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Earning the Community\u2019s Trust Through Relief Efforts<\/strong> At 6:30 a.m. on the 29th, children with large travel bags began gathering in front of Kitanoshu Branch Church.<\/p>\n \u201cGood morning!\u201d<\/p>\n The staff warmly greeted the children, handing them name tags.<\/p>\n Ms. Satomi Hatada, 39, who was sending her daughter off for the first time, said, \u201cI participated in the Children\u2019s Pilgrimage to Jiba when I was in elementary school, and it was a lot of fun.\u201d Encouraged by Ms. Hatada, almost all the members of the local basketball team to which her daughter belongs decided to join as well. \u201cSee you later!\u201d<\/p>\n At 7:00 a.m., after worshiping at the church, the participants boarded the tour bus, ready for the approximately nine-hour journey to Jiba.<\/p>\n The Blessing of \u201cBuds Sprouting from Knots\u201d<\/strong> \u201cNow, the name \u2018hinokishin<\/em>–san<\/em>\u2019 (a person of hinokishin<\/em>) has become widely known, and there\u2019s no one in Suzu who doesn\u2019t know about Tenrikyo,\u201d Rev. Yata says.<\/p>\n In May, the center staff proposed that children struggling with anxiety and stress should be given the opportunity to create happy memories in Jiba in the summer. This led to the decision to organize a pilgrimage under the center\u2019s name. To make this happen, Ms. Kozue Yata, wife of Tedorigawa Branch Church\u2019s head minister, and Ms. Keiko Kawahigashi, a 52-year-old lay minister of Kitanoshu Branch Church, took over the planning and outreach efforts from Rev. Yata and Rev. Ishibashi, who were focused on leading the disaster relief activities.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re almost at Tenri!\u201d<\/p>\n On the bus, after some fun activities, the children practiced the hand movements for the seated service and learned about the \u201cthree promises.\u201d Then, they all sang the theme song for the Children\u2019s Pilgrimage, \u201cThank you! Summer in Jiba!\u201d (Arigato, natsu no Ojiba<\/em>), filling the bus with the festive spirit of the upcoming event.<\/p>\n Shortly after 4:00 p.m., the group arrived in Jiba. They first offered prayers at the South Worship Hall of the Main Sanctuary and then paid their respects at the Foundress\u2019 Sanctuary.<\/p>\n Rev. Yata gently reassured the children as he spoke about the everliving Oyasama by saying: \u201cFor the past six months, you\u2019ve all gone through a lot of tough and lonely times. You\u2019ve done so well. I\u2019m sure Oyasama is patting each of you on the head right now, saying, \u2018Welcome home.\u2019\u201d The children listened intently to his words.<\/span><\/p>\n The next day, after the \u201cMorning Service,\u201d the group participated in the \u201cCorridor-Cleaning Hinokishin.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOne, two, three, four!\u201d Following the lead of Tenri High School students, the children enthusiastically wiped the corridor planks, working up a sweat.<\/p>\n Ms. Rie Imai, one of the pilgrimage staff members, was participating for the first time with her second-grade child. Four years ago, she began seeking advice from Ms. Kawahigashi after joining a local community gathering called \u201cNikomaru Group,\u201d which Ms. Kawahigashi had started. Through this pilgrimage, Ms. Imai could see how much her child had grown. \u201cMy daughter used to cling to me but now she\u2019s making friends easily and having so much fun. Seeing that, I\u2019m really glad I brought her,\u201d she said with a smile.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s so cool and refreshing!\u201d In one corner of the \u201cChildren\u2019s Alley\u201d (Kodomo Yokocho<\/em>), the children were happily engaged in a water gun fight, their smiles never fading even as they moved to the next event.<\/p>\n \u201cIt feels like I\u2019ve witnessed the blessing of \u2018buds sprouting from the knots\u2019 that we\u2019ve been taught about. I can\u2019t think of anything more precious.\u201d Ms. Kawahigashi, watching from a distance, could not hold back her tears.<\/p>\n Reflecting on the experience, she said: \u201cThanks to so many fellow followers who have supported the center\u2019s relief activities, we were able to bring so many children to Jiba. I hope they\u2019ve made happy memories this summer that will make them want to come back again.\u201d<\/p>\n Cherishing the \u201cThree Promises\u201d<\/strong> Rev. Yata said: \u201cTo these children who have endured a difficult life after the earthquake, returning to Jiba brought a lot of joy. I hope they continue to cherish the \u2018three promises\u2019 they learned here and grow into people who embody compassion, mutual help, and gratitude.\u201d<\/p>\n After this, they performed the service to express their gratitude for the three-day pilgrimage. Although they were unsure of how to perform the service before the pilgrimage, by this time, they were able to do it in unison, their voices harmonizing as they sang together.<\/p>\n Just after 7:30 a.m., the bus departed from Jiba. The children waved enthusiastically from the windows, their smiles full of life. The memories they made while learning the teachings and having fun in Jiba will surely serve as a source of strength as they continue to live in the disaster-affected area.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Earning the Community\u2019s Trust Through Relief Efforts This year\u2019s Children\u2019s Pilgrimage to Jiba drew many children from the areas affected by the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake. Kitanoshu and Horyu Branch Churches in Suzu City, Ishikawa Prefecture, quickly established the \u201cSuzu Hinokishin Center\u201d right after the earthquake struck. With the support\u2026<\/p>\n
\nThis year\u2019s Children\u2019s Pilgrimage to Jiba drew many children from the areas affected by the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake. Kitanoshu and Horyu Branch Churches in Suzu City, Ishikawa Prefecture, quickly established the \u201cSuzu Hinokishin Center\u201d right after the earthquake struck. With the support of fellow followers from various regions, they have been continuing their disaster relief activities ever since. From July 29 to 31, the center organized a pilgrimage as the Suzu Hinokishin Center Group, with forty-seven people taking part.<\/p>\n
\nSmiling, she added, \u201cSince I\u2019ve participated before, I feel comfortable entrusting my daughter to the group. I hope she makes new friends and has a great time.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nOn January 8th, a week after the earthquake struck, Kitanoshu and Horyu Branch Churches, which suffered relatively minor damage, began operating the Suzu Hinokishin Center. Rev. Yoshinobu Yata, the 51-year-old head minister of Tedorigawa Branch Church affiliated with Kitanoshu Branch Church, took on the role of the leader, while Rev. Yuichiro Ishibashi, 58, head minister of Horyu Branch Church, became the administrative director. Together, they worked tirelessly to support the relief efforts, welcoming many organizations from both within and outside the Tenrikyo community.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/online.tenrikyo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/20240814_kog-suzu2-183x274.jpg\")
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\nOn the last night at the followers dormitory, the children reflected on the two days they spent in Jiba. \u201cI made new friends.\u201d \u201cI learned the importance of hinokishin.\u201d They shared what they experienced in Jiba with bright smiles.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/online.tenrikyo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/20240814_kog-suzu3-183x275.jpg\")
On the last day, July 31, at 7:00 a.m., Rev. Ishibashi spoke to the children at the South Worship Hall, saying: \u201cI hope you\u2019ll always remember your time here in Jiba and the people who took care of you. When you go back home, continue to live in a way that honors what God the Parent desires.\u201d<\/p>\n