JAPAN Day 11

Japan Day 11: An early start this morning to visit Mission Partners Daniel & Yasuko Dellming and their children. They live in Nishinomiya north of Kobe. Daniel teaches at Kwansei Gakuin now a hugely popular educational facility well known throughout Japan teaching from elementary grade all the way through to graduation from their University. It is a Christian school founded in 1889 and celebrates its 125th anniversary in 2014. The whole school family numbers 25,000 students from all walks of life. As an example of their Christian commitment they have a Head Chaplain Professor Musubi Tabuchi with a staff of 13 full time Chaplains who also teach. The original motto of the school is still followed today "Mastery for Service" based on Mk 10:43 "be a servant of all", My fascinating and challenging day, part of the support offered to Daniel and his family  began with a meeting with the Headmaster of the Senior High School Keichi Ishimori in which we talked around the possibilities of looking for cultural exchanges between young people of similar ages. I sat in on the mandatory service for 1st year students(turned out to be 350 boys) in one of the Chapels. This one can seat the whole Senior High School of 930 students when they worship together. The music for the hymn was called "a little basket of flowers" which I confess I couldn't find on "Singing the Faith plus" website. Shared in an English lesson with Daniel plus a Japanese teacher who had studied English in Leeds. The class had a demonstration of different English dialects, including Yorkshire demonstrated by guess who, and there is now a class in the school who all make a reasonable attempt of saying 'ee by gum!! Some achievement eh. Time to meet Chancellor and Professor Ruth Grubel (missionary from the UMC) - she kindly hosted our lunch in which we took the opportunity of sharing some of her dreams for the entire school as it approaches its 125th anniversary. With her husband they are keen fans of British TV dramas, liking Rumpole of the Bailey. I couldn't resist mentioning Dad's Army and the fact that our famous Downton Abbey first series had started on Sunday on Japanese TV. I warned Ruth she would be hooked if she watched. The voices are dubbed into Japanese but Lady Grantham still reigns supreme even in Japanese.Was grateful for a rest period in Daniel's home and especially for the piece of home made apple cake with a welcome cup of tea. We were able to share time together discussing how Daniel was feeling about his role within the school where he has been a teacher now for around 12 years. Our time of sharing concluded naturally with prayer. I had left from the station in Okayama at 7.30 a.m. and got back to Okayama at 7.00 p.m. quite a day. Phew!

Alan Ashton 30th October 2012