GEDATSU COMPANION JUNE 2014 INSIDE THIS ISSUE. You can build a happy family through your sincere practice of Gedatsu. JULY 2014 NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

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1 June 2014 Vol. 65 No. 6 GEDATSU COMPANION GEDATSU CHURCH USA INSIDE THIS ISSUE 2 News and Announcements 3 Dear Reverend: How can Gedatsu help me find fulfillment in my career? 2 A Brief History of Gedatsu USA Conclusion 6 Gedatsu Teaching 10 and Commentary 8 Personal Experience Naoya Okano 9 Donations and Upcoming Events Gedatsu Kongo s Thought for the Month You can build a happy family through your sincere practice of Gedatsu. A family consists of a husband and wife and their children. Everyone desires a happy family life, but in reality, all too few are able to achieve their wish. The key to building a happy family life is in the hands of the husband and wife. When they love each other with sincere respect and appreciation, there will be unity and harmony between them. These positive feelings spread throughout the home, creating a warm relationship between parents and children. Without a doubt, a couple s mutual love and appreciation is the foundation of a happy family. NORTHERN CALIFORNIA JUNE 2014 Sun 8 9:30 am Sunday Service & Ajikan Meditation Mother Kiyota Memorial Service Sun 22 9:30 am Sunday Service & Ajikan Meditation Sat 28 11:00 am Rokujizo Bazaar Sun 29 11:00 am Rokujizo Bazaar SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Sun 1 10:00 am Japanese Kanshakai Service Sun 8 No Service, Church Open (until noon) Sun 15 10:00 am Japanese & English Kanshakai Service Mother Kiyota Memorial Service Father s Day Service Tue 17 7:30 pm GROW Meeting Sun 22 10:00 am English Kanshakai Service Ajikan Meditation Sat 28 11:00 am Rokujizo Bazaar in Sacramento Sun 29 11:00 am Rokujizo Bazaar in Sacramento NORTHERN CALIFORNIA JULY 2014 Sun 13 9:30 am Sunday Service & Ajikan Meditation Sat 19 10:00 am Lake Tahoe Benzaiten Service Sun 27 9:30 am Sunday Service Obon Service SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Fri 4 Church Closed Sun 6 10:00 am Japanese Kanshakai Service Sun 13 No Service Church Open (until noon) Sun 20 10:00 am Japanese & English Kanshakai Service Obon Service Tue 22 7:30 pm GROW Meeting Sun 27 10:00 am English Kanshakai Service Ajikan Meditation / Graduates Honored

2 NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS Buy Your Rokujizo Bazaar Raffle Tickets Now One of Gedatsu Church s biggest fundraisers of the year the annual Rokujizo Bazaar takes place Saturday and Sunday, June 28 and 29, in Sacramento. Raffle tickets for the prize drawing are on sale ($10 for a book of 12 tickets) at your church office. Support your church and vie for cash prizes including a $1,000 grand prize. Exchange Ambassadors from Japan to Visit In recognition of their exemplary service and dedication to the church, two workers from Gedatsu-kai Japan headquarters will visit the U.S. in late June to experience American culture and familiarize themselves with Gedatsu USA. Exchange Ambassadors Motoaki Miyasaka and Tatsuya Kobayashi will visit Sacramento from June 25 and participate in the Rokujizo Bazaar. The visitors will enjoy sightseeing in Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon. They will later meet with L.A. members on July 2 and 3, and visit the Honolulu Church on July 6. Please welcome our visitors from Japan. Gedatsu Memorial Tower Enshrinement 2014 Applications for enshrinement in the Gedatsu Memorial Tower at this year s Grand Fall Festival in Sacramento will be accepted until June 22. Fee is $100 per application. Application forms are available at your church office. The event attracts hundreds of visitors, who come for the delicious Asian foods (like the mesquite-grilled teriyaki chicken shown above), as well as entertainment and activities. Member-volunteers are needed to help. If you can lend a hand, please contact the Sacramento Church. Fall Grand Festival One Week Later This Year Please note that the Fall Grand Festival, which is normally held on the Labor Day weekend, will be held a week later this year on Sunday, September 7 to accommodate minister schedules. In addition, the 65 th Anniversary of Gedatsu USA will be celebrated at a dinner banquet, which will be held on Saturday, September 6, in Sacramento. Please mark your calendars now with these special dates. Details of these events will be announced in the coming months. L.A. Benzaiten Service Moves to August The L.A. Benzaiten Service (formerly scheduled for July) will be held at the L.A. Church on Sunday, August 17, as part of the Japanese and English Sunday service. L.A. Holiday Crafts Faire Joins October Event The Holiday Crafts Faire (normally held in November) has been combined with the Autumn Moon Festival and will be held at the L.A. Church on Saturday and Sunday, October 4 and 5. Join the Tanabata Workshop The Tanabata Star Festival Workshop will be held at the L.A. Church on Saturday, June 7, from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm. Volunteers will create the paper floral pom-poms and streamers that will decorate the Church s entries in this year s Tanabata Festival in Little Tokyo in August. Members and friends are invited to participate in the workshop. Lunch will be served. At the workshop, the Tanabata design team will unveil concepts for two decorative creations that will compete in the manga/anime category of the Festival, in which the church was awarded a first-place prize last year. This year s Festival theme is Wish Upon the Stars. If you have any questions about the workshop, contact Jo Ann Shiroishi at (626) or jashiroishi@gmail.com. 2 P a g e

3 DEAR REVEREND Q A I am thankful for my job, but I feel unsatisfied. How can Gedatsu help me find fulfillment in my career? Frankly, I m a bit concerned, because if you were really thankful for your job, you would feel satisfied. Are you thinking that there may be a better job for you elsewhere? Remember, when the grass looks greener on the other side, water your own lawn. On the subject of one s occupation, our founder, Gedatsu Kongo, left us these words: Your current title, rank and position were given by God. God assesses the virtue of your spirit and rewards or punishes accordingly. Therefore, it is important to accept everything given to you with gratitude and to repay the favor to society. Whether you are a factory worker, an office staffer or waiter, if you do your best at your workplace, you can create an extraordinary position for yourself becoming an invaluable, irreplaceable individual in your workplace. It doesn t matter where you work. Don t think that you are just an employee. If you think of your job as a Godgiven mission, you can cultivate and elevate your character through your job. If you are not making people happy with your work, you are not really working. The Japanese translation for the word work is hataraku. Hata literally means people around you, and raku means happy. Our founder explained the meaning of hataraku like this: The reason we use the word hataraku is because we are supposed to feel happy in our job, and are supposed to make others happy through our job, as well. So if you are not making people happy with your work, you are not really working. You are simply going through the motions of working. As a first step, I urge you to self-reflect and try to amend your way of thinking about your job. After reflecting, if you still feel unsatisfied with your job, try another job and see if it works for you. Gedatsu teaching is all about practice. Even though you may fail, the practical knowledge you gain is a good lesson for you. Don t worry. As our prayer states, Our attitude and object is to confirm by personal experience. I hope you will be satisfied with your job. Rev. Tatsunori Kamiya The Gedatsu Companion is indebted to Rev. H. Taki for translating this series of articles on the history of Gedatsu Church USA. Rev. Taki wrote the articles, which were published in Gedatsu Magazine in 2008, to explain to Japanese members how Gedatsu was propagated in America. Following is the final installment in the series. A Brief History of Gedatsu Church USA Conclusion Gedatsu in Hawaii A GEDATSU FOR ALL PEOPLE In the mid-1950s, as the propagation of Gedatsu was expanding in California, a seed of Gedatsu was also being planted in another American state 2,500 miles further west, Hawaii. The history of the Gedatsu Church in Hawaii begins with Alice Takamoto, who was born and raised in Honolulu. While attending college in Sacramento, California, Alice stayed at a Gedatsu member s home, where she began studying Gedatsu. When she finished college and made plans to return to Hawaii, Archbishop Kishida encouraged her to conduct Gedatsu meetings at her home in Honolulu, stating that he would stop in Hawaii to attend her home meetings on his trips from the U.S. to Japan. Thus, the home meetings in Alice Takamoto s home marked the beginning of Gedatsu propagation in Hawaii. (Continued on page 4) Hawaiian members, Alice Takamoto (left) and Norma Takeshita (rear), greet Archbishop and Mrs. Kishida on their visit to the islands. 3 P a g e

4 (History Continued from page 3) Over the ensuing years, others in Hawaii opened their homes to Gedatsu meetings, most notably Mrs. Tengan of Honolulu, Mrs. Ellen Sayegusa in Kaimuki and Professor Kenneth Yasuda of University of Hawaii, who started a popular and well-attended study group at his home, introducing Gedatsu to many of his students and local Hawaiians. Archbishop Kishida participated in these meetings to teach Gedatsu each time he flew to Japan. In the late 1960s, Archbishop Kishida asked Gedatsu-kai Japan member Michiyo Asami to go to Honolulu as resident minister to teach members at Mrs. Sayegusa s home. Thanks to Archbishop Kishida s and Rev. Asami s efforts to teach Hawaiian members, the Gedatsu teaching gradually expanded in Hawaii. Until then, those meeting homes were regarded as branch churches of Gedatsu Church of America in California, not yet authorized by the State of Hawaii. In 1979, Gedatsu Japan Headquarters sent Ms. Tokiko Hosoya to Hawaii to prepare for the establishment of Gedatsu Church in Hawaii. Thereafter, Chairman Takenori Okano and a succession of teachers Revs. Aoyama, Yamadera, Yamada, Tonogi, Kondo and others came to teach members in Hawaii. Meetings were held in a rented house, then in a house in Kuliouou that was purchased to become the new Gedatsu Church in Hawaii, officially authorized by the State of Hawaii in With the death of Archbishop Kishida in 1981, Hawaiian members of the Kaimuki meeting, which had been a branch of Gedatsu Church of America, joined the Gedatsu Church of Hawaii. Thus, two Gedatsu groups in Hawaii one connected to the U.S. Gedatsu and one connected to Japan merged in Revs. Miki, Sakamoto, Otsuka and other teachers from Japan came to Hawaii to teach in the various home meetings started by members. In 1984, Rev. Arthur Sakamoto assumed the position of the head of Gedatsu Church of Hawaii and played a leading role in Gedatsu propagation in Hawaii until his retirement in Other resident ministers followed, including Revs. Shigetaka Okano, Hisakazu Taki, Jimmy Nakamura and Kazuo Yamada. Rev. Tatunori Kamiya has been resident minister of the Church of Hawaii since Gedatsu in America Assessing an Experiment Top photo: The Gedatsu Church of Hawaii in Honolulu. Bottom: Pottery class led by Rev. Kamiya after Sunday Service. The brief history of the Gedatsu Church in America, which has spanned some 70 years beginning in the war years of the Japanese relocation camps to the present day can be viewed as an experiment to demonstrate the universality of the Gedatsu teaching. When our founder Gedatsu Kongo established Gedatsu in 1929, his teaching was aimed at Japanese citizens in a pre-war era and was intended to awaken their consciousness to their national traditions and heritage. But at the same time, his teaching contained an abundance of universal principles that transcended national, cultural and racial boundaries. After the founder s death, his disciples Archbishop Kishida, Mother Kiyota and others devoted their efforts to spreading the Gedatsu teaching beyond Japan and to demonstrating the universality of Gedatsu. 4 P a g e

5 When Gedatsu was first brought to America, most of the early church members were Japanese Isseis and Niseis. Released from Japanese relocation camps after the war, they re-started their lives with little in the way of material wealth. The Gedatsu teaching, which was deeply based on Japanese culture and traditions, supported their identity as Japanese and encouraged them to move forward to rebuild their lives with pride. For them, Gedatsu was like a bridge between America and their homeland, Japan. Today, however, Gedatsu members in the U.S. are mostly non-japanese-speaking Japanese- Americans and other ethnicities. The Japanese cultural aspects of Gedatsu, which gave comfort and strength to their parents and forebears, have far less connection to these younger generations today and even less to non-japanese members. The Gedatsu Church in the U.S. is thus critically challenged to demonstrate the universality of Gedatsu for all people. The Universality of Gedatsu What, then, is the universality of Gedatsu? While steeped in Japanese culture and traditions, the essence of Gedatsu is Universal Truth, which applies to everyone: (1) reverence to God and ancestors, (2) appreciation and gratitude for everyone and everything and (3) awareness of the interdependence of everything in the universe. Importantly, the unbiased, nondenominational teaching of Gedatsu has special significance in the United States and other countries, where a variety of cultures and religious traditions exist together. Gedatsu has the potential to play a key role in overcoming conflicts among different values and traditions in the modern world and effecting world peace. Indeed, Gedatsu is not only for Japanese people, but for everyone throughout the world. The teaching encourages all people to value and perpetuate their unique cultural heritage, while respecting other traditions, and to promote the harmonious and peaceful co-existence of mankind. Facing the Challenges of the Future Today, in this 65 th anniversary year, Gedatsu Church USA faces a harsh reality. Despite the sincere, often heroic, efforts of so many teachers and members over the past seven decades to spread the teaching among Americans, U.S. church membership has been declining for many years. The long-held dreams of church pioneers as well as Archbishop Kishida s fervent desire to adapt the Gedatsu teaching for Americans remain largely unfulfilled. If Gedatsu is to remain rooted, and thrive, in American soil, members today must act decisively to create a Gedatsu Church that is truly theirs. They must demonstrate to all that the universal principles taught by Gedatsu Kongo for mankind s salvation remain essential and immensely relevant to their lives today and to the lives of future generations of Americans. Top photo: Members of Gedatsu USA and Hawaii bear flags at the 80 th Anniversary of the Gedatsu Church in Japan in Bottom: Gedatsu USA tour members in Japan for the 80 th Anniversary celebrations assemble for a group photo with Abbot Okano and his wife. 5 P a g e

6 OUR GEDATSU STUDY Gedatsu is truly sacred and precious. Gedatsu Teaching 10 By Seiken Okano (Gedatsu Kongo) Gedatsu-kyo monthly newsletter, February 18, 1936 Translation and commentary by Rev. H. Taki Get rid of your ego, self-reflect and sincerely practice morality. Live each day and night with a deep sense of appreciation and requital. Work for the salvation of mankind and follow the path of humanity. I have repeatedly explained this in the monthly Gedatsu newsletter. A selfish person neither believes nor accepts the path of gratitude, the Gedatsu path, even when he hears the Gedatsu teaching. In fact, he may feel annoyed on hearing it. According to Buddhism, this is because of the Five Impurities: (1) turbulence of the times, (2) degenerating ideology, (3) spread of earthly desires, (4) lowering of human nature, and (5) shortening of life. By pursuing various desires, a person spends his lifetime astray, in a state of confusion and lawlessness. It is only natural that he suffers. Buddhist teachings explain that there are four basic human sufferings: birth, aging, sickness and death. Beyond these sufferings, there are others, such as grief, as well as sufferings due to material cravings, greed and attachment. When one demonstrates greed and various cravings, one will not only suffer on earth while alive, but also will suffer further in hell after death. There are also other sufferings, such as poverty, parting from loved ones and confronting adversaries. Buddhist teaching states that you should not explain the teaching to those who scheme and ridicule, who are lazy, or who have egotistical views, because they won t believe or accept the teaching even when they hear it. They are attached to selfish desires and cannot understand. Therefore, the Buddha said you should not explain the teaching to those people. By contrast, if you renounce your ego, even while living in the present social environment, you can live happily and freely. You can also succeed in life, enjoy longevity and live contentedly without fear, boredom and troubles. This is because, as I have stated, Gedatsu is sacred and precious. Gedatsu is truly profound and vast. I urge you to study and inquire into Gedatsu more deeply. Please read my book on the Gedatsu doctrine and monthly Gedatsu newsletters thoroughly. Self-reflect, self-reform and render salvation to those who suffer mental conflicts, while working hard in your occupation. This is the path of humanity to save people and benefit the world. Without changing your negative attitude in life, how can you find peace and happiness even when you pray to God? I urge you to seriously consider this. 6 P a g e

7 Commentary on Gedatsu Teaching 10 Gedatsu Kongo explains again the Gedatsu teaching. In particular, he emphasizes here the importance of self-reflection as the means to achieving true happiness. He also emphasizes the importance of selfrenunciation and observing the highest morality. He urges us to live with appreciation and gratitude, and work for people s happiness, as this path of Gedatsu will bring forth happiness for yourself and others. Some people may listen to and follow the teaching. Others, however, will neither believe nor accept Gedatsu, because their egos prevent them from hearing the teaching. This state of mind is called the Five Impurities in the Buddhist tradition. The Five Impurities are the indications of a degenerated society: (1) turbulent times, when famines, plagues and wars arise, (2) degenerating ideology caused by erroneous views, (3) spread of earthly desires, (4) lowering of human nature because of people s rejection of morality, and (5) shortening of life. Ego: The Source of Human Misery Gedatsu Kongo describes the degenerated state of present society by using the abovementioned Buddhist terminology. Without my going into detail, the founder simply describes the selfish state of the present world. When people are selfish, their egos are the source of every human misery in the world. Selfish people won t listen to the teaching or believe it. Therefore, it is very hard to save these people. You are very fortunate to be able to study the Gedatsu teaching. While none of us is perfect, by listening to the teaching, you can become aware of your selfish thoughts, and will be able to correct your wrong attitude. This is possible not only because of your efforts, but also because of the guidance of your ancestors. This is an important point to understand. When you self-reflect and become aware of your egotistical thoughts, you will be free from egoism, and will be physically and spiritually happy. Thus, self-reflection and self-reform is the path to your true happiness. This is why Gedatsu Kongo repeatedly states that Gedatsu is truly sacred. He urges us to carefully read and study his books and writings in order to understand this point. He also encourages us to try to share this path of happiness with people who are suffering. This is your sacred duty bestowed by God. Change Your Thoughts to Change Your Life Gedatsu Kongo concludes this writing with following words: Without changing your negative attitude in life, how can you find peace and happiness even when you pray to God? Some people may think that to have religion is just to pray to God for personal gains without any effort and self-reflection. Such an attitude will never lead you to happiness. Gedatsu, the path of happiness, always starts with your self-reflection and self-reform. When you self-reflect and become aware of your selfish thoughts, you will apologize to God for your wrong attitude in life, and will be able to become a new person by correcting your faults. This total change of your mind is the beginning of your true peace and happiness. For Your Personal Study... To aid you in your study and practice of Gedatsu, take a moment to ponder the following questions: Question 1: Our founder Gedatsu Kongo repeatedly stressed the importance of self-reflection. How do you practice self-reflection in your daily life? Question 2: Do you practice Gedatsu in your daily work? If so, how? If not, why? 7 P a g e

8 PERSONAL EXPERIENCE The Eyes and Dreams of Children By Naoya Okano As part of its international philanthropic efforts, the Gedatsu Church in Japan collects and donates monies for Viva Cambo, a project to support and build schools in Cambodia. This is in response to the critical shortage of schools and teachers in the country, a result of the mass executions of approximately two million Cambodians during the late 70s the infamous Killing Fields of the Khmer Rouge regime. Gedatsu-kai works closely with Shanti Volunteer Association, a non-governmental organization dedicated to providing educational support to some of the world s leastadvantaged children. Each year since 1999, the Gedatsu-kai Youth Group organizes a week-long study tour to Cambodia to visit the school project sites and tour key areas. Naoya Okano, 28, who is currently training in Japan to be a Gedatsu minister in America, is a former Youth Group staff member. He participated in the tour for the first time earlier this year, in March. He gives the following account of his experience. On the first day of our tour, we visited the Killing Fields near Phnom Penh, where more than 20 thousand men, women and children were tortured, executed and buried in mass graves. Our guide explained how the victims many of them professionals and so-called intellectuals were hideously tortured and how newborn babies were killed by being bashed against tree trunks. As we sincerely offered Amacha blessing to the victims, I tried to imagine what the victims felt were they sad, angry? but their situation was so horribly beyond my imagination that I could only feel sorrow. And did their torturers think they were doing the right thing, or were they afraid that they too would be killed if they didn t comply? No one can predict how they would behave if they were in similar situations. Tour members pray at the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. Over the next few days, we visited two schools that Gedatsu supports, which are located in Kampong Thom, Cambodia s second largest province. We were warmly greeted in Japanese with konnichiwa ( welcome ) from the students, with whom we played soccer, sang songs, danced and made crafts. I was impressed with their welcome and delighted to see how much Viva Cambo benefited them. At first, the children suspiciously eyed us foreigners who spoke a weird language but as we played and shared time together, their innocent, shiny eyes and smiles gave us energy and happiness. At top, students warmly welcome guests to their school. Below, Naoya helps paint tires for playground equipment. Seeing their eyes reminded me of when I was a university student, majoring in Education. At that time, I wanted to be a teacher, so I served as a practice teacher in a second-grade class, with students nearly the same age as those I met in Cambodia. I saw the same eyes in both Japan and Cambodia: pure, shiny and innocent. Those eyes have become treasures in my life. I learned that if we are sincere in getting close and holding hands, we can be friends without words. (Continued on back page) 8 P a g e

9 APRIL 2014 OFFERINGS NORTHERN CALIFORNIA $5 - $25: S. Tanaka, R. Ide, J. Tanaka, K. Gibson, R. Nakatani, F. Mills, K. Tsukamoto, S. Taketa, Y. Ota, S. Tanaka $26 - $50: M/M A. Akashi, M/M C. Tanaka, M/M H. Tsujimura $51 - $75: T. Harada, S. Nishino,N. Johnston $76 and up: Gedatsu Church of Hawaii, Sankakukan Special Acknowledgment: Y. Ota In memory of Eva Hing N. Bridgham In memory of R. Fukushima M. Fukushima In memory of R. Fukushima Y. Ota In memory of Mas Ota SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA $5 - $25: K. Giroux, G. Hirami, M. Mori, T. Murakami $26 - $50: K. Chinen, Dongura Karaoke Club, M/M Hamada, H. Tomishi, E. Ogawa, P. Ogawa, M. Okada, M/M H. Tsujimura $51 75: M/M K. Kimura, M. Murakami, T. Okimura $76 and up: K. Fuji, M/M T. Fukushima, G. Hass, T. Ishida, G. Miyasako Fund, D. Shiroishi, J.A. Shiroishi, D. Tomita Special Acknowledgment: M. Michiuye Special kuyo S. Shunichi Special kuyo R. Overton Ancestor blessing Hass/Mizokami Famiies Ancestor blessing Hass/Mizokami/Ginter/ Reifslager Families Ancestor blessing M. Hass / M. Reifslager Ancestor blessing 2014 UPCOMING EVENTS Jul 4 (Fri) Church Closed Jul 19 (Sat) Lake Tahoe Benzaiten Service (TBD) Jul 20 (Sun) LA Obon Service (Japanese & English) Jul 22 (Tue) GROW Meeting 7:30 pm Jul 27 (Sun) Sacramento Obon Service LA Graduates Honored Aug 17 (Sun) LA Benzaiten Service (Japanese/English) Aug 19 (Tue) GROW Meeting 7:30 pm Aug 31 (Sun) Church Closed Sep 2 (Tue) Church Closed Sep 6 (Sat) 65 th Anniversary Banquet Sep 7 (Sun) Fall Grand Festival 10:00 am Sep 21 (Sun) LA Higan Service (Japanese & English) Sep 23 (Tue) GROW Meeting 7:30 pm Oct 4 5 Autumn Moon Festival and Holiday Crafts Faire 11 am 6 pm Oct 14 (Tue) Church Closed Oct 19 (Sun) LA Ujigami Service (Japanese/English) Oct 21 (Tue) GROW Meeting 7:30 pm Nov 2 (Sun) LA Gedatsu Kongo Memorial Service Nov 9 (Sun) Sacramento Gedatsu Kongo Birthday & Joen-no-gi (Plaque Burning) Nov 15 (Sat) LA Stateline Turnaround TBD 7:00 am Nov 16 (Sun) LA Year Children s Celebration Gedatsu Kongo Birthday Nov 18 (Tue) GROW Meeting 7:30 pm Nov Church Closed (Thanksgiving holiday) Dec 7 (Sun) LA Archbishop Kishida s Memorial Service (Japanese & English) Dec 14 (Sun) Sacramento Last Service of Year, All Souls Service, Archbishop Kishida Memorial Service / Church Clean-up Dec 14 (Sun) LA Church Clean-up 10:00 am Dec 21 (Sun) LA Christmas Service Last Kanshakai of Year (Japanese/English) Dec Church Closed New car blessing: Rev. Sebe, Rev. George and members of the Sacramento Church recently offered Amacha blessing and prayed to God and Bato Kannon for protection from traffic mishaps in the operation of the church s first new car in ten years. 9 P a g e

10 GEDATSU COMPANION Vol. 65 No. 6 June 2014 The Gedatsu Companion is published monthly for members like Cookie Takara Barthel. Cookie was introduced to Gedatsu as a child, when her parents, Naomi and Joe Takara, joined Gedatsu nearly 50 years ago. She served as the L.A. Branch Manager and now serves on the L.A. Regional Board and hosts the monthly English Appreciation Service. She enjoys riding her bike at the beach with her husband, Fred, playing with her dogs, serving at church and learning more about the Gedatsu study. Gedatsu Church USA Los Angeles Branch 7850 Hill Drive South San Gabriel, CA NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID EL MONTE, CA PERMIT NO. 110 Rev. Kazuo Yamada, Editor Joyce Reid, Editor-in-Chief Editorial contributors to this issue: Cookie Barthel, Rev. Tatsunori Kamiya, Tomoko Kamiya, Rev. George Matsuhashi, Marylin Nakamura, Naoya Okano, Jo Ann Shiroishi, Rev. Hisakazu Taki, Calvin Tanaka and Rev. Kazuo Yamada (Eyes and Dreams Continued from page 8) The third school we visited the new facility that Gedatsu-kai was building is in a remote, rural area called Banteay Meanchey. Its residents are so poor they lack the most fundamental educational tools like books and TV, and, until our arrival, were unaware of the existence of foreigners. Being near the Cambodia and Thailand border, the area was under military guard, which I later learned was not only to ensure our protection, but because the new school was a big event for the soldiers, too. Everyone in the area had been hoping for a school for more than seven years, so they protected us and celebrated having their own school. We were treated like very important people. I was surprised, but appreciated that our tour was possible because of the help of many people. The tour forced me to think and feel many things. When a friend asked me about it, I found it difficult to respond with a simple: It was good or I enjoyed it a lot. I truly enjoyed visiting the historical sites, playing with the kids and eating the traditional foods but I came away with both tears of sadness and happiness. Also, the tour members became my irreplaceable friends. The six days were filled with precious experiences. Of those experiences, I will never forget the little girl who lived in Banteay Meanchey, to whom we asked, What is your dream? What would you like to be? She repeatedly answered, I don t know. Our Cambodian guide explained that every day the girl and her family were focused only on getting enough food for that day. They couldn t afford to dream about a future. Education is important because it gives kids the chance to have a dream. So, all I can do is help Viva Cambo build schools in Cambodia... to give kids the chance to have a dream. Shyness and language difference give way to laughter and exuberance as the Cambodian school children and Gedatsu study tour members become friends.