the (possible) secret history of faith in Ofunato, part II

The San Juan Bautista, a full-sized, seaworthy replica of the ship commissioned by Date Masamune, feudal lord of Sendai Domain, in 1613.

While researching my previous post on this topic, I learned of the San Juan Bautista Museum, which features a full-sized replica of the ship that Date Masamune, feudal lord of Sendai domain, sent on a diplomatic mission to Rome in 1613. I recently had a chance to visit the museum, where I gained much more insight into the history of Christianity in this region, thanks to the availability of English-language literature.

The ship was originally named the Date Maru but was later rechristened the Sant Juan Bautista (Saint John the Baptist). The original ship was sold to the Spanish armada in the Philippines after the failed mission.

In November 1611, Date Masamune and an entourage of over 2,000 foot soldiers were on their way to a monastery in Edo (modern-day Tokyo) when they encountered the Spanish captain, Sebastián Vizcaíno, and his party. Masamune ordered his men to welcome Vizcaíno with two musket shots, which spooked their horses and ignited pandemonium, with riders and parcels getting thrown into the air. Instead of being upset by this, both Masamune and Vizcaíno reportedly broke into fits of laughter– they hit it off immediately, with Masamune offering to help Vizcaíno’s delegation and inviting them to Sendai. Vizcaíno was impressed by Date Masamune’s hospitality, which he called the finest he had ever experienced in all of Japan. Masamune was apparently well-versed in Western ways; he was diplomatic, with a cosmopolitan perspective that may have been influenced by his previous encounters with European traders and missionaries in Kyoto and Kyushu.

the (possible) secret history of faith in Ofunato

A few local friends came over to our volunteer base for dinner one night, and one of them started singing the ubiquitous Disney song, “Let it Go,” in an unfamiliar language. This friend told us that it was Kesen-go, the dialect of the Kesen people, who inhabit an area that includes Ofunato.

I’ve heard Kesen-go spoken several times. It’s less even in tone and rhythm than standard Japanese. The melodic quality of Kesen-go is more reminiscent of languages such as Spanish, Portuguese, or Italian, at least to these untrained ears.

“That’s because the language has been influenced by foreigners,” piped up our Frozen-fan friend. “Maybe some English, Portuguese, or Dutch.”

Another friend chimed in. “Yes, our ancestors were smugglers from Nagasaki, and they were probably Christian.”

Wait, what?

to post or not to post

from the onion.com

“So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.” – Matthew 6:2

There are times when noticing the speck in another’s eye makes me aware of the plank in my own eye.

A few months back, I posted on “Rinko-san,” who accepted Christ at the age of 85. We have continued to visit her to teach her more about what it means to follow Jesus, and on one recent trip, she proudly showed us a book that was published overseas, in English, and features a chapter about her.

As I started reading it, I was rather perturbed by the author’s somewhat demeaning, almost grotesque description of Rinko-san’s physical condition. How dare they do that to such a sweet soul as Rinko-san! I whipped out my phone and Googled the author, finding my way to a blog site written by the author’s translator and guide.

new life at 85

I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. (1 Cor. 3:6 NIV)

Last winter, I was vacuuming our apartment, minding my own business, when a name suddenly popped into my mind: “Rinko” (name changed to protect her identity).

I didn’t know anyone by that name, but later that day, I was told that our staff would be visiting someone named Rinko. Surprised, I told my colleagues that I had gotten that name earlier that day, so perhaps God was highlighting Rinko-san for some reason.

We visited Rinko-san at her cramped temporary housing unit, where she welcomed us warmly and invited us in for tea. Though she’s 85 years old and in ailing health, her mind remains sharp and her spirit is strong. Rinko-san is delightfully feisty– unafraid to be her own person, she doesn’t bow to peer pressure or hold back in calling out what she sees going on, even if that means standing up to those in authority. She is anything but a pushover.

August highlights

Volunteered to help a team from Arkansas Tech at a weeklong summer English camp in Rikuzentakata, the town just south of Ofunato.

July highlights

 

There were concerns of a typhoon coming through our area, but the storm clouds parted.

June highlights

After a Tai Chi lesson. One of the reasons we offer them is to try to reach more men, as most of those who come to events tend to be women.