The 2001 Oyasato Seminar began on July 10 with 66 students from five countries. This seminar was initially launched in the summer of 1984 to provide instruction in English on the teachings of Oyasama for children of church head ministers and fellowship heads in the United States and Canada that were enrolled in high school. Later, in response to requests from other overseas dioceses, it was decided that the Oyasato Seminar should incorporate other languages into its program. It has since been conducted in Chinese, Portuguese, and Spanish as well.
This year, there are 33 students in the English Course (12 in Course I and 21 in Course III), 20 students in the Chinese Course, and 13 students in the Portuguese Course. The Spanish Course was not held this year. At the opening ceremony of the Oyasato Seminar, Rev. Takaharu Ichise, chief of Human Resources Development Section, delivered an address which was simultaneously interpreted into three languages. He said: “There are four great significances in the fact that you have come all the way from overseas to attend this seminar in Jiba, where you will live together with many fellow students who speak different languages and have different lifestyles. First, you are all brothers and sisters as the children of God the Parent and have been drawn to Jiba where God the Parent resides. Second, during this seminar which is held in an environment that you may be unfamiliar with, you will be tested on how well you can follow the Divine Model of Oyasama, who remained joyous in whatever situations. Third, you cannot live by yourselves. You are expected, therefore, to learn to live by helping one another during this seminar. Lastly, on this occasion, you should ponder over why your parents have faith in this path and have devoted themselves to it.”
This year’s English Course I counselors are Andy Tomizawa and Cindy Iwata and English Course III counselors are Tad Iwata and Caroline Ike. All four counselors were once participants in the Oyasato Seminar English Course and are now in a position to share their own faith experiences with the students in order to provide them with useful insights on how to incorporate the teachings of Oyasama into their daily lives. Also, the doctrine teacher this year for both English courses is Fred Hasegawa, an Oyasato Seminar alumnus himself. He provides easy and plain explanations of the content of the Oyasato Seminar textbook, Rewarding Adventures, so that the students can better apprehend the important points of the teachings in an enjoyable environment.
The significance of the Oyasato Seminar is that it is held at Jiba, the Home of the Parent. For children of the Tenrikyo faith abroad, however, Jiba is perceived to be situated far away in a different country. Assembling at the Home of the Parent thus helps participants become more familiar with the place of utmost importance.
Classrooms of Tenrikyo Language Institute are being used as accommodation facilities for participants, counselors, and staff members of all three courses.
The English Course I of this year, along with the Chinese and Portuguese courses, will continue until July 27. An overview of this English course includes studying and discussing the teachings in a classroom setting; learning the dance and musical instruments for the service; crossing the Jusan Pass on foot; experiencing a mission caravan to Ishikawa Prefecture; and performing the service with students of the non-English courses. The Chinese and Portuguese courses share the same instructional nature of the English Course I.
The English Course III also includes studying and discussing the teachings in a classroom setting as well as learning the dance and musical instruments for the service. Yet this course, which will last until August 12, differs from its Course I counterpart in that it includes listening to the Besseki lectures; doing missionary work and community service in Kyoto; standing on guard at the Main Sanctuary with members of the Precincts Section of Church Headquarters; receiving the Sazuke—the Divine Grant; and engaging in door-to-door missionary work with members of the Aichi Missionary House.
The Oyasato Seminar provides high school students with an opportunity to learn the teachings at the Home of the Parent in their own languages. The underlying objective of the program has always been to provide the students with practical means to experience the joy of faith so as to nurture their spiritual growth and assist them in discovering for themselves a way toward the Joyous Life.