Peace, Love, & Rice: Cars, Emails, & Presence

Volunteers for a Christmas Party
in temporary housing

Last Friday three of us went to Ishinomiyaki to deliver some information about the upcoming General Consultation. We planned to go to four different people’s houses. But after spending two and a half hours at one women’s house we soon realized that it was not going to happen as we planned.

We frequently visit people in the various cities around the Tohoku region so that we can give them information about upcoming events. It seems that every week we are going somewhere else. Sometimes I dread getting in the car. I think "well we could just save money and time if we sent the information by email or mail." When we arrive we go to someone’s house, or meet them in a coffee shop, or a church. We small talk for a little and I wonder why we don’t just get to the point, drop of the information and head back to Sendai maybe even arrive at a decent hour. I know I am heartless.

But Friday as we sat at Maria’s house the true purpose of our meeting came to light. She told us hilarious stories of her kids, why she came to Japan, problems that she has had, and ideas that she has for the future. We are there not only to inform but to listen and share. We talk about the triumph and struggles that we have had. We laugh with each other until I think we are going to burst. That Friday I realized that the purpose of our trips is about relationship; it is about sharing something of ourselves’ with one another; it is about being present with that person at that time. The name of this project is “Let Us Walk Together.” We are not here to just give things and leave. We are here to walk with each other in the recovery process and more importantly in the journey of life.