situation with global warming and depletion of resources was very evident in all the lectures. As an organization, Seicho-No Ie is clearly a proponent in supporting ways to correct and preserve Mother Nature and mankind for future generations. Listening to ways to promote these positive changes and bring peace to the world truly makes me proud to be a Holy fellowship member of SNI. I hope one day all of you will get an opportunity to attend a special conference and feel the gratitude and joy I had experienced.
 

Monday, August 24, 2009

Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea

  The other day, I saw an article in The New York Times and TIME magazine that say "Ponyo on the cliff by the sea" would be released in about 1,000 theaters in the United States on August 14. "Ponyo" is a Japanese animation movie written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, Japan's master in that field, Academy Award winner for his last work, "Spirited Away," in 2001. I looked for a theater at which the movie is being shown by the Internet, I found. My wife and daughter once or twice watched that movie in the original Japanese version, but I haven't. It is one of my daughter's most favorite movie, therefore, I took her to a nearby theater yesterday.

  The show time we watched started 6:50 p.m. Many of the audience came with family. According to the August 24 issue of TIME magazine, Miyazaki made a movie in 2-D, hand-drawn animation and created a frame-by-frame storyboard -- 180,000 drawings for Ponyo with minimal help from PC. Asian viewers may recall the devastation wreaked by the December 2004 Indian Ocean disaster, but Miyazaki's intention is different. "Rather than the tsunami destroying the town," Miyazaki says, "I took it as her own sense of life overflowing, and that helped to revitalize the town. None of the buildings were destroyed in the flood. You can see them all beneath the water. That's magic." ("TIME" Aug. 24th, 2009 issue)

  My impression on the movie is the pictures shown on the screen were terrific and they are just the nature of Japan as it is. I have never returned to Japan during two years and three month while staying here, I missed Japan very much. Of course, I am grateful for our life here; we can learn and experience various kinds of new things and savor beautiful nature. However, my thought on my home country is very special. One of the things that impressed me most is there is no "evil" in the movie. That is why I think it appropriate to have show it to children. My daughter has concentrated on the movie for one hour and forty minutes.

  Coming back home, while talking with my wife about the movie, I realized that there are many lines that only the English version has but the Japanese one doesn't. According to a Japanese site for the movie, Miyazaki seems to cut as many lines as possible so that the theater audience themselves think about hidden messages. However, it is possible only in Japanese because "silence" is highly valued in the Japanese culture. If you want the movie seen in a country of western culture, in which to express themselves is valued, you have to make adjustments in many ways.

  As a whole, the movie made me feel very comfortable and reminded me a Japanese sense toward nature. I hope my daughters' friends watch it.

  You can see the movie's trailer by clicking the following addresses:

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BfNtYF94cQ(brief one)

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALsYgbxOZuI&NR=1(long one)

 Tetsuya Abe
  

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Meeting at a Kindergarten

  There was a meeting today for parents at a kindergarten my daughter is going from August 10th. At first, principle provided his greetings and there was a workshop with which parents and children together dealt. We heard a good reputation of the school, Ahuimanu school, from preschool teachers and others. My impression to the school was what we've just imagined with a good support system and friendly teachers and atmospheres.

  Attending the two-hour meeting, I saw their will that they want to develop children's creativity and personality and cope with whatever problem taken place. According to the school, three Japanese children joined the school including my daughter and they will provide a supplementary class after school.

  My daughter attended a preschool for a year and seven months, I don't think there is any problem with her communication skills in English, however, it is good for her to be followed in such a way because she still has less time to speak and hear English compared to local children. If I point out further good points:

  1. There are two preschool classmates whom my daughter gets along well
  2. Since my daughter's home room teacher is a Japanese-American, she
    understands about adjustment in a inter-cultural situation
  3. There is a fluent Japanese speaker who had studied for Waseda
    University in Japan among parents. To my surprise, she is a complete
    Caucasian. More than that, a principal is person who loves Japan,
    have been there so many times, and can speak daily conversation
    in Japanese

  My wife was very relieved to see she has a new friend who speaks in Japanese in Kaneohe. Incidentally, my wife's communication skills in English has rapidly been improving and she came to be able to read the material distributed by the school. It is a great pleasure for both of us.

  A school system here and in Japan is quite different. Japan does not have a system equivalent of kindergarten. They go to a preschool until 6 years old and then enroll an elementary school. That means that their mandatory education starts one or two years later than children here.



















With her Hawaiian friend Taish



















Three of us enjoyed the workshop

Tetsuya Abe
 

Thursday, August 06, 2009

2009 August Message

To Convey the Seicho-No-Ie Teachings Today Is the Greatest Deed of Love
Rev. Tetsuya Abe
Acting Chief, SNI Hawaii Missionary Area

Thank you very much.
  I have wonderful and pleasant news for you. Mrs. Carol Perreida, Oahu propagator, passed the Regional Lecturer's Examination that was held last year. Congratulations Carol! Her success is attributed not only to her tireless daily efforts to learn the teachings but also to guidance from Rev. Leslie Iwatani and support by our senior members and colleagues. I extend my sincere gratitude to all of those concerned, and would like to share the joy of her success with all Seicho-No-Ie Hawaii members. Thank you very much.

  Regional Lecturer is a very important and responsible position appointed by the President of Seicho-No-Ie. I hope Carol and all other Regional Lecturers carry out this noble responsibility by practicing the three important religious practices―Shinsokan meditation, reading the Holy Sutras and SNI books, and practicing Deeds of Love―while understanding the Movement Policy which is a written guideline that all of the SNI members in the world should follow throughout the year, engaging in propagation activities based upon the will and policy of the International Headquarters. It surely leads our movement to grow in the right direction that is in accordance with God's divine will.

  On June 28, I visited SNI Maui center to share this wonderful teaching with SNI Maui members. After the Sunday service there, all participants and I enjoyed a delicious lunch at a restaurant near a beach and we enjoyed each others' company. I strongly felt that we can count on those members, including President Neil Masuoka and Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Nakata, because they are bright, cheerful, and passionate about propagation.

  With this visit, I finished my first visitation to all four neighbor island centers this year. My transportation costs are covered by the SNI Hawaii Holy Mission Fund, which consists of past Holy Mission Fellowship dues which should have been sent to SNI International Headquarters but were held in Hawaii due to some federal regulations. That is why we need approval by the SNI Hawaii Board of Directors, SNI, Inc. BOD, and International Headquarters before we use it. I will make every effort to meet expectations of our neighbor island members, as well as those who approved this expenditure. And I also want to share the importance of our activities as holy missioners in my second visiation this year.

  By the way, we are going to hold the annual Public Lecture on September 20 at the Ala Moana Hotel. It is usually held in November, but due to some reasons, the Lecture will be two months ahead. The following is basic information:

[English Program]
 Date: Sunday, Sept. 20, 1:30 - 3:30 p.m.
 Place: Ala Moana Hotel
 Speaker:
 Rev. Hiei Ando,
  U.S. National Ordained Minister
 Rev. Yoshiko Teshigawara,
  Bishop, U.S. Missionary Headquarters

[Japanese Program]
 Date: Sunday, Sept. 20, 9:30 - 11:30 a.m.
 Place: Ala Moana Hotel
 Speaker: Rev. Yoshiko Teshigawara
     Rev. Hiei Ando

  The theme of English lecture is "A Bright Mind ― A Healthy and Prosperous Life" and the Japanese theme is "Hogarakana Kokoro―Kenko to Hanei wo Anatani."(朗らかな心―健康と繁栄をあなたに)

  The price of gas has begun surging again, and health issues including the H1N1 flu is everybody's concern. With the depletion of fossil energy impacting world economies, the global environment declining, unemployment rate at a record high, and uncertainty and anxiety spreading throughout society, people are seeking guidance for their lives. Now is Seicho-No-Ie's time to respond. Nothing is a more precious deed of love than to convey the Seicho-No-Ie teachings in this troubled time, because you can solve all problems by knowing that there is a perfect and harmonious world created by God, the True Image world, and believing and envisioning that perfect world and what is positive and already granted to you, and constantly carrying out that practice in your daily life. I would like to ask you to invite as many people as possible including your family, relatives, friends, neighbors and others to the Public Lecture. Thank you very much.
 

Monday, August 03, 2009

2009 Sepcial Conference in Brazil (4)

  Today was the second day of Special Conference which consisted of two presentations by ordained ministers, Rev. Masanobu Taniguchi's concluding lecture, words of encouragement by Mrs. Junko Taniguchi. We also had an ordained (assistant) ministers' meeting, and welcome party for Rev. and Mrs. Taniguchi at Brazil Headquarters' annex.

  In the lecture provided by the President, there were so many inspiring, deep, and profound messages that I could not catch up with ..... We learned that how important to hold a religious point of view that "A human being is a part of Nature," and it is firmly existed in the Native North, Central, and South American culture, and also in the traditional major religions' teachings such as Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism, and to have a consensus that it is one of the essence of all correct religions should contribute to world peace in this day and age.

  Mrs. Junko Taniguchi's popularity was outstanding here in Brazil. Her deeply loving messages which were simmering into people's hearts brought about religious exultation, therefore, every time she spoke a sentence the site was surrounded with applause.

  Whenever Rev. and Mrs. Taniguchi entered the hall, and before and after their guidance, all the participants showed their welcome with big applause and claps. They were like a supporter who cheer their own country in the soccer stadium. They said with their hands outstretched high and clapped, "Eooooo, eoooooo, eoo eoo eoo Sosai!" Sosai means President in Japanese.

  Not only during the lecturers provided by Rev. and Mrs. Taniguchi, but during all the presentation delivered, applause took place frequently. It is Brazil!

  Throughout the Special Conference, as a whole, I was given an opportunity to think deeply about how our SNI leaders should put the teachings such as "God's creation is only good, perfect, and harmonious" and "This phenomenal world is a reflection of mind" into our daily life as an individual, and how we should contribute to our society by those teachings. More than that, we learned that one of the central parts that all the correct religions should be shared is that a human being is a part of Nature.

  Regarding a reception, held at the annex of SNI Brazil Headquarters, at a glance, there seemed 400 people invited. After President Masanobu Taniguchi made opening remarks, everyone cheered. We enjoyed dinner, then, all participants stood in line, shook hands and talked with Rev. and Mrs. Taniguchi in turn. You could take a photo of them.

  I will fly to LA tomorrow night and come back to Hawaii in the late night of Tuesday.



















Since we cannot take a photo during the event, it is a break time.



















With Irene and Cassandra Revilla



















With Alessandro da Silva from Scotland, who seated next to me.



















With Rev. Enio Masaci Hara. He is a former President of SNI Brazil Youth and Young Adult Association. He came to Japan to study about how to run a SNI organization in early 1990 and I took him various places for his study.



















At the reception

Tetsuya Abe
 

Sunday, August 02, 2009

2009 Special Conference in Brazil (3)

  Today was the first day of "2009 Special Conference for World Peace" which was held at Fanchal Lecture Hall in Sao Paulo that was from 1 to 7 p.m. According to my memory, there were 2,965 attendees from 16 countries.

  The participants from the United States were allotted a relatively front seat with participants from Europe and Canada. A person next to me was a very nice man and propagator from Scotland and he shared his impressive story about how he was introduced to Seicho-No-Ie when his family members in Brazil were also introduced to SNI.

  I was able to meet very familiar people whom I was concerned about including Rev. Akinori Jo, a former stationed minister in Europe whom I constantly contacted with when I was at International Headquarters, a woman who was in London, whom I once interviewed for a Japanese magazine, and Rev. Enio Masaki Hara, a former President of Youth and Young Adult Association of SNI Brazil.

  The theme of Special Conference was as follows:

   Learning from the Natural World View of Native Americans
        (1) North America
        (2) Central and South America

   Learning from the Natural World View of
         the Major Traditional World Religions
        (1) Judaic and Christianity
        (2) Islam
        (3) Buddhism and Hinduism

  Today, we studied the three themes from above, Rev. Masanobu Taniguchi's lecture, which was consisted of his answers to the questions submitted beforehand, and Mrs. Junko Taniguchi's lecture.

  One of the four questions submitted to President Masanobu Taniguchi was Irene Revilla's following questions:
---------------------------------------------------
As a parent of two young adults I listen to them discussing events that are happening around them. This generation of youth have a sense of doom surrounding them as the world is full of economic problems and natural changes. As the President of SNI do you believe that our movement can progress realistically to create more positively in this 21st century and why do you feel this way?
----------------------------------------------------

   You will have a summary of Rev. Taniguchi's answer in the SNI-Online which will be sent out about two month's later.

   The primary language at this Conference was Portuguese. Rev. and Mrs. Masanobu Taniguchi's lectures and presentations done by other than Portuguese, consecutive interpretation was conducted. When presenters speak Portuguese, they were simultaneously interpreted into Japanese, English, and Spanish.

   Material for each presentation was distributed in advance, I was able to listen to the English presentations without Japanese interpretation. When presented in Portuguese, I chose a Japanese interpretation in some case and a English interpretation in other case.

   Those who were engaged in interpretation are not professional translators, nevertheless all of their performance were excellent! I understand that how challenging to interpret those material and to prepare that in a short time, they've definitely done wonderful jobs.

   I was overwhelmed by their impassioned, cheerful, sincere, and honest atmosphere. All of them are the great SNI leaders. Especially, I was so impressed by the participants from Britain but all Brazilians who surrounded writing down memos all the while Rev. and Mrs. Masanobu Taniguchi's lectures. Of course, I jotted down their lecturers as much as possible because I am responsible to conveying what they taught us.

   Tomorrow, we will have the second day program, ordained (assistant) ministers meeting led by Rev. Masanobu Taniguchi, and welcome party for the President sponsored by SNI Brazil Headquarters.

Tetsuya Abe