Passing it Down

Today Asako and I attended the Peaceboat (click) orientation for our upcoming separate volunteer stints in the devastated Tohoku region of northern Japan . There are a number of ways to get involved in the relief efforts including heading there by yourself and joining local volunteer efforts or joining forces with an organization like Peaceboat. Yokohama International School (YIS) has organized a collaborative project with Peaceboat where teachers are excused for 2 days from work on either side of a weekend to head north and volunteer. While we could head north on our own, we feel this collaborative effort between YIS and Peaceboat is worth supporting as much as possible. Asako will go during the school year and I will go during the first week of summer.

Peaceful Shore in Kannonzaki, Japan

We learned today that more recently the volunteers numbers have dropped significantly from what they were in the month or so immediately following the tsunami. By all accounts, initial efforts have shown the remarkable resilience, kindness, and determination of humanity. Similarly universal are the reports that in spite the tremendous support and work accomplished, the task of rebuilding is so enormous that only a small dent has been made.

For today’s volunteer orientation meeting our 8 year old son came with us to read and wait patiently. We hadn’t told him the purpose of the meeting but weren’t trying to keep it from him either. In a quiet moment about an hour after the orientation ended, he said to Asako in Japanese, “You and Daddy are doing a great thing aren’t you?”

Asako replied, “what do you mean?”

“You’re going to Tohoku to help, aren’t you?” he asked.

“Yes, but it’s not a great thing really, it’s just what we can do. Daddy and I have been waiting for another turn to help and now we can go,” Asako answered.

“I want to go, too” he said with some certainty.

“They have an age limit but the unfortunate thing is that there will always be people who need help. When you are big enough, there will still be work to be done, maybe in Tohoku, but in other parts of the world, too.”

“Then I’ll go later.”

“Now that would be a great thing. In the meantime, when I’m up volunteering and later when Daddy goes, I know you’ll help at home and that makes it possible for us to go. In that way you are able to work for Tohoku right now because without your help we couldn’t go.”

This seemed to satisfy him.

While the lessons we have learned and can share as a result of the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear meltdown scarcely justify the tremendous cost at which they come, I am thankful that the children of Japan have the opportunity to learn how we, as people, can pull together during times of need and sustain that effort until safety has been restored. While there have been ample opportunities for these lessons here since March 11, because of this conversation today I was reminded that there are opportunities the world over to teach our children well. – AC

3 Responses So Far... Leave a Reply: