Thank you for always helping and praying
for us with a generous heart.
Here is a
summary of bulletin No.18 of “Walking Together”.
There was a public viewing of a health
awareness campaign event in Makeni City, which can be seen in the photo in page
1 (top). Page 4 is a report from Mr. Mitani Hideki: Senior Advisor to the General Director of the Institute of Industrial
Science and also Senior Advisor to the Dean of The Institute of Medical
Science.
The bottom photo on page 1 shows Hikari Tanabe
surrounded by children during his volunteer activity in Mangebure. His report
can be found on page 5.
“The Ripple Effect of the General Support for
Sierra Leone” letter from Sr. Adriana Juarez Navarrete is on page 2. In her
letter, she talks about how the support funds for the heavy rains disaster was
put to good use and about the 2 young female volunteers that helped clean up
after the disaster. Support funds for lunch was not only put to use to feed the
children, but also for the people who have taken part in the activity. She
quotes “As the ripples of the rock thrown in to the lake get bigger and bigger,
I am proud that our activities have spread to more and more people”. In the
photo on page 2 are volunteers Hinako-san (left) and Minako-san (right).
The bottom half of page 2, is a greeting from
the newly appointed Sr.
Angeles /Chieko Kamoi. In her last message, Sr. Kamoi states, “I am thankful
for all the support towards ”Walking Together”. I would like to thank the late
Sr. Negishi, Sr. Shirahata, Sr. Yoshida, and each of the anther members. I pray
that the circle of support continues to get bigger.”
Sr. Kazuko Shirahata’s report is on page 3.
She starts talking about visiting Sr. Michiko Negishi’s grave and thanking her
for all that she has done, and then talks about how happy she is to be back in
Sierra Leone (12/16) after 2.5 years in Japan for medical treatment. She
remembers seeing a trash can with the words “Use Me” at the Lunsar monastery
and thinking “I would also like to empty myself like this trash can and be
willing to take on any dirty work or work I do not wish to do.”.
Page 4 is a report from Mr. Mitani Hideki, titled “The battle of the
infectious disease in Africa by the Tokyo University Medical Research Center
and friends”. His objective in his projects targeted “supplying treatment
through innovation for unsolved problems”. One of which is, he went to Sierra
Leone to get blood samples from those who recovered from Ebola, to develop a
new treatment such as an Ebola vaccine. He also talks about hosting a movie
viewing event to raise health awareness. The photo on page 4 are shots taken
from the“African music day in Ginza”, which is one of the events Mr. Mitani
planned.
Page
5 introduces the “Onigiri Bento（Rice ball lunch box） Donation Day” hosted by Sr.
Shirahata at the Mission Clara Kindergarten. Every week, there is a day to only
have onigiri for lunch, and the savings would be donated for Sierra Leone. The
photo shows the children donating money on their way in to the school.
The
second half of page 5, is a report from Hikari Tanabe, a Meijigakuin University
sophomore, who went to Sierra Leone to volunteer. He bonded with adults and
children through soccer, and expresses his happiness to be able to take the
first step of his wish he has had since he was small to “one day be of help to
the people in Africa”.
A meeting was held with Sr. Shirahata at the Catholic Fujisawa
Church to introduce activities in Sierra Leone. Details are on page 7. The
photo on page 7 shows volunteer members listening to Sr. Shirahata.
Page 7 is a bulletin from the headquarters. It talks about Sr. Yoshida receiving the package that was sent and
the status of the support funds transfers. The summary closes with the
following message : “Prayers that everyone has a great Christmas and New Year.
Thank you so much for your support this year.”
Representative of “ Walking Together”
Representative of “ Walking Together”
Katsujiro Kanno
(Translator Ayako Nokuo)