Children Are All Precious Gifts from Space
New York, N.Y. It was a great pleasure to be able to visit the Manjushree Orphanage again in the village of Tawan on this trip to India.
This village is located in the middle of the Himalayas, and after arriving at the nearest airport (Guwahati), change to a jeep and run through the nine mountains for two nights and three days. I can’t go without a helicopter because I don’t have a way to do it, but it’s dangerous because of sudden fog. The highest mountain is twice as high as Mt. Fuji.
It took 100 million yen to build the orphanage building, and it was difficult to carry the materials. This time I wanted to go immediately, so I said “Let’s run more, not two nights and three days”, and went in two days. Everyone in the orphanage was surprised that I arrived in two days even though I was 81 years old. (Lol)
Originally, I heard from Mr. Dalai Lama in this orphanage in Manjushuree, and I treated my children with tuberculosis with hyperthermia and healed me completely, but the building was overwhelmed and I was very hurt. Impressed by the children’s compassion for each other, we worked hard to collect donations and did a wonderful construction.
When we arrived this time, all the children waited in line outside without eating rice. How happy it is! The number of people was about 150 the other day, but now it has increased to 220. Really great children and I will always study. I am moved and cried every day. How can I really become such a wonderful child? It’s strange, but no matter how many days I’ve stayed, I’ve never seen a quarrel with a loud voice.
Wake up at 5am and start the day after everyone sings their sutras. Everyone is smiling with an honest smile, and they are very cute. I think this is because the educational policy of Dalai Lama is soaked in. (Others before self)
It costs just $ 432 a year to sponsor a delegated child. Would you like to sponsor and go to Manjushri together? I have 11 children. Here is a girl who will be 12 years old this year, who seems to be my real daughter. She came to an orphanage when she was two years old, and she was barely brought up by her sister until then, but when she was visiting the orphanage, she came and came to cry for two days. I comforted my little puppy while stroking her. She follows me so much that when I go, she followed me all the time, and when the day comes back, she cry all the time. Such a cute girl is graduating next year. This time I wrote to you and wrote about how important my existence is in English, but I realized that I am really the mother of this daughter.
There are 18 graduates this year. It is my practice to give iPads to all the graduates here, so I bought 18 of them in bulk at an Apple store in Delhi. Everyone was overjoyed.
During my stay, I took many pictures with the children. Children are truly cute and precious treasures of the universe. When I look at these children, I feel Japan and feel pain in my chest. A child being abused by a parent. A child who is abandoned soon after birth. Children who have been bullied at school and dropped out of society due to school refusal. Since Japan is a rich country, I thought I wouldn’t have a facility like an orphanage, but recently I’ve come to think that there is a real need, and I want to do something about it. I wanted to make a 3C (55th) school somehow.
Originally published as Vol. X in Weekly Biz, January x, 201x; translated by Jim Luce.
See: Dr. Kazuko Hillyer Tatsumura Column in Japan’s Weekly Biz
(ニューヨークビズ！)
Dr. Kazuko, Gaia Holistic Foundation, Japan, Japanese essay, Kazuko Hillyer Tatsumura
