On November 12, the Overseas Seminar for Successors, sponsored by Tenrikyo Overseas Department, was held in Mongolia and Singapore, drawing a total of 81 participants. The seminar, mainly intended for successors of the path between the ages of 20 and 40, has been held at mission headquarters and mission centers around the world. Although the overseas seminar is organized based on the Seminar for Successors held in Jiba, it is designed to reflect the specific circumstances of each country and region in terms of program duration and content. At each venue, a video message from Daisuke Nakayama, the chairman of the steering committee, was given in the respective language.
The Mongolia Venue
The seminar was held for the first time in Mongolia. In recent years, the teachings have gradually spread in the country through music exchange projects and a Japanese language school, where Mr. Kenichi Tanaka, head of Ulaanbaatar Fellowship, is a teacher.
The seminar was attended by a total of 55 participants, including those who have yet to follow the path, and took place at a public school in Ulaanbaatar. The seminar was facilitated by local followers, one of whom has experience in working at the Overseas Department.
One of the participants, Bolt Battsengel, 26, a lay minister belonging to Hirokuni Branch Church, said: “I’m very glad that increasing numbers of people in Mongolia are interested in the teachings. The seminar was a great opportunity for me. I became friends with those who will walk the path with us from now on and learned a great deal about the teachings.” A female participant, who is quite new to the teachings, commented: “I was given a chance to realize the importance of having a sense of gratitude toward my parents and being considerate of those around me. I also learned that it is important not just to pray for others but also to actually do something to help them in the course of daily life.”
The Singapore Venue
At the Singapore venue, a total of 26 people attended the seminar, which was conducted in Chinese and Japanese. One of the participants, Jazlyn Loh, a 41-year-old Yoboku belonging to Obatakeko Branch Church, said: “I learned many things at the Yoboku Gathering three years ago, so I decided to participate in the Seminar for Successors this time. I was impressed by what Daisuke Nakayama said in the video clip shown at the end of the seminar. I would like to continue taking every opportunity to administer the Sazuke to those in need. I would also like to make efforts to impart the joy of faith to my parents and those around me.”
The Overseas Seminar for Successors is scheduled at a total of 28 venues in overseas countries and regions between September 2017 and September 2018.