Sistine Chapel (86/11/01)
In the Vatican in Rome, there is a private chapel for the popes called the Sistine Chapel. It is named for Pope Sixtus IV, for whom it was built in the year 1473. It is not remarkable for its size nor its architecture, but it is world famous for its interior decorations. There are fine marble work and beautiful floor mosaics, but the paintings on the walls and ceiling make it truly unique. Paintings on the side walls are by various 15th century artists, but the greatest works of art are on the ceiling and the altar wall. These paintings were done by the gifted Michelangelo. The ceiling frescoes depict various stages of creation, including the famous painting of the Creation of Man in which a man is lying on the ground about to be touched by the finger on the outstretched hand of the Creator from heaven. With the touch of the finger of God, man would be imbued with life. This painting illustrates the biblical teaching that human beings are the creation of God and are dependent upon God for their survival. The truly amazing masterpiece of Michelangelo on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel took four years to finish and was completed 474 years ago today, when he was 37 years old.
Remembering the dead (86/11/02)
One of the amazing faculties of the human brain is the ability to remember past events and people. Although some people are blessed (or cursed) with clearer memories than others, all of us can remember some things quite distinctly. Most of us have fond memories of certain people we have known in the past but who have now passed away. In Japan, it is customary to remember dead loved ones on the anniversary days of their death as well as during the higan and bon seasons. Among Christians, customs related to remembering the dead vary according to the church or denomination, but in the little church I pastor in the city of Takahama, this first Sunday of November is the day of our annual memorial service for fellow believers who have been "called home". My sermon today is based on passages in the Second Letter to Timothy. In chapter 1, Paul writes of remembering the faith of Timothy's mother and grandmother and urges Timothy to remember also. In chapter 2, he exhorts him to "Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead". Although we commemorate the resurrection of Christ on the first day of every week, we especially remember his death on the first Sunday of the month through the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. Today we also thank God for the good examples left by those who have gone before.
Panama (86/11/03)
This 3rd day of November is a national holiday in Japan, called Culture Day. It is also a national holiday in the Republic of Panama, called Independence Day. 83 years ago today, in 1903, Panama declared its independence from Colombia. It was supported in this move by the United States, which wanted to build a canal across the isthmus to link the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. This canal took seven years to construct and was opened in 1914. The name "Panama" comes from a Central American Indian word meaning "butterflies". During the butterfly migration season, the sky in Panama was sometimes darkened for days due to the multitudes of butterflies. Because a beautiful butterfly emerges from a dull cocoon which then becomes an empty shell, the butterfly has been used as a Christian symbol of the resurrection.
Election in America (86/11/04)
In Japan, elections are held on Sunday, but in the United States, Sunday is the traditional day of rest and worship and this Tuesday following the first Monday in November is General Election Day. There are still two years remaining of President Reagan's second four-year term, so today's election is not a presidential election. It is primarily a congressional election. In the upper house of the Congress, called the Senate, there are two senators from each of the fifty states, regardless of whether the state is large or small, so there are a total of 100 senators. In the lower house, the House of Representatives, members represent certain districts and their number is based on the population, so some states have many representatives and others have only a few. The term of office of senators is six years and that of representatives is two years. In today's election, one-third of the senators and all 435 representatives will be elected or re-elected. It is certain that the Democratic Party will retain control of the lower house and it may recapture control of the upper house as well. If it does, it will complicate matters for the Republican president. All of us are faced with many choices daily. May God give us the wisdom and the courage to make right choices.
"He died of joy" (86/11/05)
How are you today? Are you happy? I hope so. Do you think it is possible for a person to be too happy? Could a person die of happiness? On Sunday, the Al Akhbai newspaper in Cairo carried an article about a man who reportedly "died of joy", but 1 presume that this was the diagnosis of a reporter rather than of a doctor. The man was a 50-year-old musician named Adei Mustafa. For 15 years, he had been waiting for a telephone to be installed in his home. Last week, he received word from the Telecommunications Department that his request was approved. Mr. Mustafa was overjoyed. He hurried to the department office and signed the contract for the installation of the telephone. Having signed the contract, he died in the chair in which he was sitting. So the newspaper article concluded, "he died of joy". Actually, however, Mr. Mustafa died of a heart attack. True joy does not cause death. Rather, it stimulates new vitality. In the Old Testament book of Nehemiah, chapter 8, the people of Israel solemnly listened to the words of the law, but, in verse 10, they were told not to be sad, but to rejoice for "The joy the Lord gives you will make you strong." A healthy faith in God brings lasting joy into our lives.
Pheasant (86/11/06)
In the Caucasus mountains in southwestern Russia, there is a river named Phasis. The Greeks called a certain kind of bird found along that river a phasionos, or "Phasian". From this word, the English word "pheasant" was derived, referring to the brightly colored chikenlike bird with long tail feathers which is called kiji in Japanese. The pheasant is not only a beautiful bird; it is also tasty. Before the war, there were many pheasants on Tsushima Island in Nagasaki Prefecture which had been introduced from Korea during the Edo period and the town of Mitsushima was famous for local dishes using pheasant meat. Since the war, however, excessive hunting and increased urbanization of forest areas have made pheasants a rare bird on the island. In order to boost tourism by reviving its traditional dishes, the town of Mitsushima constructed a breeding facility last March and has begun breeding pheasants artificially. Pheasant eggs from the forest were gathered and hatched, using artificial hatching machines. 400 pheasants have now been raised, some of which were returned to the forests for natural breeding. It is hoped that tasty dishes will once again attract tourists to this remote island, for pheasants may bring delight to both the eye and the tongue.
Marie Curie (86/11/07)
Do you know what a curie is? Spelled c-u-r-i-e, a curie is a unit of radioactivity. The word comes from the name of the couple who discovered the element radium. Marie Curie was born 119 years ago today, on November 7, 1867 in Warsaw, Poland, the daughter of a physics professor. She became a scientist like her father and went to France to further her education. There she met Pierre Curie, whom she married, and they continued their research together. In 1902, they laboriously isolated one gram of radium salts from about eight tons of pitchblende. Consider the dedicated effort this required: one gram of radium from eight tons of pitchblende! For their work on radioactivity, they shared the Nobel prize in Physics. Following her husband's death, Madam Curie received another Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1911, becoming the first person to ever receive a second Nobel Prize. Marie Curie once said, "Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood." This statement is true in regard to people as well as things. Much of our fear of others is due to our failure to understand them.
Montana (86/11/08)
Do you know the four largest states in the United States in area? The largest by far is Alaska, but it is the smallest in population. The second largest is Texas, which is less than half the size of Alaska. Next come California and Montana. Montana is about the same size as Japan in area, but its population density is only 5.3 people per square mile while Japan has over 800 people per square mile. The name "Montana" comes from the Spanish word meaning "mountainous" and the western third of the state is covered by the Rocky Mountains. 97 years ago today, on November 8, 1889, Montana was officially proclaimed the 41st state of the Union. One of the tourist attractions of this state is the Glacier National Park, located in the Rocky Mountains. It is a beautiful area in which are some 60 glaciers and 200 lakes. The state motto is the Spanish expression Oro y Plata, meaning "Gold and Silver", and the state's nickname is The Treasure State. Many people think of treasure in terms of gold and silver, but Jesus taught, in Matthew 6:19-21, that such earthly treasures are only temporary and that we should be more concerned about the eternal treasures in heaven.
The end of the world (86/11/09)
Every language has its own set of words to indicate certain kinds of sounds. The same sound is often expressed quite differently in English and Japanese. For example, in Japanese, the explosive sound made by a gun or cannon is don or zudon, but in English we call it a "bang". The term,"big bang", is sometimes used to refer to the theory or belief that the universe began in a single explosive event and some people interpret the creation story in the first chapter of Genesis as supporting this "big bang" theory. The text for my sermon today comes from the third chapter of the Second Letter of Peter, which speaks of a "big bang" at the end of the world, when everything will be destroyed by a catastrophic fire. Whether or not this is a prophecy of a nuclear war which will destroy the world, the exhortation in verse II is relevant. Recognizing the temporary character of the material world and of our physical existence, we should live holy and godly lives with our eyes on eternal values. This passage teaches that God has been postponing final destruction to give people more time to turn away from their sins. According to II Corinthians 6:2, "today is the day to be saved!"
Corn (86/11/10)
When the European settlers came to North America, they found a cereal grown by the American Indians called maize. They called it "corn", which, in British English, is a general word far cereals, including wheat and oats. The native Americans taught the Europeans how to plant and raise corn, which does not grow wild, and now the United States has become the world's largest producer of corn with an annual production of over 125 million tons. The upright stem of the corn plant is called a cornstalk and the long fruit are called ears. The central core of the ear is called a corn cob to which the kernels are attached. An ear of corn ends in a tassel of many fibers we call silk. In Mark 4:26-29, Jesus told a parable about the growth of the corn plant to illustrate the mysterious growth of the Kingdom of God.
Golden Gate Bridge (86/11/11)
Most people who enter the United States these days go by plane, but for those who go by ship, there is a famous site on both the east and west coasts of the country that excite the heart of first-time visitors and of Americans returning home. On the east coast, it is the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor and on the west coast, it is the Golden Gate Bridge at the entrance to San Francisco Bay. The eight-kilometer long, rock-bound strait between San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean is called the Golden Gate. 49 years ago today the famous bridge that spans that strait was completed. This 2,830-meter-long bridge is suspended from two towers, 226 meters tall. The total weight of the special wires woven into the huge cables holding up the bridge exceed 21,400 tons. It took four years to build and when it was completed, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world although a bridge in England and another in New York are now longer. Some people may consider the Golden Gate as the entrance to heaven, but it isn't so. According to the vision of John, recorded in the book of Revelation, chapter 21, verse 21, the gates of heaven were made of pearls and the street was made of gold.
International Week in Nagoya (86/11/12)
This is International Week in Nagoya. It is filled with various activities related to the 41st World Congress of the JCI which is meeting here. The JCL, or Junior Chamber International, is an organization of active young adults between the ages of 21 and 40. 13,000 JC members and their wives, including 2,000 from 70 foreign countries, have gathered to conduct business, make plans and deepen mutual relationships. A special characteristic of this international assembly are the concerts and symposia held for the enjoyment and enrichment of the general public. This evening, a special ceremony will honor outstanding young people from six different countries. The theme for this week's congress is "JC Leadership For World Peace Through Global Communication". As a part of its program, the JCI is conducting a fund-raising campaign to help children suffering from dehydration in underdeveloped nations. This concrete effort on behalf of suffering people in other lands lies at the heart of global communication for true communication is most effectively accomplished through simple acts of love. This is "Daily Word", Post Office Box 30, Moriyama Post Office 463.
President Aquino (86/11/13)
The Japanese islands have been brightened this week by the presence of Filipino President Corazon Aquino. Mrs. Aquino was swept into office in an extraordinary manner eight months ago by a remarkable demonstration of "people power" that "turned the tables" on former president Marcos. Since assuming the presidency, she has been kept busy trying to resolve the many, complex problems confronting her country. Her task has been complicated by disunity within her cabinet and there have been rumors of a possible coup d'etat during her absence from Manila. During her election campaign, Mrs. Aquino portrayed herself as a simple housewife, but she is now demonstrating her ability as a conscientious leader who desires to solve her country's problems in a fair and peaceful manner. Mrs. Aquino's husband was a popular politician who was imprisoned in the Philippines during martial law, then exiled in the United States and assassinated upon his return to his homeland. Her simple faith was expressed in a poem she wrote during her exile and which she read at her welcoming reception on Monday: " In pain and sorrow, I've never been alone. Many thanks, dear Lord." Our world would be a better one if more countries had leaders like her.
Mohammed (86/11/14)
In Islamic countries, this 14th day of November is a holiday this year, commemorating the birth of the prophet, Mohammed. Since the Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar, dates on that calendar regularly fall ten days earlier on the solar calendar than in the previous year. Thus, last year, Mohammed's birthday was celebrated on November 24th. Mohammed was born 1416 solar calendar years ago in the Arabian city of Mecca. When he was 40 years old, he felt called of God to be a prophet and to turn his countrymen from idolatry to the true God, Allah. Due to severe persecution, he had to flee from Mecca to Medina, where he continued his prophetic ministry. This flight, or hejira, marks the beginning of the Islamic Era and this is now the year 1407 A.H., meaning "After Hejira": The basic element in the Islamic Creed is the proclamation, "There is no god but Allah and Mohammed is his prophet." The meaning of the Arabic word, Islam, is "submission" and a Muslim is one who is in submission to Allah. On Sunday afternoon, November 30th, we will hold a meeting of listeners to these telephone messages at the Y.W.C.A. The subject for discussion will be: Mountains.
Shorthand (86/11/15)
The word "secretary", related to the word "secret", once referred to a person who was entrusted with the secrets of a superior. In modern English, it may also refer to a writing desk or to an official in charge of a governmental department, but its more common reference is to a person who does routine clerical work and handles correspondence in particular. A stenographer, from Greek words for narrow writing, is a higher skilled secretary who is able to write shorthand. Ordinary writing is called longhand, but shorthand is a method of writing rapidly by substituting symbols or abbreviations for letters, words, or phrases. Shorthand was invented over 2000 years ago by Tiro who transcribed the speeches of Cicero. During the Middle Ages, various other shorthand methods were devised by monks, but 149 years ago today, on November 15, 1837, a manual using a new system of shorthand, based on phonetics, was published by an Englishman, Isaac Pitman. Widely used in English-speaking countries today, it is the system favored by many court and convention reporters. In the apocryphal book of Ecclesiasticus 32:8, we are advised to "Be brief" and to "say much in a few words."
Life in Christianity (86/11/16)
There are three words beginning with "L" that are key concepts in the Christian faith. The first one that comes to mind is "love". The New Testament teaches that "God is love" and Jesus taught that the two most important commandments are to love God and to love one's neighbor. A second emphasis is "liberty". The Christian is one who has been freed from the shackles of sin and has found spiritual liberty. A third emphasis is on "life". Christianity is a religion of life: new, abundant, eternal life. It is from this emphasis that the Christian doctrine of the resurrection was developed. Christians believe not only that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead, but that those who are united with him through faith will also be raised from death into a new dimension of life. It is this teaching of the Apostle Paul in I Corinthians, chapter 15, which serves as the basis for my sermon today. According to this chapter, physical bodies cannot enter the spiritual Kingdom of God, so new, spiritual bodies are needed. The Christian faith affirms that the new life of love and liberty gained through faith in God does not end with the death of our bodies but continues forever.
Hue and cry (86/11/17)
Hugh, spelled H-u-g-h is a man's name, but when spelled h-u-e, hue denotes a shade of color. However, in the idiom, "hue and cry", "hue" has a different meaning. Nowadays, "hue and cry" is used to mean a loud outcry. If the Japanese government stopped its rice subsidy, there would be a hue and cry from Japanese farmers. In this idiom, "hue" comes from a French word meaning "cry", so the phrase is actually redundant. Originally, this expression was the legal term for an official cry for assistance when pursuing an escaping criminal. In the Middle Ages, a person who heard a "hue and cry" and failed to give assistance could be adjudged guilty of a misdemeanor. According to the Gospel of Mark, chapter 15, due to the hue and cry of the crowd which had been stirred up by the chief priests, Pilate permitted Jesus to be crucified.
Asa Gray, the botanist (86/11/18)
The name of one of my older sisters is Flora. This word comes from the Latin word for flower, and may refer to the plants of a particular area, while the animals in that area are called fauna. Biology is the division of science concerned with the study of living things, including both plants and animals. The branch of biology related to the study of animals is called zoology, while the scientific study of plants is called botany. An outstanding botanist in American history, Asa Gray, was born 176 years ago today in central New York. As a teenager, Asa became interested in collecting and identifying plants and although he graduated from a medical school, he never practiced medicine. Rather, he pursued his early interest in studying and classifying plants in North America. For 46 years, he was a professor of natural history at Harvard, during which that school became the nation's center of botanical investigation. The word "botany" comes from the Greek word for herb or plant. It is found once in the Greek New Testament, in Hebrews 6:7, which reads: "God blesses the soil which drinks in the rain that often falls on it and which grows plants that are useful for those for whom it is cultivated."
Ms. Takako Doi and pachinko (86/11/19)
According to the dictionary, the word pachinko, has three quite different meanings. It may refer to a slingshot, a pistol or a pinball. In America, a pinball machine resembles a glass-topped table. Under the glass top is a slanted surface with a number of large pins strategically placed around a number of holes. A metal ball, propelled by a plunger, rolls down the slanted surface, hitting pins and sometimes dropping into holes having various values. In Japan, where space is limited, the pinball machine is a smaller, upright machine and uses smaller balls. Pachinko continues to be a popular pastime for many Japanese men and women. The new, popular leader of the Japan Socialist Party, Ms. Takako Doi, is known to be a pachinko aficionado and may be the recipient of a new "Pachinko Culture Prize" this year. Ms. Doi is said to visit a Pachinko-ya about twice a month for an hour or two and spends about \500 there. All busy people need to take time to relax --to give rest to both body and mind. The biblical principle of making one day in seven a sabbath, or day of rest, is a good one.
Trusting news or not (86/11/20)
The first ten amendments to the Constitution of the United States, commonly called the Bill of Rights, were approved by the First Congress meeting in its first session. One of the freedoms guaranteed in the first amendment is freedom of the press. The lack of government control of the news media is a basic characteristic of a truly free society. Freedom of the press sometimes causes problems and embarrassment for the ruling powers and may also result in spreading stories that are untrue. In the past few days, news reports from South Korea informed the world of the death of the North Korean leader who made an appearance a couple of days later. Earlier, President Reagan was forced to make a nationwide broadcast trying to explain contradictions in his government's policies relating to arms sales and negotiations with Iran. As a result of these circumstances, people will be more cautious in taking the word of South Korea and of the United States at face value. The 1st century Roman philosopher, Seneca, wrote, "It's a vice to trust all, and equally a vice to trust none," but I agree with the words of the 19th century Italian statesman, Cavour, that "The man who trusts men will make fewer mistakes than he who distrusts them."
Literacy in the U.S. (86/11/21)
In an English-language newspaper one day last week, two articles appeared about my homeland that made me feel ashamed. One was related to a statement approved by the National Conference of Catholic Bishops that denounced the extent of poverty in the United States as a social and moral scandal. The other reported the plan of television networks to attack the problem of illiteracy. It is said that the United States now ranks 49th in the world in literacy. Japan is No.1, with a literacy rate of more than 96, while almost one-third of the U.S, population is considered semi-literate or worse. Obviously, there is a relationship between poverty and illiteracy. It is shameful that in a country as wealthy as the United States, whose constitution aims to establish justice, promote the general welfare and secure the blessings of liberty, poverty and illiteracy on such a wide scale is permitted. The time has come for that nation to reexamine its priorities. If funds requested for the Strategic Defense initiative were used to solve the problems of poverty and illiteracy, our world would be both happier and safer. A basic characteristic of the God of the Bible is genuine concern for the poor and underprivileged.
Charles de Gaulle (86/11/22)
96 years ago today, on November 22,1890, an outstanding French leader was born. During the First World War, he was wounded and captured, but escaped. Later, he became a general of the French army. During the Second World War, he organized the "Free French" resistance, becoming the interim president of France following the end of the war. He resigned the presidency because of his disagreement with the new constitution which did not give him sufficient power. He once said that "Every man of action has a strong dose of egotism, pride, hardness, and cunning", and he demonstrated all of these qualities in his own spectacular career. When he was recalled to serve as president in 1958, he insisted that a new constitution be created giving him almost dictatorial powers. During his presidency, he granted independence to French colonies and sought to make France the leader of Europe, becoming an atomic power and excluding England from the European Common Market. He retired from office in 1969 after his proposals for reform were rejected and died the following year. His name was Charles de Gaulle. Another of his quotations is the following: "Since a politician never believes what he says, he is surprised when others believe him."
Thanksgiving (86/11/23)
Some years ago, an article appeared in an American magazine which presented a number of arguments against the validity of prayer. The next issue of that magazine carried a comment by a reader that none of those arguments had any relevance to prayers of thanksgiving. Many people consider "prayer" to mean "petition", but for the Christian, prayer has a much broader meaning. Christian prayers include confession, praise and thanksgiving as well as petition. Prayer is communion with God, our Father, and is not limited to requests. If the only time one spoke to his or her earthly father was to make a request, that parent-child relationship would be very strange, indeed. Even so, communion with our heavenly Father involves much more than making petitions. Today is Labor-Thanksgiving Day in Japan. Although we express our thankfulness to God every Sunday in our worship services, today we will give special thanks for God's blessings upon the labor of farmers and all other workers, for human effort must be enhanced by divine favor in order to bring forth lasting benefit. Next Sunday afternoon at 1:30 at the YWCA, a meeting of listeners to these telephone messages will be held. We hope you can join us there.
Mongoose (86/11/24)
You probably know that a goose is a large water bird, but do you know what a mongoose is? It is a small mammal which is famous in India as the killer of snakes. In India, mongooses are kept as pets to keep homes free of reptiles, rats and mice. The U. S. State Department is considering a suggestion to use mongooses in its war against drugs. German shepherd dogs, with their acute sense of smell, are now used at some international airports to detect hidden drugs, but dogs are considered unclean animals by Muslims who object to their use. Mongooses also have a keen sense of smell, are easy to train and are culturally acceptable to Muslims. The colloquial English expression to "smell a rat" means to be suspicious, to feel that something is wrong. In Psalm 115, the poet ridicules idols that have noses but cannot smell.
National Cathedral in Washington (86/11/25)
The Goths were an ancient Germanic people who lived in central Europe. The word "gothic", meaning something related to the Goths, is now used to refer to a particular style of art, architecture or writing. Gothic cathedrals are famous for their beauty and what could be the world's last great piece of Gothic architecture is now nearing completion. The cornerstone of the National Cathedral in Washington D.C. was laid by President Theodore Roosevelt 79 years ago. Work on the cathedral was halted during both world wars and at other periods when more money was needed to continue construction. The twin towers over the main entrance should be completed in three or four years when the cathedral will be consecrated. Already, over 300,000 visitors are said to pass through its doors every year in addition to its 250,000 worshippers. It is the sixth largest cathedral in the world and will have cost about $200 million when it is finished. Winston Churchill once said, "We shape our buildings: thereafter they shape us." Next Sunday afternoon at 1:30 at the Nagoya YWCA, we will hold a meeting of listeners to these telephone messages and we invite you to attend. The subject for our talks will be: "Mountains".
Volcano (86/11/26)
Vulcan was the name of the Roman god of fire and from his name the word "vulcanize" was derived. Fire or heat is used to vulcanize rubber to make it stronger. Another word that comes from the name of this god of fire is "volcano", which is an opening in the earth's crust through which gases, ashes and lava are expelled at certain times. Volcanoes are classified as active, dormant or extinct. There are over 500 active volcanoes in the world and these Japanese islands are a part of a huge volcanic ring around the Pacific Ocean running up the west coast of the America, through the Aleutian Islands, Japan and other Pacific islands down to New Zealand. During the past week, volcanic eruptions and earthquakes on Oshima Island has forced the evacuation of its residents as nature provided a spectacular fireworks display. Both ancient Japanese and Jews perceived divine activity in such demonstrations of natural power, but while Japanese worshipped the mountains themselves, the Jews worshipped their Creator. "Mountains" will be the theme for discussion at our "Daily Word" Listeners' Meeting on Sunday afternoon at 1:30 at the YWCA. I hope you can attend and share your thoughts on this subject.
Thanksgiving Day (86/11/27)
197 years ago, George Washington, the first president of the United States, proclaimed November 26, 1789 a national day of thanksgiving. However, designating holidays is a right of individual states, so in subsequent years, various states designated different thanksgiving days for their particular states. In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln sought to restore unity by proclaiming the last Thursday in November as a national Thanksgiving Day, calling upon all citizens to give thanks "to our beneficent Father, who dwelleth in the heavens." From then on, the last Thursday in November was annually proclaimed as Thanksgiving Day until 1939, when President Franklin Roosevelt changed it to the third Thursday. In 1942, Congress passed a resolution officially designating the fourth Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day, so today is Thanksgiving Day in the U.S., observed by all 50 states. The 136th Psalm begins with these words: "O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever." I hope you can attend our "Daily Word" Listeners' Meeting at the YWCA on Sunday afternoon at 1:30.
Shoeshine (86/11/28)
Mrs. Yuki Hirayama is 78 years old. She recently retired from the occupation she followed for over 40 years. When the war came to an end, Mrs. Hirayama's husband was without a job and she had eight children to feed, so she began to shine shoes on the Tokyo Ginza. In those days, the price of a shoeshine was ¥1 and her customers were mostly GIs of the Occupation forces. Their boots required a large amount of polish which was in short supply, but British Commonwealth soldiers provided her with the "Kiwi" brand of Australian shoe polish, found only on the black market at that time. She worked daily from 11 to 6, eating sushi at a nearby department store for lunch. After the death of her husband, she would hurry home after she had polished 20 pairs of shoes. On her meagre earnings, she managed to raise her family and now has 16 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Modifying a quotation of Booker T. Washington, we may say that "there is as much dignity in [shining shoes] as in writing a poem." You are invited to attend a meeting of listeners to these telephone messages to be held on Sunday afternoon at 1:30 at the YWCA near Sakae. My wife and I would like to meet you there.
Remembering the dead (86/11/02)
Panama (86/11/03)
Election in America (86/11/04)
"He died of joy" (86/11/05)
Pheasant (86/11/06)
Marie Curie (86/11/07)
Montana (86/11/08)
The end of the world (86/11/09)
Corn (86/11/10)
Golden Gate Bridge (86/11/11)
International Week in Nagoya (86/11/12)
President Aquino (86/11/13)
Mohammed (86/11/14)
Shorthand (86/11/15)
Life in Christianity (86/11/16)
Hue and cry (86/11/17)
Asa Gray, the botanist (86/11/18)
Ms. Takako Doi and pachinko (86/11/19)
Trusting news or not (86/11/20)
Literacy in the U.S. (86/11/21)
Charles de Gaulle (86/11/22)
Thanksgiving (86/11/23)
Mongoose (86/11/24)
National Cathedral in Washington (86/11/25)
Volcano (86/11/26)
Thanksgiving Day (86/11/27)
Shoeshine (86/11/28)
Little Women (86/11/29)
The Word of God (86/11/30)
Sistine Chapel (86/11/01)