Interfaith
Reverend
Koho Takata
On
the Thanksgiving Day, the Kapaa Interfaith Association observed an Interfaith
Thanksgiving Day Service at Kapaa Hongwanji Mission and had a community food
service as its first activity to share each faith, to honor and celebrate our
diversity and our unity, and to build a stronger and more connected community in
Kapaa. It
was a very big event.
The hotels in Kapaa area donated their times and labors to cook turkeys, Kauai Community College donated pies, Kapaa Ice Company donated ices, Guava Kai donated juices, each church donated turkeys, stuffing, rice, sweet potatoes, paper goods, etc. Members donated monetary gift to the project, over 200 volunteers worked to prepare and serve the foods to the community on that day, and ministers, pastors, and lay leaders spent lots of times to plan the interfaith service and food community service.
We
served about 400 meals to the people who lived in Kapaa area and delivered about
130 meals for the elderly and handicapped people.
Although it was a first event, it was very successfully finished because
of many people's selfless dedication and contribution.
I would like to express my sincere appreciation to all of you who came to
attend the service, help to set up our hall, carve the turkeys, prepare the
meals, serve the meals, clean up our hall, deliver the meals, donate the money,
and so forth.
Now,
I would like to stress some points through the event.
Unfortunately, some mentioned that it was for homeless people.
Although we have never mentioned that the community food service was for
homeless, lots of people misunderstood it for homeless.
It was for everybody to share the interfaith and thanksgiving whether
they have home or not, rich or poor, educated or uneducated, and so forth.
I do not know why you misunderstood our intent.
But, I strongly felt that one of reasons was that they saw the event by
their self-centered eyes.
In other words, they looked down the people who need support and help.
"Know
that the Primal Vow of Amida makes no distinction between young and old, good
and evil." (The
Collected Works of Shinran, P. 661)
As
I reflected upon the teachings of the Buddha, all lives are equal. They are not
only humans but also all beings are the object of Amida Buddha's salvation.
How wonderful teaching it is!
Please always remember that Amida Buddha saves all beings equally without
any discrimination.
The
other thing was that we needed more support and help.
Members always suggest to go out more and work for the community to
propagate our teachings, increase our membership, and make Kapaa Hongwanji
Mission more visible in our community.
It is easy to suggest.
However, to accomplish those things, it is very hard for a minister and
only limited members to plan and carry out the projects.
We are trying to work for the community such as interfaith activities,
hospital visitations, community service projects, etc.
However, without each one of your support and help, we cannot fully carry
out those projects, and work for the future of our temple and betterment of our
community.
When
I was assigned to Kapaa Hongwanji Mission, we adopted "Oneness" as a title
of our newsletter from "Spot Light".
We should all get together and move forth positively to our future and
betterment of our Kyodan and the community through the guidance of Amida Buddha.
Please keep it in our minds and always remember that it is not only the
role of a minister and a president to increase membership, work for the
community, etc.
It is all of our roles as Buddhists and members of Kapaa Hongwanji
Mission.
Starting
new programs, and changing and/or improving the existing programs are very
difficult things to do.
It needs lots of times, energies, and supports.
I believe that all of you are the key person.
Each one of you have unique contribution to each event, program, and
project. If
even one person started to think that "this is not my concern but it is the
minister's job" or "it is impossible for us to do it because of men power,
money, etc." or "let other people do it", nothing will be changed and
improved. We
all need to be "Oneness" as Buddhists and members of Kapaa Hongwanji Mission
to propagate our teachings and work for our community.
Let us always keep the mind of oneness and move forth positively into a
new history of our temple and community.
Namo-Amidabutsu