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FROM JASH (Japanese Alumnae of the Sacred Heart)
A Note of Gratitude to the Alumnae
from Sr. Hiroko Okui RSCJ
(Class of ’65; Provincial, Society of the Sacred Heart, Japan; Chair of the Board of Directors, School Corp. of the Sacred Heart, Japan)
Before attending the world meeting of Provincials in Chile last fall, I was blessed with the opportunity to visit Peru.
The first impression I had on arriving at Lima airport was one of ashen greyness. There were very few trees, the hills were barren. Even the Pacific Ocean as viewed from Lima seemed grey. But the people were truly straightforward and warm, and were approachable because, like us Japanese, they were just a little bit shy.
It was around eleven a.m. on the morning of the third day that we arrived a small school named after St. Madeleine Sophie, located at the foot of a hill, a slum-district clustered with match-box like dwellings. We were led into a courtyard surrounded by sooty, squalid concrete buildings, an area resembling a factory compound. It was sports day. A folk-dance concert was going on, with the children divided into four teams: red, green, yellow and blue. I was thoroughly captivated by the simplicity of the young boys and girls. I was told that because their parents worked all day they were starved of affection but the limpid clarity of their eyes, even now, remains strongly and indelibly imprinted in my heart.
Towards the end of our visit we stopped at the corner of a school building named "Comedor". Seven or eight timeworn desks stood on the stone floor, and at the time about ten children were having lunch, their little mouths crammed with food served on plastic plates. When I heard that "the Japanese alumnae have been helping us" I was filled with gratitude and pride to know that your love had reached out to the other side of the globe. Of the 1587 pupils who attend the school, all belong to the undernourished category but for the time being, only the very neediest (selected after rigid investigation) are given free lunches.
As we were about to leave, about a hundred pupils crowded around us to jump into our arms to kiss us goodbye. In my entire life I had never before received so many kisses nor do I expect to have the same experience ever again. All I could do was hold them tight and pray with all my heart for their future happiness.
May your warmth and love continue to give light to and gladden the hearts of the children of the little school of the Sacred Heart in Lima.
REPORT ON A CHARITY CONCERT
Two years ago, the members of the St. Rose Philippine Duchesne Fund Committee visited the Philippines to make an investigation before allocating the Group Fund for the Young Philippines.
There had been a report from the Sacred Heart Sisters working in the Philippines to help the people recover from flood damage which had devastated Ormoc seven years ago. Under the Sisters’ leadership, the people there, both young and old, had made great efforts towards recovery. With the improvement of their living conditions, the children were now very eager to study but there were not enough supplies of textbooks, notebooks and other necessities. Keeping in the spirit of our Foundress, St. Madeleine Sophie to assist these children in pursuing their studies, the Sisters are striving to teach these eager pupils under very limited conditions and have made an appeal for assistance.
The committee, on their return, wished to extend help, not only to Ormoc but also to other children who needed our assistance.
On November 16, 1997, a charity concert to help the Children of the World was held at the Marian Hall of the Hiroo campus. Our appreciation goes to the duo performers, Ms. Junko Ohtsu and Mr. Sato who donated their time and performance toward the fundraising.
The following is the list of the Fund recipients:
The Philippines
Ormoc:
Samar:
St. Anthony Academy High School
Indonesia, Jakarta
Peru, Lima
The Committee is very grateful to those who supported us to make these donations possible.
From the New Zealand Association
GRAND REUNION - Erskine College, Island Bay, Wellington New Zealand
Erskine College was closed as a School of the Sacred Heart in the mid-1980's. However, moves to organise a reunion of alumnae were greeted with such enthusiasm that in total, 900 people will attend - an absolutely amazing number for a country with a population of only a little over 3 million. Festivities will begin with Mass on June 19th, the Feast of the Sacred Heart, to be followed by a formal dinner at the Wellington Town Hall. On the following day, Saturday June 20th, a visit will be organised to the former School site, which is now owned and operated by another organisation. The former School chapel, which is intact, will be a particular attraction. Smaller class reunions will also take place at the homes of alumnae and at other venues.